This post on Brass HO Trains looks at why the Brass HO Trains are preferred over other trains. Earlier the garden railroads were more popular and people had them in the yard. Many have also dedicated the whole of the attics, basements or rooms for the perusal of their hobby of collecting model trains of the bigger scales like O and smaller ones like Brass HO trains. However, using bigger models took up a lot of space and people wanted more than a simple oval or a round track. The collectors of the model trains wanted to give a realistic look and add the scenery and landscaping from their imagination.

Thus, HO model trains gained popularity as the size was good enough to provide detailing and big enough for handling. They use standard gauge train tracks that are easily available with many of the hobby shops, retailers and also on the internet. HO basically stands for Half-O, which means that it is half the size of the O scale model. The model HO trains are durable, sturdy and offer a good balance of the detail of the bigger models, occupying lesser space, and also costs less than the bigger ones.

When HO trains were first introduced in 1930s, people found it too small and did not overtake the popularity of the O scale trains until the 1950s. Today more than 65% of the hobbyists prefer this scale. Once the hobbyists found the size to be comfortable in all aspects, more and more people started buying, pressurizing the manufacturers to make them easily available. The manufacturers have now come up with trains, tracks and railroad accessories in all the possible sizes making it possible for a wide variety of sizes and shape of layouts available.

The Brass HO trains is preferred among other materials used because of the rich look and the enduring quality. Unpainted and painted versions of the HO brass model trains are now available and one can also get custom painted ones. Some models are given a coat of rust and mud painting to give a look of wear and tear. With model trains, one can go to any extent of giving life to one’s imagination.

Brass HO Trains

This post in Brass HO Trains is about setting up the basics for your model trains. The Brass HO trains and all other scale model trains have four basic components. The locomotive, the cars, track pieces and the power supply. The model HO trains can be powered by a transformer or power pack or a DCC system. A beginner can start off with an oval or circular track that is simple to understand and accommodate inside the house.

The assembling of the track might be a bit tricky. A simple oval shaped track that comes in the beginner’s kit would be a good start. We also recommend getting a book which can take you through the steps (HO Railroad from Start to Finish (Model Railroad Handbook, No 36)). One can find out one’s own easy way of assembling, like getting the curved pieces first, placing of the piers, etc. The feeder and the railer positions must be properly placed to ensure the power supply without the hinderances of the wires. Rerailers can be used at regular intervals so that the position of the wheels get automatically adjusted at frequent intervals. If the train set does not come with a railer, it can be obtained separately. It can be fixed into the rails to roll down a locomotive or car that smoothly gets adjusted into the track. Railing can be done by hand, but is difficult for smaller models like Brass HO trains.

It is important to set the throttle to minimum or zero and clear away any things on the rails before plugging in the power supply. To prevent short circuits, do not use any metal laying across the rails. Some power supplies have a circuit breaker that can be reset and others emit sounds when there is a short circuit and later reset themselves. Once the trains are railed on the track, rise the throttle very slowly and let the train start to move. This will be the minimum throttle. The maximum throttle will be the point where the train is moving at its fastest without compromising on the safety. For each model the minimum or the maximum throttles may differ.

The forward and reverse movements come next. It is different for 2-rail and 3-rail systems. For 2-rail sets, the switch works in opposite polarities of the DC voltage applied to the rails, causing the motor to reverse. For 3-rail sets, the transformers have a direction button and work on AC voltage. The direction button causes the drops in the electric current on the rails and causes the train to move forward or backward.

HO Railroad from Start to Finish (Model Railroad Handbook, No 36)

Brass HO Trains

In this post on Brass HO Trains we look at Power Supplies for Model Trains. There are various types of control system and power supplies for the model trains. Many of the manufacturers like Atlas, Bachmann, Kato USA Inc, Marklin, MRC are the leaders in the control systems. Most of the power packs are specific to the scales, but some may be used for more than a single scale model train. Control and power units for Brass HO trains are manufactured by companies like Model Power, Digitrax, MRC, etc.

