Proxxon hot-wire cutter

foamcutter1

Marc Horovitz Hot-wire cutter Proxxon 2555 Tate Blvd. SE Hickory NC 28601 Price: $109.80 Website: www.proxxon.com Hot-wire foam cutter (Thermocut 115/E); 115V; adjustable wire tension; adjustable wire angle; built-in protractor; built-in angle gauge with fence; adjustable wire temperature; on/off switch; user’s manual. Dimensions: Base depth, 15 3/4″; overall depth, 20 1/2″; base width, 11 3/4″; […]

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USA Trains passenger cars

passenger_1

Marc Horovitz 1:29 scale, gauge-1 passenger cars USA Trains PO Box 100 Malden MA 02148 Prices: All cars are $479.95 ea. except the Vista Dome and observation, which are $499.95 ea. Website: www.usatrains.com Mostly metal passenger cars; extruded aluminum body; five different body styles; sprung, diecast-metal trucks with metal wheels; LED interior lighting; opening doors […]

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Mulch in the garden railroad

figure next to trees and house on garden railway

A lecturer once told our Master Gardener group, “Mulch is like underwear: we need it, but we don’t want to see it.” Ideally, the ground is best covered with plants, but it takes time for small starts of groundcover plants to spread and fill the areas we want. If the soil is left bare between […]

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Dwarf hardy jasmine

dwarf_jasmine

Nancy Norris Common name: Dwarf hardy jasmine, Parker’s jasmine Latin name: Jasminum parkeri Plant type: Shrubs & small trees USDA Hardiness Zones: 7-11 (overwinter indoors in lower zones) Cultural needs: Regular moisture, well-drained, slightly acidic soil, sun or part shade Plant size: 8-18″ high x 18″ wide Many plants are called jasmine but stem from […]

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Accucraft 2-6-2T live steam locomotive

accucraft_welsh

Marc Horovitz 1:19 scale, dual gauge, live steam 2-6-2T Accucraft Trains 33268 Central Ave. Union City CA 94587 Price: $1,995 Website: www.accucraft.com 1:19 (16mm) scale live-steam locomotive; gas fired; single-flue boiler; 60 psi blow-off pressure; twin safety valves; pseudo-Walschaerts valve gear; D-valve cylinders; reversing from the cab; water glass, pressure gauge; displacement lubricator with drain; […]

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Train Control Systems WowSound decoder

throttle

Kevin Strong TCS WowSound 5-amp DCC decoder Train Control Systems 845 Blooming Glen Road Blooming Glen PA 18911 Website: www.tcsdcc.com Price: $199.95 Five-amp capacity DCC motor/sound decoder; available for steam and diesel. Size: 3″ x 17/16″ x 9/16″ Pros: Good motor control; high-quality sound reproduction; many sound options programmed onto the decoder; prototypical braking; “Audio […]

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Visaton speakers

speakers

Kevin Strong 8-ohm Visaton speakers Available from: Train-Li 3 Kensington Way Upton MA 01568 Prices: $14.95 – $24.95 Website: www.trainli.com Moderately priced speakers for use with locomotive sound systems; size: 2″ to 3.3″ diameter Pros: Great sound reproduction even without enclosure Cons: None Anyone who has worked with sound systems knows that speakers need a […]

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Train watching on the Winnegance & Quebec

Name:    Eric Schade Railroad Name:    Winnegance and Quebec Location:    Phippsburg, Maine Scale:    7/8″=1′-0″ (1:13.7) Theme:    Maine two foot gauge railroading in the teens Description:    This is a compilation of several live steam runs on two beautiful spring evenings. The leaves are just poking out and so are the black flies. The trains are pulled by […]

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