HO Model Trains - Metal Wheels

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For years all model HO cars came with plastic wheels and many still do. There cheap to manufacture and roll fine on a layout. Then why change?

There are a few reasons for the change over. The obvious reason is they are prototypical of the real thing. They make a clear metal to metal sound along with the clickety clack as they passover the track divisions.

The real reason from a hobbyist point of view is the problem of dirty tracks. The plastic peals off as it rolls around the track and leaves a black residual stain on the track. You end up constantly cleaning the track. This becomes intolerable over time.

The one drawback is some of the first metal wheels axles were not made of a nonconductive material. This became a real problem when you tried to put metal wheel sets into a metal sprung truck. Instant short! Now the metal wheels come with either a carbon composite or epoxy graphite resin axel.

The metal wheel has also improved the problems with switch points and crossovers. The plastic would easily get chipped or scared which would cause problems at switches. The metal wheel has eliminated that kind of problem to some extent. A good switch needs to be one that closes the switch point everytime.

One issue that is still a irritating problem is the pony and trailing truck wheels on brass steam engines. They come with steel axles which can cause annoying shorts. If one of the wheels touches the cylinders or cab frame it will cause a short. If the axles were made of a noncunductive material problem solved. Using a set of freight car wheels is a shot in the dark. The trailing truck wheels come in varying sizes as sometimes does the pony trucks. Unless you are really good with a mini-lathe and can create your own composite axles you have an annoying dilemma. The only alternative is to try and adjust the pony trucks so they sit farther away from the cylinders or in both cases you paint a clear epoxy onto the cylinders and cab where the short occurs. There really isn't anything you can do with the trailing trucks except to apply some form of nonconductive material to the cab that is all but invisible to the naked eye.

There are some trucks for freight cars that you cannot replace the plastic wheels. You have to replace the whole truck. These are the trucks that have the axle come through the truck frame. You can actually see the axle turn as the wheels roll down the track. I find this unfortunate because I have several sets of these type of trucks.

You may find the replacement process a bit expensive if you have a great number of cars. Your best bet is to surf the WEB for discounted wheels. I primarily use Proto 2000 wheels because I can get them cheaper than Kadee and A-line. I am not sure of Intermountain since I have never used them except for what comes on their freight cars. Under the circumstances your best bet is to surf the WEB and ask your friends what and where the best deals are.

HO Model Trains - DC vs DCC

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For years the power source to run electric trains has been the transformer or rectifier. Lionel, American Flyer, Marx and others all used the transformer which were big and bulky AC to DC power source. On the other hand HO, HOn3, and "n" Gauge use a rectifier to power their locomotives. This is called a DC system. The new system for model trains is the DCC system with its own power supply. The issue is what is better and a more efficient means to operate a layout and controlling locomotives.

The DC system has some major drawbacks that inhibit the use of multiple trains running simultaneously versus the DCC system. The big problem is the cost change over between DC and DCC. Each locomotive must have a CPU installed called a decoder. You are required to have a separate power supply and need hand held controllers to be able to operate and program each engine. This is a new dimension in the operation of a model railroad.

The DC system can run only one train at a time on the track unless the layout is big enough to have blocks. The block represents a section of trackage that is separately controlled by an operator. If a train approaches a block it will stop unless the operator passes it through. This means if there are several blocks on the layout you must have a individual located at each block point. Normally the block operator will have a head set so he or she can communicate with the other operators on the layout. If a train approaches a block and another train is in the next block the operator must stop the approaching train until the other train has cleared the block. This is not much different than the real railroad signal system where the engineer must stop if a red light is displayed on the signal. However, there is a significant difference between the DC operation and the DCC operation.

With DCC as previously stated each locomotive is controlled individually by the hand held controller. Also, there is a circuit board available for DCC that breaks the railroad up into four separate blocks. You may have as many of these circuit boards as necessary for your railroad. You may wire the system up so that you have signal blocks on the railroad that work in unison with the trains so they turn red automatically when a train is approaching and may interfere with another train. The decoder on board the engine allows for programming to a very high extent depending upon the decoders function level. Decoders range from 2 to 6 functions.

Without the block controller circuit board you still can operate multiple trains on one track with ease with DCC. You just have to make sure you know where each train is in conjunction with the others. Also, you must make sure you do not allow a train from another track to enter the mainline the wrong way. Corn field meets are bad news.

With the autoblock signal system you can just about simulate exactly what the real railroads do everyday. This allows the other operators on the railroad to do real railroading. This means an operator may bring in a train on a siding or yard to dispatch cars and pickup others and not have to worry about approaching trains and the possibility of a wreck. The sophistication of the DCC is so unique and is constantly evolving that it makes the operation of your railroad a real pleasure. The idea is not to watch a bunch of trains going around in circles but operate the trains in the manner that is done in the real world.

Another aspect of DCC operation is the new sound systems available to the modeler. This is not to say that the DC system cannot handle the sound systems. They can. The unique part of the DCC system is many of the sound systems come with the decoder already built in and thus you may program everything at once. When I say everything at once is not to say it doesn't take some time. It does and sometimes quite a bit of time especially if you are new at it.

For steam locomotives the new Tsunami by Soundtraxx is the best available at this time. It really simulates the sounds of a steam locomotive. One important advantage is the bell and whistle. If you are going to operate your system correctly the use of the whistle and bell can be significant in your operation. There are a series of whistle calls that can be incorporated into your operation. Fortunately a friend of mine has worked on the Milwaukee and BN for several years and knows how a real operation works and how to simulate it into your railroad.

