Price: Forever Free eREADER Edition May 2012 Kids and model railroading - Help visitors learn your layout - Trona Railway track plan - Build a diesel fuel storage tank - Single track N modules - Modeling a paper mill, part 2 and lots more, inside ... Page 1 • May 2012 MRH Front cover Front Cover: This month our cover story gives practical ways to share the joys of our favorite hobby with the next generation. M.C. Fujiwara talks about how he takes his kids’ natural fascination with trains and immerses them into the hobby. Cover photo by M. C. Fujiwara. ISSN 2152-7423 Editorial Staff Joe D. Fugate, Publisher and Editor Remember to tell Columnists our sponsors: Richard Bale, News and events “MRH sent me!” John Drye, N scale Les Halmos, Modular railroading Bruce Petrarca, DCC Special Correspondents Learn about becoming a Sponsoring Advertiser! Need something? See our Hobby Marketplace! Joe Brugger, Questions and answers Jeff Shultz, First looks Charlie Comstock, Contributing editor Production Patty Fugate, pasteup and layout Joe Brugger, copy editing Mike Dodd, copy editing Technical Assistant Jeff Shultz Advertising Account Manager Les Halmos MRH Sponsoring Advertisers get extra benefits such For more model railroading products, including hard-to-find as logo placement and banner ads on the MRH web site Published for the glory of God. items, see our Hobby Marketplace on page 54. (64,000+ audience as of Jan 2012). Click here! Page 2 • May 2012 MRH Masthead and Sponsors Page 3 • May 2012 MRH Advertisement Visit BLMA website Page 4 • May 2012 MRH Advertisement Visit ExactRail website The HO Budds are Back and Better than Before… Now with Real Metal Finish & Factory-Installed Grab Irons ALL NOW IN STOCK! • New Metal Finish Simulates Prototype’s Stainless Steel Construction • Sprung, Operating Diaphragms • Proto MAX™ Metal Knuckle Couplers • Railroad-Ready with All Grab Irons Factory-Installed • Car Number Decals • Cars Pre-Wired to Accept Snap-In Interior Lighting Kit; $74.98 • Four Popular Body Styles — Build a Realistic Consist • RP-25 Turned Metal Wheelsets Available Separately (#933-1049 DC & #933-1084 DCC) by Mixing & Matching Cars• Prototypically Accurate Window Tinting 46-Seat Coach “Pacific” Series 10-6 Sleeper 932-15102 ATSF 932-15141 Amtrak (Phase IV) 932-15101 Amtrak® (Phase IV) 932-15104 CB&Q 932-15107 RI 932-15141 Amtrak (Phase IV) 932-15144 CB&Q 932-15147 RI 932-15102 ATSF 932-15105 NYC* 932-15108 SP† 932-15142 ATSF 932-15145 NYC 932-15148 SP 932-15103 PRR 932-15106 CP 932-15143 PRR 932-15146 CP Diner Slumbercoach 24-8 Sleeper 932-15125 NYC 932-15164 CB&Q 932-15121 Amtrak (Phase IV) 932-15124 CB&Q 932-15127 RI 932-15161 Amtrak (Phase IV) 932-15164 CB&Q 932-15167 RI 932-15122 ATSF 932-15125 NYC 932-15128 SP 932-15162 ATSF 932-15165 NYC 932-15168 SP 932-15123 PRR 932-15126 CP 932-15163 PRR 932-15166 CP Don’t be left at the station — for up-to-date Walthers Passenger Car information, sign up for our E-Newsletters at http://www.walthers.com/exec/signup or visit your local hobby shop. To find a shop near you, call 1-800-487-2467 or visit walthers.com Price and availability shown were accurate at press time, for updates visit walthers.com. Preproduction models shown, details and colors may vary. CSX proprietary marks used by permission of CSX Transportation, Inc. †Union Pacific licensed product. ©2012 Wm. K. Walthers, Inc. Page 5 • May 2012 MRH Advertisement Visit Walthers website Table of Main Features contents Columns 58 Kids and Model Railroading 101 Trona Railway track plan 22 Anatomy of a DCC system Getting the youngsters involved Build this 9 x 11 shelf layout DCC Impulses by Bruce Petrarca All scales by M.C. Fujiwara HO by Bruce Petty 31 More prototypical waybills 74 Station strips 109 MRH Product showcase Getting Real Helping new enigneers find their way around Exceptional products photo gallery by Tony Thompson by Jerry Boudreaux All scales All scales 47 Modular Railroading in N Comme-N-tary 77 Building a paper mill complex– part 2 112 May Model Railroading News by David L. Salsbery Novel industry modeling techniques MRH News and events HO by Mike Confalone All scales by Richard Bale 128 The Awful Truth Reverse Running by Joe Fugate 94 Build a diesel fuel storage tank Fuel your diesels with this facility HO by Tom Patterson Other Features 8 Sectional layouts - wave of the future? 54 Hobby Marketplace Publisher’s musings by Joe Fugate Vendor ads 11 MRH Staff Notes 130 Derailments Staff changes at MRH, and more ... Humor? 