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Rivarossi's Hudson 4-6-4's are on sale but I have no idea if they are reliable and good performers. My experience is with IHC & Bachman Spectrums. Any inouts wopuld be appreciated. Thanks, Jim

I'm trying to use bi-color (red/green) leds as track signals indicators on a DCC system. The results are both diodes are turning on but at different currents yielding a yellowish light emittion. I tried buildingh a rectifier but am not using diodes that are fast enough to rectify the voltage...

At it again; needing help. I've formed the hills and mountaiins with hydrocal and plaster with pretty good satisfaction. The portals and waterfall areas came out good but I'm unable to develop the technique for rock and strata details. Could I add agrigate (crushed concrete or crusthed rock) to...

I'm at it again; more questions. Guardrails should be installed at all portal & tressle ends but commercially available rails aren't realistic (Atlas rerailer). Should the rails be hand made and glued in place (using shims to postition the rails accurately)? I need quite a few...

I finally started the scenery phase of my layout layout out cardboard strips but tried phite plaster & paper towels. The paper towels weren't strong enough to retain any shape between the strips (3" spread) and the white plaster takes forever to cure. Sooo, I'm off to get paper shopping bags...

I'll be needing quite a few coal & gravel hoppers and was wondering if there was a preference on brand. Upgrading to metal wheels and Kaydee couplers adds expense, so I was hoping to start with a good hopper. Thanks, Jim

HELP. I built a Walthers 'Northern Light & Power' structure and was planning to put it in an industrial area near the freight yard, but it is a big building and would look better next to a large rock formation in the vacinity of a coal mine . Soooo, were power plants ever located near a coal...

I just burned out my MRC Command 2000 controller and need to either replace it, repair it or switch to another brand. I wEnt with MRC TWO YEARS AGO, because 10 locos sounded like a lot plus I wasn't focusing on sound control and the price was right. Atlas has a new system in the same price...

I was thinking of adding a watermill to the layout and was looking for kits because the water wheels, bearings and motor was a little too complicated for a 'newie'. Has anyone built a Faller kit and if so can it be modified to look less 'Bavarian'. I'm striving for an american structure in the...

HELP: looking for 24" x 48" 2/2 double hung windows to scratch build HO scale structures. I've looked in the Walthers catalog but can't identify anything near that size (1/8" x 1/4"). There is so much detail in plastic units that I'm afraid to fabricate them with wood. Any suggestions...

I'm planning to need about 250 sf of plaster cloth (gauze) and am trying to find out where I can purchase large quantity. The hobby suppliers have 10sf rolls at a pretty hefty cost. I figure the cloth is ured by the medical bussiness and in many other hobbies but I haven't been able to find the...

Does anyone have experience with Mantua freight cars? Also are there recommended brands? While I'm at it, I like the "old time" coaches, but where they still in use in the 1940 - 1950 time frame? Thanks, Jim

I'm at it again; another question. I have steam locomotives and relatively new to the hobby, but after installing my first decoder the loco "squeaks" in the forward direction, soooo, I pull up my reference books and find I should use light oil on bearings and grease on the gears. Sounds...

I'm in need of help AGAIN. Should I bank the rail into and within the curves and if so is a 3 degree bank reasonable? Also does anyone know if the railroads bank the rail in curves and is their a guideline on the recommended angle as a function of radius? Thanks, Jim

I've just finished laying my track (HO) and plan to start debugging the layout. My concern is that I have a numbewr of trestles with quite a drop that would probably cause damage to the locos. Would it be wise to iadd rerailers to the flex track before running the trains? If so, I assume it...

Does anyone have a preference on acrylic paint brands? Also are there favorite colors that correlate to railroad colors? I'm just getting into painting structures and landscaping but found the color "Toffee" is a pretty good match for "rust" & "Timberline Green" is a pretty good "earth" color...

I've just completed a few plastic structure kits although still tackling the weathering techniques and plan to start scratchbuilding specific buildings. Is their a good source for windows, doors, galvanized roofing etc.? Thanks, Jim

I'm in trouble again & looking for a savior. Most freight cars have plastic wheels and I bought a large quantity of Kaydee wheels only to find out they won't fit the trucks. Intermountain and Photo 2000 wheels work fine. Questions: 1. Does anyone know whose trucks will accept Kaydee wheels...

I'm attempting to replace the plastic wheels on my IHC rolling stock but unable to use the Kaydee wheels because the axyle diameter is thicker and won't rotate in the truck cavity. IHC doesn't offer metal wheels nor provide information on replacement options. Someone recommended Intermountain...

I'm looking for the radius of the following Peco turnouts: 1. their Set Track double radius. 2. their small radius Wye. 3. their large radius Wye. I'd appreciate any information. I've avoided these style turnouts on my track runs but in the yard area I'm trapped into tighter radius in the...