I recently received some additional Micro-Engineering On30 flex track that I ordered from Micro-Mark. I have switched to the non-weathered flex and I am much happier with it. Soldering feeders and soldering pieces together on the corners is much easier. The non-weathered also seems to flex easier and doesn’t seem to bind […]

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I started several projects this weekend and finished almost nothing. It was not a great weekend for forward progress. One small project that I did complete (mostly) was the installation of Universal Throttle Connector Plate for my DCC system. Up to now I just had the throttle plugged directly into the control […]

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Adding the roadbed is actually quite enjoyable for me because I enjoy using my new jigsaw so much. The starting point was my Google SketchUp drawing. I viewed it from above and drew in some rough grid lines. I am sure there was a much more elegant way of handling this […]

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After completing the grid benchwork and attaching it to the existing benchwork, the next step is to add the hardboard backdrop. Hardboard makes a nice smooth backdrop, can be easily painted, inexpensive, and easy to work worth. Some model railroaders are using sheet styrene but I have never worked with it.
My backdrop extends […]

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I threw together a Digg style site called Model Railroad Crossing for model railroaders to share their favorite Model Railroad content with others. The community probably doesn’t yet have the critical mass to support it, but it only took a few hours and we’ll see how it goes.
I have recently uncovered several blogs similar […]

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I was happy to receive the DVD I ordered from Paul Scoles called “Advanced Techniques for Realistic Scenery” during the holidays because I had some time to watch it. Overall, I think the video is worth the investment. The introductory shots of his layout were certainly inspirational.
Rock Casting and Painting - I have […]

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I have recently picked up SketchUp again as a tool for layout design. I had previously considered CadRail and 3d Plan-It but instead opted for graph paper for the initial planning iteration. While trying to better communicate about building my model railroad on the blog, I have found SketchUp to be quite useful. […]

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This post will cover adding legs to the grid section constructed in Part 1. I use 48″ as the base height for my layout which conveniently results in a normal 8′ 2 X 4 providing two legs. Cut 2 X 4 material to desired leg length. For me this was 48″. […]

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