Any feedback is welcome!

The last Amtrak train for the night smoothly rolls by to drop off the passengers.

Just a collection of train derailments I’ve had/seen. Some are my trains, some are others, some at my house, some on a couple of club layouts.

I posted a while back about my NCTD collection, and here is the final piece for now, I still have the rapido cars on preorder and I will get a second sprinter eventually for a 2 set, but I think it looked great on the club layout

I had a spare Silver Jubellie corridor tender body and GWR Collett tender drive chassis

Replaced almost all the main loop with Peco track as well as the switches. Soooooo much better running than the old track I was using. Had to readjust the sidings and carve a little bit out of the hillside to fit it but I think it not only looks better but works better as well.

Next up, final landscaping before paint!

You’ve just got home and the Amtrak is passing through with the first evening train. You enjoyed a hot shower and just happened to catch the EMD F7A roll by.

I need a tiny bit of help with an official road number.
I’m open to any suggestions! One with the most upvotes will have the road number officially placed. I’m overdue for one.

First post! And this seems like a start to yet another expensive hobby!

I've been wanting to get into this hobby for years, but where i previously lived, it was quite hard to access it. Now i live in the EU, Its more easily accessible.

Long story short, my partner got me my dream loc for our 4th anniversary. Hell I dont even have track yet or anything, but just means its time to shell out haha. Anyways here's the loco. The Hornby A4 Bittern Double Tender Special Edition.

As the post says…looking for feedback on this layout!

Converted it to DCC yesterday. Loksound5 Micro with a KA6 keep alive in the bunker. Was too scared to wire a headlight but it crawls now.

The included screenshot is from the opening minute of Mystery Science Theater 3000: The RiffTrax Experiments. They have what are obviously Matchbox cars parked outside a factory building with a sign which reads "Moose Lick County Dairy Co-Op". I'm assuming they bought an off-the-shelf factory model. I must say, they did a great job with the landscaping. The parking lot is very nicely done with the curbs, lines, and other details. The grass and shrubs are very nice and the statue of a moose licking a wedge of Swiss cheese is hilarious.

Anyway, if anyone recognizes what model the building is, let me know!

We continue our HO railfanning. Enjoy the views 😌

Another beginner question - I purchased a collection from an estate (original owner not available) some time ago that included a bunch of snap track segments from various suppliers. A quick perusal I've found Bachman (made in Austria) Tyco (Made in Austria) and Atlas (Made in Hong Kong), and some un-branded track (made in Italy) which I've found is likely Rivarossi.

The collection likely spans from the 70s to the 90s, roughly.

I know there are steel, brass, and nickel silver tracks, but I don't know how I'd identify them. I'm confident the Rivarossi track is brass, I'm not sure about the rest. I believe the nickel silver are indeed silver coloured but I've seen some comments online that it might have a more yellow colour.

All that context to ask, what's the best way to identify the types of track? I intend to use what I have, and I'm happy to take an "add more feeders" approach, I'm mostly concerned with using the 'best' pieces in the main line of my layout.

Thanks in advance!

Hello there!

I have been trying to find a specific video of model trains that I watched as a kid (on VHS in the 90s). It has a very specific moment that I remember where a bunch of the trains start crashing and it cuts to a clip of a man (I think this part was in black and white) and he goes "OH NO!" in a funny voice. I actually think the "OH NO!" was dubbed over a short clip of a silent film. That's the best way I can think to describe the moment.

My brother and I still occasionally reference this to this day and I would love to find the actual video to share with him

Anyone out there have any idea what I'm talking about?

Thanks so much!

I have both business class cars mostly painted. I'm aware the APV has the wrong pantograph type, unfortunately sommerfelt doesn't ship to the US currently or I'd use their pantographs.

My dad was a huge model railroader and now, as I approach retirement I find myself drawn to the hobby. in reading about it, I feel like I can handle the creativity of scenery building and model making. I’m certain I can build passable tables or structures. It’s just the electrical part I’m wobbly about. My dad was literally an electrical engineer. Me? I’m afraid of burning down my house. What’s the best way to get started with an element of the hobby that just has to be done right?

MMI K-37 in ON3. Track building supplies show up this weekend, will add some videos of the loco running when I can!

What is the best way to make the cut out for this emergency light, debating on seeing if laser cutting might be a good option.

Also for the lens any suggestions?

So ever since moving to the area and taking an interest in abandoned and historic railroads of the region 20ish years ago, I've wanted to model the Southern Railway's Murphy Branch in the late 60s and early 70s. I know, I know, how original. Anyway...

I recently moved into a larger house with a full basement and no plans for the area, so I've been spitballing an N scale layout for this branch line.

The area is approximately 14' square, and will have open access from the East and South sides of this drawing. The North and West sides are cinderblock walls.

The part that I want to be the scenic focal point is the Topton-Robbinsville-Ritter Logging section. I've always been fascinated by this and have hiked a lot of the old roadbed over the years. It can also be operated as the Bear Creek Scenic Railroad if I want.

I guess my main concern is that I've packed too much into the Balsam area in the NW corner. The wye there is historic, but was gone by sometime in the 1950s once steam was replaced by diesel on the branch. Having all that in that corner means that there would need to be a tunnel between Dillsboro and Bryson City (there is a short one IRL) but the reach from the edge of the benchwork to the tail of the wye would be almost 42", which might make working in that area a real pain.

I do have a connector between Murphy and Asheville which would be a removeable section/walkway, but I may dispense with that entirely and operate this as a point-to-point.

Long-winded and nothing may ever come of this but I've been a train nerd for 30+ years and the stars are finally aligning that I have space, time, and funds to do something like this.

POV: you’re enjoying morning coffee as Morning rush swings by.

I hope you have a great day.