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Mixing up the track types on a regular basis might be a bit strange, though... And mixing those two particular track types is not as easy as it looks. Code 55 is the nice-looking rail, as opposed to code 80. The code refers to the rail height in thousandths of an inch -- 0.055" or 0.080". In...

On the other hand, Mallard, with its famous 126mph run, and largeish 80" drivers, was doing 5280 x 12 x 126 inches, divided by 80 x pi is 31513 revolutions per hour... 525 revolutions per minute, 8.7 per second. Your rule-of-thumb seems reasonable. 8 revs per second is hammering along, 5...

It's a new one on me, but you appear to be missing a decimal point. 5280 x 12 / 60 / pi is 336, not 33. 5 revolutions per second sounds a lot, though... charles

Sorry Dave, my fault entirely for using a model-railroad term without explaining it. I used to get furious about people doing that when I started! :-)) RTR in this instance means track you get in a packet and put on your layout, as opposed to hand-laid track which is getting a lot of tiny bits...

Best for what? The best for ease of use, good running, and reusability would have to be Kato Unitrak, but it's hard to get it to look good. The best for RTR replication of US prototype is Atlas 55, but it has weaknesses particularly with its turnouts and running older wheels over it. The best...

I'm not sure that scale has anything at all to do with eyesight or shaky hands. Whatever scale you're in, you will model to the detail level you're capable of. That may or may not be detailed enough to keep you satisfied. If it isn't, you won't be happy in any scale -- if it is, you'll be...

I use rare earth magnets and haven't found any metal wheelsets that work. Cars twang into position and often can't be uncoupled or coupled at all... I have replaced all with MT lo-pro plastic wheelsets. There are also a small number of cheaper cars that use a metal plate inside the car to add...

Peco track is different -- their code 55 is in fact 80 of rail with two sets of flanges, the lower "25"'s worth buried in the ties to make only 55 visible, which solves various problems. (1) it's as strong as code 80, (2) the ties don't have to have as high plastic bits to hold the rails on so...

Drawings are good! Now we're getting somewhere. I would suggest two things: (1) the tight 180 degree turn on the left is too tight, and (2) try to avoid running the track exactly along the edge of the table, or parallel with it. It makes the layout look like a kid's roundy-roundy oval. Any...

If I understand that cut-through diagram, you're right-hand two tracks (on ground zero) are the two sides of a loop, right? If so, leaving about 18" centre to centre on those tracks, a curve radius of 9'', which is super-tight. I mean tight. Small locos will work, many won't, and all will...

Even with the screw-in trucks you can normally just use any old truck and keep the screw. The worst thing you'll need to do is open up the hole a little, but probably not. The MT or Atlas trucks will be a lot nicer. Consider the MT couplers as they work so much better than Accumates. Anyone...

Forget sectional track. Use flex track. But get a proper CAD system (I believe Xtrkcad is free although it's a bit tricky to use, Raily is the one I use as it creates beziers rather than having to faff about with curves and easements but it's not free). But even though it costs, it only costs...

Absolutely nothing wrong with that. Take off the trucks and couplers, get some spray paint (I use Tamiya because the colour range for matt finish and quality is good), then go to your local hobby shop and buy a "decal printing kit" (several of these available, consisting of clear plastic stuff...

Errr, yes, like he says. If you have one track above and one below, you don't need two turns across the depth do you... Have you drawn out your track plan on CAD yet? You should have this completely sorted before you start thinking about laying track. 14" (centreline radius) is a very nice...

Yes of course, but most 'nickel' ones are nickel-plated steel. The ones you get with cars tend to be plated steel of some description. When was the last time you saw freight cars in N with solid brass wheels? :-)) Charles

Yes, sound is a lot more, but it's very cool (so long as you run it at home, don't take it to club meetings otherwise you'll wind everyone up!). Cheap sound is tinny, but good sound is fabulous fun. Just got one of these and it's brilliant! :-))

Warning! If you intend to use magnetic couplers, you can't have metal wheels. The cars stick like glue where your magnets are!! :-))) Obvious really, but I only twigged when I first did it. So now I swap out all wheels. But my 2c (tuppence? That's only 1p?) worth for the question at the...

Model Train Stuff are fine. I've also had good experience of 4NScale (www.4nscale.com), and Feather River Trains (www.featherrivertrains.com). For DCC locos, though, you should be looking first at Tony's (www.tonystrains.com). Apart from selling locos and DCC (and knowing most of what there...

Sorry to confuse things! Sadly, the model railroad hobby is full of stuff being made that is very confusing -- I remember not being able to get any answers at all when I started! There are three attitudes to take with couplers: 1.) Don't worry about them. Use Rapidos if you already have...

It's very cool stuff, particularly for signals or other animations. The temperature involved is about 80deg C so you can't set fire to anything (unless you install it in a bath of solvent, I suppose). Look at the examples shown -- no issue so long as the wire is exposed, and because the wire...