HOW TO troubleshoot derailments p. 12
REVIEWED:
Bachmann switches and switch stand p. 64
Adventures in outdoor model railroading
OCTOBER 2015
A multi-unit consist eases down the grade on the Morning Glow Railroad p. 36
Build a transfer caboose p. 50 Easily light a display case p. 74 Building a metal bridge p. 30 Get your garden ready for winter p. 58
BONUS ONLINE CONTENT CODE p. 5
Vol. 32 • Issue 5
HOW TO
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Garden Railways | October 2015
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OCTOBER 2015 | Volume 32, Number 5
CONTENTS HOW TO troubleshoot derailments p. 12
Bachmann switches and switch stand p. 64
Adventures in outdoor model railroading
OCTOBER 2015
COVER PHOTO: JIM CARY
REVIEWED:
Modern freight on a battery-powered railroad
A multi-unit consist eases down the grade on the Morning Glow Railroad. p. 36
HOW TO Build a transfer caboose p. 50 Easily light a display case p. 74 Building a metal bridge p. 30 Get your garden ready for winter p. 58
• How to troubleshoot derailments 12 • Reviewed: Bachmann switches 64 • Running modern freight trains 36 • Building a metal bridge 30 • Build a transfer caboose 50 • Easily light a display case 74 • Get your garden ready for winter 58
17
FEATURES 24 Kitbashing a seashore residence Combining kits creates a unique structure by Franklin Mummey
26 How the Rose City Club promotes garden railroading Part 2: Public displays and club activities by Bill Derville
30 Building a cantilever bridge Standard aluminum shapes simplify construction by Henk de Visser COVER STORY
36 The Morning Glow Railroad
50
An extensive garden line based on prototype practice by Jim Cary
44 Scratchbuilding horse-drawn tramway wagons An early, wooden-railed tramway was the inspiration for this project by Graham Jones
48 Staff corner: Kevin Strong A pair-o-ducks by Kevin Strong
50 Constructing a transfer caboose A Piko Mogul tender chassis provided the basis by Mike Garforth
55 Call before you dig Dialing up a safer railroad by Scott Finley
56 Readers’ gallery Garden-railway scenes from around the world
24
IN EVERY ISSUE 6 From the Editor Notes from Marc
8 Notes & news What’s new for the garden railroader
10 Letters Views from our readers
12 Garden railway basics Track and wheel standards: Part 3
17 Greening your railway The fruit of the line
23 Plant portraits Thyme-leaf rockspray
58 Miniscaping Overwintering plants
60 Raising steam The pre-run checklist
Online extras 62 Events Upcoming shows and exhibits
•
63 Online station A large-scale guide to the Internet
64 Product reviews Bachmann switches, Tam Valley Depot DCC receiver, and more
74 One-page project Lighting a display diorama
• •
“Bridge basics” article from Model Railroader magazine Work caboose drawings “Preparing your railway for winter“ article by Liz Miller
www.GardenRailways.com
GARDEN RAILWAYS (ISSN 0747-0622, USPS 713-710) is published bimonthly by Kalmbach Publishing Co., 21027 Crossroads Circle. P.O. Box 1612, Waukesha WI 53187-1612. Periodicals postage paid at Waukesha WI, and additional offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to GARDEN RAILWAYS, PO Box 1612, Waukesha WI 53187-1612. Canada Publication Mail Agreement # 40010760
FROM THE EDITOR
Photographing your railway
Editor Marc Horovitz Production Editor Rene Schweitzer Art Director LuAnn Williams Belter Senior Graphic Designer Chuck Braasch Production Coordinator Jodi Jeranek Horticultural Editor Nancy Norris Technical Editor Vance Bass Contributing Editors Don Parker, Kevin Strong, Jeff Young Circulation Manager Cathy Daniels Single Copy Specialist Kim Redmond
6
Garden Railways | October 2015
PHOTO BY ETZEL WILHOLT
A
lot has changed in the photography world since film became passé and digital photography came to the fore. No longer must you choose between black-and-white or color, prints or slides, make every shot count, bracket your shots for best exposure, or wait a week before your photos are returned from the lab to see if they came out well. We live in times of instant gratification. Everyone has a camera on their phone, can take snapshots at a moment’s notice, and have the image in their friends’ hands (or devices) in a matter of minutes. However, when photographing your railroad, especially for publication, a lot hasn’t changed. There’s a great difference between a snapshot and a photograph. A snapshot is often taken on the spur of the moment. Lighting is whatever’s available. Although the subject may be of interest, the main point is to capture it at that moment so it can be shared. A photograph, on the other hand, is carefully crafted. When composing a picture, trains are positioned just so, plants are pruned and trimmed for maximum effect, the lighting has to be ideal, backgrounds have to be examined and cleaned up, the camera angle must be thoughtfully considered to achieve the desired look, and depth of field has to be taken into account. Your railway is something into which you’ve put countless hours of thought and years of effort, creating a thing of beauty and satisfaction. Quite often, though, we at GR receive railway photos that are little more than snapshots. While the railway itself might have some fine attributes, it’s difficult to tell from the images we receive. Here are some things to think about when photographing your railroad, either for publication or just for your own scrapbook. If you want a quality photograph, don’t use the camera in your phone. While it is possible to get reasonable pictures from a phone, a phone camera is by no means ideal. Your digital camera probably came with a manual. Read it and understand your camera’s capabilities to achieve the best results. Always shoot your pictures at the highest possible resolution. Most railways are best photographed on cloudy days, when there are no harsh shadows and the picture is much softer with the even light. If cloudy days are not an option, shoot in the evening just after the sun has gone down. Mount the camera on a tripod for longer (steadier) exposures. Frame each shot and carefully examine it before pushing the button: what’s the subject; are there distracting elements in the shot; are all the wheels on the track? Watch the background! All too often an otherwise glorious shot will be ruined by something incongruous or ugly in the background—a metal shed, a fence, a hose or sprinkler head, a dog, or a pole that seems to emanate from the locomotive’s smokestack. A lot of people like to take ground-level shots, looking up at the locomotive. These are very dramatic and all, but not very realistic. What’s more evocative are scale-eyelevel shots. I made a little block to put under my camera that raises the center of the lens to scale eye level. The results are surprising. These are just a few of the things to think about when shooting your railway. Give them a try and please send us the results.
Kalmbach Publishing Co. President Charles R. Croft Vice President, Editorial Kevin P. Keefe Vice President and General Manager Jim McCann Senior Vice President, Sales & Marketing Daniel R. Lance Vice President, Consumer Marketing Nicole McGuire Executive Editor Neil Besougloff Corporate Advertising Director Scott Bong Corporate Art Director Maureen M. Schimmel Art and Production Manager Michael Soliday
Advertising 888-558-1544 Fax: 262-796-0126 Group Ad Sales Manager Scott Redmond Advertising Sales Representative Steve Dake E-mail:
[email protected] Advertising Service Representative Jen Zalesky E-mail:
[email protected] Selling Garden Railways magazine or products in your store 800-558-1544, Press 3 Outside U.S. and Canada: 262-796-8776, ext. 818 Fax: 262-798-6592 E-mail:
[email protected] Website: www.Retailers.Kalmbach.com Customer service inquiries 800-533-6644 Weekdays, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Central time Outside U.S. and Canada: 262-796-8776, ext. 421 E-mail:
[email protected] Please include your name, mailing address, and telephone number with any correspondence Subscriptions and product orders 800-533-6644 Weekdays, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Central time Editorial inquiries Marc Horovitz, Editor Phone: 303-377-7785 E-mail:
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www.GardenRailways.com
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NOTES & NEWS PRODUCTS
Engines & rolling stock
$329.99. The Annual Christmas car (#L36072) is a passenger car with an imprinted Christmas theme. The model has interior details and the doors can be opened. Price: $159.99. Website: www. lgb.com
Accessories & details Bachmann Trains, 1400 East Erie Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19124, has introduced four new reefer cars featuring metal wheels and detailed graphics: Golden Eagle Oranges (#93203), Rohrbach Brewing (#93204), Berkshire Brewing Company—Gold Spike Ale (#93265, pictured), and Dairymen’s League (#93266). Price: $105 each. Website: www.bachmanntrains.com
Piko Spielwaren GmbH, Lutherstr. 30, 96515 Sonneberg, Germany, has a new State-of-Maine boxcar (#38859). Check with your local supplier for price and availability. Website: www.piko.de
LGB (Märklin), PO Box 510559, New Berlin WI 53151, has announced three new Christmas items for 2015. The Christmas Train Starter Set (#L72304) features an old-time steam locomotive, two passenger cars, 12 sections of curved track, transformer and controller, and a Santa figure. Price: $389.99. The Christmas Streetcar Starter Set (#L72351, pictured) has an old-time streetcar, 12 sections of curved track, transformer and controller, and a Santa figure. Price:
8
Garden Railways | October 2015
an operator to throw a switch from two different locations. Switching either toggle will reverse the position of the actuator. Plumbing is easy—run the compressed-airline to the input of the diverter valve, two lines between the valves, and a line from the selector valve to the actuator. Suitable for gauge 0 and 1 switches. Prices: diverter valve, $27.72; selector valve, $23.25. Website: www.sunsetvalley railroad.com MISCELLANEOUS
Burl Rice, 316 N Spring Street, Sparta TN 38583, is offering cast-brass brake wheels in 1:29 scale. These represent two different varieties of pressed-steel wheels: Ajax and Modern. Price: $5 per wheel + $5.95 shipping per order. Website: http:// burlrice.com
Great American Locomotion—The GAL Line, 472 East Holly Avenue, Pitman NJ 08071, has high performance, three-axle passenger trucks in 1:32 scale. These are designed for high-speed-operation behind live-steam engines. They are diecast in pewter, with ball bearings, Sierra Valley wheelsets, and fully compensating axles (all three). The trucks come fully assembled and painted semi-gloss black. They can be sprung for brass or plastic cars (specify when ordering). Trucks are custom-cast to order, machine-shop assembled and tested, and sprung for the type of car under which they will be used. Price: $250 per pair, R-T-R. Website: www. thegalline.com
GardenTexture, 106 Oakwind Parkway, Canton GA 30114, is working on a new website that includes digitally enhanced photographs of a variety of subjects, including railroads. Full-size plans for the company’s entire line of 100 or so garden-railway structures are still available. Website: www.gardentexture.com PROJECT STORIES WANTED
Garden Railways is looking for projects to publish. We’d like to see some of everything — from beginner to advanced, short or long. We’re looking for electronics projects, metalworking, woodworking, building structures, rolling stock, locomotives, trackwork, garden related, new thinking regarding the hobby, or whatever you think others might be interested in. If you have an idea, drop us a note at
[email protected] See our submission guidelines at http://tinyurl. com/grhowto ERRATA
Sunset Valley Railroad, 21616 23rd St. Ct. E., Lake Tapps WA 98391, has a pair of special pneumatic toggle valves that allow
On page 74 of the August 2015 issue of GR, we unfortunately spelled the author’s name incorrectly. Steve Kamm wrote the article. We extend our apologies to him and to our readers.
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LETTERS Louver press? Congratulations on another fine magazine. I thoroughly enjoy most of the contents of each issue. Re: “Build a rivetforming tool” by Brian Goring (April 2015 GR), this is just the bees knees for this modeler and, I should think, for many others. It would be really great if one of our knowledgeable brethren could design an indexable louver press for our scales. Here’s hoping. —Jim Crawford, Morley, Western Australia
When Behold3DMe finished with the mockups, they sent them for my approval of the designs. They then used a ProJet 660 3D printer to print the figures in “Sandstone.” The benefit of this process was that it printed the figures in color, with no painting needed. I was able to put the finished figures right into the trains and get them to work. Though I can’t afford to populate an entire railroad with my family and friends, it is pretty rewarding to watch the kids riding on the train. —Jeff Carlon,
[email protected]
3D scanning and printing Illustration error
With all the recent articles and letters concerning 3D printing in Garden Railways magazine, I wanted to share my experience with a great company here in Lancaster, California, called Behold3DMe. For about $45 each, I had my son, Magnus, and two godchildren, Xavier and Zoe, scanned and turned into miniature versions of themselves to run my trains. Once all the kids were scanned and put into the computer, Lino, the owner of the company posed their bodies; Magnus would then fit into the cab, while Xavier could feed the boiler with an added shovel, and Zoe turned into a hobo, sitting with a dog.
10
Garden Railways | October 2015
Shallow flange, deep flangeway Generally no problem, except narrow wheel could drop into the open part of the frog.
Deep flange, deep flangeway No problem, as the wheel will ride on the tip of the flange if the tread loses contact with the railhead.
Shallow flange, shallow flangeway No problem.
Deep flange, shallow flangeway Wheel rides up on the tip of the flange, bumping through the frog.
Figure 11 Flange and flangeway depth
As a railroad signal engineer (now retired), I worked closely with track and rolling stock designers. Figure 11 (corrected above) in the article “Track and wheel standards: Part 2” (August 2015 GR) shows the wheel in the wrong location
with respect to the point of frog. In all cases, the solid wheel should be shown with its flange in the right-hand flangeway, similar to the dashed outline in the left-most illustration. In a related point (no pun intended), the wheel width becomes important in a frog. The idea is that the outside edge of the wheel (opposite the flange) should be riding on the guard rail (properly called the wing rail) of the frog when the wheel encounters the point of the frog. This will provide (relatively) continuous support of the wheel as it crosses the gap required for the flangeway for the other route. Thus, with proper wheel and track dimensions, the wheels will never ride on their flanges in passing through the frog. This is the way the real railroads work. In models, oversize flanges and flangeways may make this goal difficult to achieve but with the large variation of flange depths, a “bottom” of the flangeway for the flange to ride on will be problematic. —Kendrick Bisset, Mountainhome, Pennsylvania
Joe’s Trolley Having subscribed to this magazine for two decades or more, I’ve never written to the Editor but in this case I must! The article “Joe’s Trolley” (June 2015 GR) just blew my socks off. First, the era of the scene is from my adolescent childhood and the artist (if I may use the term) and technician is coincidentally from the same profession (40 years in my own commercial design practice). The detail in this panorama is astounding, considering not only the subtlety of the sophisticated hues chosen to model each structure but the theatrical lighting to wash the scene, then to illuminate street lights, interiors of structures, and create back-lighted illuminated signing. Beyond comprehension is the amount of time dedicated to this project, and with such effectiveness. The use of photography in modeling, from my naïve perspective, is also so effective and new to me. Speaking of photography, Marc Horovitz’s photos are incredible, capturing everything from the city’s buildings at dusk and the charming skyline, to the swagger of the teenager leaning against the Coke Machine, with
his gal. The term “trompe l’oeil” comes to mind (to fool the eye). The raison d’être for this tour de force is, of course, the love of our electric trains from our childhoods. But, how minimalistic this is (a simple trolley line), yet so effective. To enjoy an evening with Joe, mesmerized over his creation and the to-and-fro of those wonderful old trolleys, would be hypnotic in the most delightful sense. — Gary D. Moore,
[email protected]
Zone error I was excited to see the photo of Euonymus japonica ‘Microphylla Variegata’ in photo 8, page 19, of the June issue of GR, labeled as Zones 4-11. I had a great place for several plants. I live in Zone 4 and had not seen this plant before. I was saddened, though, to go online and find it listed as marginal in Zone 6 and hardy in Zone 7. —Don McClure,
[email protected] [Nancy Norris, GR’s Horticultural Editor, responds: I’m glad people are noting the USDA Hardiness Zones, which we list when identifying plants in GR. Research is a tricky process, so I’d like to share how it’s done, because gardeners like our readers play a role in the ratings system. To obtain the “likely” hardiness rating for each plant, I search several sources, including online nurseries, online garden forums, and a book by The American Horticultural Society, A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants, which describes 15,000 plants. Nurseries will list different zones, depending on their success in their area. The plant Don mentioned, Euonymus japonica ‘Microphylla Variegata’, was listed as hardy in Zones 6-9 in several sources, but Zones 4-11 on the online forum, Dave’s Garden, where gardeners nationwide write in with their successes or failures with certain plants. I took a risk including the higher and lower zones because many euonymus species are hardy in Zone 4. It was an educated guess that the Zones 4-11 rating was accurate for “most growers.” If you garden in Zone 4 and choose a plant rated Zone 4-9, for example, you will be growing it in that plant’s coldest hardiness zone. Zones are merely an “average” cold hardiness, so it’s no guarantee of hardiness.
Knowing you live on the edge of its hardiness capacity, you can protect the plant in various ways. I offer a consolation. Variegated wintercreeper (Euonymus fortunei ‘Harlequin’, Zones 4-9) may be a nice alternative for the look you’d like, but it grows as a creeping groundcover instead of dwarf bush. —NN]
Thoughts on track Fantastic latest editorial on track in the June 2015 issue. You are preaching to the choir! I have had many of the same sentiments about track that has rail that is grossly out of proportion; it truly is the first thing you notice being “off” when looking at photos of garden railways. Lehmann (LGB) introduced track with code-332 rail. About the same time, Märklin offered gauge-1 track made with code-197 rail. More recently, I read they are using code-205 rail. The deeper flanges on LGB equipment wouldn’t clear the rail fasteners on Märklin’s offerings so, if one wanted to run equipment from both manufacturers, they would need to purchase track with larger rail. There are a couple of other probable reasons Lehmann chose code 332 rail. First, they might have wanted something extremely durable for outdoor use. Kids have stepped on and bent tubular tinplate rail for years. Remember the LGB ad many years ago, where an elephant gingerly stepped on some of their track to demonstrate durability? Another reason we probably still have such large rail is the matter of ground clearance and debris. The smaller the rail, the more likely that leaves and twigs, relocated by critters, rain, wind, etc., would interfere with the flanges. Large-scale outdoor railroaders aren’t the only ones with oversize rail. If one looks at the other scales from a historic perspective, most manufacturers used oversized rail and some still do. The object is to keep your trains on the track, and if that means oversize rail and flanges, so be it. If you consider scales like N or Z, truly scale flanges and rail would be so miniscule, a person walking by or nudging the layout would simulate a seismic event of enormous magnitude at that scale, derailing almost every piece of
equipment nearby. If one is a rivet counter and wants to have truly scale rail, not only should we consider the size, but the prototype (if any) and the era. Some of the first T-rail used was either 50 or 55 pounds on standard-gauge lines. Many early narrowgauges lines were laid with 30- or 40pound rail. Industrial operations and mines used rail as light as 12 pounds for small carts. By the end of the American narrow-gauge movement, 65-pound rail was considered standard. Later, most standard-gauge (and some remaining narrow-gauge) lines upgraded to larger rail. For example, after WWI the Detroit, Toledo & Ironton chose between 85-, 90-, and 100-pound rail to replace its older 65-pound rail. This was upgraded to 115 pound at a later date. The same can be said about narrow gauges. Last I knew, the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge had at least 115-pound rail on the mainline.
