Posts Tagged ‘train’

• Officially licensed MTA series New York City Subway cars
• Broadway Local
• Compatible with Thomas, Brio, and Plan City track sets
• Ages 3 years +

Product Description
Officially licensed MTA series New York City Subway cars. The 1 train is a classic IRT Local which runs from Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx through Manhattan along Broadway to South Ferry station in Manhattan. Compatible with Thomas, Brio, and Plan City track sets…. More >>

Munipals NYC Subway 1 Car Toy Train Wooden Railway Compatible

Technorati Tags: Compatible, Munipals, railway, subway, train, Wooden

One of the most notable aspects of model railroading is the aesthetics that surrounds the whole set up. Modern train scenery is the name that is given to the enhancements that makes the model train appear to be in a life-like, miniature environment. There are plenty of accessories that can be purchased to accomplish this effect such as model trees, hills, houses, tunnels, cars, animals and many other items. All these components are important because they are able to easily transform a simple train set into a beautiful, three-dimensional work of art.

The first thing to consider when building the scenery is to set up an appropriate landscape, which usually consists of natural elements such as, patches of real (or synthetic) grass and trees that provides an adequate amount of greenery. The landscape can also include buildings and other structures such as windmills, tunnels bridges, and many other items. All these components can either be bought ready-made or can be created from scratch using various materials.

For the serious hobbyist, custom making the scenery is one of the most enjoyable aspects of this hobby; it gives one the chance to personalize the landscape without being restricted exclusively to commercially manufactured components. In fact, one does not really need to have artistic talent in order to create scenery. Even the simplest creations can have a lasting impression.

For the more adventurous, there really is no limit to what can be used for the scenery. To create a rugged, mountainous appearance for instance, cardboard egg cartons can be used to create the appearance of realistic stone. Small rocks can also be integrated into the scenery to represent boulders. The rocks used should match with the model environment in order to have consistency. For instance, the use of granite or crystals may not be considered suitable for mountain scenery.

For trees, one can select small branches of miniature trees of various shapes, sizes and colors. The tiny twigs can be used to represent tree trunks whereas poly fiber can be used to represent leaves as well as other shrubbery. Some spices such as thyme and oregano may be added to further enhance the natural look. In addition, talcum powder could be used to create the appearance of snow.

Cardboard is appropriate for creating or building structures. For an added effect, tissue paper can be used to create textured surfaces, which adds realism to the structures. To secure these structures, one can even use a golf tee or simply glue it onto a flat base to give the structure additional balance and support.

There are plenty of other objects that can be found around the house, which can be used such as wires, toothpicks, pieces of strings and many others. With a little bit of imagination and ingenuity, the scenery can be completely transformed into a life-like, miniature environment. Blending handmade items with pre-bought items would probably give the best results. After all, some items such as cars and other intricate items are more difficult to replicate using household material. The end result, however, will be something that can be admired and provide the best possible model train experience for many years to come.

Technorati Tags: build, model, scenery, train

If they worked together?

Technorati Tags: Anne, build, Hours, long, Maria, model, Take, them, train, would

There are fantastic model railroading hobby shops all across the United States.  These stores all look like a lot of fun to visit, but what are the most popular?   Here is a list for the states of Indiana, Kentucky, and Tennessee.

The most popular model railroading shops (based on online chatter) in Indiana, Kentucky, and Tennessee are:

10. Mishawaka Rail Yard in Mishawaka, Indiana

A Tie for Number 8

8. BAD Hobbies in Nicholasville, Kentucky

8. Rupel Toy Trains in Elkhart, Indiana

7. Park Lane Hobbies in Dyer, Indiana

6. George’s Train Shop in Huntington, Indiana

5. Aardvark’s Model Train Shop in Nashville, Tennessee

4. Phil’s Hobby Shop in Fort Wayne, Indiana

3. Berkshire Trains in Lexington, Kentucky

2. Scale Reproductions Hobby Shop in Louisville, Kentucky

…and the most popular shop for model trains in Indiana, Kentucky, or Tennessee is…

