Posts Tagged ‘Guide’

Product Description
“The DCC Guide” is a Kalmbach Model Railroader Book by Don Fiehmann. / / FEATURES: Plain & simple explanations where the instruction manuals left off / Inside this book, you will better understand DCC (Digital Command / Control) by addressing: / *DCC history and standards / *The DCC system / *Decoders / *Programming decoders / *Selecting a system / *Layout wiring / *Installing decoders / *Lighting and sound / *Operating with DCC / *Glossary of of DCC terms / / INC… More >>

The Dcc Guide: How to Select and Use Your Command Control System

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Getting started is one of the most exciting phases in the Model Train hobby. Should your train set take over the whole house or settle for just one room? If you opted for the whole house, please speak with your wife before swinging the sledge hammer.

It is good to dream big, but patience is often required before dreams become reality. Most of us have to deal with the reality of limited amounts of space, money and time. Adapting to these realities will help you make your first decisions, where to put your set and how much space to devote to it.

Another decision is selecting a brand train sets. Should you purchase a Lionel model train set or go with another brand? Lionel is by far the leading brand, but other brands such as Bachmann, Athearn, Hornby and others have been around a long time too and have many happy customers. If you are not sure, Lionel is a safe place to start.

So do we have some momentum going yet? The next decision is choosing between complete train sets or individual components. Most beginner hobbyists start with complete train sets while the more serious railroaders opt for buying individual components. Complete sets are cheaper and save you time with shopping. Buying components costs more and requires you to gather more information before buying. Whether you choose to go with sets or components, it is recommended to play it safe by purchasing well-known brand, such as a Lionel model train. You might save a few dollars with a lesser known brand but you might not get the quality you want.

Once you have all of your components, start by spreading them around on the table that will be used for the layout. Be sure you have all the pieces; if not, contact the hobby store for directions. Most train set kits contain an engine, cars, track, and a power pack. Directions for assembly and wiring are included in the package.

You will need the right surface for your model train track. Carpeting doesn’t work well. A simple wood surface works the best. The recommended minimum layout size is 5’ x 8’ as this will provide enough space to curve the track. Smooth wood works best but if there are knots you can generally curve your track around them.

Covering the board with a green felt helps hold scenery and track in place during set-up and ongoing improvements. The green felt also provides a grassy look to any board that isn’t specifically set up with scenes. Additionally, green felt might cover up imperfections in the wood.

Lay out some pieces of track on the table. Look at the ends to verify which ends fit together. Be sure that the “rail joiners” are not broken or damaged. These metal pieces (or ends) have a dual purpose: they allow electricity to move throughout the track and ensure that the rails align properly. Connecting the tracks correctly helps keep the tracks in place and could prevent some derailments. Move the pieces around until you have a set-up that you like. Fasten the track to the board with track pins.

Next, you will need to wire the track. One rail is the positive side and the other rail is the negative side. These two rails combine to provide all the needed electricity for your train sets and scenery. Pay attention when connecting your tracks to ensure that you don’t mix the polarity. Connect one end of the wires to the track (or use prewired joiners). The other end will connect to the power-pack. Be sure that the power pack is unplugged before connecting any wires.

Once the wiring is complete, place your Lionel model train engine on the track and connect several cars. Be sure the wheels are aligned correctly on the track. Plug in the power-pack and advance the throttle slowly. If the train goes forward, you hooked up the wiring correctly. If the train goes backward, unplug the power-pack, switch the wires, and restart the train.

Run your train to ensure that all your connections are properly set up. Test the train by running it at different speeds; in some cases, you may have to increase the radius of the curve to prevent derailments. Before you fasten tracks down, be sure the layout is the way you want it.

Now you are ready to enjoy your train set. As you gain experience, you can add tracks, curves, hills, and interlocking train sets. Reversing sections of tracks is helpful for backing up and disconnecting train cars. Have fun!

Technorati Tags: Guide, lionel, model, sets, Setting, train

For those just starting out in the world of Lionel trains or any other brand, and who are looking to add wooden structures to them, the first instinct might be to go out and buy pre-packaged kits. After all, why to go all the trouble and time of building wooden train structures yourself when you can just go out and buy a kit that’s been designed with that very purpose in mind?

Even though it requires more work, there are several reasons for building your own wooden train structures.

First, many hobbyists get a great deal of pleasure from the task of building wooden train structures themselves. Hobbyists have even more fun with it by participating in achievement programs and contests. For anyone participating in contests or the achievement program (or even for your Master Builders Structures Certificate) there are various guidelines that must be followed.

Second, hobbyists might not be able to get what they want from pre-packaged kits, leaving them with little choice but to build it themselves.

After making the decision to build custom wooden structures, it is time to get started. The first step is to gather the tools you will need. If you can put a craftsman kit together, this task should be simple. Most of the tools you will probably already have in your possession, items such as a scale ruler, single edge razor blades, Xacto knife (or similar), and a smallish square. Those are the absolute basics, though in the interests of making life easy for yourself it would also be a good idea to go out and invest in such items as a miter box, saw, a steel plate (preferably with a square grid) small biggies filled with side weights (for the purposes of having adjustable weights), aluminum side rails with extra magnets, little clamps, a chopper, a sander and smaller items such as pins, pencils, scissors and glass plates.

After getting the tools, the next step is to draw up (to scale) a plan for the structure. Once you have that, the wood raw materials need to be gathered. Stripwood is a good choice. Commercially available siding is acceptable as a cover.