If one models earlier narrow gauge, like with the 20.3-scale Spectrum Baldwin 4-4-0 or 2-6-0, 40-pound rail would look perfectly fine (as shown in the photo above). However, it would be a bit of a stretch to see something considerably bigger, like a K-27 2-8-2, waddling down such lightly built track. It might be nice if some manufacturer offered code-172 rail again but that will happen only if there is enough interest to make it economically feasible. Code 172 has a smaller profile, which means less material is used to make a linear foot of rail than the larger sizes. —David Zelisse,
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11
KEVIN STRONG
GARDEN RAILWAY BASICS
Track and wheel standards: Part 3
An East Broad Top Railroad 2-8-0 crosses the east switch at Blacklog as it prepares to return to Orbisonia. Switches are almost inevitable on any railroad and it’s important to make sure our trains operate smoothly through them. That requires careful attention to the wheels and track to make sure things work well together. PHOTOS AND DRAWINGS BY THE AUTHOR
I
n the past two installments of this series (June and August issues) I discussed a lot of theory—the “whats” and “whys” of standards and how wheels interact with the rails upon which they ride. With that knowledge, you can troubleshoot the reasons why your trains are not staying on the track. However, diagnosing the problem is only half the battle. The other half is fixing the issue. Sometimes that’s easy, sometimes it’s not so easy, and sometimes you simply can’t do a thing about it.
Wheel problems
1. Many large-scale plastic wheels are simply pressed onto steel axles, which makes adjusting the gauge fairly simple.
2. While there may be more elegant ways of adjusting the gauge of your wheels, a hammer and a vise provide a rudimentary-yet-effective means of doing so. On the left, tapping the end of the axle will result in the gauge being narrowed. On the right, the gauge will be widened.
12
Garden Railways | October 2015
The most common issue pertaining to derailments is out-of-gauge wheels. (Wheel gauge can be measured with an inexpensive digital caliper from places like Harbor Freight.) Whether the wheelsets are too wide or too narrow, the only way to fix this issue is to physically move the wheels on the axles. In the case of many commercial wheelsets, the wheels are simply pressed onto an axle (photo 1). Correcting the gauge of these is a simple matter of adjusting the position of the
wheel. The easiest way to do this is with a vise and a hammer or rubber mallet (photo 2). You might also be able to repurpose a gear puller or wheel press if you have one lying around. Sometimes the wheel may include a plastic sleeve over half of the axle, which might need to be cut back in order to achieve the proper gauge (photo 3). You’ll occasionally find an axle with shoulders machined onto the ends to keep the wheels in gauge. One would hope this assembly would be accurately gauged but
3. Some wheels have plastic sleeves on the axles that may keep you from narrowing the gauge. This sleeve may have to be cut back or removed altogether.
4. Some axles have shoulders machined onto them to set the gauge of the wheels. If the gauge proves to be too narrow, it’s easy to add a thin washer between the wheel and the shoulder to widen the gauge. Narrowing the gauge requires removing material from the back of the wheel.
5. Shallow flanges tend to ride up and over the rails on uneven track if the trucks are too rigid. The fix for this is to use softer springs (if possible), replace the wheels with ones that have larger flanges, or fix the track so it’s more even.
6. If you need to alter the profile of your wheels, nothing beats a lathe as the tool of choice (left). However, many people don’t have lathes in their workshops. A drill press (center) makes a pretty good substitute. It’s not as accurate but, in most cases, you can do a decent job of turning down the flanges. The end result is shown on the right. The left wheel has been turned down; the right is original.
there may be reasons for the need to adjust it. If the shoulders are too close together and the gauge is too narrow, you can simply pull the wheels out a bit, perhaps using a thin washer as a spacer between the back of the wheel and the shoulder (photo 4). If the shoulders are too far apart, it might be possible to remove some material from the back of the wheel or file the shoulder back so the wheels can be pressed on a little closer together. In a worst-case scenario, you can always replace the axle with another that has no shoulders, and gauge the wheels accordingly. Wheels on locomotives (particularly the driven wheels) are usually not as simple to regauge. If a locomotive’s wheels are gauged improperly, you’ll need to examine how it’s assembled to determine how to correct the gauge. It may not be possible—at least not easily. There are too many variations in assembly to go
Tread (W)
Flange (T)
A. Too-wide flange angle
Reduction in flange angle allows wall of flange to ride farther away from the side of the railhead, allowing more room to clear unevenness which may cause the flange to ride up over the railhead.
A
B. Narrowed flange angle
B
Figure 1—Flange shape
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13
GARDEN RAILWAY BASICS
7. Replacement wheels for rolling stock are relatively easy to come by in a variety of diameters and materials (left). Replacements for locomotives are harder to find (right). These are from Northwest ShortLine, made for USA Trains and Aristo-Craft diesels.
Loose spikes in wood ties or lots of play between the rail and the cast-on spike detail on plastic tie strips may lead to trains “spreading the rails” as the weight of the train forces the rail outward.
Figure 2—Spreading the rails through each one in this column. If you find the wheel gauge of your locomotive to be problematic, your best bet would be to search the various large-scale forums on the Internet for a solution (if one exists). Gauge issues on locomotives aren’t common but there are a few “usual offenders” and common fixes for them. Sometimes, wheels can be in gauge and you can still have trouble with them. Usually the root cause of this lies in the profile of the wheel itself. One thing to look at is the shape of the flange. As discussed in part 1 of this series (June 2015), flanges come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Most of them work well but occasionally you’ll find one that causes problems. Shallow flanges will cause problems if the track is too uneven; the solution there lies in making the track more even (photo 5). Sometimes it’s not the depth of the flange but the shape of it that causes problems (figure 1). And, as I mentioned last time, an oversized fillet between flange and tread may cause the locomotive to rock on the rails. The only real way to deal with problems with wheel profile is to change the profile. You don’t need a lathe to change
14
Garden Railways | October 2015
9. If the flangeway between the stock rail and guard rail is too wide, a shim can be added to the guard rail to narrow the gap.
the profile of a wheel, although that’s the “right tool for the job.” In a pinch, you can mount the wheel in a drill press (photo 6). This presumes that you remove the wheel and mount it on a mandrel of some sort for proper turning, which is often easier said than done. If you can’t change the profile of the wheel, you may be able to find replacement wheels. Wheels for rolling stock are pretty easy to come by (photo 7); replacement wheels for locomotives are much less common.
Track difficulties Of course, wheels are only half of the equation. The track may present issues of its own. The first problem that comes to mind is the gauge of the track itself. One would think that commercial track would be properly gauged, and, by and large, it is. However, there may be circumstances that cause the track to become out of gauge. As ties age, the gauge of the track can change. If you’ve hand-laid your track on wood ties, you may find the ties rotting after a while, and the spikes loosening, which may cause the gauge to expand as
8. Sometimes, the gauge of your track will be too wide or narrow as a result of damage or other environmental factors. Here, the author used a copper gauge bar to hold kinked rails in gauge. If you’re using track power, you’ll need to use an insulator between the gauge bar and the rail, or use plastic or other non-conductive material for the bar itself.
the weight of the trains spread the rails. (This happens on the prototype, too!) If the ties are made of plastic, the sun’s ultra-violet rays may cause them to become brittle and not hold the rails as tightly as they did originally. Also, if the molded-in spike heads are a little bit loose at the base of the rail, the rail may rock outward under the weight of a train (figure 2). The most obvious fix would be to replace the ties (that’s what the prototype does). The prototype also uses “gauge bars”—metal bars that hold the rails in gauge. You can fashion gauge bars for the garden as well. If you’re not running track power, you can use metal (photo 8). Otherwise, you could use a rigid plastic or maybe a strip of PC board. Most track issues occur at switches, particularly around the frogs. The most common ailment of a switch is a flangeway that’s too wide, causing the wheel to pick the tip of the frog. A narrow shim of styrene can sometimes be added to the guard rail to narrow this gap, thus increasing the check gauge and pulling the wheel away from the frog (photo 9). If the flangeway is too narrow, the wheel flange will be pinched as the wheel passes through. In this case, you can remove material from the guard rail to allow the wheel to pass through (photo 10). It’s also possible that the “span” of the switch (distance between the outside edges of the guard rails) is greater than the back-to-back spacing of the wheels. Most often, this is because the back-toback spacing of the wheel is too narrow, and the wheel gauge needs to be widened. It’s uncommon to find a span that’s too
10. If the flangeway between the stock rail and the guard rail is too narrow, a little sanding can create more clearance.
11. You may find that the back-to-back spacing of some of your equipment cannot be altered but is less than the span between the guard rails on your switches. You can remove a little material from the guard rail next to the frog in that case.
12. If your wheels have deep flanges or your switches have shallow flangeways, you may find it necessary to deepen the flangeway on the frog. A little sandpaper or a grinding wheel in your Dremel tool makes it so things don’t go “bump” as often.
wide on a switch but, if you do and the flangeway on the outside of the switch is correct, you can remove material from the wing rail on the frog to narrow the span to the proper distance (photo 11). It’s likely that your trains’ wheels will bump a little as they run over the frog. Most commercial switches are designed with “flange bearing” frogs, meaning
they’re made so that the flanges ride on the floor of the flangeway so the wheels don’t “bump” as they cross the gap in the frog rails. For that to work consistently, all the flanges need to be identical. That’s unlikely, so you’ll have to tolerate some bumping. If you find the flangeway depth too shallow, you can deepen it by sanding the floor a little (photo 12).
There may always be that one piece of equipment in your roster that, no matter how “perfect” the wheels and track are, will give you fits. However, if you know the “whats” and “whys” of the published standards, and can fix your errant wheels so that they meet these standards, you will go a long way toward eliminating the vast majority of derailments.
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NANCY NORRIS
GREENING YOUR RAILWAY
PHOTOS BY THE AUTHOR
The fruit of the line
1. On their Indigo Mountain Railroad, Jerry and Shirley Bradley bought a single-stemmed, small-leaf cotoneaster. They cleaned the lower trunk of branches, selected a shape by pruning, leaned a fruit ladder on the tree, then pulled up a tractor to haul home the crop. It took time to achieve this scene. The “apples” will hang on but branches will grow in a few weeks. Railroad gardening keeps us moving and involved.
H
arvest time is here! In your railway, a show of fruit hanging on a tree reflects the patience and nurturing needed to finally reap the rewards of your labor. This article will help you select fruit-bearing plants in any of the USDA Hardiness Zones 2-11 for a seasonal feature that only a garden can provide. We’ll see how railroad gardeners prune their little-leaf shrubs to make them look like trees or fields of berries. Note: this is not a guide to edible fruit, so please do your own research to protect children and pets. Find a list at www.humane society.org/animals/resources/tips/plants_ poisonous_to_pets.html
2. Against the dark rocks and trailing rosemary, a variegated rockspray shows off its horizontal nature, herringbone pattern, and multitudes of red berries in Don and Marilyn Pickett’s nowhistoric railway. It turned out that the summers were too hot in Zone 9 for this Zone 5-7 plant. www.GardenRailways.com
17
GREENING YOUR RAILWAY
3. Ben and Barbara Horner have been running trains through this Zone 9 town for 12 years. They’ve figured out how to prune their dwarf pomegranates in a topiary style that suits their railway and their lifestyle.
4. In a clearing on Roger and Jeannie Samuelsen’s Zone 9 railway garden, an 18"-high dwarf pomegranate appears to be dripping with fruit. A park-like space in town permits this open style to let in sun to the trunk. Some pomegranates had to be sacrificed when taking out about half the branches, months before.
How to pick a shape
5. Each winter this compact burning bush sheds its fire-red leaves and orange berries in Gary and Sue Robinson’s G&SRR. This allows us to see the corky, winged bark and figure out where to prune out crossing branches and cut back terminal growth to keep it small.
Photos 1 and 2 show two rockspray “trees” of the same genus, pruned to create a subplot within a main theme. In the first case, all logical signs point to an apple tree, with its defined trunk and tidy laden branches. Cotoneasters (“ca-TONY-asters”) are spreading shrubs that grow the tiniest of leathery, drought-tolerant leaves. Small white flowers in spring turn to red berries in the fall and hang on for months. A small-leaf rockspray could model a cherry tree—the fruits are that small. Do not eat the fruit of any cotoneaster: it’s the only plant I’ve listed that is toxic if eaten. From the Chart, I chose a variegated
cotoneaster with pinhead-red fruit to arch over a water feature (photo 2). Horizontal branches allow the plant to spread out, cover more territory, and hang over the stream like a riparian willow. How do you envision your plant matching its habitat? In town, along streets and between houses, an umbrella shape keeps the trees out of the trains’ way. In the ½"-scale railway in photo 3, the lollipop topiary has a classic style—keep the lower trunk clean of branches and clip the tips off branches that reach beyond your desired size. The same variety of dwarf pomegranate in photo 4 is pruned in an “open” shape to take advantage of the larger growing field
REGIONAL GARDENING REPORTS Zones listed are USDA Hardiness Zones How do you display your fruit? Sue Piper Lakeside, California, Zone 9-10 Take your pick Our “orchard of apple trees” is made from Cotoneaster microphyllus var. thymifolius (thyme-leaf cotoneaster, see “Plant portraits”). These little trees, with their extremely tiny leaves, grow very slowly and keep their shape with bi-weekly or monthly trimming of the new growth. The little white blossoms
18
Garden Railways | October 2015
and red berries are believable large-scale apples. Visitors have actually thought the “apples” are fake ones, somehow attached to the trees by hand. The apples remain on the trees for most of the year. The single tree, pictured on the next page, is also a cotoneaster but with larger leaves that have a gray cast to them. The white blossoms are a little bigger but the berries are about the same size as the thyme-leaf version. They sprout new growth more often, but are also easily trimmed. Neither variety is bothered by our Zone 9+ heat or by our
occasional frost. Over the years, nothing on our railroad has attracted more attention than both of these little beauties!
Bill Hewitt Mansfield, Massachusetts, Zone 5 Barb berry We used thorny dwarf barberry on both sides of our raised line in the European section of the Southpark & Dogbark Garden Railway. It requires frequent trimming to maintain a hedge of 18-22" but works beautifully to hide the raised roadbed. [Wear gloves! —NN.]
6. Roger and Faith Clarkson’s Zone 10 backyard is surrounded by palm trees, which you can see behind this pseudo palm. On their R&FRR, they topped a pair of Norfolk Island pines and kept the leaves clustered together to model the nearby palms—maybe date palms.
and larger-scale train, where hanging fruit begs to be hauled off to the farmers’ market. Opening up a deciduous tree is more easily done in late winter, well before buds open (photo 5), when you can discern where crossing branches need to be removed.
Where do you live? When visiting a garden railway, we notice the surrounding ecology that gives the garden a sense of place. Some of us match the habitat (photo 6) of the neighborhood with our railways, while some like to surprise us with a plant modeling a completely different environment (photo 7).
Cotoneaster glaucophyllus (Zones 7-9), a rare form of rockspray, hails from China and looks similar to other cotoneasters, except for the silver-gray leaves. Sue prunes this one in the topiary lollipop form. The berries are still green in early summer.
7. It took the ingenuity of a former UK gardener, Veronika Neronha, to create a palm tree from an American beech in her and husband Manny’s Zone 6 Rhode Island Railway. This tree bears long leaves, with parallel veins and toothed edges that look like palm fronds hiding coconuts.
Do you live up on the tundra or down in the tropics? Find plants in the Chart (next page) or in your local nurseries. Up north, in acidic soil, a groundcover of edible native blueberries or lingonberries (photo 8) makes fruity fields no more than 12" high, shorn as need be to remove deadwood. Farther south, some blueberry hybrids will thrive if given adequate acidity (photo 9).
Masters and measurements What are the rules? First, it’s good to learn your garden’s cultural requirements, through plant guides and books targeting your geographical area. Fertilizer
bags report nutrient percentage, such as 5-10-10, in the order of N (nitrates from nitrogen), P (phosphates), and K (potash from potassium); the last one, potassium, is most critical for fruit production. Then, there’s art—freelance experimentation with plants. Nature does it constantly. Bonsai (pronounced “bone-sigh”) masters have something to smile about when they can grow diminutive fruitbearing trees. See examples here: www. bonsaigardener.org/bonsai-fruit-tree.html They know that fruit is a sign of good health, in spite of the restricted roots and constantly trimmed branches. If the tree is loaded with fruit, bonsai masters
Rather than growing individual trees, Bill planted Berberis thunbergii ‘Atropurpurea’ to hide his benchwork. Crimson Pygmy barberry would need less pruning. Fall fruit is oval, surrounded by barbs.
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19
GREENING YOUR RAILWAY
FRUIT-BEARING TREES SUITABLE FOR BONSAI AND GARDEN RAILWAYS COMMON NAME
BOTANICAL NAME
SIZE
SUN/SH.
DESCRIPTION, COMMENT
ZONES
Kinnikinnick, bearberry Dwarf chokeberry Dwarf red barberry Ornamental pepper Variegated rockspray Small-leaf rockspray Dwarf burning bush, spindleberry Kumquat Dwarf winterberry Tiny Tim or Red Robin tomato Dwarf pomegranate Dwarf firethorn Top Hat or native blueberry Lingonberry, mountain cranberry
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi ‘Wood’s Compact’ Aronia melanocarpa Berberis thunbergii ‘Atropurpurea Nana’ Capsicum annuum ‘Black Pearl’ Cotoneaster horizontalis ‘Variegatus’ Cotoneaster microphylla ‘Thymifolia’ Euonymus alatus ‘Compacta’ Fortunella margarita ‘Nagami’ Ilex serrata ‘Koshobai’ Lycopersicon lycopersicum var. Punica granatum ‘Nana' Pyracantha ‘Navaho’ Vaccinium x ‘Top Hat’ or V. corymbosum Vaccinium vitis-idaea
4" x 20" 3' x 3' 2' x 2' 8" x 6" 2' x 2' 1' x 2' 18" x 18" 10' x 6' 1' x 1' 1' x 1' 18" x 12" 4' x 4' 2' x 2' 6" x 12"
Sun/pt. sh Sun/pt. sh Sun/pt. sh Sun Sun/pt. sh Sun/pt. sh Sun Sun Part shade Sun Sun/pt. sh Sun Sun Sun/pt. sh
Evergreen groundcover, bright-red berries Black clusters of fruit on compact shrubs Low shrub, kept multi-stemmed, red fruit Edible, but fiery hot, pointed black fruit Tiny red, inedible berries; variegated leaves ** Red, inedible fruit; pruned to little apple trees ** Red fall leaves; rare red, inedible fruit ** 1" oval orange fruit, okay to take indoors * Small shrub; tiny red, inedible fruit ** Dwarf plant, ¾" bright-red cherry tomatoes Orange flowers, red fruit, miniature tree Classic bonsai material, hard orange berries Needs acidic soil, blue berries on low plants Shrubby groundcover with red berries
2-6 3-7 4-8 Annual 5-7 5-9 5-9 8-11 5-9 Annual 7-11 5-10 5-9 2-6
Size is mature height x width, contingent on care and pruning Sun/pt. sh = sun or part shade exposure. Sun = five or more hours of direct sun per day Zones are USDA Hardiness Zones. * Citrus trees and kumquat trees can be potted and over-wintered indoors in zones colder than Zone 8 ** Cotoneaster sp. is poisonous. Other fruits may have adverse effects if ingested. Get your plants identified!
