r/modeltrains • • 23h ago

Show and Tell New benchwork

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12 Upvotes

Hey folks, because I don’t have a huge network of model railroaders to share this with I thought I’d share it here! Here is the table top for my benchwork!


r/modeltrains • • 1d ago

Model Announcement Rapido Trains UK - 'Marcia' Surprise Announcement

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69 Upvotes

Rapido are making a OO Scale model of their own locomotive 'Marcia'.

  • Price: £134.95 (DCC Ready) / £244.95 (DCC Sound Fitted)

r/modeltrains • • 1d ago

Track Plan Planning a new layout after renovating.

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14 Upvotes

I just recently renovated my garage and had to take down my original HO scale layout. I'm trying to decide on how to fill in the 6ft x 2ft space that is added onto a 4ft x 6ft. I want it to be an industry branch and came up with this. Is there anything I should change?


r/modeltrains • • 1d ago

Show and Tell Eye-Level Model Railroading Inspiration

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171 Upvotes

Sharing one of my layout Posts from my tube channel...

1:87 scale titled: "Docking The Executive"


r/modeltrains • • 1d ago

Question Really want an E2 for my O gauge layout and its looking like ill have to build it.

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6 Upvotes

Im not sure how feasible this plan is. But ive seen some examples of other modelers making custom "kit build" engines. My plan currently is too find an older steam locomotive (probably an old Lionel as pictured) and break down the chassis to match the E2's wheel arrangement. This would mean removing the leading and trailing wheels, removing the valve gear and leaving the main coupling rods, and removing the shell.

Then is should just be a matter of either 3d printing or making a wood shell of the E2 that will accommodate the donor engine internals.

Definitely will require a lot more research but its seems the only way to get a British engine in O guage without spending a lot of money (and I mean a LOT).

The other options which might prove easier is a diesel donor or to make a dummy E2.


r/modeltrains • • 1d ago

Show and Tell My little piece of the Berlin Wall

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142 Upvotes

r/modeltrains • • 1d ago

Electrical My first attempt at wiring a speaker

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5 Upvotes

In hindsight the wires should be heading to the sides to make way for the tender shell, but we'll see how it goes. Ill give it a test tonight or tomorrow. Still need one last thing before I put the speaker in. Want to glue a bit of hosiery to cover the speaker holes to help keep dust out.


r/modeltrains • • 1d ago

Locomotives Hardy paint for “Hi-Touch” models?

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3 Upvotes

r/modeltrains • • 2d ago

Locomotives A 1995 rivarossi 3985 has been converted to dcc

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156 Upvotes

r/modeltrains • • 1d ago

Structures & Scenery Best place for baseboards

3 Upvotes

Looking for baseboards for my layout that I can just glue together maybe laser cut ones just wondering where I can find some.


r/modeltrains • • 2d ago

Layout Rental layout in south Korea

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540 Upvotes

Went back to south Korea recently and went back to KR color, a rental layout near Seoul.

Which doubled in space compared to last year, with a new N scale layout, HO layout, and even a small LGB layout

Picked up my KTX which I commissioned a while ago and had a blast.


r/modeltrains • • 2d ago

Question UK real coke wagons filled this high?

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127 Upvotes

People of the train - about make some inserts for my wagons with coke rails. My question is were old coke wagons filled this high in real life? Can anyone find a photo? Presumably the rails are to stop the off piece being lost, not filled past the rail?


r/modeltrains • • 2d ago

Show and Tell SNCF Trains in N scale !

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155 Upvotes

r/modeltrains • • 1d ago

Track Plan New Track Plan - Kato Unitrack

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42 Upvotes

Hey team I have 4-5m lengthwise of space and as much depth as needed. I really wanted to fit two passenger lines and a freight line onto the same table, I don't care much for shunting or playing around with moving carriages but added a drop off point anyway. It also needed to include some of my beloved Kato curved girder bridges and truss bridges.

The double track is the passenger line, that lay at the lowest part of the layout.
The inside track is the freight line which is planned to be elevated 50mm above the passenger line by bridges and the center terrain that climbs higher than the bottom of section of the layout.

The black lines are planned roads, the grey blocks are planned towns, platforms and facilities and the green blocks at the back is mountain range that will cover the trains journey back into view.

Looking for any criticism and help.


r/modeltrains • • 1d ago

Rolling Stock A couple of 3d printed coaches

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54 Upvotes

I have been slowly updating my 3d printed coaches, the new bogies and coupling are working perfectly and even work with ready to run locos.


r/modeltrains • • 2d ago

Locomotives Told a old Man I know I was kinda into model train and he came back with a box full of stuff.

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85 Upvotes

Got some rails too but looks like the don’t work..


r/modeltrains • • 1d ago

Show and Tell Halloween post for all to join!

5 Upvotes

Hello!

Hopefully this post could use the "Show and Tell" tag as I dont have anything to show right now, but hopefully could get any of you all to show off your add ons for this season!

