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Questions from the logs

Dave Farquhar Uncategorized January 6, 2013November 27, 2016cissp, lionel, Lionel Fastrack, lionel train, malicious code, SSCP

If one person uses a password, another will. That’s a popular hacking theory. If that’s true, then chances are if one person asks a question, another will. So here are three short questions (one completely unrelated to the others) I found in my logs over the weekend, and their answers.

Dave Farquhar

David Farquhar is a computer security professional, entrepreneur, and author. He has written professionally about computers since 1991, so he was writing about retro computers when they were still new. He has been working in IT professionally since 1994 and has specialized in vulnerability management since 2013. He holds Security+ and CISSP certifications. Today he blogs five times a week, mostly about retro computers and retro gaming covering the time period from 1975 to 2000.

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What to do when a Lionel train suddenly can’t pull as many cars as it could before

Dave Farquhar Toy trains December 14, 2012May 18, 2022christmas, hardware store, lionel, lionel train, Quantum Hot Sauce, WD, wd 40

Last night, the Lionel train under our Christmas tree–a low-budget special, of course–started struggling. It had been able to pull five cars before, but suddenly could only pull four. Here’s how I fixed it.

Dave Farquhar

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The greatest European tinplate train collection in the United States is on display

Dave Farquhar Toy trains December 12, 2012April 16, 2017Classic Toy Trains, CTT, lionel, New York, o gauge, postwar lionel, tin, toy train, train show, WWII

Two years ago, Jerry Greene made a splash when he attempted to put his huge, one-of-a-kind train collection up for auction. He had quietly amassed 35,000 train items, and only a handful of people knew about it.

Transporting the collection to Sotheby’s let that cat out of the bag. It became the subject of a short feature in the October 2012 issue of Classic Toy Trains, and relentless speculation on all of the major online toy train forums.

The collection, now known as the “Jerni collection,” didn’t sell–it was a one-buyer-take-all affair–so now portions of it are on display at the New York Historical Society. Read more

Dave Farquhar

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An easy DIY Lionel-compatible high-side gondola

Dave Farquhar Toy trains December 11, 2012July 23, 2023decal, DIY, hardware store, home improvement, lionel, lionel train, o scale, o27, train show

My preschool-aged boys and I made train cars this weekend. Yes, I introduced my boys to the idea of making train cars from scratch–scratchbuilding.

They aren’t finescale models by any stretch. But the project was cheap–no more than $30 for the pair of cars, total–and it was fun.

Here’s how we made these simple train cars, so you can too. Read more

Dave Farquhar

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How to attach trucks to Lionel train cars with screws

Dave Farquhar Toy trains December 10, 2012December 20, 20151980s, american flyer, hardware store, lionel, lionel train, locking pliers, marx, Marx O27, o27, PTFE, s scale, Tacky Wax

Frequently the trucks (the wheel/coupler assembly that sits under train cars) come unattached. Lionel trains from the 1970s and first half of the 1980s are especially prone to this, though other makes of trains aren’t immune either. And sometimes you just want to change the trucks–some Lionel and Marx O27 cars are just the right size for American Flyer S scale, for example, only the trucks are the wrong gauge.

It’s tempting to try to just re-attach them with a nut and bolt, but as the train runs in circles around the track, the nut loosens and eventually works its way out.

The key is all in the type of nut you use.

Dave Farquhar

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A Christmas tree train on a budget

Dave Farquhar Toy trains December 8, 2012March 10, 20221960s, 1980s, american flyer, christmas, electric trains, HO, iphone, lionel, Lionel O27, marx, o27, resellers

If you want a train for under your Christmas tree but don’t have a lot of money to spend, here’s how to find one and what to ask for.

Find a store that deals in used Lionel trains, or find a local hobbyist. Search Craigslist or your newspaper classifieds for an ad stating, “I buy electric trains.” I’ll let you in on a secret: most people who buy trains also resell them, because people who buy trains eventually end up with far more than they’ll ever use.

Once you locate a reseller, here’s what to ask for.

Dave Farquhar

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Using a Lionel (or other brand) O or O27 transformer with HO or N scale trains

Dave Farquhar model railroading November 29, 2012August 10, 2016american flyer, amps, HO, lionel, marx, n scale, o gauge, o27, radio shack

Here’s a good question: Can you use Lionel O or O27 transformers (or, for that matter, American Flyer S transformers) with HO or N scale trains?

The answer is, not directly. It will make a terrible noise if you hook it up. But you can make it work properly if you add a bridge rectifier. Look for one that’s 10 amps or more; don’t expect to have to pay more than a couple of dollars for one. Read more

Dave Farquhar

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Dvorak: The future of retail is search

Dave Farquhar Uncategorized November 29, 2012November 29, 2012best buy, caulk, cyanogenmod, home improvement, john c dvorak, lionel, lionel train, matchbox, Nook Color, pc magazine, Plumbing

This week in PC Magazine, John C Dvorak said the future of retail is search. He’s right.

Dave Farquhar

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An interesting day for tablets and e-readers

Dave Farquhar Hardware September 6, 2012April 17, 2017android, kindle, Kindle Fire, lionel, marx, marx trains

Amazon replaced the Kindle Fire today; the basic model gets a price cut to $159 and a faster CPU, and deluxe models get nicer (and in one case, a bigger 8.9-inch) screen. And, predictably, Amazon released new e-reader Kindles with a bit of a price cut and, again, nicer screens.

That wasn’t all.

Dave Farquhar

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Measuring the voltage and amperage of your train transformer’s output

Dave Farquhar Toy trains April 17, 2012December 13, 2021american flyer, amperage, amps, electric trains, lionel, marx, o gauge, postwar lionel, Prewar Lionel, Standard Gauge, toy train

Sometimes you want to know how many volts your train transformer is feeding your trains, in order to avoid damaging the motors. And it’s also helpful to know how many amps you’re pulling from your electric train transformer, so you don’t damage the transformer.

Dave Farquhar

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