8. Edible lingonberries, like wild blueberries and bearberries (see chart above), grow in colder climates on low bushes. You won’t need to prune this brush-like groundcover to keep it low if it’s positioned in suitable areas. Here, it’s not too near buildings or track on David and Judy Drake’s Zone 8 Chickadee Western Railroad.
9. A hybrid blueberry bush, named Top Hat, has been pruned into a small tree on Richard and Melinda Murray’s Zone 10 Green Hills Railway. To produce berries, this plant may require the winter cold spell for which it was “designed,” in Zones 5-7.
10. In Ontario, Canada, Barry and Bonny Altman grow annual pepper plants for ornamental red and purple fruits in their Radishbahn railway, also providing zesty spice for their meals.
remove half of it to prevent the tree from exhaustion. The leaves will get smaller under bonsai conditions but the fruit always grows to full size. To keep their living art in proportion, they choose small-fruited shrubs and trees. You’ll occasionally find a free thinker growing a 3" apple on a 12" tree, which is certainly
smile worthy, if not cause for a “Largest Apple Contest” sign on a scale barn. I’m elevating my railroad around and through our vegetable garden. My Garden Gold miniature peach tree bears 2" fruit and my 3'-high kumquat “trees” give me 1" tasty “oranges.” My dwarf pomegranates and blueberries grow on a mountain
over a tunnel portal surrounded by baby oak-leaf lettuce. What makes these larger plants work better visually is that I’m running ⅞"-scale trains (see photo 4) instead of our typical trains, which are closer to ½" scale. . .that and the fact that we enjoy snacking in the garden and adding fiery peppers to salsa (photo 10).
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Garden Railways | October 2015
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Trestles SPJRR 24" Howe Truss Bridge Kit
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Garden Railways | October 2015
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PLANT PORTRAITS
Gauge #1 Track Support Bed NANCY NORRIS LGB track rests on top of Railbed
For related resources, visit www.GardenRailways.com
Railbed Support lies underneath track
This system… • Bolts together so that track can rest on top • Can have layout on or above ground • Is made of 3/4" x 3/4" x 1/8" angle iron • Comes primed, ready to paint, or leave as is • All styles of trackage available, including curves See website for more info
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Railbed Systems NANCY NORRIS
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Shrubs & small trees Common name: Thyme-leaf rockspray, smallleaf rockspray
Cultural needs: Average, well-drained soil; sun for fruit
Latin name: Cotoneaster microphyllus var. thymifolius
Plant size: Less than 12" and spreading, unless trained
USDA Hardiness Zones: 5-11 (marginally in Zone 4, with snow cover)
Although the common name of this import from China is “rockspray,” most gardeners refer to it as cotoneaster (not cotton-easter, but ca-TONY-aster). However you say it, this plant is rugged and wants to grow from every inch of wood, literally spraying branches in all directions. Never pruned, many species of this genus will hug the ground: C. microphyllus (pictured), C. adpressus, C. apiculatus, C. horizontalis, and C. dammeri (the inset picture is of C.d. ‘Streib’s Findling’) are the lowest and hardiest. For a detailed description of all these plants, see http://davesgarden.com/guides/articles/view/915/ If you’d like to create the pictured orchard, C.m. thymifolius grows the slowest and lets you enjoy the apple-tree appearance for a while before it requires pruning of branches from the trunk, which sometimes emerge from below the soil level. Use pointed scissors for pruning. Most cotoneasters bloom freely, with small white flowers in spring and early summer, even while berries from the previous fall hang on and hold their red color. The smallest, tightest rockspray is the cultivar C. adpressus ‘Little Gem’ (aka C.a. ‘Tom Thumb’) but it rarely flowers, so your little trees would not produce apples easily. Rarely bothered by pests, spray with insecticidal soap to control spider mites.
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23
BEGINNER PROJECT
The author was disappointed that Piko never released their promised kit for this building, so he put together his own “kit.”
Kitbashing a seashore residence Combining kits creates a unique structure by Franklin Mummey | Walnutport, Pennsylvania |
W
hen Piko introduced the “Seashore Residence” kit (#62263) in their 2008 catalog, my wife Cheryl and I eagerly awaited its arrival. Since our railroad is configured around a large pond, we thought the expansive facade of the building would fit in well on the shore. With each passing year, Piko promised its manufacture. Finally, in early 2013, Piko notified its retailers they had scrapped plans to manufacture the building.
Making our own “kit” Disappointed by this, we set about finding a way to replicate the building ourselves. We discovered that many of the basic building components, and even
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Garden Railways | October 2015
PHOTOS BY THE AUTHOR
complete sections of Piko’s kits, are used interchangeably in other structures. Thinking this may have been the case for the “Seashore Residence,” we searched the catalogs for similar components. We discovered that in 2009 through 2012, Piko listed the “Seashore Residence” on the same page as “Grandpa’s Farmhouse” (#62248) and “Cousin Jane’s Farmhouse” (#62249). We quickly realized that the “Seashore Residence” was actually a combination of the main section of “Grandpa’s Farmhouse” and two of “Cousin Jane’s Farmhouses” (one attached to each end). Thus, even though Piko was not able to follow through, they did provide us with the inspiration to kitbash the “Seashore Residence,” explained as follows.
Since “Grandpa’s Farmhouse” is a light shade of purple and “Cousin Jane’s Farmhouse” is green, we opted instead to purchase one of “Grandpa’s Farmhouse” and two of “Sam’s House” (#62226), which is identical in style to “Cousin Jane’s” but was made in a shade of purple not unlike “Grandpa’s Farmhouse” (Photo 1). However, once the kits arrived, we realized the shades of purple were too dissimilar to combine the buildings as painted.
Painting Before repainting, however, I wanted to make sure the kits, especially “Grandpa’s Farmhouse,” contained the pieces needed to complete the main section of the “Seashore Residence.” I discovered that
“Grandpa’s Farmhouse” had a wraparound porch on the front but no rear porch or rear door. I had to decide whether to leave the wrap-around front porch intact or to reconfigure straight-line front and rear porches like the “Seashore Residence” prototype appeared to show. I opted for the former due to the intricacy of the porch railings involved. However, the shorter section of the wraparound porch proved to be too long to allow the rear edge of “Sam’s House” to line up with the rear edge of “Grandpa’s Farmhouse” (left end). About 2" of the porch roof, floor, and railing had to be cut off to allow rear-edge alignment of the two buildings. (I later used the cut-off pieces to create a small stoop on the back of the main section.) Additionally, I cut an opening on the back of “Grandpa’s Farmhouse” to accommodate the relocation of the side door to provide access to the rear stoop. Albeit a tight fit, the enclosed side porch supplied with “Grandpa’s farmhouse” could be used on the back instead of cutting a rear door opening. Finally, four window openings (two on each side) of “Grandpa’s Farmhouse” had to be closed because of interference with the roof lines of “Sam’s House” when later attached. Three window closure “plugs” are supplied with “Grandpa’s Farmhouse” and one comes with each “Sam’s House” kit. Once this process had been accomplished, Cheryl repainted the purple sections of each building, applying three coats of DecoArt’s Patio Paint outdoor (PPo) “Blue Jay” (#DCP76— photo 2). Any spray paint that adheres well to plastic would suit as well but we’ve always liked the durability of the PPo brand. As she began painting, Cheryl noticed that the foundations of “Grandpa’s Farmhouse” and “Sam’s House” were different shades of gray. Because the building was to be a beach house, she repainted the stone foundations a sand-like color instead. For that, she applied one coat of PPo Texturals “Natural Sand” (#DCPT06—photo 3). She also repainted the porch floors with two coats of PPo “Pinecone Brown” (#DCP01) to lighten their appearance (photo 3). Likewise, the grays of the roof sections of the two units were different, so she used two coats of PPo “Wrought Iron Black” (#DCP21) as a cover.
1. The proposed structure could be assembled from other kits already available, with some minor modifications.
2. The main wall components were painted blue.
3. Foundations and porch floors were repainted more pleasing colors.
4. To stabilize the building during assembly, walls were held in place with masking tape.
5. The main building components are held together with glue and stainless-steel screws.
Assembly
together, I additionally fastened the three main building components with stainlesssteel bolts and nuts (photo 5). To reduce the effects of weather, the exterior of the building was sprayed with Rust-oleum American Accents Ultra Cover 2x Matte Clear non-yellowing UVresistant spray. As a final touch, Cheryl added curtains, cut from actual lace trim, prior to the walls being assembled. We waited five years to have the “Seashore Residence” displayed on our railway. We believe we have a one-of-akind building, except perhaps for Piko’s prototype!
After repainting was completed, I began the assembly process. The directions supplied with each kit are straightforward and can be followed as given, except for the door and window modifications as explained above. Although the glue supplied with the kits is sufficient for windows and small detail, I’ve found that Quick Grip permanent weather-resistant adhesive by Beacon Adhesives creates a stronger, longer-lasting bond for larger building sections. I used masking tape to stabilize the sections until the glue dried (photos 4). Once the units were glued
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25
HOW THE
ROSE CITY CLUB
PROMOTES GARDEN RAILROADING Part 2: Public displays and club activities by Bill Derville | Beaverton, Oregon |
PHOTOS BY THE AUTHOR EXCEPT WHERE NOTED
Each winter, the Rose City Garden Railway Society sets up a holiday display at Al’s Garden Center near Portland. Take-home information about the club is available near the display.
T
he article in the August 2015 issue focused on how the Rose City Garden Railway Society sponsors a tour of its garden railways for the public on the Saturday of each Father’s Day weekend. This tour earns between $1,200 and $2,500; the money is used to promote the club and the hobby. Most of the money has been spent on our winter project—building a 40' x 60' modular portable layout and a trailer to house and move it. The layout is used at model-railroad shows to introduce the public to garden railways. It is also a great way for club
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Garden Railways | October 2015
members who do not have railways to run their trains and to learn construction techniques from other members. The club also owns track and an LGB Mogul, which is used to set up temporary displays. Every November first, the club sets up a 12' x 25' Christmas layout at one of our large garden centers, exposing several thousand people to large-scale trains each holiday season. A button with a timer allows the public to run the train for a set amount of time, which helps to preserve our club’s engine. We also use this venue to pass out fliers about our
Summer Garden Railway Tour. The Rose City Garden Railway Society now has only “household” memberships, which includes everyone living under the same roof. This allows every person who attends club business meetings to have a vote and no one feels they are excluded from any activity. We use Wild Apricot Membership Management Software to manage our membership list, renewals, and registration for all club events online. A lot of our new ideas come from breakfasts at local restaurants (twice per month, one on each side of the city), which many
This construction crew built the railroad at Al’s Garden Center. Upper row, left to right: Dennis Peoples, Greg Martin, and Don Watson. Lower row: Gary Lee, Doug Watson, and Bill Derville. JOSH CLARK
of our members attend. There’s great conversation and everyone gets to know each other better. Our club now has an education committee, as a result of surveys that indicated that members wanted to learn more about the hobby. We hold clinics put on by club members on topics such as soldering, operations, turnout control, and battery conversion. Tom Gaps (Lone Pine & Western, GR, June 2014) holds two, four-hour seminars for the general public at his house each summer, a month after our summer garden-railway tour, for people interested in learning more about the hobby and our club. Thirty-six people have attended these introductory seminars in the past two years, and several joined the club after attending the seminar. Gary Lee (Grande Ronde & Baker Railroad, GR, April 2013) conducts monthly weekend clinics for up to 10 people in his workshop. Attendees purchase a kit from Gary, complete with a set of full-size plans and pre-cut pieces that Gary makes prior to the meeting. Attendees receive two days of coaching and help in assembling and painting their kits. Available structures include two water tanks, a coal tipple, a sand house, two stations, a handcar shed, a loading dock, a turntable and pit, tunnel portals, and several bridges and trestles. Attendees work on the kits they purchased and go home with models ready to put on
Allan Warrior, RCGRS newsletter publisher, and his wife Kathryn, club secretary, wait at the club’s table to greet potential new garden railroaders and club members at a public train show. JAN ZWEERTS
their railroads. This helps everyone in the club learn building techniques while creating structures for their lines. Once a month, in the fall and winter, the club meets in the back room of a restaurant, where they order dinner and enjoy a railroad-themed movie. The education committee often puts on a clinic before dinner, which attracts more people to the evening. Building railways is a focus of the club.
Planning sessions and track-laying parties are offered to any club member who requests them. Work parties are another way for members to learn how to build their own railways. The club also promotes people building railways through our track committee, which buys used track and sells it for approximately $2.50 per foot to members who either don’t have a railway or only a very small one. This makes it more www.GardenRailways.com
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Gary Lee conducts monthly clinics to help members scratchbuild structures for their railways. Here (left to right), Warner Swarner completes a interlocking tower; Nick Kelsey is working on building an ore tipple; Gary Lee looks on; Don Erikstrup works on a railroad station; 97-year-old John Derville cuts bricks for windows on a roundhouse project for Bill Derville’s railroad; and Bill starts work on an interlocking tower. JONETTE LEE
Resources Rose City GRS website: www.rcgrs.com Find a club near you at: www.GardenRailways.com
The Rose City Garden Railway Society owns and operates a large portable modular railway that is set up at public venues to promote the hobby. JAN ZWEERTS
affordable for people to start building a line of their own. More than half of our members don’t have railways yet. Many of our railways are built to be participatory and interactive, rather than display lines where trains run on several independent loops. These railroads often consist of one large loop, a loop-to-loop plan (two reverse loops connected by a single-track mainline with passing sidings), or a point-to-point line, where the trains are turned at each end. Trains running on these lines must be run by operators. Operating sessions are conducted at different railways once a month in the summer.
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Garden Railways | October 2015
While not everyone in the club is interested in operations, many people have found great enjoyment in running a railway with a dispatcher, train orders, waybills, and two-person train crews. Many members find operating sessions to be fun, and they build teamwork and camaraderie. Our club website (www.rcgrs.com) is used by members and non-members alike, and includes pictures of many of our railroads, as well as information about our Summer Tour and other club and events. We hold a banquet in November, where clinics are conducted, people can show off their newest work, and a nice meal is
enjoyed. A slide show of club railways and activities is shown prior to a large raffle. The club also conducts silent auctions, where members can turn excess equipment into cash. We also help non-members liquidate large-scale equipment, railroad books, and memorabilia from estates and people leaving the hobby. The club holds these auctions at club meetings. Bid sheets are provided, with minimum opening bids and required increments for higher bids. After the auction, 90% of the proceeds are returned to the original owner if a club member, and 85% are returned if not a club member. Engines and expensive equipment are often sold through a live auction so that everyone gets a chance to make a final bid. Garden railroading is fun, and growing your club makes it even more fun. Portland, Oregon, is a medium-sized city but we have grown our membership this year to 120 individual members. Next year we will only count households. We continue to attract people who want a new hobby, and everyone benefits from a large membership base.
ADVANCED PROJECT
The author’s new cantilever bridge, in place on his railway. The construction of this all-aluminum structure is described in detail here. In the background are replicas of Amsterdam’s canal houses, painted by the author’s wife.
Building a
CANTILEVER BRIDGE
Standard aluminum shapes simplify construction by Henk de Visser | Dadeville, Alabama |
M
y reasons for building a new bridge for my railroad were twofold: an existing singletrack wooden trestle started to show signs of disintegration, which meant major repairs had to be done to save the trestle. Also, I am extending the railroad, which called for a double track line to connect the new section to the existing track. The wooden trestle was built several years ago from white oak, soaked in a mixture of used motor oil and diesel fuel (photo 1). It held up well but humid conditions combined with UV light and high temperatures in the south finally took its toll. There were several possible solutions,
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Garden Railways | October 2015
including rebuilding the trestle for two tracks, removing the trestle and backfilling with dirt, or building a new bridge. I chose the last option. The new bridge had to be eight feet in length to span the same dry river bed as the trestle. The extension of the railroad required a water feature—an inner harbor with a canal. I first had to decide what kind of bridge to build. After looking at several hundred pictures, I decided on a cantilever bridge. I did not copy any of these bridges exactly, but decided to make a sketch of the bridge to define the ratio between the length and height of its various parts (anchor span, cantilever arm, and
PHOTOS BY THE AUTHOR
suspended span). I looked at patterns of the trusses for strength and appearance. After I decided, I drew everything full size to enable me to transfer measurements directly to the model, especially where they concerned the angles at which the various parts had to be cut. The suspended span is 9" high and 16" long, the cantilever arm is between 9" and 16" high, and 20" long, while the anchor span is between 10" and 16" high, and 20" long. The bridge is 13.5" wide between the posts. Next I had to choose which aluminum profile to use for what part of the bridge (figure 1). I had built an aluminum bridge before, a 4'-long truss bridge, built mainly
1. This old, decaying, white-oak trestle had to be replaced.
2. This earlier truss bridge provided the author with experience in working with aluminum.
3. Construction of the bottom section. Rails are screwed directly to the structure.
4. The bottom gusset plates vary in size.
5. Locking pliers are used to hold the bottom gusset plates, with the posts in place, prior to drilling.
6. Top chords connection, showing the individually mitered pieces.
7. Flat gusset plates are used to connect post and ties.
from angles and flats (photo 2). Posts, struts, ties, and bracings for the new bridge were made from aluminum trim channel intended for ¼" plywood. The bottom chords (1" x 1" x ⅛"), top chords, and some of the gusset plates (¾" x ¾" x 1⁄16") were made from aluminum-angle profiles. Flats were used for the bottom beams (1" x ¼") and some of the side and top gusset plates (1½" x 1⁄16"). Some parts would be joined with stainless-steel screws, washers, and nuts, while others were screwed together after tapping threads in one of the parts. All profiles were bought in 8' lengths at a chain hardware store. All screws, washers, and nuts came from Micro
Fasteners in New York. Taps came from Car Quest Auto Parts. All parts were cut to length using a Hitachi dual compound miter saw with an 80 tooth, carbidetipped saw blade. Identical parts of the bridge were cut using templates.
mark after each hole was drilled. This made for accurate placement of the holes. A support at either end of the chord during this drilling process made the work fairly easy on my work bench. After the holes had been drilled, the chords were again clamped together. Marks were made every 4", where posts would be placed. The bottom beams were cut to length (13½"). All the beams were clamped together to mark spots at the same place on each beam. Two holes were drilled in the ends of the bottom beams with a 3⁄32" drill bit, to match the corresponding holes in the bottom chords. These holes were then tapped 4-40. Eight similar holes were drilled and tapped on the top of
Construction of the bottom The first part of the bridge that was assembled was the bottom structure. The two bottom chords were marked every 8". Both pieces were clamped together with locking pliers to make sure that the marks were at the same spot on each chord. At each mark, two ⅛" holes were drilled, using a drill press and vise. The chord was then slid through the vise to the next
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Gusset plate Top chord Lateral
Sway brace
Top gusset plate Post
Strut Gusset plate
Tie
Bottom chord Bottom beam
Gusset plate
Figure 1—Bridge components Drawing not to scale
Cantilever arm
Anchor block
Suspended span
Pillar
Cantilever arm
Pillar
Anchor span Anchor block
Pond liner
DRAWINGS BY MARC HOROVITZ
Anchor span
Figure 2—Names of cantilever-bridge sections and support structure each bottom beam. These would be used to screw the rails to the beams. After all the drilling and tapping, the bottom was screwed together using 4-40 x ⅝" screws. A drop of Loctite thread-locking adhesive was applied to secure the screws and prevent vibration from loosening them. After the bottom section was put together, the rails (code-332 aluminum from Switch Crafters in Albany, Oregon) were screwed directly to the beams (photo 3). I had decided earlier that I would not use railroad ties on this bridge. On my earlier bridge, I laid the track (rails and
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Garden Railways | October 2015
ties) on small aluminum strips mounted over the full length of the bridge without screwing the track to the bridge (photo 2).
