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  1. boatwrench

    3D printing

    Purchased a used 3D printer for $100 and have produced many items for the railroad. My grandson wanted a Jurassic Park scene for his (dad's) HO railroad and I was able to print the gates. Have also printed many Jersey barriers, a log skiff, outhouses, dumpsters, a green dinosaur for a Sinclair...
  2. boatwrench

    Shelf mounted

    Last summer while building a layout with my grandson I was surprised by how much weight a cover of paper towel & hardshell over foam scenery added to the overall weight.
  3. boatwrench

    Hidden trackage Grad percentage

    The grade will be 17 feet, plus transitions for an additional 1-2 feet at each end. I calculated that would be close to 9%. The current plan is for the railroad to climb around three walls of a 10'x7' room point to point with a shofly behind the scenery back down along the walls. Cars will be...
  4. boatwrench

    Hidden trackage Grad percentage

    My floor square footage does not have the area for a decent helix. What would be the sharpest grade for hidden trackage to drop from the upper deck to hidden staging on the lower level? The trains would be a single unit Athearn Blue Box GP7s and the trains lengths would be 6-7 Hortner...
  5. boatwrench

    Track Plan help?

    About *gulp* 40 years ago Model Railroader ran an article called Pike Size Passenger Trains. Its target audience was modelers that did not have enough layout or broad curves to truly do a cross country named train justice. The article had 5-6 different passenger consists for a variety of...
  6. boatwrench

    Does anyone know how to stop this gear from sliding out?

    or a push nut. Loc-Tite does make an adhesive for studs and pins. I would on apply to the outboard side of the gear and hope that capillary action would do the rest
  7. boatwrench

    Lost in the Woods Switching Layout

    Glad to see you are back posting updates. I understand the traveling moved my daughter from San Francisco to Oregon, seven trips in six weeks each 1,100 round trip. Anyway nice to see progress. What are you using for roadbed?
  8. boatwrench

    A return to the fun of HO railroading

    Welcome back. I too jumped back in after a 25 year hiatus. Boy have things changed! Another suggestion, build a couple of dioramas or small scenes to practice techniques before starting construction. It was amazing to find out how much you thought you retained.
  9. boatwrench

    3,000 gal Tetraethyl Lead tank car scratched

    Awesome work it looks great!
  10. boatwrench

    Go Away Green

    Disney uses a paint in their theme parks called "Go-Away Green". The purpose is to blend items such as lamp posts, queue railings and other types of equipment boxes into their surroundings. A trick on the eyes, so you don't notice that the object is present, it has gone away. After surfing...
  11. boatwrench

    What am i getting into.

    Looks like a good start. I have just one word of caution; Is N scale to small for a six year old? I built an HO for my 8yo grandson using the Tyco trains my son in law had as a child. He became frustrated trying to replace the cars back on the track after bumping or knocking into the...
  12. boatwrench

    Blue box with OMI top walk, end steps, modern brake wheel, correct trucks, additional decals and weathering!

    Bragdon Powders Thanks for the tip. Haven't heard of this company before your post.
  13. boatwrench

    Bad experience with No-Ox on Peco switch points

    I had close to 20 years of not running my test track, 91% alcohol worked fine. However I read somewhere it leaves a film but a paper towel with 91% followed by a lint free cloth used on computer & TV screens the locomotives ran fine with minimal cleaning and lubrication.
  14. boatwrench

    HO scale city

    Looking good.
  15. boatwrench

    More BNSF Fire Train from Cal-Fire's FB page

  16. boatwrench

    Woodlawn Industrial Park (was Northeastern HO scale switching layout)

    Previous layouts I put duct tape on the underside of a turnout, adhesive side facing up. Very lightly sprinkled ballast on to the adhesive before laying the track. I too am nervous, unsure regarding laying ballast with white glue as adhesive. Thanks for showing your progress i look forward...
  17. boatwrench

    BNSF Fire Train Article

    Wired Tight: Planning, communication help BNSF employees fight Dixie Fire
  18. boatwrench

    Running Consists With Foreign Power

    I used to see a few different roads every once in awhile in Oakland CA back in the mid 1980s, but it was very rare. MP, Rio Grande would show up occasionally. Once saw NS SD40-2 high hood which I modeled at the time but don't recall seeing anything else. Probably to far west and the east &...
  19. boatwrench

    Moving! Good news and bad news...

    JazzDad you are correct. My spouse is thinking about moving closer to the grandkids (yeah I miss them also). I told her I am taking my trains, tools and underwear. Selling or throwing everything else away. Even selling the car. Our move into the present home was a disaster that I won't...
  20. boatwrench

    18" radius curves or...less

    My son in law is running a GP40 on a level 15" radius figure eight without issues, after he figured he could throttle back and didn't need WOT.




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