Model Railroad Podcast
hosted by: Ryan Andersen & Will Ayerst
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Model Rail Cast #10
Tue, Apr 29, 2008
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| Posted by: Ryan Andersen |
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Notes for Show #10 |
comments(13)
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Posted by: tcoiler
 on Tue, Apr 29 2008
http://www.pupman.comGood work on the new photo gallery setup. It's much easier to use.
I really like your program/podcast. In response to your video vs. audio, I like the video as just an add-on. I listen to the podcast on the bus and would much rather just have the audio. Like the old time radio programs the imagination fills in the missing details and it's quite enjoyable. In short, keep it as it is. Good work! Chip |
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Posted by: Jay Smith
 on Wed, Apr 30 2008
www.thecrhs.orgAnother great show,
Here's a couple of websites I used to help me research my Northeast Corridor Layout: www.thecrhs.org www.railroad.net & www.prrths.com Keystone Modeler And started my own blog showing the progress of my research/layout. http://www.neclayout.wordpress.com Can't wait for #11, and I'll upload some more pics as I take them. ~Jay |
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Great show. The information on benchwork was very interesting. It has been great for the past few weeks to have a section devoted to either a historical aspect of American railroads or "how to" information on bench layout, track soldering etc.
The show itself is also becoming more professional and polished as the weeks progress. Keep up the good work, and I am looking forward to the next episode! Jimmyjack |
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Another great show. I love the 'how-tos' and the talk about diesel and steam engine companies/manufacturers both past and present.
With all this talk about benchwork, I just realized I've got a lot of foam (risers, benchwork, etc) on my layout. Just what are the hazards of using foam? All these electrical wires I'm going to have around foam and wood. In fact, most of my wires will be sitting right a top of foam. What safety precautions do I need to take? I could only find this article on the subject: http://www.scaletree.com/foamsafety.html I listen to your podcast on a Creative Zen. I download the 'm4a' from modelrailcast dot com. Then I use the program 'freeconverter' to convert it to a mp3. Using 'freeconverter' is easy. Download the 'm4a'. Open 'freeconverter'. Click on 'add files'. Then click on the 'm4a'. Then click on the 'convert' button. Wait a minute or two and your Mp3 is ready to go. I wait for your next show just like I would my favorite weekly tv show. You guys rock! Douglas Maryland USA |
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Posted by: dmcree
on Wed, Apr 30 2008
www.tamvalleyrr.comEnjoyed the show. I really like hearing the British terminology for railroad and model railroad terms. It would be interesting to see a lexicon of these terms.
Thanks dugzowl for the foam fire safety link. That is something I have wondered/worried about. Although I don't worry about electrical wires starting the fires on my layout - the power packs all have short detection and the wires are carrying low voltage. It would be worthwhile to make sure you are using a power pack with short detection, If you are using DCC then almost certainly you do. At one time or another, I have tried every form of making benchwork. You didn't mention my current favorite which is to use heavy-duty shelf brackets onto which I put plywood with a wood stiffener at the front and then use foam risers to put the track down. I print the trackplan 1:1 onto sheets of paper, tape them together and use that to transfer the pattern. For this I use carbon paper and a spiked wheel that you can get at any fabric shop. Makes it really easy to transfer the plan from the computer to the plywood. This becomes the centerline for the foam risers. When running long engines like my cab-forward favorites, it is really important to get the track alignments accurate! You didn't mention backdrops. Any layout, even it is a 4x8 sheet of plywood/foam and be 200% improved by putting up a simple masonite backdrop and painting it sky-blue with some latex paint a and a roller. Put it straight across the middle and cut holes for the track to pass through. Suddenly you have two scenes and the train goes from one place to another place. I love the new Peco code 83 switches. It is true that they are expensive but I use the insulfrog type and I don't use any switch machines. The Peco switches have a little spring in them and I just push the switch points with my finger to change the direction. I use switch machines only if I have a spot where it is hard to get to the points. The insulfrog means no wiring needed and I have never had a train stall because of the short distance the frog is unpowered. When a train stalls it is always due to dirty track! The electrofrog switches stop working well after they get old and oxidized and the points stop making good contact with the rail. Finally, I am a big fan of JMRI too! It makes programming those decoders a snap and it remebers everything in a database for you. A year later when you can't remember the DCC address of a locomotive you can just look it up in your DecoderPro database. I have posted some new pictures at my web-site (http://www.tamvalleyrr.com) in the photo gallery and added a lot to the resources page. |
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Posted by: rustyrails on Thu, May 1 2008
www.passingloop.com
yet another great show and thanks for the link to Joe's Siskiyou line. Their videos are great and loved the downloadable content.
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Posted by: Will
on Fri, May 2 2008
www.modelrailcast.comI like the Siskiyou line site too - I'm considering getting some of his DVD's actually :)
Guys, thanks for all your comments! :) We could basically have an entire show just responding to them!! Hopefully all is well with you all, take care -Will |
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Ryan and Will:
Excellent effort! I have just stumbled onto the podcast via iTunes and have listened to all but the most recent over the past two days. Each is better than the last and your efforts show. Will, I may not the the only one who is intrigued by the idea of a UK citizen being so taken with and knowledgeable about US prototype railroads. How about a short biographical piece on the podcasdt about how you developed your interest, what you have done to nurture it and plans for the future to expand it? A small detour to cover previous layouts and how they fit into (or not) this pattern would also be informative. Keep up the good work, guys! Brent Lambert Seattle, WA |
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Another great show from you guys. Joe Fugate's videos are worth the cost, I've got a set of all of the ones that he has put on his plans for designing and building his model layout. I also know that he's got some videos about Operation Sessions that have been on his railroad but I haven't ordered any of them yet.
On the topic of rail weights and such, I found a site that talks about the various weights and their equivalents in the various scales (http://brunelmodels.com/ME/RailFacts.htm). We didn't get to it during my interview but I'm planning on using three different types of rail, Code 100 for Hidden/Staging, Code 83 for the mainlines and Code 70 for the Yards/Industrial Tracks. |
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Posted by: Will
on Fri, May 2 2008
www.modelrailcast.comRob, can you drop me a mail? will at modelrailcast.com - I'd like to chat more about your Reading layout, I'm kicking myself for missing the interview last week..
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Posted by: Jay Smith
on Fri, May 2 2008
neclayout.webs.comRob,
Great interview! ~Jay |
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Nice episode! Finally got around to listening to it. I really enjoyed the discussion about various types of track. I use the “hated” track that is pre-ballasted by Atlas called “True-Track” only because of its ultra-portability. Every time I use my railroad, I have to dig it out from storage and put it away when I am done because I live in a military barracks. But I do like the variety of track from Atlas even in True Track, that offers up to 24” radius turns. I use long passenger cars which require the extra inches. I’m also running two modern locomotives from Amtrak (an electric Acela Express, and a F40PH diesel) both from Bachmann, and I have to say I love them both and have had zero problems from installing the DCC decoder to operation.
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Posted by: jfugate
 on Tue, May 13 2008
http://siskiyou-railfan.netThanks for the nice plug for my Siskiyou Line web site, guys.
I applaud your use of the internet to "spread the word" about the hobby, and to do things like podcasts! I'm trying to help out the cause too, by offering downloadable video for low prices ($1.99 - $2.99 each, depending on format). I had one guy email me and tell me my scenery how-to videos were his inflight entertainment on his last business trip -- using his iPod! And he's able to take the video into the layout room with him too. We'll get hobby media into the 21st century yet ... |
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