Construction of the sides The bridge sides consist of four components: posts, ties, top chords, and gusset plates. All the posts were cut first. The tops of the posts had to be mitered at different angles. I measured the angle for similar posts using a protractor on the drawing. This angle was then transferred to the miter saw. Sometimes the angle had to be recalculated (90° minus the angle) because the miter saw has a limited
maximum range of 53°. Similar angles for identical posts were cut at the same time, taking the side of the bridge into account, which meant being careful to cut the trim profile face up or down. I used a piece of square wood to make it easier to cut these angles. The angles were drawn on the wood, where a small cut was made. Holding the aluminum against the wood made it possible to cut similar angles. If something went wrong further down the line, a similar cut could be made using the wooden piece as a template. Posts and ties were joined to the bottom chords with gusset plates, which were made from pieces of angle. There are three sizes of these bottom gusset plates. The length of each bottom plate depends on whether it is used to hold just the post, a post and one tie, or a post and two ties (photo 4). All gusset plates were cut at 45° angles. After all the gusset plates were cut, two holes were drilled in each bottom leg of the angle to join the plates to the bottom chords. A hole was drilled at either end of each post. The positions of these holes were then marked on the gusset plates and drilled. Posts were bolted to the gusset plates with 4-40 screws, washers, and nuts. Each gusset plate/post assembly was placed on the marked spot of the bottom chord and clamped with locking pliers (photo 5). The holes in the gusset plates were then used to mark the locations of the holes in the bottom chord. This process was repeated for each gusset plate. Construction was done in sections. The first section that was put together was the suspended span. After all gusset plates with the posts were bolted to the bottom chords, the top-chord pieces were cut. The top chord was made in sections, due to the differences in the angles between the tops of the posts, while the bottom chord is made of a single 8' piece. The length of each part of the top chord was measured from the drawing. I had to figure the angles at which to cut the ends of each piece of the top chord of the bridge that had to be joined to another (for example, the suspended span and the cantilever arm). The angle of the joint was measured from the drawing, then divided by two to get the cut angle at the end of each piece (photo 6). Posts were set square with the bottom chords, then the top holes in the posts were marked on the top
8. A flat aluminum bar is used as a guide to position the flat gusset plates.
9. A top gusset plate, bent in the middle, connects top chord, struts and laterals.
10. Top lateral (diagonal) braces being assembled.
11. Sway bracing connection, with a strut and triangular gusset plates.
12. A hole is being tapped in a sway brace for bolting to the post.
13. Sway bracing to the taller posts, with sub bracing in place.
14. A special gusset plate is used to bolt the portal to the top chord, strut, and top bar.
15. Gusset plate at the halfway point on the portal, connecting the top plate of the portal to the strut.
16. The finished bridge in the workshop, before painting.
chord. After drilling the holes in the topchord pieces, the chord pieces were bolted to the posts with 4-40 x ¼" screws, washers, and nuts. After both sides of the suspended span were finished, the ties were cut to length. Again, the lengths and angles were measured from the drawing. After the ties were cut, they were loose-fitted between the posts until all were in place. A hole was drilled at either end of each tie. Due to the angles of the ties, the holes had to be smaller than those in the posts. Tie holes were marked on the bottom gusset plates and the top chord. After drilling the holes, ties were bolted on with 2-56 x ¼" screws, washers, and nuts. I repeated the process for each cantilever
arm and cantilever anchor sections. There were a few exceptions in the process of bolting the ties. Some did not go from the bottom chord to the top chord, but went only part of the distance. These were measured on the drawing and miter-cut to size. They were then bolted to the top or bottom chord as described. The other ends of these ties had to be bolted to the posts via a flat gusset plate (photo 7). These plates were cut to 1½" x 1½". Two were used—one on the front and one on the back of the post. A hole was drilled in the center of each gusset plates. Using an aluminum strip as a guide, the gusset plates were set in place on the posts (photo 8) and the center hole was transferred to the post. After drilling the hole,
the gusset plates were bolted to the post with 4-40 x ¾" screws, washers, and nuts. A hole was then drilled through both gusset plates and the tie, and they were bolted together. This procedure was repeated for the other sections of the bridge.
Construction of the top The top of the bridge consists of three components: the top chord, struts, and the top laterals. All parts were made from the plywood-trim profile. Parts were mounted with the closed side of the trim to the outside. The reasons for this were appearance, easier bolting of parts to the rest of the bridge, and prevention of water standing in the grooves. All struts were cut in 13½" lengths, similar to the bottom www.GardenRailways.com
33
gusset plate was bent, then bolted to the portal post, while the other side was bolted to the top chord. At the same time, a strip was bolted onto cover the top front edge of the portal. The center of the top plate was bolted to the strut with a gusset plate (photo 15).
Finishing and placement
17. An extension, leading up to the bridge, was also built of aluminum.
beams. The struts were bolted to the top chord with gusset plates. The gusset plates were made from 1½" x 1½" flats. They were reshaped by measuring the width of the top chord and the width of the strut. The plates were then bolted onto the top chord with two screws, washers, and nuts (photo 9). Struts were bolted on with screws after threads were tapped into the struts. Struts were placed at each post. The top laterals were placed in a pattern that went from the side of one strut to the halfway point on the next strut (photo 10). One side was bolted to the gusset plate that held the strut and top chord together, after tapping the threads in the lateral. The other end of the lateral, which reached the halfway point on the strut, was bolted to the strut with two flat gusset plates. The system was different for some of the laterals; not only had they to be mitered, but beveled as well, because the posts are different lengths and they create an angle between the struts. I used the same method to cut these bevels as I did with the top chord and ties, using a piece of wood as a guide to cut the angles. Beveled cuts were used for the laterals between the suspended arm and the cantilever arm, and the cantilever arm and the anchor arm.
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Garden Railways | October 2015
Construction of the sway bracing The sway bracing was also made from wood-trim aluminum, mounted face down. The braces were mitered at 45° angles. These were bolted to the struts with triangular gusset plates. These plates were made from 1½" x 1½" flats, cut diagonally into triangles. Each sway brace was bolted to its strut after holes were drilled through the gusset plate and the brace and strut (photo 11). The other side rested against the post. A hole was drilled through the post into the brace. Threads were tapped into the brace and screwed against the post (photo 12). For the three highest posts, sway braces were added, with a sub-brace in between the legs of the braces (photo 13). All connections included triangular gusset plates. Some of the sway braces had to be beveled and mitered, because the strut was at an angle to the post.
Construction of the portal The bridge portal was angled back 60° in relation to the bottom chord. A gusset plate made from aluminum angle was used to bolt the portal to the bottom chords. The top was bolted to the top chords with right-angle gusset plates similar to those used to connect the struts to the top chord (photo 14). One side of this
Now that the bridge was finished (photo 16), selecting a color was next. My previous bridge was painted gray. Some railroad bridges in Alabama are not painted at all (they rust), while others are a light-greenish color. I chose green. I do not weather the paint; Mother Nature will do that for me. The next step was to place the bridge. As mentioned earlier, the bridge was intended to span an “inner harbor/canal.” The track was put on extensions at both sides of the bridge. They are made in an identical manner to the bottom structure of the bridge, with two chords and several beams (photo 3). Track, rails, and ties are laid on the beams. Flat aluminum (1½" x ⅛") covers part of the opening between the two tracks. There are also some railings to prevent trains from running off (photo 17) the bridge. The bridge is placed on two concrete blocks (4" x 8" x 16"), one at each end of the anchor spans. Thanks to the bridge’s solid construction, the blocks are all that is necessary to support the bridge. However, the principle of a cantilever bridge is that there is support at the point where the anchor spans and cantilever arm connect. For this, I made pillars from concrete blocks cut in half (4" x 4"); the pillars are placed in the water beneath these points (figure 2). The next steps were connecting the track to the rest of the railroad, then watching the trains run over the bridge. It took time to build this bridge and time to incorporate it into the railroad, but it was time well spent.
Online extras Subscribers can download an article on prototype bridge practices from the October 2006 issue of Model Railroader magazine called “Bridge basics.“ Visit www.Garden Railways.com and type in “Bridge basics” in the search box.
THE
MORNING GLOW
An extensive garden line based on prototype practice by Jim Cary | Sun Valley, California |
RAILROAD
PHOTOS BY THE AUTHOR
A multi-unit consist eases down the grade on Jim and Joyce Cary’s Morning Glow Railroad. Creeping fig holds the embankment on the right in place.
1. This overall view of the Morning Glow Railroad was taken from the high point at Donner Pass. Donner Lake and meadows are in the foreground while the Tehachapi Loop is far distant at the other end. Blue, green, and red sedums, along with low golden chamaecyparis cover the ground between dozens of dwarf Alberta spruce trees.
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O
ur Morning Glow Railroad (MGRR) was developed after watching numerous videos, reading many Garden Railways magazines, then determining the type of garden railroad I wanted to construct. Its theme is based on the type of natural setting that I enjoyed the most, namely a vacation at a high elevation, in a mountainous area with tree-studded forests, flower-covered meadows, and patches of winter snow, along with the faint scent of pine trees, far from city life. A primary requirement for the railroad was to be able to enjoy our creation from both indoors and out, even when trains were not running. I decided to have one long, single track in a folded-loop plan. Several trains running on the same track would emulate real world train-separation challenges. The design incorporates parallel tracks at various locations, all within the same single loop, to allow for multiple train meets. This design will allow one train to run unsuper-
Garden Railways | October 2015
2. The SP Daylight stops traffic at the summit. Signals can be inverted and stored in their supporting pipes. Blue spruce sedum forms shrubbery on the right.
vised, without conflicts with other trains, if so desired. I spent many hours at different locations along Cajon Pass and the grade from Bakersfield to Tehachapi, breathing in the diesel sounds (and sometimes the fumes) from the massive lash-ups of Southern Pacific/Union Pacific and BNSF. Many had six locomotives on the front, two in mid train, and one or two locomotives pushing from the rear, up or down these severe
grades. They always left me standing in awe. I decided to re-create this on our railroad by modeling diesels from 1960 to the present.
The design I fired up an AutoCAD workstation and brought up our property site plan. I picked out rough points to create a free flowing, multi-radius track path through the property. Then I surveyed all of the vertical grades of the property with a
8
4, 6
Tehachapi Loop 5
1 Donner pass
2 5
3
The Morning Glow Railroad Existing trackage (1,101') Phase 2 (467') Maximum gradient: 2.9% Property size: 100' x 200' (approx.)
7
MARC HOROVITZ
Train workshop
Train storage
The railway at a glance Name: Morning Glow Railroad Size: Irregular L-shaped 100' x 150' Scale: 1:29 Gauge: Nº 1 (45mm) Era: 1960 to present—all diesel Theme: Southern Pacific— Donner Pass to Tehachapi Age: 3 years Motive power: All battery Length of mainline: 1,101' Maximum gradient: 3% Track: Code-250 stainless steel; #10 pneumatic turnouts Minimum radius: 7' Water features: 500-gallon fish pond and waterfall Control system: CVP AirWire Sound system: Phoenix P8 Website: www.Morning GlowRR.com
rotating laser sender/receiver. I had approximately 72" of vertical grade to work into the plan. I then flexed and flipped the plan, creating overlaps and crossings to lengthen the track. With slight nudging here and there, the track grades fell into place. These included long, 3% slopes that emulated portions of
Donner Pass or Tehachapi.
Track-support system I used what is commonly called an HDPE (high-density polyethylene) ladder-track system. This was made from 1½" x 1" HDPE fence pickets, used as vertical stakes. These stakes were set 24" apart and
3. A threelocomotive consist makes a slow descent from Donner Pass, with glowing dynamicbrake resisters howling. A clump of blue lobelia grows down front on the dry creek edge.
www.GardenRailways.com
39
4. Three parallel tracks carry trains through the lowlands of the California Central Valley. Boulders amid plantings keep foot traffic away from the trackwork.
driven into the ground as far as they would go. Attached to each side of each stake, with stainlesssteel screws, were two, continuous, track-support rails made from of ⅝" x 3½" dark-brown HDPE bender board, adjusted up or down on curves to create the proper superelevation. All track is stainless steel, code 250, 60" rail. Rail joints are staggered 30" from the opposite joints for smooth, natural curves and transitions. Most turnouts are #10s, to facilitate higher speed and smooth track changes. A 1⁄16" gap between rail ends, held in brass joiners, allows for expansion and contraction due to temperature. All track, tie strips, and turnouts are by Sunset Valley. A long siding holds entire trains, allowing faster passenger trains to pass slower freights. A four turnout, double crossover allows any train on the line to be turned to the opposite direction, adding operational variety. Pneumatic switch-machine pistons, activation solenoids, tubing,
5. Long, modern freight trains are a signature of the Morning Glow Railroad. Chartreuse arborvitae shrubs contrast the blues of creeping dwarf junipers and the deep greens on conical spruces, all highlighted by near-white boulders.
6. Santa Fe Super Chief, headed by an A-B-B-A consist, makes good time across the flats.
and connectors are from Sunset Valley. All are controlled by a CVP AirWire Linker with multiple activators. All turnouts are controllable from any CVP AirWire T-5000 hand-held controller, regardless of train frequencies. When landscaping, we made every attempt to blend existing and new boulders, trees, and plant material into the topography and surrounding landscaping of the property. Emphasis was placed on
upper-elevation alpine influence and lower-elevation landscaping, even though they are only separated by six feet, not 6,000. A removable, lightweight aluminum-and-fabric shade structure was built, designed to block the view as little as possible. An adjacent, removable handrail for safety in ascending the mountain to Donner Pass (elevation 6') is provided, primarily for visitors at open houses. www.GardenRailways.com
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Plants on the Morning Glow Railroad Sun Valley, California | USDA Hardiness Zone 10 DWARF CONIFERS Dwarf golden thread-leaf cypress
Chamaecyparis pisifera ‘Filifera Aurea Nana’ Dwarf Italian cypress
Golden arborvitae
Thuja orientalis ‘Aurea Nana’ BROADLEAF SHRUBS AND VINES
Cupressus sempervirens ‘Tiny Tower’
Variegated wintercreeper
Dwarf Japanese garden juniper
Creeping fig
Juniperus procumbens ‘Nana’
Euonymus fortunei var.
Jean’s Dilly spruce
Rosemary
7. The five-track entryway to the recycled shipping container, which is used for storage of complete trains and recharging locomotive batteries.
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Dymondia margaretae
Sedum reflexum ‘Blue Spruce’ Dragon’s Blood stonecrop
Sedum spurium ‘Dragon’s Blood’
Lobelia
Lobelia erinus Sweet alyssum
Lobularia maritima
Rosmarinus officinalis
The trains The entire railroad is battery powered. Each locomotive carries two lithium-ion batteries, with an A/B switch and related charging plugs, accessible via a lift-out panel on top of each locomotive. Each battery provides about three hours of run time between charging. CVP AirWire drop-in decoders, incorporating their Cruise Control and other advanced features, were installed in each
Garden Railways | October 2015
Blue Spruce stonecrop
ANNUALS GROUNDCOVER Silver carpet
Picea glauca ‘Jean’s Dilly’
Sedum album
Ficus repens
Dwarf Alberta spruce
Picea glauca ‘Conica’
White stonecrop
locomotive. One feature automatically powers up or down to the next power level when resistance to a grade or curve causes a change in engine motor speed. This same feature works in reverse on the downhill grades, with automatic lowering of the power level and engine sounds, via Phoenix P8 sound cards. When descending long grades, pushing a button on the AirWire T5000 controller, in conjunction with the Phoenix sound card, activates the dynamic-brake howl. All locomotive body shells are left unsecured and can be lifted from the chassis to allow immediate access to the electronics, batteries, etc. inside. Hand-held CVP AirWire T-5000 lighted controllers provide complete operator control of each train, including sounds and lights. Each train has its own frequency. If a train has multiple engines, they are all on the same frequency, formed into a consist (four engines, maximum). However, I run up to six engines (four in front and two mid train) in a single train quite successfully, not utilizing the consist feature. Each engineer is equipped with a Motorola CLP1040 radio with earbud/microphone, allowing
him/her to be in constant contact with all other engineers. This makes for a smooth operating session at a large open house without audible radios disturbing visitors. Operating crossing gates and signals, with bells, manufactured by South Bend Signal, are installed, with MGRR custom, recessed, weather-tight storage tubes in place to preserve their detail and electronics between train runs.
Train storage High on my list of priorities was to have almost immediate activation of any one of five trains to the mainline within 10 minutes and to have almost instant enjoyment, and/or to be able to entertain friends who dropped by on short notice. This meant that all trains had to remain coupled to their locomotives and be on the rails at all times, including when
the locomotive batteries were charging. I store the trains inside a steel shipping container at the rear of our property, with a fivetrack access slot connected to the mainline by turnouts. All trains are backed into the container after a running session. They are positioned directly under 40 overhead chargers that enable 20 dual-battery locomotives to be charged simultaneously. Prior to every running session, I run a GP9 pushing what I call
my “Snail Flicker” (made by Earl Martin) one time around the entire loop. The Flicker is a rotating brush unit, set at an angle, with its own battery, that scrubs the right of way and flicks off anything that should not be there— twigs, pebbles, lizard tails, snails, tree nuts, and so forth.
What I would change If I were building the railroad today, this is what I would do differently:
About the author Jim Cary is a retired architect. He spent 45 years designing commercial retail facilities. He and his wife Joyce have been married for 49 years and have three children and 10 grandchildren. Joyce has been an integral partner in the creation and maintenance of the MGRR.
• I would install my drip watering system prior to planting the Alberta spruce trees. I’d plant all Alberta spruces in ¼" hardwarecloth wire baskets, minimum 6" diameter by 8" deep, to keep gophers from feasting on the main stems of the trees. • I’d double check all vertical clearances under bridges for double-stack container cars. I had to incorporate some vertical grade modifications and change some bridges after the fact. • I would use a minimum radius of 8' (16' diameter) on all curves. Future projects include upgrading all locomotive and passenger cars from incandescent to LED lighting. I also need to complete the phase-II extension at the south end of the property. To convey many of the details that could not be described in this article, please visit our website: www. MorningGlowRR.com
8. A train circumnavigates Tehachapi Loop, passing over itself. Blue spruce and Dragon’s Blood stonecrops fill the meadows between conical dwarf spruces, and an arc of four dwarf Japanese garden junipers create hills of low shrubs.
www.GardenRailways.com
43
ADVANCED PROJECT
SCRATCHBUILDING
Horse-drawn tramway An early, wooden-railed tramway provided the inspiration for this project by Graham Jones | Jane Brook, Western Australia |
E
ach November, the West Australian branch of the Australian Model Railway Association holds an open day to enable members to display their models and layouts. As an added attraction, the group hosts an open
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Garden Railways | October 2015
PHOTOS BY THE AUTHOR
modeling competition. I decided to make and enter a pair of horse-drawn wagons on a short section of timber tramway track. I model in 1:19 scale on 45mm track. Here is how I went about achieving that goal.