The Model Power has two main models of the power packs for HO model trains. Electro is a fully filtered Micro controlled regulation pack. It has useful features like circuit breaker protection, Overload indicator light, Separate on/off switch, Super low speed performance and smoothness, no-screw terminals, Double insulated electric approved casing, etc. This model is powered to operate five trains at once and is compatible in AC and DC tracks. The second one is the Deluxe power pack that suits all trains and racer car sets. The unit is encased in a sturdy black plastic box and has forward and reverse switch and is UL approved. It also has a circuit breaker protection.

The Unitrack power pack from Kato USA Inc is used for the Kato Unitrack and locomotives. The unit can be used to control direction and speed, and has a circuit breaker with reset button and turnout control switch with swap-on socket. Products from MRC have features like pressure breaks, proportional tracking control, and monitoring of feedback from the layout to detect sudden changes in loads. One of the products, Control master, is a walkaround model that has hand held control with memory. The products give a 300 degree speed control for the Brass HO trains and other HO and N model trains.

Bachmann has come up with various control units for HO brass model trains. One such product is compatible with N, HO and On30 scales. This is used with DC operated trains and has features like plug-in wiring, power indicator light, direction control switch, and electronic circuit protection.  The model has universal track power wire for other track systems with convinient E-Z-Track track power wire. The other model, E-Z Command Power Booster is intended for indoor use and can be used for Brass HO trains, N, O or even larger scale layout. The unit is designed to run many DCC locomotives and the output voltage can be altered to suit the scale for which it is used. There are a lot of safety features like thermal overload protection, and also includes air vents and a fan. The E-Z Command DCC Controller system is a digital system that controls speed, lighting and direction of multiple locomotive in N, HO and On30 scale from any manufacturer.

MRC Tech 3 Power Command

Brass HO Trains

This post on Brass HO Trains looks at Garden Railways. A garden railroad or garden railway is the arrangement of the model railroad layout outdoors. In general, the G scale is the most popular. The 16mm scale, that runs on a 32 mm track, has been more popular in the UK. Scales of 1:19 and gauges of 45 mm is also seen in the garden railroads. The 1:24 scale, or the half-inch scale, cannot be rode on and other smaller scales and trains like Brass HO trains and the O scale models are less used outdoors.  Although the basic working of the garden railroad is similar to the indoor one, there are various factors to be considered in terms of display and maintenance. Protection from sunlight, rain, water, dirt and the living creatures like insects and animals.

The functioning aspect that is to be considered is the reach of the electrical resistance to the far end of the track. For this reason, rechargeable batteries, RC car parts, etc are used for the constant electric supply. Some even use live steam as in a real steam engine, generated from different things like methenamine, sterno-type fuel, coal burners and butane gas. Digital Command Control can also be used for outdoor purposes, if the circuit is well protected from the dust and dirt. Digital sounds in the cars and engines make the whole thing very realistic.

The garden railway does not necessarily mean gardening, although the layout usually consists of very well maintained plants, bushes and even bonsai. Buildings, train stations and freight depots are usually built along the track and care is taken to make them resistant to weather conditions and the exposure to sun, rain and dirt. A loco shed is built where the trains are stored when not in use. Other landscaping like ponds, mountains, boulders and others are also done to complete the realistic look as it is done in the indoor models layouts like Brass HO trains. However, tunnels pose a real problem when it is used as a shelter by small animals like racoons or cats or when a derailment occurs in an unreachable part of the tunnel.

Some railroad modellers may have a railway running in their normal garden as a part of it and they do not have to stick to the scales for growing the plants. This is the other way round, where the gardener may have railroading as an additional hobby. This way, smaller scales like Brass HO trains and the O scale trains can be seen running along their pathways in a garden, when the space inside the house is limited.

