This post on Brass HO Trains looks at space planning for your model trains.  Before buying a set of model trains or Brass HO trains, it is important to understand the space available in the house or garden, so that one can plan the size and layout patterns. In general, a ping pong table is an ideal size, though the structure may have to be stronger to hold trains, structures and other sceneries. One can also use a licensed contractor to build the storage space and display areas or go for a modular layouts available in the market. If you just want to display your models then look at getting a display cabinet.

Building permanent layouts for Brass HO trains require serious planning of the space and the structures. Once the scale is chosen, the size of the display can be finalized. If a table or similar structure is chosen, careful planning has to be done to keep the track and the accessories within reach. Small scales such as HO or N can be accommodated into peoples den, basement or garage. Apartments can fit in elaborate Z scale models also.

The recent trend is to build large rectangular layouts along the walls of the room. This keeps all the trains and structures within reach and does not take up space in the room. Sceneries can be painted on the walls to merge with the designs of the layout. Usually, two feet wide layouts from the wall in an L or U shape is built with an extension at the end or an island in the middle. More than two feet width would limit the reaching of the trains.

Multi level layouts can also be built along the walls, and can be limited to two sides or even one, if there is not enough space for the trains. A helix or spiral tracks can be used to move the trains along the different levels. This would make the whole display look more complex, but interesting and fun. Constructing railroads for Brass HO trains and model trains and also things like trees, hills, cities and roads need a lot of careful planning and skill too. It is better to refer to various books and other sources of information before building such layouts.

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

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