Some years ago, I purchased the book “K1” 1st Garratt in Tasmania, (Autoédition Dr. Christian Cénac, 1996). Among a large number of drawings of locomotives, coaches, and wagons is a drawing of some wooden track (32mm gauge). This track was modeled after part of the Colonel North Tramway, which served the Zeehan-Comstock Mining Field in Tasmania. Unfortunately, there were no drawings of the rolling stock used on this railway. However, on the same sheet is a drawing of a horse to the same scale (16mm=1').
Chassis parts were cut from oak and assembled with glue and brass strapping.
Hinges for the end gates were made from brass strip and tubing, as described in the story.
The finished end-tipping wagons, scratchbuilt by the author, were inspired by early wagons used by Britain’s Great Western Railway. The horse and handler (not pictured) are commercial models.
wagons Around the same time, I found a model horse about the correct scale. I have on my bookshelf a copy of GWR Wagons Plans Book, by J.H. Russell, published by OPC (1976). In this book are a couple of drawings of an end-tipping wagon. All of a sudden, all of the necessary elements were in place: track and wagons, horse and handler.
The chassis I made the chassis out of oak timber from my “leftover box.” I cut it to size (6.5mm x
All of the components for the pair of wagons (less wheels). Wooden parts were painted with clear varnish, while metal parts were painted matte gray.
5mm) using a mini table saw, and assembled it using urethane adhesive. The outer chassis styles are held in position by brass straps, with nuts and bolts. The brass strips (five-hole variety) are available from beading and craft shops. The most difficult part of the chassis was how to hinge the two parts for the tipping body. The hinges were made by longitudinally soldering a 3.5mm OD brass tube to a 5mm brass strip. This long “hinge” was then sliced into 5mm sections. I used a Dremel cutting disc,
dripping water on the brass while cutting to keep the whole assembly cool and to prevent the solder from melting and the whole thing falling apart. These half hinges were then glued to the chassis with a good-quality cyanoacrylate adhesive (super glue). A brass rod was passed through all four half hinges, which allowed the body to be tipped. Bearing blocks for the axles were made in the same way as the hinges, although they are slightly larger, and are attached in the same way as the body hinges. www.GardenRailways.com
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A single wagon prior to assembly. The brass rods in the foreground are hinge pins for the working hinges.
The assembled wagons on the wooden track. Note the oak keys securing the rails, and the horse handler standing in back.
A closeup of the wooden track, ballasted on the scenic wooden plinth.
Figure 1—the horse, handler, and track drawings from the book “K1” 1st Garratt in Tasmania. (Used with permission.) Wheelsets are 16mm scale, six-spoke wagon wheels by Slaters, available from Garden Railway Specialists in Britain (Part #SL12DIN).
secured when the wagon is loaded, were made and attached to the body in the same way as the chassis hinges.
Painting The bodies The bodies of the wagons were constructed of cedar, sliced on the mini table saw into 12mm x 2mm strips. These strips were cut to the required length, then glued together using the previously mentioned urethane glue. As an aside, wooden venetian blinds are a source of good, longgrain timber that is light and quite strong. Also, it is generally free, picked up by the side of the road on trash days. The wagon strapping is the same brass strap used for the chassis. Straps are attached to the wooden body with brass nuts, bolts, and washers. Hinges on the rear gate, and the latches to keep the gate
46
Garden Railways | October 2015
Wooden parts were painted with a clear satin varnish. Brass strips were painted Humbrol matte dark gray. All the individual pieces were painted before assembly, then touched up after. You may ask, ”Why the numbers 4 and 10?” The numbers were leftovers from a previous project.
Track, ballast, and plinth As mentioned previously, the track construction was copied from the book “K1” The 1st Garratt in Tasmania. The rails were cut 5mm square, and the sleepers (ties) are 4mm x 9mm, cut on the mini table saw. Rails and sleepers are all cedar. The keys that secure the rails were cut
from the same oak that was used for the wagon chassis. These lighter-colored pieces provide contrast against the darker rails, sleepers, and the reddish ballast. The ballast is made from pieces of a mold used in the thermite welding process of full-size railway rails. Pieces of the mold were rubbed together, which produced a fine, gritty ballast that has the ring of authenticity. The ballast is held in place with diluted PVA glue. The horse is a Schleich Clydesdale Stallion (#13670), while the handler is a Schleich Riding Instructor (#13449). Both were slightly toned down with a weathering wash to remove the stark look of these items when new. I had to purchase a Schleich Horse Transporter (#40190) to obtain the harness for the horse. The Horse Transporter (horse-drawn wagon) became a flatcar load. Schleich products are available from most toy shops and some farm-supply stores. The plinth upon which all of this is mounted is a piece of West Australian jarrah, machined and varnished for presentation purposes. Alas, much to my disappointment, after all of that effort, the competition was not held that year (2010)!
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47
STAFF CORNER: KEVIN STRONG
A member of GR’s staff discusses recent projects
A pair-o-ducks
Meandering Mallards Nºs 2 and 3 pause in front of Blacklog Depot on the author’s Tuscarora Railroad. These railcars are based on the famous Galloping Geese, which ran on the Rio Grande Southern in western Colorado. PHOTOS BY THE AUTHOR
A
s a devout modeler of eastern narrow gauge, I must confess a weakness toward something uniquely Colorado—the Rio Grande Southern’s famous Galloping Geese. I first encountered these critters in print in 1986, in an article in the Narrow Gauge & Shortline Gazette. Inspired by that article, I built a model of RGS Nº 6, their “work goose,” caught up in the Stomper craze that was sweeping garden railroading at the time. (Stompers were small, battery-operated toy trucks that were ideally suited for re-purposing as small “critter” creations in large scale by fitting flanged wheels to their axles instead.) As time passed, I subsequently focused my modeling on 1910s eastern
48
Garden Railways | October 2015
narrow gauge. That old model of RGS Nº 6 had long been boxed away in a dark corner of my parents’ attic. My fascination with the prototype RGS geese never went away, however. It was bolstered, perhaps, by the opportunity to ride in some of the surviving geese, though the desire to build a model of them lay dormant. Not long ago, I saw a fire-damaged model of RGS Goose Nº 2 on eBay. Alas, I forgot what day the auction was ending, and missed it. A new (or used but undamaged version) was not in my budget. The only logical course of action was to build one myself. I found suitable spoked wheels, a gearbox, and a small motor in my scrapbox. All I needed was a suitable automobile for
the front. The prototype Goose Nº 2 was built around a Buick. That wasn’t going to happen, so I found a Model A Ford on eBay that would work. It was a bit banged up but that didn’t matter for my purposes. What I didn’t know was how the choice of that specific car for this project would shape the whole process. When the car arrived, it was painted a peculiar shade of green, with black trim. The green was reminiscent of a male mallard duck’s head. It came to me—this eastern version of the Rio Grande Southern Galloping Goose would be named the Meandering Mallard. The paint scheme would be that same shade of green, with black trim and gold lettering. Construction of Duck Nº 2 was pretty
Duck Nº 2 prior to being painted. The green paint on the car inspired the Meandering Mallard name.
The logo of the Meandering Mallard.
straightforward. I based the dimensions on those of the RGS Goose Nº 2, with allowances for the smaller car up front. I built the frame of brass, placing the motor under the hood to drive the gearbox, which was attached to the forward axle of the rear truck, as per the prototype. Plastic sprockets and chain carry power to the second axle. I built the rear truck by narrowing a Bachmann freight-car truck so the frames were between the wheels. The freight compartment on the back was built from .080" styrene, with .005" styrene (with rivet/nail detail embossed in) laminated to the outside. About midway through this project, a friend came to me with some models that he wanted me to fix before he sold them. Among them was a Berlyn Locomotive Works model of RGS Goose Nº 6 (the one that first caught my attention all those years ago). After a little iron-horse trading, the TRR’s roster of ducks doubled.
Duck Nº 2’s underbody, showing the motor and narrowed Bachmann truck used for the drive. The gearbox is from Northwest Short Line.
This one would be dubbed Nº 3. (The TRR has a converted Model T inspection car that carries Nº 1.) Duck Nº 3 is pretty much unmodified from the original, save for building new wood sides for the boards on the back. Both of the TRR Ducks are battery powered, driven by Soundtraxx “Tsunami” DCC decoders, as they offer a realistic “Galloping Goose” sound. Duck Nº 2 uses a first-generation Airwire board to control the Tsunami, while Duck Nº 3 uses an Airwire “Convertr.” The nice thing about using the Tsunami and Convertr combination with Duck Nº 3 is that it fits neatly underneath the frame. Only
the battery sits in the bed of the truck, hidden under a load of ties. Perhaps the hardest part of this project was finding that “perfect” shade of green. No one makes it in a spray can, nor is it remotely close to any railroad’s shade of green, so I couldn’t use commercial model paints. I ended up going to a hardware store, finding a paint chip of the proper color, and having a pint made up for me. That, custom decals, and a bit of weathering, and the Tuscarora Railroad’s pair-oducks were ready to hit the rails. For more on these models (and the back story of their arrival on the TRR), visit my blog: http://tuscarorarailroad.blogspot.com
Kevin Strong got into large scale trains at the age of 5. He grew up helping his dad Jim build the Woodland Railway, and finds it hard to believe that his Tuscarora Railroad is entering its 11th year of operations! Kevin resides in suburban Denver, where he lives with his wife Allison and two children. In “real life,” Kevin works as a video editor for CBS.
www.GardenRailways.com
49
INTERMEDIATE PROJECT
The author’s Mason Bogie and transfer caboose, working the Orla Mine complex. A transfer caboose is an unusual vehicle that can add interest to your railroad. PHOTOS BY THE AUTHOR
Constructing a
transfer caboose A Piko Mogul tender chassis provides the basis by Mike Garforth | Barrow-in-Furness, Great Britain
H
aving completed the construction of a Mason Bogie 2-6-6 from a Piko 2-6-0 Mogul (December 2014 GR), I was left with the remains of the tender from the original locomotive (photo 1). Looking for inspiration, I came across the quirky transfer caboose. This vehicle was used for trips across the city from one yard to another and are yet another fascinating aspect of American railroading history. Transfer cabooses were often built of steel
50
Garden Railways | October 2015
on old flatcars or redundant locomotive tenders. A transfer caboose seemed the ideal use for the tender sitting on my workbench. Although I used the tender from a Piko Mogul, the principles outlined in this article could be applied to any flatcar or freight chassis. I have not included any detailed dimensions, as any model of this nature is purely a one-off.
The chassis Unscrewing the six screws that held the
tender tank to the base produced a simple, if short, chassis to work on. I used a saw (photo 2) and file to remove all of the upper surface protrusions, then gave the whole surface a rub along my sanding board to ensure it was flat. I cut away the end step beam from the main tender chassis (photo 3) and filed it smooth to remove the joining web. The under protrusions were also removed to enable a Kadee coupler to be fitted. I then placed the chassis loosely on its
1. The Piko tender, after the removal of various parts used in creating the 2-6-6 Mason Bogie.
2. Upper-surface protrusions were initially removed with a saw, then smoothed with a file, and finally run over a sanding board.
4. A C-clamp holds things in place while the styrene shims required to place the bodymounted coupler to the correct height are determined.
6. Seen from underneath, the center lower covering plate is in place, with both stepside frames, awaiting the insertion of steps made from filed down Plastruct channel.
7. A small C-clamp holds the Kadee coupler in place while clearances are checked.
trucks and, using various thicknesses of styrene, determined the thickness of the shims required to bring the coupler to the correct height, which was determined with a Kadee coupler gauge. I used a C-clamp to hold the #830 coupler and shims in position (photo 4). Once the height was established, coupler-support plates were cemented into place using liquid cement. These plates have a different profile for each end. I cut an upper-floor cover plate from .060" styrene (photo 5) and then cemented it in place. The plate is the same width as the original chassis; its length covers the whole chassis and the two end step beams (photo 6). I scored the base with a
bradawl to represent 6" planking. Grain detail was added by dragging an old saw blade across the floor. Once the upper-floor cover plate was cemented into place, coupler shims were fitted and the two end beams were cemented into place (photo 7). Stepaccess points were cut into the deck. I cemented .080" x .187" styrene strips along the under, inner center section of the side beams to give additional support to the lower covering plate, which I made of .060" styrene. I opted not to add underfloor details, such as brake rods etc., though this would have been the opportune time to do so. I cut an outer-end cover plate for the
3. The rear tender end beam has been removed.
5. The chassis is used as a guide to ensure the correct profile for the upper-floor plate. This ensures sufficient overhang for the additional end beam.
8. The coupler-release arms were fabricated from 1⁄16" brass wire and two brass split pins.
step beam from 1mm-thick styrene and fixed it to the step beam with liquid cement. Using the original beam as a master guide, I built a second end beam from styrene for the opposite end of the chassis. I constructed the end guard rails from 3.2mm angle, with the supports for the side rails built up from .125" x .25" strip and angle. Ozark Miniatures provided poling pockets for end-beam details, drilled to accept 14BA screws. Coupler-release arms were built up from 1⁄16" brass rod and split pins were added to attach the arms to the end beams (photo 8). The brake wheel and chain (.080" links), together with the support bracket, were added to each end www.GardenRailways.com
51
9. The completed end beam, with poling pockets and handrails added.
10. Couplers have been installed and the trucks fitted with steel wheelsets.
11. The four outer walls of the cabin, made of .080" styrene.
12. The assembled cabin outer walls, with door and window details added.
13. The cabin floor, along with tools used to simulate wooden planking: steel rule, pencil, scriber, and an old saw blade.
14. A 2"- square block and clamp hold the floor firmly while the liquid cement bonds.
15. The outer walls and floor have been joined. The clear glazing sheet (with its protective coat in place) and inner end-wall pieces are shown.
16. Double-sided carpet tape has been applied to the outer face of a side-wall glazing panel.
17. Both completed inner side walls, before adding posters and other enhancements.
rail. A completed end beam can be seen in photo 9. It was now time to clean up the unit and apply coats of gray automotive primer, followed by a coat of satin black. Once dry, the Kadee couplers were screwed into place and the chassis was reunited with its trucks. A test run immediately showed that metal wheels were necessary, replacing the plastic ones that came with the Piko tender. Once those were in (photo 10), the improved running characteristics were immediately evident.
8'9" long. I cut its outer walls and floor from .080" styrene (photo 11). Once the four walls had been cut to shape, I cut out the door and window openings and built up window frames from strip styrene. An interior wall of .010" styrene was cemented to the inner surface of each end wall, with the window opening cut into it. |Once I had added the door frame to the outer wall, I built up the door itself on the thin sheet. I cemented the walls together (photo 12), with the side walls extending to cover the end-wall ends. The floor plate ensured that the structure remained square. I rubbed the cabin along a sanding board to
ensure that the base was flat and that the roof slope of the end walls continued onto the side walls. I scribed the floor in the usual manner to simulate wooden planks (photo 13), and painted it matte brown. I slipped the wall unit over the floor and placed a sturdy wooden block inside the cabin, held to a piece of flat wood with a C-clamp to ensure it remained flat while the glue set (photo 14). I covered the interior walls with strips of 1" masking tape, using a piece of thin cardstock to cover the floor, to guard against overspray from the gray and yellow auto-primer coats that I sprayed onto
The cabin The cabin measures a scale 8'3" wide by
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Garden Railways | October 2015
18. With the opposite inner side wall and both end walls held in place with tape, the remaining inner side wall is slipped into position.
19. The completed cabin prior to attachment to the chassis.
20. The cabin is clamped to the chassis to ensure a firm bond with the CA adhesive.
21. Underside of roof, showing the side bracing (to locate the roof onto the cabin), end boards, and the four escutcheon pins to hold it in place.
the outer walls. Once the paint was dry, I removed the tape. I referenced the end walls “A” and “B” to ensure that the inner walls went into their correct locations. Because I use spray cans and like to have clear, easy-to-see-through windows, I opted to build up the walls from the outside in to make sure the windows remained free of glue and paint. I built an inner cabin of .040" clear PETG (polyethylene terephthalate—a polyester resin), this time with the end walls extending beyond the side walls (photo 15). The plastic came with a very thin, peel-off protective layer on each side. Once I’d peeled off the outer face, I added strips of double-sided carpet tape to the outside of the “glass” walls (photo 16). This product
Online extras Registered users of our website can download free drawings for a work caboose. Visit www.Garden Railways.com and type “work caboose” in the search box.
22. The completed model, ready for service.
sticks really well. The inner side walls, with window openings previously marked through the outer walls, were outfitted with seats, shelf, stove base, bench, and toilet compartment (photo 17). I applied the double-sided tape to the outer face of the stove wall only. The walls and fittings were all sprayed with gray primer, while I painted the seats and bench with matte modeling colors. I then fitted all four glazing walls, after which the stove wall was fixed in place with the double-sided tape, and the inner end walls added. The final (toilet) side wall was slipped into place, being held in position by the other walls (photo 18). I added posters, notices, crew, and the stove to the interior of the cabin (photo 19), which I then joined to the chassis with CA cement (photo 20). I held it securely in
place to provide a firm bond. I built up the roof from two pieces of .060" styrene sheet, with styrene side strips added to fit inside the cabin walls. Outer end boards ensured that the roof maintained its profile with the end walls. With the roof in place, I drilled four 1⁄16" holes through the end boards for escutcheon pins (photo 21). These pins provided the roof with a good fit and they can be easily removed for viewing the cabin interior. Side rails were added to the deck areas, along with a toolbox on each deck and a crew member on one deck (photo 22). That’s it—one unique and effective transfer caboose that looks right at home operating between Orla Mine and Furnace on my indoor layout. I hope you enjoy building a similar model. Keep having fun. www.GardenRailways.com
53
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CALL
before you
DIG
Dialing up a safer railroad
by Scott Finley | Dallas, Texas |
PHOTOS BY THE AUTHOR
O
n nice days, do your thoughts turn to getting outside and revisiting your railway projects? Maybe you want to plant a new flower bed and re-route track through it or excavate a ravine and build a trestle across it or try your hand at the cement-product hardscaping featured in the December 2014 GR. All of these are projects with one common theme: you’re going to have to dig a hole in the ground. The Union Pacific and Central Pacific Railroads didn’t worry about underground infrastructure as they blasted and cut their way through when building the first transcontinental railroad. Now, there are nearly 25 million miles of underground pipeline, telecommunication lines, electrical lines, etc., and there’s a good chance some of it is running beneath your railroad. That’s where the 811 number comes in. There is a nationally mandated “Call Before You Dig” 811 system, headquartered at call811.com The 811 number is set aside nationally for anyone planning to put a shovel into the ground—from garden-railway hobbyists to fence builders, from contractors to excavators—to call first so that buried lines in their dig areas can be marked, flagged, and safeguarded by the relevant utilities. The call is free and the service is free. If that’s not enough, it’s also the law in many places. You can dial 811 from anywhere in the United States. You will
Utilities color guide Red—electric Orange—telecommunications/alarms Green—sewer or drains Yellow—natural gas or petroleum products Blue/purple—potable water White—proposed excavation Pink—temporary survey markings
A properly marked yard may look like this. The different colors correspond to different utilities. All of this makes digging safe. And don’t worry—your lawn will recover.
automatically be sent to the nearest 811 call center. They will take your dig-site information and contact the relevant utilities. In turn, the utilities will send out a person or team to mark and/ or flag the approximate location of their buried lines, alerting you to what’s below. This may take up to 48 hours to accomplish. While you wait, double check your trackplans and lay in that extra load of ballast. When you return to begin work, you’ll see markings like the ones in the photo telling you where not to dig. The spray-paint colors or marker flags indicate exactly what’s beneath the ground (see the sidebar). There is no worse feeling than accidentally cutting through a buried pipeline or telecommunications cable. It’s embarrassing, expensive, and, in the case of buried petroleum, gas or electric mains, it could be fatal. Too many homeowners think that just because they aren’t using a large backhoe, or are digging by hand with a shovel, there is no need to call 811. Wrong. A rented auger, post-hole digger, or even a simple hand-held shovel can cut through or puncture a buried line. Call 811 before you work on your railroad. Knowing what’s below will give you a clear track ahead! www.GardenRailways.com
55
READERS’ GALLERY
JOHN MORRISON
— Garden-railway scenes from around the world —
ABOVE: Consolidated Concentrates Conglomerate Nº 104 is being turned at the Dunckley Northern Railways’ Wombat Locomotive Depot in Redmond, Washington. This is a mostly scratchbuilt, 1:24 scale, 3'6" gauge Mikado built by John Morrison on a Barry’s Big Train chassis. Detail parts are from a variety of manufacturers, including Bachmann, LGB, and Trackside Details. The tender is almost totally scratchbuilt.