Garden Railroading: Getting Started in the Hobby

Brass HO Trains

This post on Brass HO Trains is about Digital Control Systems. Today’s digital world has found its way to the Brass HO trains and other model trains, to make it more interesting, workable and easy to operate. The most popular control system is the Conventional 12V DC, but the Digital Command control is taking over the trend. This is because the digital systems make it possible to control all aspects of operating as a separate entity. It also uses minimal wiring, along the rails. Digital signals are sent along the rails and control most of the operations including the signals, turnouts, cranes, turntables, level crossings, etc.

The component of a typical control system include throttle, central unit, booster, locomotive decoder, stationary decoder, sound and funtion decoders, feedback bus and computer interface. Each of the component has its own function. The throttle controls the operation of the train and are also known as cabs. They are used to select the train to operate at a given time and also control the speed and direction of a train at a time. The Central unit, being the center of the whole digital system, gets the commands from throttle and sends the corresponding signal to the track so that the commands are executed by the respective parts of the track.

An integrated booster helps amplify the low-power signal that the central unit produces or limits the high current to more tolerable levels as in the case of Brass HO trains and other smaller models. In larger layouts, partition of the track into segments and each will be powered by its own digital booster. Each of these boosters is connected to the Central unit or to the next booster segment to receive the signals to be amplified.

There are two main types of decoders for the devices. The locomotive decoders are fitted inside the locomotives. It receives the command from the central unit via the booster and interprets them to the rails. Thus the changes in speed, direction, etc are sent to the motor to execute. The Stationary decoders are those that are connected to the fixed devices like signals, level crossings and turnouts. They are generally mounted under the layout, where they are less obvious. Many other types of decoders also can be placed for specific functions like controlling headlights, ditch lights and others. The PC sound cards are used as sound decoders. Many sounds of the trains starting and sounding horns are pre-recorded and they are synchronized with the movements of the train. Some decoders come as a single unit and perform the functions of the locomotive control, sound effects and also the function control.

The feedback bus is basically a sensor that keeps a track of the movements of the train and sends the information to the central unit. This knowledge helps the central unit to know when to stop sending signals and when the train has reached its destination, trigger a particular signal or close down a level crossing. Some of the central units are also connected to the computer of the collector. This way, the trains and their movements can be controlled with the help of the computer interface. The digital command control systems are one type of the digital model train control systems. However, in general, they are understood as a generic term for all types of digital systems pertaining to model trains.

Brass HO Trains

In this post on Brass HO Trains we talk about books. Model railroading now is a very popular hobby. There are various celebrities, millionaires and many others, who have been into the hobby of collecting Brass HO trains and other model trains. The interest in collecting the model trains might have arisen out of interest, childhood passion or simply after buying their kid a new set of toy train. We recommend this one to get you going HO Railroad from Start to Finish (Model Railroad Handbook, No 36). Now that the interest has come in, there will be search for information in various libraries and the internet. Although internet is an ocean of information in the topic, specific ideas and techniques have not been shared everywhere. Various books and ebooks have come into the market and people are encashing on passing the information.

There are many books for the beginners, having step-by-step photographic approach, with easy to follow methods to install a sturdy and durable trackwork, laying of the roadbed, sectional or flexible track and finishing the track with lineside details. There are information about turnouts, cleaning and maintaining trackwork. Some books have specific scenery themes like North American mining, refining and agricultural operations that the railroads serve, with the techniques to display the realistic layout of the same. Instructions about the principles and techniques of constructing scenery including structure, scenery and detailing techniques for both urban and rural settings.

Construction of freight yards for Brass HO trains and N scale models are illustrated with photographs along with the operations like receiving, classifying, cleaning, etc. are mentioned in some books that target the HO brass model trains. There are informative books on history, practice, terminology and also advantages of having operative models that perform realistically. Basic information about designing, building, modelling and finishing backgrounds using mountains, hills, trees, bushes, water and even dirt to make the whole thing look realistic.