14 Subscriber-only extras 16 MRH Q - A - T Bonus downloads Questions, Answers and Tips Page 6 • May 2012 MRH Table of contents - Features Click for more ... Page 7 • May 2012 MRH Advertisement Visit this website PUBLISHER’S EDITORIAL: Sectional layouts – the wave of the future? Musings from MRH’s founder About the Reader I think our current permanent bench- And there are the operational Feedback work paradigm for building layouts advantages. (click here) could stand some updating in the Publisher light of the Free-Mo movement. For years, the Layout Design SIG (ldsig. org) has promoted getting your layout y large basement layout, I wonder if a new standard of operational as soon as possible. To fur- the HO Siskiyou Line, uses designing even permanent layouts ther this, the SIG recommends “flattop a typical fill-the-room- as sectional or modular would make staging”, where the staging is a yard more sense. with-benchwork approach. that’s built on a long flat board or piece M Think about the advantages. of plywood. Because it looks kind of Recently, I’ve been thinking about like an aircraft carrier, this staging has how I would do my layout today if I I do my best work when I’m com- become known as “flattop staging”. were starting over. fortable and working at my work- bench. Why not make your layout The idea with flattop staging is you I started my layout while I was in my into portable sections that you build build a bit of layout, then put flattop 30s, and crawling under or bending at a workbench? staging at the ends so you can run over the benchwork in uncomfort- trains on and off the current bit of lay- able positions for long periods of The quality of the trackwork would Joe Fugate is the featured out you have built. The flattop staging time didn’t bother me then. go up, as would the quality of wiring. expert in many Model-Trains- represents the yet unbuilt parts of the Video.com videos, and Now that I’m in my late 50s, it’s Imagine being able to turn the layout layout. he’s also the founder and a whole different story. I look at section over and install the Tortoises™ Imagine building a couple modules publisher of Model Railroad Free-Mo modules, for example, and or turnout servos from above! Think from your layout design, and throwing Hobbyist Magazine. imagine how much more enjoyable how much easier that would be. some flattop staging on each end. working on a module “at the bench” Imagine working on fine scenic To learn more about Joe, would be. By contrast, I think of Instant operational layout! details at the workbench in comfort, click here. some sessions I’ve had in my current or installing a bridge at the bench. As you add new sections to your lay- layout room where I’ve been imitat- Much easier, and much more likely out, you just move the flattop staging ing a contortionist. Not fun! to be done well instead of done in and your layout remains operational For those who don’t know, Free-Mo haste because bending over the at all times, even while incomplete. {free-mo.org) is a module standard scene is uncomfortable. Here’s to new, more innovative ways that calls for a single-track main and What if you move? Just take the favor- to do benchwork as the hobby moves allows for a more free-form module ite parts of your layout with you! further into the 21st century. shape. Visually, it results in a more true-to-prototype looking scene Or do you have something on your as compared to the more common layout you’d like to redo? No problem, triple-track main module standard. just take out the section and rebuild it. Page 8 • May 2012 MRH Editorial Page 9 • May 2012 MRH Advertisement Visit Fast Tracks web site Page 10 • May 2012 MRH Advertisement Visit Horizon Hobby Trains website Notes from the He’s basically going into semi-retire- and editor, and Charlie was a contrib- ment to work more on his layout and uting editor. other personal projects. Charlie will What’s different this time is that Joe’s remain on the staff, but now as a con- MRH Staff hiring some new staff to take over his The five top-rated articles in the April tributing editor rather than as editor- role of website guru and advertising 2012 issue of MRH are: MRH Staff changes, Link to in-chief. Charlie will continue to do his assistant for Les Halmos. us, Finding new posts easier, popular column, Up the Creek, as well 4.7 Building a paper mill complex, pt 1 Meet our new web tech: Jimmy Simmons. MRH website tricks ... as a few other projects now and then. 4.4 Getting Real - Plans from photos If you’re a Scotty Mason podcast 4.4 Modeling the N-C-O railway, pt 2 Reader Plus you’ll still see Charlie frequent- fan, then you Feedback ing the MRH forum, or showing his 4.3 DCC Impulses - N Scale decoder installs (click here) face as at a show now and then in the probably already 4.2 Staff Notes - Whats in a layout visit MRH shirt.