JERRY BARNES
LEFT: A Roberts Lines Pioneer Zephyr crosses the wooden trestle on Jerry Barnes’ railroad in Lexington, Nebraska. Jerry added Gary Raymond ball-bearing wheelsets to the train, as well as interior detail in the cab and observation car.
56
Garden Railways | October 2015
Send your photos to Readers’ gallery: Garden Railways, PO Box 460222, Denver, CO 80246, USA or email them to:
[email protected]
LEFT: A passenger train stops briefly at Gatorbone Halt on Marc and Barbara Horovitz’s Ogden Botanical Railway in Denver, Colorado. The locomotive is a live-steam 2-6-2T by Archangel, while the coaches are by Archangel and Jack Wheldon. The station was scratchbuilt out of materials gleaned from the garden. The dual-gauge track is handlaid, with code-250 brass rails on wooden ties. Scale plants are used close to the track, while larger ones, planted farther back, provide a backdrop and visual barrier for the railway.
TOM GAPS
MARC HOROVITZ
BELOW: The morning passenger train, headed by a K-27, threads its way through a cut near Summit Station on Tom Gaps’ Lone Pine & Western Railroad in Milwaukie, Oregon.
www.GardenRailways.com
57
DON PARKER
MINISCAPING
Overwintering plants
F
or those who live where temperatures drop below freezing in winter, it helps to know a few things about how your plants handle frigid weather. Even at temperatures above the frost level, many plants become dormant when the days get shorter and the mercury plunges. The ways plants respond to cold temperatures give us clues about what we can do to increase their chances of coming out of winter unscathed.
Winter drying Wind movement across plants may increase the rate of moisture loss. Desiccation injury occurs when water is lost from evergreen plants to the atmosphere faster than it can be replaced through absorption of water by roots. Irrigating late in the growing season helps plants get ready for cold acclimation. This practice is beneficial for plants such as rhododendron, which continue growth late into the season and are susceptible to earlyfreeze damage. All evergreens are at risk for winter burn, a browning of the needles or leaves occurring when the ground is frozen and the roots can no longer take up water. This leads to tissue desiccation, with needles browning and some dropping (photo
The Hoot ’n’ Holler Railroad garden sleeps under a blanket of snow. A plastic milkbottle crate (upper right) protects a shrub from rodent damage. PHOTOS BY THE AUTHOR
58
Garden Railways | October 2015
1). This can be serious with evergreen azalea, holly, boxwood, and rhododendron (photo 2). The soil in which evergreens are growing should be well-irrigated in mid-to-late autumn, before the soil freezes. If the landscape where evergreens are located is in a dry site, in sandy soil, or under the overhang of a roof, the soil should again be irrigated in midwinter when the temperature is above freezing. Anti-transpirants. Applying an antitranspirant (also called anti-desiccant) reduces water evaporation from leaves (transpiration) and, hence, damage to the foliage. At least two applications per season, one in December and another in February, are usually necessary to provide protection all winter. A number of products are available in most garden centers for this use: for example, WiltPruf (photo 1). This should be sprayed on all leaves, upper and lower surfaces, when the ambient temperature is 45° F or above. (Here’s an extra tip: spraying a cut Christmas tree with anti-desiccant before bringing it indoors greatly reduces needle drop in the house.) Mulching. Apply a layer of mulch about 2" deep after the soil freezes to keep the soil cold, rather than to protect it from becoming cold. This practice will
1. Winter burn is evident on this Jean’s Dilly Alberta spruce and English boxwood. The damage would have been reduced had the author remembered to spray them with WiltPruf, an anti-transpirant, in early winter.
reduce injury from plant roots heaving (coming out of the soil) because of alternate freezing and thawing. Plants that benefit from this practice include perennials, alpine, and rock-garden plants— especially those that are shallow-rooted species. A mulch maintains a more even soil temperature and retains soil moisture. Inspect plants after several days of abovefreezing temperatures in winter, and gently push any plant that has been heaved up back into the ground. If the soil is dry, water it well.
2. This tiny rhododendron (Rhododendron impeditum), listed as hardy to Zone 5, is benefited by practices that help it acclimate to the cold every fall.
Apply bark products, composts, peat moss, pine needles, straw, hay, finely chopped leaves (photo 3), or any other organic mulch available from the local garden center. Groundcover and small plants that may be smothered by mulch can be protected with pine boughs (fresh or the remains of Christmas trees) laid over them (photo 4). Tying. Multiple-leader (branched) plants, such as arborvitae, juniper, and yew, may be damaged by the weight of snow or ice. Prevent plant breakage by fastening twine at the base of the plant and winding it spirally around and upward to the top, then back down in a reverse spiral. This technique is helpful where branches open at the top and wherever plants do not shed snow well. Wrapping. A wrap of burlap or canvas can offer protection to plants against desiccation from sun and wind, as well as drift from de-icing salts applied to drives and streets. For evergreens, wrap most of the plant but do not cover the top, as some light is necessary during the winter. For deciduous plants that are borderline hardy, cover the entire plant for best
Online extras Subscribers can read a bonus article titled “Preparing your garden railway for winter” by Liz Miller. Visit www.GardenRailways.com and type “Liz Miller“ in the search box.
3. This Japanese maple is borderline hardy and benefits from a 2" mulch of chopped leaves after the first freeze. The can holds some D-Con to stop any mice that might penetrate the burlap wrap covering the tree in winter.
4. Pine boughs have been laid over golden Japanese sweet flag and Corsican mint, both borderline hardy in the author’s Zone 6a climate.
5. This Japanese maple is wrapped snugly for winter protection.
6. Plastic-coated wire mesh protects this little Hokkaido Chinese elm from hungry, nibbling critters.
protection (photo 5). Rodents. Some landscape plants, especially during a time when there is an extended period of snow cover, become a food source for rabbits, mice, or voles. When their normal food supply is covered, rodents turn to the bark and stems of many young or tender woody plants. Complete girdling of stems by rodents will kill the plants and partial girdling creates wounds for borers and disease organisms to enter, as well as weakening the plant itself. For small trees, protect the trunks in late autumn with plastic collars cut in a spiral fashion so they can be easily slipped on. Heavy-duty aluminum foil may also be used this way. Hardware cloth or fine chicken wire also works well as a barrier to hungry critters (photo 6). As a last resort, rat poison (e.g. D-Con) can be placed inside the barrier to stop the most determined predators (photo 3).
Trunks, stems, and lower limbs can be sprayed or painted with rodent repellents, which can be found in most garden centers. Repeat the application at least once during a warm period in midwinter. Mixing the repellents with an anti-transpirant often results in extended effectiveness of these products.
Helping plants acclimate To help plants begin the cold-acclimation process, nitrogen fertilizer, if used, should be reduced after mid-July and stopped by late summer. Plants should enter the autumn season as healthy as possible but not rapidly growing, or acclimation may be affected. Freezing itself contributes to hardiness. Once leaves and stems of evergreens harden enough to withstand freezing, being frozen makes them even hardier. That’s how our plants have evolved, and the ways we treat them can help or hinder their built-in resilience. www.GardenRailways.com
59
JEFF YOUNG
RAISING STEAM
The pre-run checklist
S
ometimes, when you board a commercial airliner for a flight and the cockpit door is open, you may notice the pilot and copilot running through a pre-flight checklist. This is a critical exercise to ensure that the aircraft operates safely and efficiently during the flight. Our model locomotives are complicated pieces of technology, albeit not as complicated as a jet airplane. Following a simple pre-run check of your steamer will ensure a safe and enjoyable run. What follows is a series of questions that form a pre-run checklist for most live-steam locomotives. Are parts such as screws and motion pins in place and as tight as they should be? I hate to admit it, but I have spent countless hours scouring garden railways for parts that my locomotives have shed during a run—not a fun activity. Before a run, I now make sure everything that is supposed be tight on a locomotive is, in fact, tight. In particular, I check items like cranks, crankpins, and other parts of the motion that are subject to high rotational speeds and variable loads. A minute or two running over the steam engine with a screwdriver, wrench, or Allen key is time well spent. As well, check all fuel and water hoses between the locomotive and tender. Is the safety valve functioning properly? Most safeties have a small steel pin protruding from the top. Grab the pin with tweezers or needle-nose pliers and lift it slightly. This will ensure that it is not stuck closed. Are all the valves that should be closed before a run, closed? Leaving the gas valve open while filling the tank with butane is not only wasteful, it is potentially dangerous, as the escaping gas could be easily ignited. The same is true of a chicken-feed alcohol tank. If it is left to drip onto the track or workbench, an unwanted fire might result. Also, ensure that all caps (such as the one for the displacement lubricator) and filler plugs are in place and tightened appropriately. If you have a radio-controlled locomotive, are both the transmitter and receiver batteries fully charged and is
60
Garden Railways | October 2015
Routinely following a pre-run check of your locomotive will ensure a safe and enjoyable operating session. PHOTO BY KEVIN SCHINDLER
the radio functioning properly? Nothing spoils things as much as preparing a locomotive for a run, only to realize that you have forgotten to charge the batteries (or they die half way through a run). Turning both the receiver and transmitter on and checking the radio operation before firing up the locomotive is a wise idea. Have you added water, oil, and fuel to the locomotive? It may seem obvious that a locomotive needs water, oil, and fuel to run but it is easy to become distracted or engaged in conversation when preparing a locomotive, and neglect to add one of these three critical elements. Forgetting to add water to the boiler and firing it up
could damage the locomotive. I have gotten into the routine of following the same sequence every time. I first add the water to the boiler, then fill the displacement lubricator and lubricate the motion, then finally fuel up the locomotive. This water/ oil/fuel sequence has now become automatic and I therefore do not run the risk of firing up a locomotive with a dry boiler. There may be other items that should be included in a pre-run checklist for a specific locomotive. These can usually be found in the engine’s instruction manual. Some people print out a checklist of these items and affix it to their toolbox as a handy reference.
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13 September, 2015: Garden Railway Open House, Columbus, Ohio. 1-5 p.m. • Free. • Columbus GRS • 614-787-5176 • www.thecgrs.org 10-17 January, 2016: Diamondhead International Small Scale Steamup, Diamondhead, MS • Pat Darby, K5pat@ bellsouth.net, 985-867-8695 • Terry Smelser,
[email protected], 985-373-7593 • www.Diamondhead.org 4-10 July, 2016: 32nd National Garden Railway Convention, San Francisco Bay Area • http://ngrc2016.org Future Garden Railway Conventions 2017: Tulsa, OK—www.thinktulsa17.com 2018: Atlanta, GA—http://ggrs.info Event notices are published at no charge. Listings that reach us before our deadline and fit the space available will be published. Email your listings to
[email protected]
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ately I have found some top-notch workshop tips and techniques that I want to share with you this time. Quick, what separates us from the lower animals? Tool making, of course! OK, from the really lowest animals—primates and birds seem to make their own tools, too, but ours are harder and shinier. But have you ever made a tool? If not, there’s no reason not to start. Here’s a website that specializes in make-it-yourself tools of all sorts, from simple ones like a leather punch or a railroad-rail anvil, to ones as complex as 3D printers: home madetools.net You might want to follow the design for the fold-up, wall-mounted paint booth (filed under “Model Making”) but, even if you don’t find a specific project to make, I think reading through the descriptions is a great way to expand your thinking about how you stock and use your workshop. Here is a video that answers some questions that have been rattling around inside my head for years, about all of those different glue types and joining methods. I never took the time to do any systematic evaluation—you know, engineering. But I waited around long enough and a YouTube handicrafts maven finally did it for me. Check out youtu.be/_vIszsybR4M and learn all you’ll need to know about making strong, durable glue joints in wood. If you work with styrene, you will encounter many of the same chores faced by 3D printers. This 3D-printing page goes into a whole range of techniques for working with plastics: tinyurl.com/plasticfinishing It covers friction stir-welding, heat forming, grinding, sanding and surface finishes, gluing and painting/sealing. I think using a rotary tool (e.g. Dremel) as a friction welder is genius! Finally, remember those polyurethanefoam buildings that were on the market 10 years ago? They were beautiful buildings with lots of detail but very lightweight. Well, you can make them yourself with two-part expanding polyurethane foam. Here’s a how-to showing the process and giving lots of good tips for avoiding common pitfalls: instructables.com/ id/Casting-Flexible-Polyurethane-Foam Why not make your own pretty polyfoam buildings? www.GardenRailways.com
63
PRODUCT REVIEWS
New large-scale switches
B
achmann has released a pair of R1 switches to go along with the company’s line of solid-brass track. The switches are well made and heavily constructed. They feature solidbrass rail on a UV-resistant-plastic tie base. Standard slide-on rail joiners are provided. These are screwed to the rails. There are screw holes in the joiners and threaded holes in the unjoinered rail ends but no screws were supplied. For many applications, the additional screws may not be necessary. The moving point rails on the turnouts extend all the way to the frog, where
VITAL STATISTICS Right and left hand gauge-1 turnouts Bachmann Industries 1400 East Erie Avenue Philadelphia PA 19124 Price: $55 each Website: www.bachmanntrains.com Gauge 1, narrow-gauge proportion switches; left hand (#94659) and right hand (#94658); 2' radius; 30° angle; solid-brass rails; electrically insulated; UV-resistant plastic ties
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Garden Railways | October 2015
they pivot. Both the point rails and the stock rails are milled, which allows a close fit between the point rail and the stock rail, minimizing the risk of even sharpflanged wheels picking the points. The plastic frog has molded-in flangeways. These are .105" deep at their shallowest points. Rolling stock with deeper flanges will ride up on the flangeways. However, the flangeways through the frogs are ramped at either end, making this transition smoother. The gauge on our samples was very good, varying only slightly from 45mm, measured at any point on the turnout. The flangeway width between the guard rails and the stock rails, where the guard rails passed the frog point, measured .120"—spot on with G1MRA standards. The points are provided with a stainless-steel spring, concealed under a plastic
PROS and CONS PROS: Robust design; milled point rails provide snug fit; interchangeable with other brands of track and turnouts; ramped flangeways through frog CONS: Switch-throw mechanism not provided
plate, that tends to snap the points into position. A passing train, heading into the turnout with the points trailing, will move the points to the correct position if they were not already set so. It takes only a light touch to get the points to move, though, which could be problematic. I’d prefer to see a slightly heavier spring employed here, which would still allow a train to reset the points as it passed. No switch-control mechanism is provided with these turnouts (see the separate review on Bachmann’s new switch stand). Technically speaking, I suppose that one is not strictly necessary, given the above-mentioned spring. The points can simply be pushed by hand to their desired position. For those wanting to mount a switch machine, a throw-bar with a molded-in spring is provided. The ties near the moving points are slotted for mounting Bachmann’s (or others’) switch stand. A second throw bar is provided, presumably as a replacement. I tried a variety of different trucks, wheelsets, and rolling stock through these turnouts. Without exception, they went through smoothly and easily. Trucks with very deep flanges did tend to ride up a little through the frog, but this was not bad. Trucks with shallower flanges likewise dipped a bit in the frog. The accurately placed guard rails prevented any of the wheelsets from picking the frog. If your wheels are properly gauged, they should work well with these turnouts. These are, of course, R1 turnouts, so will work best with smaller equipment. Their quality is top notch and should enhance any railroad with tight-radius curves. I hope that Bachmann will come out with comparable larger-radius turnouts. —M. Horovitz
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PRODUCT REVIEWS Continued
Switch-control device
T
o complement the company’s new gauge-1 turnouts, Bachmann has also released a manual switch actuator. While they call it a switch stand, it more closely represents what is known as a ground-throw. When properly installed, a lever just above ground level is swung through an arc of 180°, thus moving the point rails of the switch. The plastic body has a molded-in gear box. By removing four small phillips-head screws, access to the interior may be gained. Inside are two metal bevel gears, one attached to the metal handle and one to the stainless-steel throw rod. The stainless-steel throw rod passes through the housing via a tiny, soft diaphragm
VITAL STATISTICS Manual turnout switch stand Bachmann Industries 1400 East Erie Avenue Philadelphia PA 19124 Price: $17 Website: www.bachmanntrains.com Manual switch machine (#94648); removable indicator flags; three sets of standoffs and actuator bars provided; two throw distances possible; instructions supplied
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Garden Railways | October 2015
that will help to keep out moisture and debris. When the cover is in place, the entire unit is well sealed against the elements and garden dirt, though it is not strictly waterproof. The handle is stout. It snaps into position via detents molded into the case. On top of the case is a square hole into which the indicator flags easily drop—too easily, perhaps. This, I think, is the one weak point of the product. I’d like to see the flags held more securely in place. A little dab of glue in the hole could solve this problem. Because the hole into which the flags slip is square, the flags can be placed in any of four positions, depending on your track configuration. Three different sets of standoffs and three actuator rods are supplied, allowing you to place the machine close to or farther from the track. Instructions are also supplied for changing them out. This necessitates opening the mechanism, for
PROS and CONS PROS: Well-made product; heavy construction; throw handle stays in place with detents; mechanism well sealed from the elements; simple installation CONS: Indicator flags can easily slip out of their slot
which you’ll need a tiny phillips screwdriver. The actual process is simple. Just make sure the gears are properly positioned on reassembly or your flags won’t align properly. You also have the option of actually changing the throw distance of the machine to better match your points. The as-shipped default is 9mm. If your points don’t need that much throw, there’s also a 6mm option. Resetting the distance is also a simple procedure, covered in the instructions. This well-engineered unit will operate virtually any switch. It screws right into Bachmann’s switches. When installed on one of those, the action is sure and positive. You may have to make some simple modifications to adapt it to switches of other manufacturers. —M. Horovitz
Online extras For subscribers: Read reviews of other Bachmann products. Visit www.GardenRailways.com and type “Bachmann“ in the search box.
