model railroading Archives - The Silicon Underground

Home » model railroading

On3 vs On30: Narrow gauge O scale trains

Dave Farquhar model railroading March 23, 2018February 4, 2018 0 Comment

Narrow gauge railroading is almost always confusing, and On3 vs On30 is no exception. They sound similar, and they are, though there are some differences.

Narrow gauge has a following among hobbyists who want to be able to model small areas accurately. Most basements don’t have adequate space to model a big-name railroad with any kind of scale accuracy. But it’s possible to model a small narrow gauge operation in a small space. Narrow gauge O scale trains are a great compromise for people who want big trains in a small space.

O scale vs O gauge

Dave Farquhar model railroading February 28, 2018January 20, 2018 0 Comment

The distinction of O scale vs O gauge can be confusing for some people, especially newcomers to model railroading. Some people can get uptight about the difference, so here’s how to distinguish the two so you can avoid offending someone.

How big is a G scale train?

Dave Farquhar model railroading February 19, 2018February 25, 2018 1 Comment

How big is a G scale train? It depends, and it also depends on whether you’re asking about the size of the train itself or the track. Let’s tackle both questions.

On30 scale vs HO scale

Dave Farquhar model railroading February 16, 2018January 19, 2018 1 Comment

On30 trains are bigger than HO scale trains, yet they run on the same track. How can that be? It all comes down to scale and gauge. Here’s On30 scale vs HO scale explained.

How big is an HO scale train?

Dave Farquhar model railroading February 2, 2018January 31, 2018 5 Comments

HO scale is the most popular scale for model railroading, partly because its size represents a good compromise. It’s small enough that you can fit a decent layout in a reasonable space without it taking over your basement. But it’s big enough that you can see it. But how big is HO scale? How big is an HO scale train?

Save money on model trains

Dave Farquhar model railroading January 25, 2018January 25, 2018 0 Comment

People frequently ask me how to save money on model trains. After all, I write about them a lot. And I’m pretty outspoken about being cheap. Actually, cheap might be a bit mild.

It turns out there are plenty of ways to save money on trains and some of them increase your enjoyment of the hobby.

What is HO scale? Read on.

Dave Farquhar model railroading January 19, 2018January 25, 2018 0 Comment

Let’s play Jeopardy. Answer: Measuring at a 1:87 scale ratio relative to the real thing, this is the most common and popular scale of model railroad in the world outside of the United Kingdom. The question, of course, is, what is HO scale.

It’s not a reference to Christmas or anything like that. HO is an acronym for “Half O,” a reference to its approximate size relative to the train scale it overtook in popularity around 60 years ago.

N scale vs HO scale trains

Dave Farquhar model railroading January 17, 2018February 19, 2018 0 Comment

HO scale and N scale are the two most popular scales of model trains. Both are a small enough size to be practical, whether you have room for a table-sized layout or want to build a basement-sized empire. Here are the pros and cons and considerations of N scale vs HO scale trains.

Is oil conductive? Sometimes, actually

Dave Farquhar DIY, model railroading January 11, 2018December 29, 2017 0 Comment

Is oil conductive? It’s a frequent point of debate among model railroaders. But generally speaking, oil isn’t a very good conductor. That said, oil can be a good conductivity enhancer, even though it’s not a very good conductor on its own.

Here’s how to use oil to improve conductivity in electrical applications. This can work whether you’re talking household current, or low-voltage applications like you find in model railroading.

G gauge vs O gauge

Dave Farquhar model railroading January 1, 2018February 18, 2018 0 Comment

G gauge vs O gauge is a natural comparison, as they are two of the oldest surviving standards in model trains. Due to their size, they share many of the same advantages and disadvantages. As such, they tended to rival one another in the 1990s and early 2000s.

← Previous