With such information and great collection of books, one can get a good start for their hobby of collecting Brass HO trains and other model trains. We recommend this one to get you started HO Railroad from Start to Finish (Model Railroad Handbook, No 36).

Brass HO Trains

Yes… here on Brass HO Trains we see that even musicians like Model Trains. The musicians who had been interested in model trains include Bruce Springsteen, Claude Bolling, Roger Miller, Phil Collins, etc. Roger Daltrey, the lead singer of Who is known to have been building an extensive European HO layout in his loft. John Entwistle, also performs for Who and is an adherent collector of HO models. Merle Haggard, the country singer had been an active HO modeller, he recorded an album titled “My love affair with Trains”. Tommy Hunter has a layout built in his basement while Elton John, the rock star has a garden railroad.

Vaughn Monroe, the singer, trumpeter, leader of the Vaughn Monroe Orchestra has yet another addition to his titles as a railroad modeller. He used to relax by tinkering with his model trains and build his own HO scale locomotives. He missed his trains so much that he wished he could carry a small layout during his trips. Johnny Cash, the country music singer and song writer is very fond of Lionel model trains and Frank Sinatra has an extensive Lionel layout in his home. Gil Melle, the Jazz saxophonist was a frequent contributor to Rail Model Craftsman.

Mel Torme was so passionate about his model trains that he preferred his trains to his wife and divorced her. Almost 80% of his collection was vintage lionel or tin-plate and the collection was in near-pristine condition. Neil Young, the rock star, was a part owner of Lionel trains and had a trailer consisting of Lionel layout, which he carried with him in his tours. Rod Stewart, the famous rock star, was rich and bought many brass models for his collection. He was known to have two layouts, one in LA, where the collection of the Pennsy is built and one at his home, Epping, with English East Coast line in British Railways days.

There are many more such famous personalities and others who have been into the collection of Brass HO trains and trains of other models.

Bachmann Trains Rail King Ready-To-Run HO Scale Train Set

Brass HO Trains

In this post on Brass HO Trains we look at celebrities who like model trains. As George Bernard Shaw said, “We don’t stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing.” Model cars have always been a fancy for the young and the old alike. One thing about the hobby is that the modeller can do anything with whatever he or she has in the collection and keep the number same or add more models to it. With a whole lot of suppliers and importers, the collectors can make the display a detailed version, playful or just display whatever is available. The Brass HO trains have been the most popular and expensive hobby, but the other scales like O, N, G, etc have also been given importance.

There have been a lot of people who are interested in the railroad and model trains and the list also includes the various celebrities who have been into the hobby. Actors like Yul Brynner, Whoopi Goldberg, David Hasselhoff, Mandy Patinkin, Donald Sutherland, etc have known to be passionate about the hobby. Patrick Stewart was quoted as saying he is a big-time railway buff. Joe Regalbuto, the famous actor of “Murphy Brown” had his garden railroad featured in “Garden Railways” magazine. Micheal Gross, the actor of “Family Ties” is a passionate train fan and a railway historian, photographer and modeller. He always preferred train journeys to flying. James Doohan of Star Trek was seen in a TV Guide issue working on the brake cylinder of a coach in the L.A. area railroaders club; he also had a huge collection of model trains at home. The actor of “Different Strokes” is interested in Lionel trains, and does them as realistically as possible. The famous Walt Disney has a live steam and various other models and interest in model trains.

The famous television personalities like anchors of reality shows and newscasters have also been interested in model trains. Tom Brokow had been concentrating on Brass HO trains. Roseanne Barr, Jay Leno, Sally Jesse Raphael, Tom Snyder, Arthur Godfrey, etc. have been known to have great railroad collections. Jim Scancarelli, the cartoonist of the famed “Gasoline Alley” had his photos featured in Walthers catalog.