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PRODUCT REVIEWS Continued
Battery-powered DCC
I
’m a sound junkie, and love a good locomotive sound system. The latest generations of DCC decoders offering fantastic options for sound, motor, and light control. That’s all well and good if you’re running track-powered DCC. Unfortunately, it often leaves those of us running battery power somewhat in the lurch, unable to take advantage of these control boards. What we need is a wireless receiver that we can pair with any of these DCC decoders, so we can use them without the need for track power. Enter Tam Valley Depot and their family of “Dead Rail System” products. “Dead Rail” means no power to the track. Tam Valley Depot got its start offering wireless transmitters and receivers for
VITAL STATISTICS Wireless on-board DCC receiver Tam Valley Depot 4541 Hidalgo Ave. San Diego CA 92117 Price: $119.95 Website: www.tamvalleydepot.com Wireless DCC receiver (DRS1 Hi-Power) for use with any generic DCC decoder (compatible with Airwire throttles); 28V; 3-amp continuous capacity; 5-amp peak capacity
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Garden Railways | October 2015
small-scale modelers wanting to get away from having to clean their rails. The idea is that there’s a small transmitter that connects to the output of any commercial DCC command station, which then broadcasts the DCC commands to these small on-board receivers. That allows the modeler to use any DCC command control system (even using it with track power as well) but run locomotives without needing track pickups, provided there’s an on-board battery. Intended for the small scales, these are low-current, low-voltage receivers. The company also makes a booster board that can handle higher voltages and current. It didn’t take too much thought to combine these two products into one small board, creating a receiver suitable for the voltages and current usually associated with large-scale trains: the DRS1 Hi-Power. This is a wireless receiver that’s compatible with any DCC-compliant decoder.
PROS and CONS PROS: Works with any DCC-compatible decoder, including factory-installed units; current and voltage capacity sufficient for most large-scale locomotives; small size CONS: Only one frequency available (Airwire channel 16)
The circuit board measures 1.2" x .5" x 2.7" and has a short (about 5") wire antenna. The antenna is tuned to the wavelength of the radio frequency so, while you can bend it to fit the installation, you shouldn’t cut it. Installation of the board is straightforward. You simply connect the battery power to the board, and the DCC decoder to its output terminals. The battery input is labeled for positive and negative but if you accidentally get it backward you won’t harm the board—it just won’t turn on. The maximum voltage the board can handle is 28V, which is typically well in excess of what most battery operators are using, so I don’t think you need to worry about exceeding that. The board can handle a continuous current of 3 amps and peaks of up to 5 amps, which should be more than enough for all but the most powerhungry locomotives. If you’re installing this receiver in a locomotive that does not have any dedicated command-control electronics, you’d wire the output of the receiver to the input of the particular DCC decoder you want to use, then hook the motor, lights, speakers, etc. up to the DCC decoder per its instructions. Be sure to disconnect any power pickups from the rails. If you’re installing this receiver in a locomotive that has a factory-installed DCC decoder, you simple need to find the power coming from the rails to the DCC decoder, then, instead, connect the output of the receiver to that decoder input. Again, be sure to disconnect the on-board electronics from the track pickups so as not to backfeed power to the rails. Now you’ve got a wireless receiver in the locomotive. What do you use as a transmitter? If you have a DCC command station already, you can use that. Simply connect Tam Valley’s DRS1 transmitter to the output terminals of the commands station and it will broadcast that signal to the on-board receiver. If you don’t have a DCC command station (and most battery R/C large scalers do not), the system is compatible with Airwire’s line of handheld throttles. However, there are a few considerations to keep in mind. First, the receiver uses Airwire’s channel 16 and this cannot be
Online extras changed. This does not impact the DCC decoder address (0 – 9999). It means that if you have multiple locomotives running with this receiver installed, they will all be receiving the same radio frequency. If you’re the sole operator, this is not a big deal. You can run multiple locomotives with one transmitter, as each receiver listens specifically for commands addressed to its unique DCC address. However, if there are multiple operators, each running a locomotive equipped with this receiver, you may experience interference issues with multiple transmitters broadcasting on the same channel. (Airwire’s latest throttles allow you to dial back the signal strength of each transmitter to accommodate multiple operators. The trade-off is that the range of the system becomes limited.) On that note, because this receiver works only on channel 16, you must have a transmitter that can transmit on that channel. Airwire’s T-5000 and older T-9000 throttles can. Their original RF-1300 throttle cannot so it can’t be used with this receiver. Also, the G-wire transmitter (compatible with Airwire) only goes up to channel 8, so it, too, cannot be used with this receiver. (Note: on the T-9000 throttle, the code for channel 16 is “54.”) I tested the receiver with a QSI “Titan” decoder. While QSI normally produces a dedicated wireless receiver for this decoder, the product has been temporarily taken off the market pending upgrades. I had a project on the bench with the QSI decoder installed that needed some way of sending it signals. This worked out well for the purposes of this review, as I’ve used the Titan with QSI’s receiver in other locomotives, so this gave me something to which I could compare this new receiver. Installation was easy. As soon as I turned on the locomotive and transmitter, and set the transmitter to channel 16, the decoder came to life. A quick tap of some of the function buttons, and I heard the horn, bell, and other sounds I had programmed on the decoder. I turned the knob, and the locomotive revved up and started moving. It performed every bit as well as any other locomotive I have regarding response time and control.
I did find that every now and then the horn would get stuck “on,” though I’ve also had that happen with one other locomotive with the same QSI decoder with QSI receiver (though less frequently). I don’t know whether to chalk that one up to the receiver, transmitter, decoder, or perhaps a combination of all three. I could perform both “Service mode” and “Operations mode” programming for the CVs with the transmitter. Tam Valley Depot claims a range of upward of 300' in what they call “ideal conditions.” I have yet to get 300' range from anything I run with an Airwire throttle, so apparently my conditions are far from “ideal.” I can typically get around 50' or so consistently with a locomotive being run off of my Airwire transmitter, and this one seemed to fit that pattern. The antenna placement figures prominently into that equation and reception on any of my locomotives is seldom (if ever) a perfect circular reception pattern. The DRS1 receiver fit that pattern well. There were a few specific orientations between the transmitter and receiver where the locomotive’s effective range was limited to around 20' but moving just a few feet in any direction caused the range to increase again. Since the locomotive is typically always moving, these “deaf spots” are usually transient and short lived. Overall, I found the performance of this receiver to be every bit as good as other Airwire-compatible wireless receivers I’ve used. I really like the fact that this receiver gives me a generic DCC output that can be used with any DCC-compliant decoder from any manufacturer. The only drawback that I can see is that it’s limited to only one frequency but it’s not really that big a deal in the grand scheme of things. I do wish that they might have chosen a frequency in the channel 0–8 range that’s supported by the original Airwire and G-wire throttles, if only to give additional options for controllers if you had them on hand already. I’m looking forward to playing with more DCC sound decoders now that I can finally control them in a battery-powered environment. —K. Strong
Bridge basics
BRIDGE BASICS What goes up shouldn’t come down By Tony Koester
N
othing grabs a viewer’s attention like a train venturing onto a spindly railroad bridge high above a fearsome gorge. If the bridge is a “sideless” design such as a wood trestle or a steel deck girder bridge, so much the better for there appears to be nothing to stop an errant train from plummeting into the chasm. It follows that modeling bridges is a popular pursuit. That the need for the bridge is frequently artificial – we create the canyons that the bridges must span – matters not. Our desire to add a dramatic or scenic effect is more often
50
at the root of model bridge construction than engineering requirements. But good engineering practices are still part and parcel of plausible bridge choices and construction. Which raises a fundamental question: If the bridge is holding up the train, what’s holding up the bridge?
From beam to bridge A tree lying across a narrow creek is a bridge. The trunk is a simple beam, the banks are the abutments that support the beam. Like any other beam, the trunk’s top side is in compression,
its lower side in tension. All will be well as long as nothing too heavy tries to cross that span. Most bridges, even complex designs, work like that. Short I-beam bridges, like the one shown in fig. 1, are kissing cousins to that tree trunk. Deck plate girder bridges, see fig. 2, are just tall I beams fabricated from steel plates and angles with tracks set on top. Throughgirder bridges, as in fig. 3, are essentially the same idea, except that the fabricated I beams are moved upward to the sides of the bridge span to provide more clearance underneath.
Model Railroader • modelrailroader.com
Subscribers can download a PDF of “Bridge basics” by Tony Koester, as printed in the October 2006 issue of Model Railroader magazine. Type “bridge basics” in the search box.
Garden help
Get your garden ready for winter. Liz Miller has written several helpful articles. Type “Liz Miller” in the search box.
Full-size drawings
Download full-size drawings of a work caboose from our website, designed by contributing editor Kevin Strong. Type “work caboose” in the search box.
www.GardenRailways.com
69
PRODUCT REVIEWS
Getting your signals right BOOK REVIEW
Do you have a product you’d like reviewed in Garden Railways magazine?
Classic Railroad Signals: Semaphores, Searchlights, and Towers by Brian Solomon Voyageur Press 400 First Ave. North, Suite 400 Minneapolis MN 55410 Hardbound, 8¾" x 11¼", 160 pages, glossy paper, color and b&w photos throughout Price: $35 Website: http://voyageurpress.com
D
o you have any interest at all in railroad signals or signaling? If so, this book is a must-have. It is an in-depth examination of American signaling practices from the early 20th century through the 1990s, when signaling practices began to change due to government mandates. The book’s introduction discusses what signaling is actually about and the author’s intent in writing this book. From there, the book goes into basic signaling— its history (which goes back to maritime practice), what it’s for (which isn’t always obvious), variance between different railroads, different types of signaling and signals, standards, and signaling philosophy. Signal towers and interlocking signals have their own chapter. This is followed by an in-depth examination of all of the common types of signals used in the US— two-position semaphores, upper-quadrant semaphores, color-light signals and position-light signals. The book winds up with a chapter on grade-crossing protection and unusual railroad signals. A glossary provides definitions for the signaling terms used in the book. Although signals have not been a primary focus of interest for me, I found this book fascinating. It is well researched and written in a clear, easy-to-understand way that takes a surprisingly complex subject and puts it into terms of which a lay person can make sense. I found a lot of surprises in this book, from the history of
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Garden Railways | October 2015
A review in Garden Railways will showcase your product before our entire readership at little or no cost to you. Just send it in and one of our impartial and objective reviewers will be glad to review it. We will take all of the photos.
signaling (did you know that green used to signify “caution” while white was “clear?”) to the fact that different railroads sometimes had conflicting rules regarding signaling practices. The book is profusely illustrated with high-quality color and black-and-white photos, as well as diagrams and other illustrations. Highly recommended. —M. Horovitz
COMING IN THE
Next issue
Jack Verducci discusses a branch of his garden railway Build a rerailer Detail an F3 diesel Prune realistic trees using bonsai techniques
ON SALE Nov. 10
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Your product does not have to be new on the market. If it has never appeared in our pages before, we will be happy to review it. If you’d like the product returned, all we ask is that you supply return postage. This service is available to any manufacturer or exclusive distributor of any product that pertains to garden railroading or railway gardening. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us. If you’d like to submit a product for our Product review column, please mail it directly to: Marc Horovitz c/o Garden Railways 6862 E. Center Ave. Denver CO 80224
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Visit a highly
-detailed indoo
oor res in outd
r trolley line
p. 52
oad ing mod el railr
CONVENTION PREVIEW p. 32
p. 42
Automate ad your railro
red • Build an infra p. 38 train detector acts • Make track cont ch p. 60 from a reed swit
• View videos of large-scale products
Tune up your garden for spring p. 65
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72
Garden Railways | October 2015
A3AG
Directory of large-scale train retailers Say you saw their Directory ad in Garden Railways Spaces are sold on a year’s basis (six issues) at $177 per year (payable in advance) or at $36 per month (billed to established account s for one year minimum). Ads will be set in standard listing typography. All insertions must be consecutive and may be invoiced if you have credit established with us. No mention of wholesale or mail order business permitted. Send your ads to: Garden Railways Directory, 21027 Crossroads Circle, PO Box 1612, Waukesha, WI 53187-1612. For additional information 1-888-558-1544 ext. 815. April closes Jan. 16, June closes Mar. 20, Aug. closes May 14, Oct. closes July 17, Dec. closes Sept. 17.
KANSAS • Wichita
NEW YORK • Horseheads
Aristo, Bridgewerks, Hartland, Phoenix, Piko, Woodland Scenics & others. Books puzzles, children’s items. Service & repair. Thur., Fri. 12-7; Sat. 10-7; Sun. 12-5
GARDEN RAILWAY GIZMOS
1425 N. Broadway
316-262-4300
MARYLAND • Annapolis
If we don't have it, we'll get it! LGB, Woodland Scenics, Walthers Dealer, Aristo, Accucraft, Delton, Pola, Lionel, Bachmann, Hartland, Spectrum, Proto 2000. Mon - Sat 10-6. Full line Kalmbach!
STAR HOBBY
1564 Whitehall Rd.
CALIFORNIA • Concord
Largest selection of trains in the East Bay. Scratchbuilding supplies for all scales. Discount prices and friendly help. Open Tuesday - Sunday. Website: www.just-trains.com
JUST TRAINS
5650-H Imhoff Dr.
925-685-6566
CALIFORNIA • La Mirada
R HOBBIES
562-777-9492
CALIFORNIA • Roseville (Sacramento)
Exclusively model trains since 1989. Athearn, Kato, MDC, Lionel, Atlas, LGB, Märklin, Brass Imports, books, detail parts. Everyday low prices. Open 7 days. www.rrhobbies.com
RAILROAD HOBBIES
119 Vernon St.
916-782-6067
CALIFORNIA • Sacramento Specializing in 'G' scale LGB, Accucraft, USA Trains, Piko, Aristo-Craft. Working layout. Mon. thru Fri. 10:30-7:00; Sat. 10:00-5:00.
R/C COUNTRY HOBBIES
6011 Folsom Blvd.
916-731-5868
CALIFORNIA • San Diego (La Mesa)
Exclusively trains. Craft kits, detail parts, scratch supplies, books. Ride the trolley to Reed's. Open Mon through Sat 10:00-6:00; Sun 12-4. www.reeds-hobbies.com
REED’S HOBBY SHOP
8039 La Mesa Blvd.
619-464-1672
CALIFORNIA • Santa Clara
LGB, USA, Accucraft, Live Steam Great Prices Huge book selection Mon 9:30am-3:30pm Tues - Sat 9:30am- 6:00pm, Closed Sun Dennis Cole E-mail:
[email protected]
THE TRAIN SHOP, LLC
1829 Pruneridge Ave.
Largest Selection of O/G in So. Cal! Discount Prices, Open 6 Days a Week! Authorized Lionel, MTH, LGB, PIKO Dealer! www.milepost38.com
MILEPOST 38 TOY TRAINS
6462 Industry Way
408-296-1050
CABOOSE HOBBIES, INC.
303-777-6766
FLORIDA • Orlando
One of Florida's largest model train & hobby shops. All scales. Authorized Lionel & MTH service station. Mon-Thu 9-7:30, Fri 9-9, Sat 9-6. 20 min. from Disney.
COLONIAL PHOTO & HOBBY
634 North Mills
800-841-1485
Large selection of G-scale trains and accessories: LGB, MTH, USA, AristoCraft, Bachmann, PIKO and Marklin www.rollingstocktrains.com
ROLLING STOCK TRAINS
375 Winkler Dr., Suite D
Scales Z to G. All at discount prices. Am. Models, Aristo, Athearn, Atlas, Bachmann, Con-Cor, IHC, USA, Kadee, Kato, K-Line, Lionel, MTH, Walthers, LGB, HLW. www.jvrailroad.com JUNCTION VALLEY RR HOBBY SHOP 7065 Dixie Hwy. 989-777-3480
MICHIGAN • Troy
FORMERLY MERRI-SEVEN • NEW LOCATION All scales Z thru G, new and used Complete selection of RR equipment/supplies BUY • SELL • REPAIR • PARTS Tues - Fri 11-7, Sat. 11-6
EMPIRE TRAINS & HOBBIES
248-680-6500
3278 Rochester Rd.
MINNESOTA • Buffalo (Twin Cities Area)
GEORGIA • Alpharetta
770-714-5545
GEORGIA • Atlanta (Lilburn)
Lionel Train Top 10 Dealer MTH Train Mega Dealer 400 s.f. layout, HUGE selection, service, repair www.legacystation.com 800-964-8724
LEGACY STATION TRAINS
G-Scale only featuring large selection of LGB, USA, Massoth, Piko, Pola & Preiser. Mon - Fri 9-5. 1-800-789-5738 www.onlytrains.com
ONLY TRAINS
308-B Brighton Ave.
Trains & supplies for all scales Z-G. We are DCC ready & installation service available. Service work, repairs, technical support. Family owned since 1938. Mon-Fri 8:00-5:30; and Sat 10:00-5:00 www.houseoftrains.com
HOUSE OF TRAINS
402-934-RAIL (7245)
8106 Maple
IOWA • Polk City (Des Moines)
NEW JERSEY • Somerville
ADVERTISER INDEX
763-684-4131
NEBRASKA • Omaha
4153 Lawrenceville Hwy., #12 770-339-7780 Accucraft-Airwire-AML-Aristo-Bachmann Cordless Renov.-Digitrax-HLW-Kadee-JPF LGB-Massoth-Ozark-Phoenix PIKO-QSI Split Jaw-Sunset Valley-TrainLi USA Trains Min. from I-80/35 www.ReindeerPass.com REINDEER PASS AT KIDMAN TREE FARM 515-984-6946 3665 NW 98th Avenue
LANTZ TRAIN SHOP
3312 S. Main St.
The Carolina’s newest G SCALE headquarters. Remote control, battery conversions & sound systems. Exclusive track ballast system. E-mail:
[email protected] www.locomotionworks.com
LOCOMOTION WORKS
205 Mountainside Drive/ I-26
828-712-3429
PENNSYLVANIA • Philadelphia (Feasterville) Lionel, American Flyer, LGB, MTH, Marklin, Bachmann, Williams. HO, N & Z. We buy, sell & repair. Mon-Fri 12-8; Sat 10-5 (Closed Sat. July & Aug.) Sun. in Dec.10-5 www.JoesTrainStation.com
JOE’S TRAIN STATION
215-322-5182
TEXAS • Dallas (Addison) Great discounts on thousands of G to Z scale items. NCE & Digitrax dealer. Monday - Saturday 10-6.
