I was down at the hobby shop today looking over the white elephant shelf and lo behold, there's a wonderful prize there, a Lionel O-27 2-6-4 & tender with a $25 price tag on it.  I don't model O-27, but I know I could probably resell it myself for a little more than $25...and I see the engine has the special 0000 tag on it as well, which means that price tag isn't $25, this month it's more like $12.50...  I don't even really need to look, I know enough about Lionel to know this engine is not going to last long at this price.  Even so,&nb

We had a swap meet here in Tucson this weekend and I had a most wonderful time, having been away from swap meets for over a year due to my line of work.  Swap meets may be hit or miss if you're looking for something specific, but  one thing I love about swap meets is the fact that I get to see all the things I normally don't search for on Ebay.  Things like models made for other scales!

Over the past month I have been putting together my plans for rebuilding the old SASME T&SW layout into my own AT&SW layout.  I started the transition with the main peninsula first, whereas this section features the engine facilities, the freight yard, and has code 83 track. Alas, I have found the arrangement wanting, and in going back and forth between the old plans and my new arrangements I find them completely them inadequate since before the section was ever built.  In short, the overall plan lacks a power yard.

 As I wrap up the removal of what is the fourth layout I have taken down and the first layout larger than a standard room, I have encountered a variety of model railroad building practices.  Using the experiences I have gained while dismantling these projects, I shall document here a set of best practice which in my eyes provides the most economical long term advantages.  While I feel these suggestions are universal, there will be some places and some people for whom they are not ideal.  This being said, it'd be well worth taking these tips into consideration on that

Construction work ground to a halt in Tucson, AZ tonight after crews digging new utility line trenches happened across traces from prior settlements.  A team of resident researchers applied what they know to the ruins, identifying the structure as no older than 1975 but no newer than 1993 when prior construction covered this site.  Engineers and archealogists are now working with construction officials to see the scene properly excavated and hopefuly removed for preservation while keeping site preparation on schedule.

 In the year before I went away for work, my club spent a fair amount of time planning new projects and came to the conclusion that it was time to design a new layout.  Naturally, this meant the old layout would have to go, which meant it was for sale, and for a time I ignored this reality whereas I was thousands of miles away.  As the months went by there were no offers, I got to thinking that if the layout was not sold, then it would have to be torn down.  What more, sicne my tour was coming to a close and as luck would have it, I would be back in t

 As if the $300 3D printer isn't enough, there's also this:

https://imgur.com/a/BvHFD

Discussion with builder:

http://www.reddit.com/r/DIY/comments/38kv1e/in_my_high_school_engineering_class_we_were_given/

He builds model airplanes from balsa, which his 2W cutter can manage.

 I saw this picture today posted on my Facebook feed by a BNSF engineer friend.

That's a lot of coverage there...

Modeling wise, you barely even need a backdrop minus a panorama of trees from floor to ceiling...

So I've gone out and seen South Korea Proper this weekend...and I though I'd share my observations.

IN a couple of the sources I looked up, I noted that they pretty much all stated that South Korea is not that big on Model Railroading.  And after I got a good look at their system, I think I understand why.

First, THIS is a typical railroad mainline.

So last week I ran across this little gem:

http://www.solidconcepts.com/news-releases/worlds-first-3d-printed-metal...

This is the world's first 3D printed 1911 gun.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7ZYKMBDm4M

The gun is made using the metal sintering process.  They did not make a plastic part and then cast a mold, the machine welded layers of metal powder together building up the final piece.  They up to 600-1000 rounds with it now...