Just want to compliment you on this site! I havn't taken the time to really go through it in detail, but every time I get over here I find a new FACET that really impresses me! I mean podcasts? birthday announcements? online chat? this is the most underrated train forum on the web in my opinion, given exposure it sure will grow! Good Job !
(No, I didn't get paid for this)

Posting this across a couple of forums hoping to get some quick and good advice:

Okay so I have been playing with a scratchbuilt cab on a Bachmann Mike to do a freelanced back date on it. I have now made 2 attempts to apply an .015 wrap of styrene that I studiously embossed with rivets. The initial application looks good but after a few minutes the solvent cement starts to attack the .015 causing wrinkles and bubbles. Second attempt I used less solvent but with the same result. I was using Testors liquid cement as in my experience it tends to be the least potent of the ones I have worked with (plastructs and ambroid being the other liquids I generally use).

I have now had to re-sand the roof of my cab twice and I am not sure if my nerves or the cab roof will take another failed application. I know some of you apply styrene wraps to scratch built tenders with success so what am I doing wrong? the cab took a few hours of messing to get the roof line right and it looks amazing except for the missing rivet details.....

I do not want to give up on this!

HELP!

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This one is especially for Dave harris and Ray M I had an old MDC 3-truck shay that I never got running right. It sat in pieces in a box for years awaiting rebuilding. One of my issues was the third truck I could never get right; and because my layout had short sidings, I decided to make it a two-trucker. Originally, I tried converting the cast white metal frame with moderate success. I wasn't completely satisfied with the way it came out, so I decided to build a new frame out of brass. I have a new motor and a new NWSL gearbox that I will install, and it should run much better.

I hope this posting stays, because last night there were two things i thought I posted only to come back a few minutes and learn they werent there

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When I was a youngster, and I'm going back 60 years to 1949, I had a friend, (only one?) and his father had a small 4x6 HO layout in his bed room. It was not completed, and he was hand laying the track, but what was done was very nicely done. We moved from that town before I ever saw it run.
What I find interesting today is the fact I can picture the layout, and I could take you to the exact house, but I can't remember the kids name.
He only had a few cars, and they were built from wood. I don't remember anything about the trucks or couplers, but I do remember the things were nice and this was the beginning of my interest in modeling. I never saw any locomotives either. He probably kept them under lock and key.
Now, my question. Does anyone else have similar memories?
I remember buying HO car kits and building them before I started to model HO. These would have been available around 1955. I bought them at the 5 and 10 cent store. (Today's Dollar stores)
I still enjoy building as much as I do operating, and I'm really looking forward to getting started again.
Has the hobby moved from modeling to buying models?
Charlie

Starting on page 52 of the Feb '09 Model Railroader is a presentation of a layout titled Steaming Through The Winter Wonderland. It is a nice layout, but it wasn't built by the owner; it was commissioned from Raildreams, Inc., a commercial firm.

My feelings are that this isn't a proper display of a layout made by an owner or club, but essentially amounts to advertising for the company that did all the work. From a modeler's viewpoint, I'm uncomfortable with the way this was presented, but maybe I'm too much of a purist.

I'm interested in the opinions of other members.

Hello everyone,
I am building a shelf layout based on the B&O operations in Baltimore City. I decided to opt for a relatively narrow shelf as I want to convey a close to the tracks type perspective, so the average width of shelf is 16", and I have 30 feet of shelf built with certain areas a bit wider. I took a few pictures of the area on my layout that are down by the docks and uploaded them to this thread. The pictures are not the best as I need to get used to the florescent lights I am using in the basement, but it will give you all an idea of how things are coming. One of my goals is to be able to operate equipment from different eras, without looking to out of place on the layout. The area in the pictures will be the older part of town, where steam and first generation steam will operate. In other areas {except the waterfront}, I will strive to make the scenery ambiguous enough to run B&O, Chessie, and CSX as there are still plenty of places in Baltimore where they all operated at one time or another. As far as trackwork goes, I will be using all #6 Fastracks turnouts I will be building with their jig. All non turnout trackage will be handlaid with the PCB ties and wooden ties. After admiring other peoples work on the forum, I wanted to give a progress report on what I have been up to as of late.
Thanks,
Stuart

Anybody have a SM card they can part with? Not many cameras around anymore that use these. They came in sizes from 32 MB to 256 MB.

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North of Phila. PA