I saw something sad in the papers this week: Macy’s is closing its downtown St. Louis store, the former flagship Famous-Barr (or Famous and Barr, if you’re old enough) store. And that means this past Christmas was the last Christmas for the American Flyer storefront Christmas layout.
All posts tagged train layout
“It’s your happy place.”
Someone told me today that she didn’t quite get the appeal of model railroading, that it must be a male thing. And that’s fair: Model railroads were first invented by a dollhouse maker so they would have something to market to boys. That company still markets trains, but no longer markets dollhouses, so I guess [...]
Posted by Dave Farquhar on May 15, 2013
http://dfarq.homeip.net/2013/05/its-your-happy-place/
Does your spouse know who your collecting buddies are?
The story of the 1967 train layout and stash brought up a couple of good questions, even as more facts failed to emerge. If something were to happen to you, would your spouse know how to deal with the collection you’ve left behind? I think it’s a valid question, and not just for trains.
Posted by Dave Farquhar on March 22, 2013
http://dfarq.homeip.net/2013/03/does-your-spouse-know-who-your-collecting-buddies-are/
I don’t think this basement layout abandoned since 1967 is necessarily a tragedy
A query appeared on one of the train forums and has slowly spread through several discussion groups I’m aware of, regarding a 2-rail O scale train layout, built by a hobbyist in the 1950s and 1960s, who died in 1967. The layout sat for 45 years, and now someone has approached a couple of hobbyists [...]
Posted by Dave Farquhar on March 10, 2013
http://dfarq.homeip.net/2013/03/i-dont-think-this-basement-layout-abandoned-since-1967-is-necessarily-a-tragedy/
How to use price guides
Pricing collectibles is more art than science, and most guides have some errors in them, so large (or at least very vocal) numbers of people mistrust them. I still use them, however. Knowing how they’re produced–or would be produced, in a perfect world with perfect data–helps someone to use them to maximum effect. The principles [...]
Posted by Dave Farquhar on February 19, 2013
http://dfarq.homeip.net/2013/02/how-to-use-price-guides/
Fight voltage drop with copper anti-seize lubricant
If you have issues with your trains slowing down on the far reaches of your layout–and judging from my website hits, many people do–there are a couple of things to do about it. The first thing is to run additional feeder wires. Going by the book, you should go every third track section. Do I [...]
Posted by Dave Farquhar on February 17, 2013
http://dfarq.homeip.net/2013/02/fight-voltage-drop-with-copper-anti-seize-lubricant/
Making gradual improvements, starting with whatever bugs you the most
A long project can be paralyzing at times, making it hard to figure out where to start. A trick that I learned in model railroading is to just work on whatever small percentage of the project that bothers you the most. Then, when that’s done, cycle back, create another subproject that fixes whatever bugs you [...]
Posted by Dave Farquhar on February 10, 2013
http://dfarq.homeip.net/2013/02/making-gradual-improvements-starting-with-whatever-bugs-you-the-most/
Non-derailing Marx switches
The Marx 1590 is the best O27 switch ever made. It’s durable, works well with all makes of trains (just put a track pin in the center rail where the switch pivots so that Lionel trains can pass), and can run off accessory power without modification. The only downside is that it (allegedly) can’t be [...]
Posted by Dave Farquhar on February 1, 2013
http://dfarq.homeip.net/2013/02/non-derailing-marx-switches/
The Skyline mystery solved
In the 1940s and 1950s, Skyline of Philadelphia manufactured and marketed a line of toy train-oriented building kits. Actually, there were two lines: One was a line of building kits made of cardstock and wood, and one was a smaller line of lithographed tin buildings, similar to the inexpensive toys made by the likes of [...]
Posted by Dave Farquhar on December 3, 2012
http://dfarq.homeip.net/2012/12/the-skyline-mystery-solved/
2011 retail tinplate finds, at Big Lots and Shack
If you’re a tinplate fan like me, it would behoove you to make a trip to Big Lots sometime this week. Big Lots has a selection of building-shaped cookie tins priced at $5 each. The buildings include a town hall, post office, bakery, and general store. Additionally, my old friend Radio Shack is selling a [...]
Posted by Dave Farquhar on December 6, 2011
http://dfarq.homeip.net/2011/12/2011-retail-tinplate-finds-at-big-lots-and-shack/