Garden Railway Forum

Aren’t all railway locomotives “traction engines” if one is being really, really annoyingly technical and pedantic?

I'm after getting some nameplates made. English is funny. When someone says "I'm after getting some nameplates", most of us understand they mean "I'm in search of some nameplates". However, in Ireland as well as Newfoundland in Canada, it would mean "I got some nameplates&q...

Some of you must, by now, be aware of the models being built and modified by Kyle of TRS Trains in Wales. His "smoke" installations using miniature atomizers on OO scale trains, steam AND diesel, are absolutely brilliant. He's presently working on a cylinder draincock effect to go along wi...

Charming little engine, and looks very nice indeed in your blue livery.

It's also nice to hear from you again Zack. I'm pleased you're still doing model railways and congratulations on your PHD. A solid bit of work, that.

Keith

Very clever. A unique railway and strangely, more realistic than most

I recommend a "momentum wagon" as well. I am a massive supporter of the idea. I personally like it when the train has momentum, not just the locomotive. I run my "Billy" with manual control, and I find the van makes it run more realistically, as it makes the engine work a bit to ...

Thanks guys. Will look into these options.

Does anyone know if there is a business who supplies little brass handwheels, like the ones found on locomotives and in ships? I mean the kind upon which one of the spokes sticks out farther than the others. I think one of those would look nice on a Roundhouse loco in lieu of the solid brass knob on...

I really like how you've a set of rails on part of your workbench. It looks like a real erecting shop!

My Dad, Brother and I drove down to America a few years ago to see some steam engines. The main attraction was in West Virginia: an entire logging railway restored with "Shay" locomotives, and the log wagons built into open passenger carriages. It is brilliant. On the way, we stopped at an...

Thanks! I had forgotten who sold them to me. I like them!

I actually prefer the less realistic figures like Kara's or Rob Bennet's "Busy Bodies". I have trouble putting it into words, but I find the caricature-like nature of the figures has a way of making them seem less robotic and immobile than the super-realistic kind. My attention doesn't lin...

What a handsome machine. I really could watch her run all day. Thanks for posting that.

Well, I am hoping I've got the MDC engine running well enough. I can't afford a Bachmann one (!) but the model is running very nicely now if I do say so. Hopefully my Dad agrees. It's his hobby, not mine. I used the North West Short Line regearing kit and I must say it has improved the model. As is ...

What problem have you encountered with the HO shay? Is it a Bachmann Spectrum one? No, unfortunately not. It's one of those old ones marketed variously by "MDC/Roundhouse" in America. I think it was probably designed in the 1980s, maybe even before that. It has bogies that are driven by a...

I like the side tank and the tender version, both of which look they could be bashed from a Regner. Do be careful if you're exploring that page, by the way. I hadn't heard of all the manufacturers and, being a librarian, clicked on "Dewey" - the page I came across definitely had nothing t...

I have been busy repairing one of my father's locomotives. He prefers North American subjects, and the locomotive I am repairing for him is a "Shay" type geared locomotive in HO scale. While looking for parts online, I encountered this article about a fascinating little engine made b6 a co...

Beautiful work.

That little engine is impressively smooth and quiet. Usually those little IC engines are deafening and require a lot of reduction gearing. This one is really nice.

I am becoming concerned at this point that if this locomotive acquires any more complications, it will become self-aware and begin causing mischief. Anti-human mischief.