Draining standing water from your yard

After all the flooding and heavy rain this might be of interest to some folks especially if your railroad is in danger of flooding or even worse your house! Click here to read the article.

To Dick in Bath

Hard to find those G scale birthday cakes! But, I hope you got some other scale items for your birthday.

1-24 scale items

My daughter enjoys making all kinds of items for ebay dollhouse collectors. They are usually in 1:12 scale. But these happen to be 1:24 scale or G Scale which is a little unusual so I thought I would show off her creativity. I am impressed at the level of detail that she can achieve.

The history of Railroad Tracks

Thanks to Denneth 'tiny' Lee and his friends who send him interesting stuff comes the famous "Where did Railroad tracks get their gauge from?" I believe this was posted back in 2008 but since Tiny went to the trouble of sending it in, here it is: Thanks Tiny. Click Here to view:

CSX Puts on a Show

To watch video, please click here: Feb 01, 2010

Tomorrow - Model Train Show

Just a reminder that there is the annual Doll House and Model Train Show sponsored by the Whitefield Lions Club on Saturday Feb 20th at the National Guard Armory in Augusta Maine.

Which came First ?

I was looking at the pictures from the slideshow ( two blogs down) and noticed, "Hey, that's the same view, one in summer and one in winter". I cannot figure out which was taken first, Can you? Click on the image to see close up.

Winnegance and Quebec Steam Passenger Train

MGRS member Mike Silsby (GWRGR) was looking at his current issue of Garden Railway Magazine and found that they had headlined a You tube video created by Eric Schade entitled "The Last Run of the Season". This was part of an article Eric had done for the magazine.

Mike thought other members would be interested to see the video and Yes we are! Thank you for sharing and Congratulations to Eric! Please click here to see Eric's video:

Great Train Pictures

Please click here to view a slide show of some great train pictures. Sent to us from "tiny" Lee.
Thank You!

Switch terminology

The operation of a railroad switch. In this animation, the red track is the one traveled during a facing-point movement. The switch mechanism, shown in black, may be operated remotely using an electric motor or lever or from a nearby ground frame.

A railroad switch, turnout or [set of] points is a mechanical installation enabling railway trains to be guided from one track to another at a railway junction.

The switch consists of the pair of linked tapering rails, known as points (switch rails or point blades), lying between the diverging outer rails (the stock rails). These points can be moved laterally into one of two positions so as to determine whether a train coming from the narrow end will be led towards the straight path or towards the diverging path. A train moving from the narrow end towards the point blades is said to be executing a facing-point movement.

Unless the switch is locked, a train coming from either of the converging directs will pass through the points onto the narrow end, regardless of the position of the points, as the vehicle's wheels will force the points to move. Passage through a switch in this direction is known as a trailing-point movement.

In a trailing-point movement, the wheels will force the points to the proper position. This is sometimes known as running through the switch. If the points are rigidly connected to the switch control mechanism, the control mechanism's linkages may be bent, requiring repair before the switch is again usable. For this reason, switches are normally set to the proper position before performing a trailing-point movement.

A switch generally has a straight "through" track (such as the main-line) and a diverging route. The handedness of the installation is described by the side that the diverging track leaves. Right-hand switches have a diverging path to the right of the straight track, when coming from the narrow end and a left-handed switch has the diverging track leaving to the opposite side.

A straight track is not always present; for example, both tracks may curve, one to the left and one to the right (such as for a Wye Switch) or both tracks may curve, with differing radii, in the same direction.

Win Win Situation

Just surfing the net on some tips from Denneth Lee and I came up with some new sites to look at.

Information on Sandford Me Lions Club Model Train Show

Staging Tracks.com site on Model Railroads

Falmouth Maine - Maine Model Works.

Whistler Mountaineer

Whistler Mountaineer Video click here:
This is in keeping with the upcoming Olympic Games from Vancouver British Columbia. More information click here

Nice slide show set to peaceful music. Beautiful pictures of the Rocky Mountains. Watch the Rocky Mountaineer Train Trip

Conway Scenic RR

Click here to see Conway Scenic Railroad 2010 Event Listing.

Frankenstein Trestle

It was cold on Saturday but we bundled up. The trail is the tracks so we ventured forth for the 1/2 mile trek.

The views were incredible, pictures just do not do justice to the clear air that existed.

From Ivan & Gerry

Thanks for sending this in. This came from one of Ivan's friends who said "Certainly brings back memories of the good 'old days' during my days experience on steam engines between 1955 & 1958. One of the best steam videos I've seen yet! Watch as two 2-8-4's Berkshires doublehead across Michigan.... I had almost forgotten, too, just how LOUD and big railroad steam engines were!!!"

Thanks for sharing it with us!
This is a very good video, I think you will enjoy it!
Click here to watch:

The California Zephyr Silver Thread Through The West

Just a quick peek at this famous train that is one of MGRS member Scott Gould's favorites when he was growing up.
Click here to watch:
Here is another video that is interesting: click here

U.S. America Tribute Car

Click on the image to get a better view. Be sure to Click on the words "America - Why I Love Her" to hear John Wayne and see a very good slide show.

Super Bowl XLIV Car

Click on image to enlarge

John's Layout in North Yarmouth

Sorry for the poor quality, someday I will get a good video camera. But, you can get an idea of what I am running down stairs. If all goes well this spring I plan to expand "out the window" as Scott Gould has said.
John

Downeaster Expansion

A proposed expansion would see service continued along Maine's Atlantic coastline from Portland to Brunswick. A study by the Chicago-based Center for Neighborhood Technology suggests that the extension, combined with commercial developments along the "Downeaster Corridor," could generate several billion dollars in construction investments plus $55 million annually in tax revenue for the state of Maine.^[9]

Ground was broken for the Brunswick station on October 18, 2008. This project is a retail development centered around a new train station with future service south on the Amtrak Downeaster and north to Rockland on Maine Eastern Railroad. It will include shops, condominiums, and office space.

On January 28, 2010, the Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority received approval for a $35 million grant from the federal government to fund track and signal upgrades for the Portland-Brunswick line.^[10] Pan Am Railways is slated to begin work on the line in spring 2010. NNEPRA hopes to have passenger rail service to Brunswick by

Amtrak Downeaster Web Site click here

Sparks & Steam

Doug Johnson sent me a copy of the February Newsletter from Central New York Large Scale Railroad Society. To see it click here:

Littleville Falls Watchman Shanty

A very short clip of the railroad crossing shack and the old Lionel operating watchman. He was to big for Lionel but he is perfect for G-scale. Note: (I did not mean to leave the 'panic button' sitting by the shack. That shuts off power to the entire layout).

Springfield Train Show

The Amherst Railway Society held its annual train show this past weekend. More than 15,000 visitors had arrived by mid-day Saturday, with many more expected Sunday. Pictured are MGRS members Terry Norton, Carl Churchill, and John Jackson, as they admire new G-Gauge transformers at the USA Trains exhibit. It's a long round-trip to Springfield, Mass, but definitely worth going to this annual event.