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I am attempting to scratchbuild the Big Warrior River Bridge found in Kalmbach's Model Railroad Bridges & Trestles book; page 105. I successfully photocopied the Z scale plans to HO but failed in my attempt to build the lacing on the girders/plates. I built three out of wood but they looked...

Sounds to me that they are not brand new or at least have been in storage for a long, long time. My clue is your statement that they act a little sluggish at first. They may improve with more running time. If not, you will need to take them apart and clean and lubricate. You might try just...

Chapmon: I called Loy's Toys long distance in Arkansas and spoke with Fred who was kind enough to offer mailing the templates if I mailed him a self-addressed stamped 8 X 11 manila envelope. I think that will work. Can't you just see me now on the basement floor with a track plan drawn on some...

Peco switches Beevee, will the code 83 switch be compatible with my code 100 track? It would seem that there would be a height difference. I read somewhere that after the track and switch is ballasted, it is hard to tell the difference in the UK track spacing compared to the US spacing. I have...

:confused: How does one know which Peco code 100 switch to order? I have no idea if I will need a small, medium or large radius. Streamlined or curved? Short or long crossing? And does the switch come with everything that you need or do you have to buy attachments separate? :confused: Sorry, but...

Doing the John Allen thing--- I have to work all day Saturday until 6 PM. I am going to do the John Allen thing Sunday morning when I am bright eyed and bushy tailed, whatever that means. After much study of John Allen's photographs of the viaduct on his first Gorre & Dephetid, I have the form...

A product is only as good as the company that stands behind it and Bachmann has a lifetime warrenty. Also, the type locomotive or car would warrent some consideration. For example, I prefer a 2-8-2 over an 0-4-0, so maybe the pros and cons of the type would be more apropro.

I was looking at some pictures of layouts this morning and one guy had a beautiful double track coming around a hillside and there was no way a 80' passenger car could make it. I could just picture that passenger car side swiping the hillside. Or maybe even a 50' boxcar! Check it out. What do...

How radius effects track spacing--- It is very interesting to read the data on the track spacing. I appreciate Andrew and Gary bringing up the subject of radius and how it can affects the spacing. That is certainly good to know. I saw a big ole 2-6-6-2 steam locomotive at the July Cincinnati...

I purchased the book, How to Build Model Railroad Benchwork by Lynn Westcott and on page 9 he didn't answer my question. He said, " ---spacing between tracks in critical. If you don't have data to guide you here, try your longest cars and locomotives by placing them upon your plan to be sure...

It's been a while since we did this thread. It appears that the problem was a number of things: flextrack laid wrong, trucks needing adjustment, and finally lubrication. With a very very close up inspection using a flashlight as the boxcar slowly moved past me on the track, I noticed one wheel...

Robin, thanks for sharing that with us. I am sure it makes us all feel a little better knowing that we are not the only ones that do stupid things sometimes. Hey, have you seen that commercial on TV?

Lynn: Looks good. You did a great job. I am a mountain and tunnel kind-of-guy myself and feel no model layout is complete without one. I always have trouble getting the colors to look natural. Some guys use real dirt (baked in the over to kill the critters). I am about ready to try that.

David, we must have went to the same MRR school.

Matthyro, thanks for showing me how you do it. I really appreciate the information. It looks really great. thanks again. Oh by the way, I corrected my derailing problem by loosening the flextrack on the problem curve and allowed it to take another position. There wasn't much change in the curve...

You know, I think I am going to cut my own templates on some 3/4" plywood. I remember looking at Model Railroading with John Allen and there are lots of pics of his building process. And if you pay close attention, in the background, you will notice huge curves of wood leaning up against a wall...

I fixed it! I loosed the track on the curve and let it take up its' own natural position. It's hard to explain but when you bend flextrack, I guess you can bend it even or uneven. It certainly looked even. Apparently, a section of that curve was not acceptable to the engine and consist. After...

While it might be hard, they say nothing is impossible. I have scribed bricks on plaster-of-paris HO tunnel portals. Just find a teeny,tiny scribe tool and perhaps a magnifying glass and give it a whirl.

It that true? Only one side of the flextrack is supposed to slide? I just laid some flextrack down and didn't pay any attention.

Live & learn! Matthyro, I read your comment after I laid my track. I removed the ties first and will have to replace them some way, shape or form. I will follow your suggestion on the next batch that I lay down---right after I solve my derailing problem. That track is sure a neat job. Some...