I have operated both the DC and DCC system of operation and find the DCC the best of the best. There are several manufacturers of DCC equipment. I prefer Digatrax over the rest as far as the operating equipment is concerned. When it comes to decoders there are three manufacturers that I prefer. They are Digatrax, NCE and TCS. They produce very fine decoders that have been very successful in my fleet of engines.

One thing to remember is to research all of the manufacturers of DCC equipment before making a decision to buy. Talk to your friends and visit your local hobby shop for advice. The later can be a bit prejudice since he or she may be a dealer for a particular brand. Go online and visit the various manufacturing sites and price out what it is going to cost you and who seems to provide the best for your money. The operating system investment is all but final once you commit yourself so be careful.

The best way to approach DCC is to find someone or a club that operates with DCC. Buy a decoder for your engine and install it. Check it out at the club or friends layout and learn how it operates and what you can do with it. I suggest that you start with a diesel locomotive since most of them have drop in capabilities for the various decoders. The brass locomotives do not have this feature and take some time to install the decoder know has hard wiring. Many of the new plastic steam engines from China have the drop in capability. You may desire to just go buy a plastic steam engine or diesel that has the decoder already installed. That can be a bit pricey but you may be able to find one on eBay for a reasonable price.

Because of the constant evolution of the electronics provided for model railroading you need to keep abreast of what is available and asses how it might affect your railroad system.

HO Model Trains - Steam Engines

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My passion deals with steam engines and how they have affected the United States and Canada let alone the World.

A steam engine is nostalgic and draws attention and crowds where ever they are in the United States and Canada. I've seen many films of Australia where steam is fancied.

The steam engine was the backbone of the United States development and expansion for over one hundred years. During World War II the steam engine pulled more tonnage and played the greatest roll in moving products, military gear and troops across this country. In fact over 1000 steam engines were sent to Great Britain and Europe during World War II and during the Marshall Plan. Fortunately the gauge was the same where ever we sent steam locomotives. The four feet eight and a half inch gauge comes from Great Britain.

The steam engine as a modelers choice is more than just average in the model railroading hobby. It represents a bygone era and history that cannot be ignored by anyone who is fascinated with transportation and the history of railroading in general. The Diesel is generally quiet and unpretentious to the viewer of the railroads of today. The opposite is true of the steam engine. The steam engine is lowed, mighty in looks, huge to look at and excited the children and adults of years gone by. When looking at the past history of this era and the perceived character of a steam locomotive it is no wonder that crowds appear when one of the few steam giants appears on the scene.

There are several large steam locomotives in operation throughout the United States and Canada. As I mentioned in a previous blog the numbers are small and dwindling. We have the largest locomotive in operation in the World know as the Challenger. This locomotive has a wheel alignment of 4-6-6-4 and is know as an articulated locomotive. The engine actually is two engines in one with separate boilers. The sixes represent the drive wheels of each engine. Originally the engines top speed was around 100 mile per hour. That is restricted in today's rail system by the government. The Challenger series was built for the Union Pacific Railroad who is the owner of Challenger #3985. This engine and her sister engine Northern 4-8-4 #844 travel about the Union Pacific system for rail fans and other special occasions. The #844 is the only steam engine in the United States that has never been retired. It has remained in operation since it was built.

To name a few other Northern 4-8-4 series we fined the Southern Pacific #4449 Daylight in operation as an excursion engine. The former SP&S Northern 4-8-4, Santa Fe Northern 4-8-4, Milwaukee Northern 4-8-4 are all back in operation as excursion engines. In Canada a Canadian Pacific Royal Hudson 4-6-4 is in operation. There have been one other Articulated locomotive 2-8-8-2 and a Northern 4-8-4 owned by the Norfolk and Western now the Norfolk and Southern that were running but have been put back into the museum. There are smaller engines running on mainline rails as well. You can find several private railroads that still run small steam engine excursions.

For the hobbyist these locomotives have all been reproduced in miniature. In this case we are looking at HO scale steam engines. They have all been reproduced in brass and may know have been produced in plastic.

In my case I have the U.P. Challenger and S.P. Daylight in brass. They provide great enjoyment and historical presence for me.

One of the great assets we have are the numerous books that have been published on American and Canadian railroads. This is also true of the World railroads. Books are a tremendous media for historical information and pictures. This has important significance when it comes to the railroads. So many railroads are fallen flags. This terminology is the means by which a railroad that is no longer in operation is designated. The books provide us with the information that otherwise would generally not be available. There is a second media that is all important and that is the 16 millimeter films taken by several photographers over the years of steam and of the fallen flags.

Because of these forms of media the hobbyist can choose the railroad and era he or she wishes to model. I like all the different periods of railroading to present. However, my favorite period is the 30's through the 50's. Many of my friends and colleagues enjoy this part of our history yet will dabble in the present railroad system. A good example of this are the Canadian Grain cars. They are modern and very unique in there shape and reliability. As there are many new things as well as old there is always a fascination for what ever it is. No one person is the same in his or her likes or dislikes which makes life interesting. This is so true in model railroading.

As a modeler myself and friends enjoy seeing slide shows and movies of the railroad system of the United States and Canada. It gives us ideas on improving our own layout if we have one. It also presents us with historical moments that would other wise not be seen or known. Between the real thing and the hobby it plays together in learning, understanding and realizing the incredible progress that has been made in this one form of transportation and the effect it has had on are two nations.