Recent content by kadidle

Hehehe. At least you have an LHS. I just found out ours is closing out their MRR stuff and mostly becoming a craft store. Not that they had much, but still. Guess I'll be ordering off of the Internet soon. :( Maybe I should open an LHS, like I really have time for that! :D Mark, have you...

I also like them before the turnout, and try to always make them the same distance before the frog, so that even if there is no marker at least *I* know where they are...

I cut both to avoid nasty surprises if you change things around. But then again, I'm both forgetfull and paranoid. hehehehe.

They are isolation of the power, so the two controllers are not conflicting/shorting out. Make sure there is a tiny (very tiny if possible) gap in the trackage, and you'll be fine. You want that gap small enough not to derail a train, but large enough that when the trackage expands it doesn't...

I've considered makeing my handheld EM uncouplers available. If I do, I need to make them a little more finished... Is there actually any interest? If so I could figure out what they would cost and maybe whip some up for folks.

Winding your own is easy, just grab some magnetic wire (I believe radio shack still carries this). I'm building my own for in the layout, and a handheld job, so I slide it around the joint in the cars and push a button to uncouple...

Mark, if you follow 60103's advice, maybe put a trestle in for the crossing, might be more interesting. Drop the lower line a tiny bit, and raise the upper a bit...

Just a thought, but maybe one of those electronic pest eliminator doo-dads? I have cats, and they do a good job of eliminating the pests, however they regularly terrorize the LPB's... :(

I'll be going with incandescent lights for one reason, dimmer switches. I like to set the tone of the session with lights, however I never turn them totaly off. Below the layout I intend to use small fluorescents (4 footers every 8-10 feet) to prevent tripping. One thing I'm doing different...

Yeah, I hear you. We have 36' x 22' to work with here, provided we have some nice winter days where nothing else can be done! :D

When I started scaling down our original HO plan to N, I did about 70-80% version, this allowed some nice wide turns, and also uncluttered the layout quite a bit. It also allows for much longer trains because of more room (and wider curves) plus the lower amperage of the N scale means I can...

Nothing against the Internet sites out there, but when your backs to the wall because your new $100 loco is DOA, it sure is nice that the LHS is there. I try to support mine every chance I get (which is probably WAAAAYYY too much...) :D

Scott, there is an opening for a dispatcher on my layout, however you only get paid in plastic dollars.... I noticed we have some truckers on here, hey guys, glad I don't have to deal with morons in yugo's anymore... :)

Dru, go for it. One nice thing is that if your budget gets tight, you can scratch build some amazing things out of paper board! As far as DCC, now that I've played with it, I'll never go back. Probably would cost more for DC anyway, what with all the switches and stuff. :D Do consider...

HO is 1 inch per 87 inches on the prototype. N is 1 inch per 160 inches on the prototype. So not quite twice as small.