Prior to starting the assembly comes staining or treating the wood if desired. Variations in the wood can give structures a more realistic appearance. If you want these variations, it will need to be pre-stained prior to assembly.

The final step is assembling the structure. If you want to decorate and see the interior (which is a must if the building will be in the foreground), you must be sure to make the roof removable (cover trusses with boards, then shingle; rafting and cross bracing are recommended to give it both stability and strength). Nail-holes are absolutely essential for clapboard siding. This can be achieved with straight pins for smaller structures or larger pins requiring a pounce wheel. All subassemblies should be assembled prior to attempting to connect them to the building (if you are planning to paint the building, don’t put the subassemblies on until this is done). Use clear plastic or glass for windows.

Once the wooden train structures are completed, they are sure to take your train set to the next level. They will last a lifetime and will work great with Lionel trains or any other brand you select.

Technorati Tags: Adding, Guide, lionel, Structures, train, trains, Wooden

Model train scales are a measurement of how large the train is, compared to the real thing. For beginners this can be the most confusing part of this hobby, and often the mistakenly mix up scale for gauge.

While this is a common misunderstanding, many train buffs will get quite angry if you mix up the two. Gauge is the distance between the rails on a track, not size.

First for the facts about Model Train scales. It is measured like this.

First thing you will notice when looking at a model train scales is a letter. Here are the most common lettering system, in order from largest to smallest.

While there are some others that can be larger or smaller, they are hard to find and some smaller sizes are difficult to work with, especially if you have large hands, or have arthritis. HO is probably the easiest to work with, find parts and accessories easily, and is one of the most common train scales.

In order from largest is G scale. These trains are 1:24, meaning they are only one twenty-fourth the size of a real train.

While you may think of these trains as the ones you may have seen circling a tree at Christmas time, they are larger than that. You would most often find this scale in a outside setting, intermingled in a garden or landscaping scene.

They are made to be rugged and durable and will take the stress of weather fairly well. The size commonly associated with Christmas trains are the ‘O’ model train scales, which are 1:48, meaning that they are 1 48th the size of a real train.

You mostly see these in the hands of smaller children, because of their size, they are easily handled by small ones. You will probably not see many of these train layouts indoors, because of the space they use.

HO is as mentioned earlier, the most common used and easily found. HO scale is 1:87, which is small enough to handle well, performs the best and is large enough to show case very well.

You will see these model train scales in most layouts, because of the accessibility of parts and miniatures that are available. This train size is ideal for the beginner, because it has many basic sets, and can be expanded as the user becomes more experienced.

The next two are N, which stands for nine, which is the space between the tracks for this model, 9mm. This scale is 1:160, and is small enough to display in a bedroom, or a garage setting.

Z scale is the smallest, 1:220, and a whole basic layout for this size can fit on a office or home desk top. However, this size is not advised for children of people with vision problems, etc. because it’s so small.

Again gauge is the measured distance between the track, and there are many different gauges. Usually when you buy a set, you really don’t have to worry about this, since the train and tracks always match.

When you are buying extra track, then you need to know what the gauge is, so you won’t buy tracks that are too wide or narrow to match with the ones you have. With this information about model train scales, it should help you figure out which model trains are going to be right for you.

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This is a general overview of what the model train hobby is and what it entails. In a effort not to discourage new beginners to this ever expanding pastime, this article will not be too technical yet designed to catch your interest.

The first thing that any model train hobbyist should know is about scale, and gauge. Scale refers to the actual size of the train engine, cars, and accessories.

They can be small enough to easily fit on a office desk top, or large enough for a garden railway. Scale is also referred to in letter form.

For example, ‘G’ scale train models are 1:24 scale, which means it is just one twenty-fourth the size of a real locomotive. These are often found with train hobbyists who lay out their Model Trains in a back yard setting, such as interwoven through gardens, and other landscaping.

The ‘Z’ scale is a mere 1:220, meaning it is 220 times smaller than a real train. As mentioned earlier, this size is ideal for a desk top lay out, but it is so small in size that they are difficult to work with, and are not in wide use.

The next part about model trains is gauge. While this is often confused with scale by many beginners, it is NOT the same as scale, and mixing up the two will definitely anger experienced train buffs.

What gauge measures is the distance between the trail track rails. For a simple example, if you have a 9gauge train track, this means that there is nine millimeters of space between the inside of the rails.

In this case, the bigger the gauge, the bigger the space. Now while this may seem confusing, don’t worry.

HO scale is 1:87, and is ideal for many new beginners, as well as many other hobbyists. It is small enough to fit well with many different layouts, yet big enough for the average person to handle, and they show well.

This is the most commonly used scale in the model train world not only because of its versatility, but also because parts and accessories are easy to find. This brings us to layouts and accessories.

Having model trains would be really boring if all it entailed was a train engine moving along a track. That is why a model train can include many different train cars, passenger cars, hoppers, and tank containers, just to name a few.

Then there are all the layout accessories, trestles, miniature people and vehicles, as well as buildings and scenery. The possibilities are really only limited to your imagination.

You can even create your own landscaping ideas, with plastic plants torn apart for trees, shrubs, and other plants. You could also use old cleaned out tin cans, painted, for things like grain silos, or oil refinery tanks.

There are many basic sets a beginner can buy, with all things to start your hobby. You can find many of these on websites, or you could also start at your local hobby shop.

A retailer can not only offer many different ideas, but can also answer many if not all of your questions. Hopefully you will want to know more information about model trains, and you can find many example layouts online for creative ideas.

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