Q: How would a car card or waybill be noted or used for reefers needing icing or cattle needing feed and water along the way between the car’s origin and distant final destination? – Dick Piehl, Whitewater, Wis. A: Both activities are governed by time – the first by the practical limit of how long […]
Frequently Asked Questions for Garden Railways readers: Q: Trains in the backyard or around the house seem like fun. How do I start? A: One great way to start is to look through our Beginners section. There you can find downloadable articles as well as basics articles to help you on your journey. We also […]
Get an overview of the garden railroading hobby by watching our introductory video. If you are interested in knowing more about putting trains in your backyard or garden, consider signing up for our welcome email series. […]
Q: I’ve given up counting rivets; now I’m into what I call chronological accuracy. My layout is set in 1956. I’m OK with choosing appropriate vehicles and diesels for that era, and I learned that yellow stop signs were replaced by standardized red signs in the late 1950s, but other questions remain. When were roof walks […]
Q: Here are several photos of an HO scale wall hanging diorama that I bought at a garage sale. I’m trying to learn more about it. However, I can’t make out the artist’s last name on the back and I can’t find an address or phone number for the company whose name is also stamped […]
Q: I model some small industries and businesses in the early 1950s. Were pallets and forklifts in common use at that time? – Chris Gabel, Loveland, Colo. A: As you alluded to, the development of the pallet went hand-in-hand with the development of the hand-operated pallet jack and its motorized version, the forklift. Prior to […]
The stainless steel finish for passenger cars made of plastic is typically silver paint that lacks the mirror sheen of real stainless. Even the plated finishes of the brass models don’t have a realistic stainless look, and plated cars from different makers don’t match. I hadn’t found a finish I really liked, though, until I […]
Q: I saw some kind work train on my local BNSF line today that I’ve never seen before and I was curious as to what it was. The thing that surprised me the most is it looks like double stack well cars were converted to MOW duty. Is that the case? – James Cox, Portales, […]
Download this image to use as a background on your computer screen A Rutland freight led by Alco RS-3 no. 207 crosses over the Otter Creek Bridge on its way to Rutland while below a Delaware & Hudson crew picks up cars dropped off on the Clarendon & Pittsford RR interchange. Gregory Wiggins of […]
Diaphragms are bellows-like connections that enclose the space between cars for safe passage through the train. Passenger cars look naked without them, but they can be a pain in the neck if they don’t let cars negotiate all kinds of trackwork, or if they keep cars from coupling and uncoupling. I took my cue from […]
Q: I’ve searched all over the internet for information on how to build a model railroad when you’re in a wheelchair, but I’ve found nothing. Nada! Zilch! Can you help, please? I’m desperate! – Joe Kienlen, Conshohocken, Pa. A: Though we haven’t run an article specifically about how to build a layout while using a […]
Q: Are Atlas turnouts “DCC friendly” in the way Walthers turnouts are advertised? Do I need to do anything special to make Snap-Switches and other track products operate properly on a Digitrax DCC powered layout? – Edward Gardineer, East Berne, N.Y. A: Before I answer your question, I have to give you two caveats. First, […]
