Costco stores have 4 foot twin tube LED shop lights on sale for $17.99 . They are 4000 lumens, 4000K temp ,ready to hang with plug and chains and screw hooks.  I swapped out the last of my workshop fluorescent lights with them  today and bought a couple extra  units  in case I ever want to add some more to my train room. I installed similar units in my layout room a couple of years ago and have been very happy with them. The current sale price is the lowest I've seen them over the last two years or so .....DaveB 

Every time I have to install HO scale Nut-Bolt-Washers and similar tiny things, it seems at least two out of five go flying off into oblivion, never to be found. I cut them off sprues carefully and usually manage to keep them on my worktable. But grabbing them with tweezers is usually where they go astray. QUESTION: how do you successfully manage and control NBWs and the like and get them installed where they're supposed to go? All tips welcome.

Thanks, Alex

I have a couple of double slip switches in my layout. For operating sessions, I'm thinking I should do some kind of visual quick reference on my fascia in front of the switches for people who are not familiar with the operation of one. Wondering what any of you have already done that has been helpful. I use the Peco throws built into the switch, no switch machines. Thanks.

Prototype diesel-electric locomotives use a diesel engine driving an electric generator to power DC (or more recently AC) motors wrapped around a single axle of a wheelset. The equivalent is not usually found in HO scale… until now. There is a story behind this, with a path leading in unanticipated directions. A “working” HO single axle traction motor can be built. This bit of experimental modeling starts here, but this is likely not the end of the story.