Q: In all my 74 years of looking at train tracks this is the first time I noticed a “No trespassing” stencil on the web of the rail of the Union Pacific tracks that run by my home in Fort Dodge, Iowa. I’m curious if this is standard procedure for the UP or if other […]
Q: How do mechanical passenger car washers work? — Steve Moore A: Keeping passenger cars clean is a never-ending battle as they’re subjected to the same dirt, dust, and grime as locomotives and freight cars. While spot cleaning, such as windows, is handled en route, extensive cleaning is handled at coach yards and larger terminals. […]
Q: I’m planning a rail-served brewery for my N scale layout. What did these industries look like, and what kind of products would trains deliver to the brewery or haul away from it? — Eli Quarless A: Breweries are large, sprawling, complex industries that take up multiple buildings and receive and ship a wide variety […]
Q: I wonder if you could offer some ideas as to what might have caused a rough finish on an airbrushed structure. The prototype’s facade has white enameled panels, which I made by scribing lines in white styrene. The rest of the exterior is gray with a concrete block pattern, which I also modeled in […]
Q: I am in a decision mode as to what’s the best industry for a small shelf layout. I’m considering either lumber or grain. My shelf is 14″ x 6-0″. Also, what freight cars would be needed for each industry? Thanks. — Bill M. A: You didn’t say what scale you’re modeling in, but 14″ […]
Q: When did the grade crossing whistle signal change from two longs and two shorts (— — o o) to two longs, a short, and a long (— — o —) and under what authority? I model 1907 and I have several early rule books that all have it as two longs and two shorts. […]
Q: Do the passenger cars in mixed trains go in front of the freight cars, or vice versa? — Stanley Lachac A: As is so often the case in questions about railroading, the answer is, it depends. As I wrote in my answer to Joe Mizell’s question in the February 2020 “Ask MR,” a mixed […]
Q: What can I do to make natural scenery products safe for my layout? I’m starting an HO layout in my home and have collected several pieces of tree bark and other plant pieces which I hope to incorporate into the scenery on that layout. I’ve kept these items in a closed dark plastic garbage […]
Q: I’m familiar with where the water filler is on more modern steam locomotive tenders. But I don’t see a similar place for water to be taken in on the old wood burning engines, like The General. Can you enlighten me? — Robert Taunt A: The General was a 4-4-0 American-type steam locomotive belonging to […]
Q: Did short line railroads use timetables for such loads as logs, lumber, cattle, grain, merchandise, and the like for short distances such as 100 miles or less? For example, is a timetable necessary for a train running back and forth between a log landing site and a small lumber mill? — Russell Brenchley, Cottage […]
Q: What are the bars on top of Pennsylvania RR diesel locomotives for? Are they for radio? — Damien Bouchey A: Those aren’t for radio, though they served the same function — communication. Those are Pennsylvania RR Trainphone antennas. In the mid-1930s, the Pennsy was looking for a more efficient way for dispatchers and towermen […]
Q: I have heard of some of the uses for alcohol in model railroading, such as cleaning parts, removing paint, and track cleaning. Are there other uses I’m not aware of? And at what strengths would be used? — Ron Buddemeier A: Isopropyl alcohol is a fairly strong solvent, and as such, there are a […]