DISCOUNT MODEL TRAINS
4641 Ratliff Lane
972-931-8135
CANADA–ON • Alliston
HO, N , G, On30, Steam and Diesel. Limited Edition Art, Books and Videos. Live steam. 5 days a week (closed Mon & Tues). www.hvrr.ca
HOCKLEY VALLEY RAILROAD
4492 Adjala-Tecumseth Townline
705-435-7024
CANADA–ON • Castleton
Aristo-craft, U.S.A. Trains, Bachmann, Accucraft, Kadee, Phoenix Sound, Revolution System and more. www.kingshollowgardentrains.com Contact: Doug Kingsmill & Jean Jones
KINGS HOLLOW GARDEN TRAINS
111 Dingwall Road
905-344-8363
CANADA–ON • Guelph/Puslinch
Large scale trains only. Accucraft, Bachmann, Crest, USA Trains, Phoenix Sound, and much more. R/C & battery conversions. See our web site for monthly sales. Open 6 days, closed Sun. www.wgrr.ca
WINONA GARDEN RAILWAY
7457 Boyce Drive
519-763-9477
CANADA–ON • Toronto (Markham)
Specializing in service. Tues to Fri 11 am - 7 pm, Sat 11 am - 5 pm, Sun 12 pm - 4 pm. www.biglittle.com Fax # 908-685-8894
THE BIG LITTLE RAILROAD SHOP
63 W. Main St.
607-215-0019
NORTH CAROLINA • Columbus
21 East Street Rd.
MICHIGAN • Bridgeport
Since 1938! All scales & gauges. Open daily! See all this & more in our on-line catalog. http://www.caboosehobbies.com 500 S. Broadway
Say you saw their directory ad in Garden Railways.
714-892-9471
COLORADO • Denver
We now carry Z, N, HO, S, O and G. Lionel, LGB, S-Helper and MTH. Mon-Sat 10-6. Closed Sun. 14269 Imperial Hwy.
CALIFORNIA • Westminster (Orange Co.)
410-349-4290/4291
N, HO, O, & G scales. Authorized Lionel dealer. www.wholesaletrains.com
908-685-8892
Model Railroad Specialists since 1962 Lionel Authorized Distributor & Repair Center All Scales - Special Orders Closed Mondays www.georgestrains.com
GEORGE’S TRAINS LTD.
550 Alden Rd., Unit 101
905-470-6200
The Advertiser Index is provided as a service to Garden Railways magazine readers. The magazine is not responsible for omissions or for typographical errors in names or page numbers.
32nd Annual Garden Railway Conv. .........4
Garden Railways Email Newsletter ........67
Massoth Elektronik GmbH, Germany .......3
Roundhouse Engineering ......................23
Above All Railways ................................71
Garden Railways magazine ...................67
ME Taylor Engineering, Inc. ...................71
RR Concepts .........................................71
Accucraft Company...............................47
Gardenlines.net ....................................71
Micro Fasteners ....................................15
Sandy Mush Herb Nursery ....................72
Art Knapp Plantland, LTD.........................7
Gary Raymond Wheels ..........................71
Mini Forests by Sky...............................71
Shawmut Car Shops .............................72
Bridgemasters ......................................47
GLX Scale Models, Inc...........................71
Model Decal Depot ...............................72
Silver State Trains .................................72
Bridgewerks .....................................4, 65
Graham Industries ..................................9
MyLocoSound .......................................47
SLM ......................................................65
Cab Forwards by RMC ..........................72
Hartland Locomotive Works...................16
Ozark Miniatures ....................................9
Caboose Hobbies ....................................3
Hockley Valley Railroad .........................65
Pacific Coast Garden Railway ................71
Cedarleaf Custom Decals ......................71
Innovative Train Technology ..................71
Phoenix Unlimited, Ltd. .........................22
Charles Ro Supply Co............................29
Iron Horse Engraving.............................71
PIKO America ........................................76
Creative Zest, LLC ...................................7
JS Woodcraft ........................................22
R & G Railroad Co. ................................65
Crest Electronics .....................................9
Kadee Quality Products Co. .....................9
R & S Enterprises ..................................62
CVP Products ........................................63
Keithco, Inc. ............................................3
Railbed Systems ...................................23
Dallee Electronics, Inc. ............................3
Larry G Scale ..........................................3
Rainbow Ridge......................................71
DCC-BitSwitch ......................................71
LGB ......................................................54
Ralph Williams Landscape Design .........72
Upland Trains ........................................62
Eaglewings Iron Craft ....................3, 9, 65
LGB Train Shop .....................................23
Ram Track ............................................62
USA Trains ..............................................2
East Gary Car Co...................................65
Loco-Boose Hobbies ...............................4
RCS of New England .............................71
Valley Train Station..................................9
Fall Creek Railroad Structures .................9
Locomotion Works ................................72
Reindeer Pass Railroad .........................35
VES Enterprises ....................................72
Flexxbed Roadbed ................................71
Lynell Model Supply ..............................71
RGSRR Hobbies ....................................22
Windy Point Garden Railroads ...............71
G Scale Graphics ..................................65
M & M Nursery .....................................15
RLD Hobbies .........................................61
Z-Stuff for Trains ...................................65
G Scale Junction .....................................7
Marklin .................................................54
Charles Ro Supply Co............................29
Zionsville Train Depot, LLC. .....................9
Smith Pond Junction .............................22 Something Different ..............................72 Split Jaw Products ..................................4 Stoneworks ..........................................71 Sunset Valley Railroad.............................7 Train Collector’s Assn. ...........................15 Train-li-USA ..........................................21 TrainWorld ............................................75 Trainz.com ............................................22
www.GardenRailways.com
73
BEGINNER PROJECT
ONE-PAGE PROJECT
Lighting a display diorama by Tom Beckett | Santa Cruz, California |
PHOTOS BY THE AUTHOR
Electronics and electricals are concealed in the base of the display case.
Good lighting makes a dramatic difference in the viewability of a diorama inside a case. Left, ambient light—right, case-mounted LEDs.
T
he availability of LED strip lighting encouraged me to see what I could do to improve the visibility of model-train dioramas that are displayed inside acrylic or Plexiglas cases. You can get everything you need from Micro-Mark or even Amazon. I chose a warm white, 16-foot reel of lights that can be cut (with some restrictions) to a length suitable for the display case, along with a matching power supply. Rather than using an on-off switch on my display, I installed a timer circuit for the lights. Mounted to the front face of the base of the diorama is a text board that describes the contents of the display. On this is mounted a push-button switch Have you done a garden-railway-related project that can be described in a single page? Send us 300-600 words with up to three photos and/or illustrations. E-mail mhorovitz@ gardenrailways.com with “Onepage project” in the subject line.
74
Garden Railways | October 2015
that activates the interior lighting on demand, rather than having someone be responsible for turning the case lights on and off each day. If a visitor wants more light than is available in the viewing room, the momentary-contact button is pushed and the display lights up for 60 seconds, then shuts itself off. The timer is an encapsulated circuit by Dayton, called a Solid-State Output TimeDelay (#6A858), which I ordered from Zoro Tools (#G0634462). It can be set to be on from three seconds up to 60 seconds, and can handle a one-ampere load. Its wiring circuitry is printed on the unit. The lights themselves come on an adhesive strip that has a peel-off backing, allowing it to be affixed directly to the inside of the clear-walled display case. I pre-tested the lights before installing them and could detect no leakage of light through the strip itself. I mounted the strip inside the case, at the top of the vertical acrylic sheet where it butts up to the top (horizontal) sheet. When the lights are on, there is some
A button mounted on the case’s front panel activates a timer, turning the lights on for 60 seconds.
The LEDs are mounted along the top, front edge of the display case.
light spillage to the sides if you look directly down on the top of the case but my display is high enough off the floor that few viewers would be looking at it from that angle. If your situation made this junction more visible, you might consider getting a roll of black plastic electrician’s tape and first laying down a ¾" strip of light-blocking tape on the front, inside surface of the top panel before installing the strip lights. This is a nice way to light a case. It uses little power, the lights generate little heat, and LEDs have a reputation for lasting a long time.
PIKO
TRAINWORLD® ORDERS ONLY 1-800-541-7010
SALE
G SCALE PRICE LIST COMES
WITH
EVERY ORDER
PIKO #38201 BALTIMORE & PIKO SOUTHERN PACIFIC 2-6-0 OHIO 0-6-0 SADDLE TANK W/SOUND MOGUL & TENDER W/SOUND
SALE $147.99
SALE $695.99
SALE $399.99 EA.
SALE $319.99
PIKO #38202 DENVER RIO GRANDE WESTERN 0-6-0T SADDLE TANK #53
PIKO #37220 BR24 STEAM & TENDER, with EARS
PIKO AMTRAK ELECTRIC TAURUS #30104 No. 1727
#30105 No. 1774
PIKO #38210 DENVER & RIO GRANDE 2-6-0 MOGUL & TENDER
SUPER SALE $199.99 EA.
#38410 No. 1217 #38411 No. 1218
SALE $260.99
LGB
LGB #20214 WOLFGANG RICHTER STAINZ SEAM LOCO Limited Edition
SALE $279.99
SALE $399.99
SHOP ON-LINE
LGB #27253 SANDY RIVER & RANGELEY LAKES RAILROAD FORNEY
SALE $1,499.99
Includes Set of easy to apply decals for LGB #36816 WHITE PASS & NYC; UP; PRR; YUKON COMBINE
SALE $169.99
PIKO #38203 PENNSYLVANIA 0-6-0 #315 SWITCHER & TENDER
SALE $183.99
SALE $399.99
PIKO #38240 READING 0-6-0 CAMELBACK & TENDER #1399 W/SOUND
SALE $471.99
PIKO #38241 “BLUE COMET” 2-6-0 CAMELBACK & TENDER W/SOUND
#30107 No. 4501
PIKO SOUTHERN WOOD PASSENGER CARS
PIKO #38820 NEW YORK CENTRAL OFFSET HOPPER
SALE $41.99
SALE $86.99 EA.
LGB #20381 LOS ANGELES STREET CAR
LGB #36846 WHITE PASS & YUKON BAGGAGE
SALE $599.99 SALE $169.99
LGB #20382 PHILADELPHIA STREET CAR
SALE $599.99
LGB CHRISTMAS 2015 LGB #36072 CHRISTMAS PASSENGER CAR 2015
SALE $159.99
PIKO LGB #72351 LGB #42793 CABOOSE OFFSET 38617 COACH #71473 CHRISTMAS Includes Set of easy to apply decals 38618 COACH #71806 38619 COMBINE #20871 HOPPERS TROLLEY SET for NYC; UP; PRR; SF; SP 38829 BALTIMORE & OHIO . . . . . . . . . 41.99 PIKO “BLUE COMET” Includes Track & 38837 READING . . . . . . . . . . . . NEW 41.99 Transformer WOOD PASSENGER CARS PIKO LGB #72304 CHRISTMAS COVERED PASSENGER SET with Track HOPPERS & Transformer S IGN UP FOR 38835 SANTA FE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41.99 38620 COACH #1 RAINWORLD E-M AIL T 38847 SOUTHERN PACIFIC . . . NEW 41.99 38621 COACH #2 38622 COMBINE SALES & NEWS PIKO PIKO DENVER RIO GRANDE RIBSIDE WOOD PASSENGER CARS LGB #24771 PORTER STEAM LGB #20577 SANTA FE F7 A HOPPERS W/MTS & DCC FREIGHT DIESEL
SALE $209.99
SALE $107.99 EA.
SALE $86.99 EA. 38603 BAGGAGE
SALE $471.99
PIKO #38214 DENVER RIO GRANDE 2-6-0 MOGUL & TENDER W/SOUND
SALE $43.99 EA.
#38819 SANTA FE #38826 DENVER RIO GRANDE #38832 SP/UP PACIFIC FRUIT EXPRESS #30106 No. 1401
PIKO #38211 NEW YORK CENTRAL 0-6-0 LOCO & TENDER W/SOUND
PIKO STEEL REEFERS
SALE $399.99 EA.
SALE $189.99
SALE LGB #36807 WHITE PASS & YUKON COACH $399.99 SALE $169.99
trainworld.com PIKO SOUTHERN 2-6-0 MOGUL & TENDER W/SOUND
LGB, BACHMANN, PIKO, MRC, KADEE, & WOODLAND SCENICS
LGB #40756 WHITE PASS & YUKON DROVERS CABOOSE
LGB #27872 MIKADO W/SOUND & MTS
PIKO #38216 UNION PACIFIC 0-6-0 SWITCHER & TENDER W/SOUND
SALE WE ALSO CARRY
SALE $389.99
38821 PENNSYLVANIA . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41.99 38845 RIO GRANDE . . . . . . . . . NEW 41.99 38846 UNION PACIFIC . . . . . . . NEW 41.99
38600 COACH #306 PIKO ORE CARS 38601 COMBINE 38610 COACH #320 PIKO PENNSYLVANIA WOOD PASSENGER CARS
SALE $86.99 EA.
SALE $399.99
BALLOON STACK
38613 COACH 38614 COMBINE 38627 BAGGAGE PIKO SANTA FE WOOD PASSENGER CARS
38824 38842 38843 38844
SALE $399.99
38611 COACH 38612 COMBINE 38626 BAGGAGE PIKO DROVERS CABOOSE
PIKO #38212 SANTA FE 2-6-0 MOGUL & TENDER W/SOUND
SALE $399.99 38602 38623 38624 38625
D&RGW #215, YELLOW SF #20871, GREEN PRR #92152, TUSCAN SP #467, OXIDE RED
SALE $131.99 EA.
SUPER SALE $ee On-Line
LGB #27630 WHITE PASS & SALE YUKON DIESEL SWITCHER $35.99 SUPER SALE EA. $ee On-Line
DENVER RIO GRANDE SANTA FE, NEW PENNSYLVANIA, BRUNSWICK GREEN, NEW CANADIAN NATIONAL, NEW
PIKO WHITE PASS & YUKON ORE CAR
SALE SALE $86.99 $35.9938838 WHITE PASS & YUKON EA. EA. 38839 WHITE PASS & YUKON
PIKO #38213 PENNSYLVANIA 2-6-0 MOGUL & TENDER W/SOUND
SALE $329.99
PIKO FLAT CAR WITH STAKES
SALE $43.99 EA.
38700 SANTA FE #20508 38710 PENNSYLVANIA #772004
PIKO TANK CARS
SUPER SALE $ee On-Line LGB #21576 SANTA FE F7 A PASSENGER DIESEL
LGB #25554 WHITE PASS & YUKON LGB #21586 SANTA FE F7 B ALCO DIESEL W/SOUND PASSENGER DIESEL, NON-POWERED WITH SOUND
SUPER SALE
SUPER SALE $ee On-Line
$ee On-Line LGB #47917 UNION PACIFIC H.E.R.B.I.E. BOXCAR
SUPER SALE $ee On-Line
LGB #41803 C&S TANK CAR, #9
SUPER SALE $ee On-Line
LGB #40807 C&S CONOCO TANK CAR
SUPER SALE
$ee On-Line LGB #46919 PENNSYLVANIA SINGLE DOOR BOXCAR
SUPER SALE $ee
On-Line SALE LGB #45870 HOOKER CHEMICALS PIKO STEEL BOXCARS $74.99 LGB #47820 BALTIMORE & OHIO PIKO #38217 SANTA FE 2-6-0 TANK CAR FLOW SUPER SALE CENTER MOGUL & TENDER #724 EA. SUPER SALE HOPPER W/SOUND SALE PIKO WOOD CABOOSE $ee SALE $399.99 $ee $43.99 On-Line On-Line SALE EA. LGB #42910 LGB #45919 SANTA FE BOXCAR $57.99 COCA-COLA BOXCAR SUPER “CAN’T BEAT THE REAL THING” SALE SUPER SALE $ee On-Line PIKO CANADIAN NATIONAL 0-6-0 EA. LOCO & TENDER W/SOUND $ee PIKO SALE $399.99 EA. On-Line CABOOSE SALE $57.99 EA. VIEW OUR LGB #48681 UNION PACIFIC STOCK 3-CAR SET PRODUCT CATALOG SUPER SALE ON-LINE 38705 PENNSYLVANIA 38711 GRAMPS
BALLOON STACK
38818 38825 38828 38831 38840 38848 38849 38850 38851
NEW YORK CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA BALTIMORE & OHIO UNION PACIFIC SANTA FE STEEL DENVER & RIO GRANDE WESTERN CANADIAN NATIONAL, MAPLE LEAF SOUTHERN PPACIFIC, SILVER READING
AT
#30102 No. 7439
#30103 No. 7470
www.trainworld.com
®
38836 READING 38852 DENVER & RIO GRANDE WESTERN 38853 CANADIAN NATIONAL
38816 38817 38823 38827 38830 38833
SANTA FE PENNSYLVANIA NEW YORK CENTRAL BALTIMORE & OHIO UNION PACIFIC DENVER RIO GRANDE
$ee On-Line
IF YOU DON’T SEE IT ADVERTISED HERE — CALL US WITH THE STOCK NUMBER OR ORDER ON-LINE. NOW TAKING BACKORDERS ON NEW RELEASES. THE PRODUCTS WE SELL ARE NOT TOYS AND ARE NOT INTENDED FOR USE BY CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF 14. THESE PRODUCTS ARE MODEL RAILROAD EQUIPMENT & ACCESSORIES AND ARE INTENDED FOR USE BY ADULTS.
TRAINWORLD® TRAINLAND®
TOLL FREE 1-800-541-7010 INFO 1-718-436-7072 MON-SAT 10-6 751 McDonald Ave. Brooklyn, NY 11218 E-MAIL:
[email protected] www.trainworld.com
ONLINE SHOPPING: www.trainworld.com
- 15% Re-Stocking Fee on returns 10/15F - Minimum UPS standard shipping & handling charge $10.99 - Prices are subject to change without notice - Limited Quantities All Rights Reserved
Way up north… to the Yukon!
Recreate a trip on the spectacular White Pass & Yukon Route with your own PIKO models. The hefty Mogul loco features a plow for the fluffy white stuff, along with lights, smoke & fantastic digital steam sound. Add a combine car and two coaches, all bearing real WP&YR car names, plus a drover’s caboose with lighted markers to complete the train.
rails again, with this complete starter set, including a power supply, circle of track, Mogul loco with lights, smoke & analog sound, two passenger cars & more.
35293 “On-Rail”: Clamps directly on the rails.
35294 “Over-Joiner”: Clamps over existing rail joiners. Both styles in convenient 10-packs
See over 600 items in the 198-page full-color 2015 PIKO G-Scale Catalog! At your retailer or $9 post-paid direct. Or get the 348-page full-color 2015 PIKO HO-Scale Catalog. $9 post-paid direct or $15 for both HO & G.
PIKO America, Dept G • 4610 Alvarado Canyon Rd. #5 • San Diego CA 92120 Phone 877-678-4449 or 619-280-2800 • www.piko-america.com
© 2015 PIKO America LLC. Items bearing D&RGW trademarks produced under license from Union Pacific Railroad Company.
Few names are filled with more railroad adventure and lore than the legendary Denver & Rio Grande Western! Ride the
PIKO RailClamps! The better, more attractive way to ensure reliable long-term electrical contact between track sections on your garden railway.
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