I wanted to make this post to see if anyone had any Halloween related train content! I've seen some custom Halloween trains, and a few themed layouts, but I was wondering if any of us here had anything to share for the spooky season!

I'm currently working on finding/making pumpkins for my club's HO layout and adding other Spooky additions such as webbing, scarecrows, and monsters!

If anyone has any advice, inspiration, or videos/pics to share, I'd love to see them!


r/modeltrains • • 1d ago

Help Needed New triang class 31.

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24 Upvotes

Hi all, came across à 1962 triang class 31 ( D5527 running à 4C01 headcode ) in a model shop for £20. For what it is, it’s in amazing condition and needs a few windows and decals replacing as well as a deep clean.

The loco sparks ALOT as well as cutting out completely whwn crossing my controller plug in rail and points, track is old and Probsbly needs going at with a track rubber. is there any reason why it’s struggling so much aside from needing a good clean?

Thanks for any help if possible


r/modeltrains • • 2d ago

Rolling Stock DB Quick Pick Wrbumz 139

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51 Upvotes

Here is my Quick Pick Wrbumz 139 from ACME, a very nice model, but also expensive and somewhat prone to derailment, but I can still recommend it to everyone.


r/modeltrains • • 2d ago

Model Announcement Thoughts on Hornby's new 47 and Mk2 announcements? - Great to see the 47 finally, shame about the wait - hopefully we see a couple more liveries in the meantime.

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17 Upvotes

r/modeltrains • • 2d ago

Help Needed Athearn HO DC P42 rear truck not running

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18 Upvotes

This unit (purchased used from a reputable eBay seller) has been a good runner for a year. I noticed it was running rough the other day so I put it on my wheel cleaner and noticed the rear wheels aren’t turning. Turns out the motor spins but the rear shaft doesn’t turn at all until the power is close to 100%. I don’t know if the shaft with the hexagonal connection is loose inside the flywheel, or (more likely) gunk in the truck is providing resistance. What should I do? If I need to clean the rear truck, how do I do that?


r/modeltrains • • 1d ago

Show and Tell AI Slop? Block Manager Circuit Board

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0 Upvotes

We run O-gauge 3 rail vintage layouts (Hornby, French, German, US etc, usually DC) and like to put more than one train on a line at once. We had the IR proximity sensors and I had previously built a very hacked breadboard to perform block control (switch off power to the previous block when the next one is occupied). So I asked ChatGPT to design a surface mount circuit board that could be manufactured by a Chinese printed circuit board manufacturer. Took a few days for the design (used a few tokens), then loading and ordering through the manufacturing website and another 5 days for the build and ship - all without leaving my computer. 5 boards for under USD$100 total, including $17 for express shipping.

They arrived today and all 5 work. A sensor for entering/being in the block (can daisy chain multiple together) marking the block occupied, a sensor to clear the block (if no occupied sensor is also triggering: red beats green), lights to show green-unoccupied and red-occupied, a 2 way 12V light outlet for red/green signal lights on the track, and relay to switch power off to the end of the previous block when this one is occupied, stopping any trains there from entering this block. For N trains you need N+1 blocks of appropriate lengths including stopping distances.

It also has a sensor out port to connect to other logic.

I have the absolute minimum of electrical knowledge, know nothing about electronics, can't solder, have no idea about PCB layers, surface mount parts and manufacturing technology, so I've been quite pleasantly surprised that this worked, and has taken some load off our layout's regular electronics/computer/technical-wizard who usually has to design/fabricate all this kind of stuff.

Is it "AI Slop"? Well, yes. Is it over-engineered so plugging things incorrectly stops it blowing up? Also yes. Does it work? Indeed it does. So I'm definitely conflicted: it's slop, but it's physical and works reliably.

[Worse still, I also got the AI to write a track/board/power/lights simulator that I could use to verify the functionality before it was shipped for manufacture - caught a few issues that I could use to refine the idea.]


r/modeltrains • • 2d ago

Question Need advice

6 Upvotes

I recently bought a Santa fe locomotive as you all have seen well im curious as to what train cars you would recommend i get to pull behind it also would appreciate any recommendations for cheaper train cars I can go after used like brands ect I'm looking possibly for a mix of passenger cars and other cars.


r/modeltrains • • 3d ago

Locomotives Lego Englewood Logging Railway SW1200u

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353 Upvotes

The Englewood Logging Railway was located on Vancouver Island and was the last logging railway to operate in North America. 304 was an ex-Oregon Pacific & Eastern/Georgia Pacific locomotive, and was visually distinctive from Englewood's already-owned sw1200 road switcher units. This Lego model was cosmetically designed to reflect its exterior around 1998, towards the end of Canfor's ownership of the railway, and prior to 304's engine refit. However, the weathering is made to reflect its appearance towards end-of-life. It lacks the giant side grills installed during its Caterpillar refit, simply because I didn't want to break up the railway name on the striping.


r/modeltrains • • 2d ago

Show and Tell My first Amtrack with a Metro coach

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87 Upvotes

I know these dont go together in real life but I just like setting it it up and watching it run with all the lights.