Various musicians like Roger Miller, Johnny Cash, Phil Collins, Roger Daltrey, etc have also shown interest in the model railroading hobby. The race car drivers who were interested in the model railroad include Danny Sullivan, Richard Patrese,  and Sam Posey. Micheal Jordan, the famous basketball player is rumoured to be a model railroader. Ed Dougherty, the pro golfer is fond of Lionel models and houses his collection in  a two-storey building behind his home. Joe DiMaggio and Roy Campanella are baseball players who like to collect Lionel model trains.

Brass HO Trains

In this post on Brass HO Trains we go to South Korea! Overland models, Inc. imports fine scale brass model railroad equipment from South Korea, including Brass HO trains, N and O scale models. The company specializes in diesels, steam locomotives, cabooses and rolling stock from these scales. With over 30 years of importing, the company has captured a good range of models, both new and old. These models are built to inspire and are highly precision crafted. The company houses a library of its own with a great collection for reference and the team is involved in activities like taking on-site measurements, photos and interact with railroad and other employees.

The Brass HO trains are available in various types. Boxed Set, Caboose, steam, Diesel, Electric and passenger car. In each category of the HO model trains, one can find a lot of variety. These models are handcrafted by some of the world’s foremost manufacturers using our specifications. They are then finished at our state-of-the-art factory to represent their prototypes to perfection. The HO scale detailed parts for the HO brass model trains are also available like E-bell, Exhaust system accessories, fuel retension system, gerenal maintenance, headlight accessories, coupler lift bars, trucks and sideframe accessories, cooling coils, door handles, and so on.

Other scales available are 3 rail scales, O and N. The 3-rail locomotives and Ferdinand Megalan Presidential Car, the O scale Diesel, electric and structures and the N scale caboose, diesel, electric and passenger car are the commonly available models. The company also offers a limited repair service at the office, if the dealer is not able to do it. However, replacement parts belonging to older models are limited.

The latest models are BNSF isolated cab and KCS standard & isolated cab locomotives, which vary in terms of paint scheme and details and other features. The BHP SD70ACe Isolated unit has items such as nose and tail marker lights, additional piping on the pilot, additional roof detail applications, fire suppression system, and the addition of a 2nd row of railing for safety. The Richard ‘Toad’ Montgomery has an appliance applied to the cab roof to test clearance throughout the system prior to all modifications being made. As for the modified SD70ACe from the former BNSF series, the have features like marker lights, step wall protection, additional railing, cab window protection and fire protection system installed.

Brass HO Trains

In this post on Brass HO Trains we look at BPL Brassworks who is a purveyor of railroad models, especially Brass HO trains. Other scales available are O and N. The HO brass model trains are specifically focused on the railroads of the US. The collection and upcoming brass railroads are specifically targeted for the discriminating collector. The company gets the models from various leading importers like Division Point L.L.C, Global Outlet Corporation, Key Imports, Northwest Shortline, Precision Scale Co.Inc., Sunset/3rd Rail, The Coach Yard, etc.

Most of the American railroads are available with the company as the current stock, ready to be ordered. Some of the Model Railroad clubs are also listed in the site as a separate page, which is a link to go to the respective website. Each of these clubs consists of members who are passionate about the model trains and have collections available for display, trade and also for buying as a consignment. The various model train museums are also listed where one can find a nearest one to visit or just browse through their websites for an idea about displays and layouts. Apart from museums, various Railroad Historical organizations are also listed. These organizations have various events, exhibitions, resources and great train sets, too.

The recently added models include those from Glacier Park, Precision scale, Division Point, Overland models, The Coachyard, etc. Each of these models are listed with their specific features and possible pricing. Most of these are Brass HO trains that are diesel, steam, Rolling stock, Caboose, passenger or electric model trains from HO, O or N scale.

The ordering is usually through email or phone. Direct web-based ordering has not been arranged as the customer’s queries and issues have to be solved before sending the order. Reservations can be made for future or proposed models along with a security. The prices for the future models will be set based on the cost estimated by the importer. The company also accepts consignment items. The model will be listed in the monthly print ads or the website until it is sold.

Brass HO Trains