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Q: I have two HO scale steam engines that both have the same problem. Their front trucks are always derailing. They are very light. Do you have any ideas how to fix this? – Ted Zieger A: Your locomotives’ front trucks should want to stay on the track of their own accords. If they’re derailing, […]
Eric Schrowang wants to know where locomotive crews go to the bathroom. Cody Grivno shows where chemical retention toilets are located on cab and hood units. […]
Rick Bowers wants to know the advantages and disadvantages of Belpair fireboxes. Steve Sweeney uses magazine articles and prototype photos to answer Rick’s question. […]
Q: What is dynamic braking on trains? – Mark Kroll A: Unlike a typical diesel-powered car or truck, a diesel locomotive doesn’t have a direct mechanical linkage between its diesel engine and its wheels. These locomotives are more properly called diesel-electrics. Rather than turning a driveshaft that drives the wheels, the engine (or “prime mover”) […]
Ralph Watkins would like to know if train wheels and axles are cast as a unit or separate. Steve Sweeney is in the studio with the answer. […]
Anthony Rebaldo would like to know where he can find information on Casey Jones, a historical railroad engineer who died in a train collision. Steve Sweeney has some resources to check out. […]
Q: After building a train table with a plywood top, I plan to put down pink extruded-foam insulation board sheets to help keep down the noise. What would you suggest as an affordable option to put over the foam board for appearance purposes? Secondly, if I want to screw or nail anything to the layout, […]
Steve Favale has a number of 25-ton cranes on his layout, and the hooks swing around when he runs them. He’s wondering how he should secure the hooks. Hal Miller shares some photos that may hold the answer! […]
Q: I have some BNSF General Electric Dash-9 and GEVO units that pull my double-stack and trailer-on-flatcar (TOFC) trains as well as a BNSF Executive train. My question is, what sort of freight cars would be used with GP18s and SD45s in the mid- to late 1960s? – Jim Rohrbach A: If you’re running Dash-9s and GEVOs, […]
Lee Ramsburg wants to know what’s the most number of engines an engineer can operate in a train. Steve Sweeney is in the studio with the answer. […]
Jim Harward writes in to ask what Amtrak carries in its new baggage cars. He also wants to know if employees ride in them and who loads and unloads them. Steve Sweeney did some research, so tune in to learn the answer! […]
Q: Would a subroadbed made of foam board be quieter than plywood? My previous HO scale layout used ½” plywood, and the noise coming from the wheels was so high it interfered with my enjoyment of the sound decoders. Would foam board make that wheel noise less intrusive or is there something else I should […]
