Model Forum / General / Railroads / December 2007

I used to have a link to a web page that gave dimension scales for
ties and spacing. I can't find where I left it so my question is; is
there a rule of thumb for tie spacing? My rough guestimates suggests
spacing them 1.5 times the tie width.

How does Shinohara track and switches compare to others--N scale?

My Lionel Polar Express locomotive and tender have had some quirks since
unboxing it last Christmas.
You have to take the throttle nearly to 100% to get the locomotive to move.  
Sometimes a gentle push is needed to get it going.  My 6 year old loves

I bought over E-bay a Bachmann 60603 DCC-Equipped GE 70 Ton Diesel
Locomotive, but I have not receive a DCC suported CV.
Can anyone post me a suported CV and  range of  them ( min - max.)
http://www.bachmann.co.uk/prod1.php4?prod_selected=americanho&prod=14

As with the Escalade hybrid and the Chevrolet Tahoe hybrid (which we
recently tested and generally enjoyed), the Silverado hybrid is a full
(two-mode) hybrid. As such, it is able to get on with electric power--
up to 30 mph--or gasoline or a combination of both. In the interest of

Hi everyone.  This is my first posting here, since I'm just getting back
into  model railroading after almost 30 years.
Anyway, I put together this little Christmas village train video in case
you want to take a look:

I'm thinking about buying a new Broadway Limited Blueline Alco FA/FB (model
BLI-5123).  Am I correct in understanding that the DC sounds will work even
though I am running a Digitrax DCC system on my layout?
The manufacturer recommends the DN143IP decoder (I'm planning to stick ...

"During the mid-to-late 1950s...Lionel sales were plummeting [and the
company] needed to come up with something to try and reinvigorate the
interest of the train-buying public..."
eBay Historical Review: http://301url.com/SuperO

These seem to be out of production, or at least I can no longer find 'em in
the Walthers catalog. Anybody got a source for these or a similar product?
Old hobby shop stock or whatever?
The darn things work quite well, which is more than I can say for anything

And, while I'm at it, is the Glasgow show in February worth a day out?   I
can currently get a Bristol/Glasgow "day return" on Easyjet (on the Friday)
for just under GBP50 so I'm tempted.

Does anyone know if scrap aluminum is shipped in open gondolas like
scrap steel is?

Would I be correct in thinking the Hornby version has now superseded the
Bachmann version or are they models of two different diagrams?
(kim)

Clover House, a manufacturer of steam-era dry transfer lettering for freight
and passenger cars, is for sale.
From their latest Catalog #12, available on-line at
http://www.cloverhouse.com/:

Having been an HO modeler for years I have little knowledge of the
larger scales. I'm trying to get a train model layout in a larger
scale for my aging father who is visually impaired. So HO scale is
out. The scales I've seen are often seen running along the cielings of