1. Johnny’s Toys in Covington, Kentucky

Hobby shops not quite making my top 10 were G and G Hobbies in Griffith, Indiana; Joe’s Hobby Barn in Terre Haute, Indiana; Linville Signs and Hobbies in Batesville, Indiana; Toys Forever Models and Hobbies in Muncie, Indiana; Train Express in Indianapolis, Indiana; Watts Train Shop in Zionsville, Indiana; Wayne’s Trains and Train Central in Indianapolis, Indiana; L and N Trains and Things in Louisville, Kentucky; The Roundhouse in Louisville, Kentucky; Chattanooga Depot in Chattanooga, Tennessee; and South Bound Trains in Franklin, Tennessee.

So, there are clearly many great model railroading shops all over Indiana, Kentucky, and Tennessee, with all three states having stores in the top five.  Indiana had the most in the top ten with five, but Kentucky had four in the top ten – and also had all of the top three spots.

When in Indiana, Kentucky, and Tennessee be sure to visit some of the excellent railroading museums including Depot Railroad Museum in Salem,Indiana; Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum in North Judson, Indiana; Indiana Railway Museum in French Lick, Indiana; Indiana Transportation Museum in Noblesville, Indiana; Bluegrass Railroad Museum in Versailles, Kentucky; Nostalga Station in Versailles, Kentucky; Casey Jones Home and Railroad Museum in Jackson, Tennessee; Tennessee Central Railway Museum in Nashville, Tennessee; and Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum in Chattanooga.

I compiled this list by searching for the hobby shops listed on a number of search engines and ranking them by the number of web pages, discussion forums, photos, videos, etc that are available online.  I further screened this list to include only pages that mentioned model railroading.

See a complete list of Model Train Shops in Indiana, Kentucky, and Tennessee, at www.ModelTrainsWithLarry.com which has complete contact information for each shop including an address, phone number, and map to the store.

Technorati Tags: Indiana, Kentucky, model, Shops, Tennessee, train

The name HO came from the term ‘Half of O’ because it is almost half the dimensions of the O scale train models. In Europe and North America, the HO model train is arguably the most popular train scale. In fact, its sales worldwide have been relatively high compared to other models for many years. These smaller trains came into demand because plenty of train hobbyists did not have enough physical space to accommodate larger train models.

Most novice hobbyists choose HO scale models due to the fact that they are readily available. Since there are plenty of suppliers of these models, enthusiasts also have a wide variety of components and accessories to choose from. For instance, with a large selection of scenery available, it is much easier to set up and make additional improvements later on. In addition, the proliferation of manufacturers allows hobbyists to conveniently visit their local retailers rather than having to rely solely on long-distance orders through catalogs or the Internet.

Another reason for the popularity of the smaller trains is that they are normally cheaper than their larger counterparts; larger scale trains tend to be harder to come across since their manufacturing costs are higher. In contrast, since there are many manufacturers of HO trains, the competition is great, which keeps pricing competitive to the benefits the consumer. This is an important consideration because lower costs open up the hobby to the masses, making it more accessible to many rather than a few who have a large budget.

Some enthusiasts feel the HO trains are the perfect size because they are in between the larger models and the smaller versions such as the z scale. They are not too big and not too small. They are just the right size to have creative scenery, including an intricate track plan, and small enough to be easily handled by children without any components getting damaged. The HO scale train is also heavy enough to have adequate support on the track, which ensures proper movement.

HO trains can be purchased as complete, ready-to-run models that can be used immediately. All the components have been fitted after manufacturing, although a few accessories may need to be attached later on. These train kits are simple to assemble and usually include a single piece body, couplers, chassis, and a counterweight. Structure kits are also available and include glazing, doors windows, and walls. For the more experienced hobbyist, there are craftsman kits that include over five hundred parts. These kits require considerable skill and patience to assemble.

If one is considering a medium sized model train with an accompanying landscape and scenery, the best option would be the HO model train. A considerable amount of research should be done before purchasing a particular HO train set, considering that there is a wide selection to choose from. The HO scale model is definitely the best train scale that offers the most enjoyment possible for model train enthusiasts.

Technorati Tags: Advantages, model, train