model railroading Archives

Is oil conductive? Sometimes, actually

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

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.

Dave Farquhar

David Farquhar is a computer security professional, entrepreneur, and author. He started his career as a part-time computer technician in 1994, worked his way up to system administrator by 1997, and has specialized in vulnerability management since 2013. He invests in real estate on the side and his hobbies include O gauge trains, baseball cards, and retro computers and video games. A University of Missouri graduate, he holds CISSP and Security+ certifications. He lives in St. Louis with his family.

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G gauge vs O gauge

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

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.

Dave Farquhar

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Hi rail in model railroading

Dave Farquhar model railroading October 24, 2017November 21, 2018

Hi rail in model railroading refers to the use of traditional Lionel or American Flyer trains in a scale-like setting with realistic scenery. Hi-rail is a railroading term, but in real railroading it refers to a vehicle that can operate either on tracks or a regular road.

Sometimes hi rail is spelled high rail, with or without a dash, and sometimes combined into a single word, highrail or, more frequently, hirail.

Dave Farquhar

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HO scale vs O scale trains

Dave Farquhar model railroading October 11, 2017December 21, 2021

HO scale vs O scale: which should you choose? Both model train scales have been around a very long time and have a loyal following. Both definitely have pros and cons. Here’s a comparison between two popular model train scales so you can make the right decision which one will work for you.

Dave Farquhar

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Sizes of model trains or model train scales

Dave Farquhar model railroading October 5, 2017May 13, 2022

Model trains come in a variety of sizes to fit the space you have available. Or, to cram more stuff into the space you have available. Here are the common sizes of model trains, or, if you prefer, model train scales.

Sizes of model trains, or any other model, are measured in scale. Scale is a ratio of the model’s size relative to the real thing. Sometimes people will refer to gauge as well, which relates to the track, rather than the train.

Dave Farquhar

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What happened to Tyco RC and trains?

Dave Farquhar model railroading September 7, 2017December 14, 20201980s, 1990s, Fraud, HO, ho scale, Hot Wheels, lionel, matchbox, postwar lionel

Tyco is a name I certainly remember from my childhood. While I never had either of them, many people my age had Tyco slot cars and/or a Tyco train set growing up. If you’re wondering what happened to Tyco, or what happened to Tyco RC, Tyco trains, or Tyco slot cars, read on.

When I think of Tyco, I think of slot cars and trains. Tyco went out with a bang with one last monster Christmas in 1996, and it had nothing at all to do with trains or slot cars. Rather, it involved a brightly colored furry monster that giggled a lot.

Dave Farquhar

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Scale vs gauge: Not quite interchangeable

Dave Farquhar model railroading, Toy trains August 18, 2017March 3, 20221:64 scale, 1950s, 1960s, 1980s, 1990s, american flyer, HO, ho scale, lionel, Lionel 675, n scale, o gauge, o scale, s scale, Standard Gauge

Wondering about scale vs gauge? You’re not alone. It’s a common question, and I’ll try to provide a simple answer. The two terms may appear interchangeable, but they aren’t quite.

Dave Farquhar

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Testors model paint dried out? Here’s what to do.

Dave Farquhar Model Building, model railroading, Toy trains March 10, 2017September 10, 2023

If your old bottles of Testors model paint dried out, you’ll have trouble getting the jars open and there’s no guarantee what you’ll find inside. But it’s definitely worth a try.

Here’s how to get the lid off, what to do with the separated paint, and what you can do to keep it from happening again.

Dave Farquhar

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1:48 scale cars and trucks for O scale

Dave Farquhar model railroading January 2, 2017March 30, 2023

Scale-oriented O scale enthusiasts often bemoan the lack of true 1:48 O scale vehicles, as in 1/48 scale cars and trucks, to go with their O scale trains. Often they go so far as to call 1:48 scale autos non-existent. That’s not entirely the case. There are 1:48 scale vehicles out there. Finding them requires some creativity and imagination, but the payoff is a layout that has vehicles few others have discovered.

I know of more than 20 1:48 scale vehicles suitable for O scale train layouts. They fall into two broad categories: ready made diecast vehicles, and plastic 1/48 scale model cars and trucks in kit form, which require assembly. The model kits tend to be costlier but allow a greater level of detail. Not only that, some of the model kits are 4-door sedans, the perfect ordinary car. For the realism-craving hi rail or 2-rail enthusiast, they are hard to resist.

Dave Farquhar

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Fasten Lionel tubular track to foam board

Dave Farquhar model railroading, Toy trains December 13, 2016October 22, 2022lionel

Foam board is nice for building train layouts, since it’s lightweight and versatile. It’s easy to cut and shape into mountains and valleys and rivers. It’s also inexpensive. The problem is that screws won’t stick in it. So it’s tricky to fasten Lionel tubular track to foam board. It’s difficult to fasten any other kind of track too.

Here are two ways to do it.

Dave Farquhar

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The Silicon Underground

model railroading

Is oil conductive? Sometimes, actually

G gauge vs O gauge

Hi rail in model railroading

Read more

HO scale vs O scale trains

Sizes of model trains or model train scales

What happened to Tyco RC and trains?

Scale vs gauge: Not quite interchangeable

Testors model paint dried out? Here’s what to do.

1:48 scale cars and trucks for O scale

Fasten Lionel tubular track to foam board