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I have hundreds of HO scale cars of many types from all sorts of large to very obscure railroads. Most are probably from the 1980's and onward. They range from what look like nice quality to poor, but most are better than good except most have old horn hook couplers or need couplers. Most are...

By necessity, I have to have lift out sections in the middle of my layout. I have a 4x8 area that is open and flat and clear of track, and that area has two end-to-end 20 inch wide and four foot long lift-outs of plywood. I have to have them if I ever want to do any maintenance on some inner...

Well, I just got off the phone with a manufacturer and found out why my new engines and cars derail all the time. According to the manufacturer, the problem is the RP25 wheel standard by NMRA. They said they get returns all the time now because the RP25 standard has the wheel flanges too...

Where can I get good replacement wheels that are about a 1.000 inch axle point xxdepthxx width? I have about 20 pcs of brand new 1.027 inch wide axles but they won't roll in the trucks. They just slide along the track. Tried searches and all the wheels I found lack dimensions so I can't tell...

I bought some Champ Resibond. At the recommendation of someone, I lay in the ballast and mist it with water with just a drop of detergent. I use an eyedropper to drip in the resibond liquid. It does great. No noise coupling to the board. Trains run over it quiet. But it darkens the ballast...

Help!! Again. :-) I have this: and I have two choices...this one that I don't like but will be easier... ...or this one I think can look better but takes a little more work... So my real problem, no matter which I use, is what to use for stone. I'd like to use a Pennsy style...

I've been searching the web without much luck. Where can I get a big assortment of PRR decals for assorted cars and cabooses and some typical PRR paint to convert some stuff I already have to PRR. Is there an off the shelf spray paint that is close?? Anyone know of any place that sells a...

I just received three new Bachmann Locos and some cars. My EMD GP7 62401 ran fine backwards and forward across all tracks. One of the cars and my A unit 61802 RF16 would derail everywhere. I worked hours on my tracks, and even changed out some sections and one turnout, but the problems just...

I want to start with a DCC system. I now have three locomotives ready. What is the most reasonable system to start with?? I probably never want to control turnouts and I want at all costs to avoid having a computer. :-)

I see by reading stuff on the (mis)information highway that US dwarf signals can be on either side of the track now that steam is gone, but with steam they were on the right hand side. Is that right?? I'm using a variety of modified commercial and home made dwarf signals, pole mounted...

I just completed the logic board of my DC layout. It does everything I wanted with diode and relay logic, plus I really enjoyed building it. It is dead bug style (parts mounted on their backs) with point-to-point rat's nest wiring. Perfect to scare people...

I have a homemade tunnel that needs a 5-1/2 to 6 inches wide portal. This is because of the track spacing and because the tracks start to curve exiting the portals. I was looking at Scenic Expresses portals, and aside from some not being clear on dimensions I can't seem to find something the...

Wiring of my DC layout is coming along nicely. I have 20 switches wired to control my turnouts and automatically disable power into turnouts that are thrown the wrong way. This lets me park things on sidings and spurs. I added an auto-reverse on a Y track I'm using to reverse directions...

I don't know how Atlas and whoever made my other turnouts makes the connections inside, but several turnouts have high resistance between rails that pass electrical connections under the plastic. Sometimes it is a pretty steady 1-3 ohms, sometimes nearly open until I pass load current through...

I really enjoyed visiting the Atlanta show this past weekend. Are there any bigger shows??

I think I have a turntable like this one: http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/933-3171 The number on the base is 7003135\A It has unreliable slip rings for power to the turntable track, and has a motor. It has plastic bearings, a large black plastic drive gear, a smaller pinion gear...

What are the best insulated joiners to use for HO rail? Something that hold the rails in alignment best??? Thanks in advance.... Tom

I have at least a half dozen Santa Fe diesels that are brand new old stock, plus others that are used, but I like PRR and don't have any. Is there a swap board or exchange where I can trade them for PRR, which I have none of??? Surely there is a swap exchange around Internet, or should I take...

I inherited about 20 turnouts with some stuff I bought, but I'm have derailments on some because they just look loose and worn out. These are pretty compact turnouts, I'm not sure who makes them. They are pretty old. What's a good reliable turnout to chose?? Just need a standard sliding...

I just finished the PC layout for my IR detector system, and ordered boards. I can reliably detect a single car or more within a span up to five feet. Now I have to figure out how to hid the LED's and IR photo transistors. I'm thinking of making or buying some fake track side boxes of various...