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Ask MRVP: Episode 11
Dear Mr.Popp,
I have been looking to purchase some B.T.S. Civil War era boxcar kits that are made of wood. I would like to have the doors open but how would you brace the interior so it would not look akward?
Thank you, Owen Meyer.
As always very nicely done, I wanted to say that I did try the background scenry on my layout that Cody showed and I did my layout the same and works great, thanks. I do have a question, what time frame are you’ll modeling? Good luck on the rocks. Be looking forward on the new rocks.
Great episode! Your Olympia Logging Co. layout was On30 scale, but I’ve also heard of HOn30. Could you please explain the difference?
Great video!
SMT was bought by Märklin. The large test stand has Märklin product number 78151 for H0 scale. A smaller H0 version is available as 78150. For Z scale you have product number 89931. For N scale there is Trix product number 66721.
I don’t know where to get the SMT version of the test stand, I saw one forum post from 2005 that seemed to indicate that they we taken over by Märklin but Google translate was a bit rough. Märklin has one with part number 78151 (Walthers 441-78151) for 16 wheels and RailStand has a similar one ho5208 with an added overhead wire for pantographs. Both are $330.
Hi David, thank you for the advice on taking the Charlie Chaplin walk out of my rolling stock.
David,
Since your Red Oak layout hit the pages of MR and the videos on MRVP, I have become very interested in the CB&Q and its operations, particularly around the agricultural industries of the west. I wanted to know where you guys got your information and inspiration for the Red Oak layout and where I can find the best information on the Burlington. I am a member of the Burlington Route historical society already and have found their publications very useful.
Thanks in advance for your response.
Wallis.
David, could you please explain the use of frog juicers again. I have read the docs on the Tam Valley site, but I just don’t get how a juicer will work if you have 2 turnouts against each other. Also, if you use a hex/dual juicer, what happens when a loco goes through a turnout and another loco creates a short elsewhere in the same power district? Won’t it try to switch the frog polarity under the loco that isn’t creating the short too?
Where can I find information on how to upgrade Athern PA locos. There was a Model Railroad Jornal pub. On upgrading Athern locos but it is out of print and I don’t find it on eBay. Thank you
George
Model Railroad Manufacturers are missing the boat by not offering quality, adjustable test stands in every scale.
Is there some entrepreneur with a some small machine tools in his garage or basement listening?
Hi David,
As far as I know the firm SMT Schmidt Machinentechnik, Posener Strasse 58a, D-23979 Mölln, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, Tel +4945426642.smt@rollenpruefstaende.de, Herr Reiner Schmidt is producing your SMT stand for Märklin and Trix.
Regards, Don Arnoldus, The Netherlands
May be a good alternative for the SMT test stand (in German: Rollenprüfstand) is the one of Marion Zeller: http://marion-zeller.de/
I met Marion personal a few years ago in Dortmund demonstating her test stand in the Westfalen Halle by the Intermodellbau Exhibition (this year on 20-24 April). Very recommendable.
David, one addition to your comments on the portable spray booth - PLEASE remind everyone that the filter may take the particles out of the air (or at least reduce them) but vapors from solvent based paints or alcohol fumes from certain acrylics can still be a problem. Not only are these bad for your health (hence the use of a good filter mask that is qualified for painting) but since many of us build our railroads in the basement or other nooks and crannies the fume can build up and be ignited by gas pilot lights or other sources of ignition.
David, I do believe that this latest episode number 11 was one of the best of the series so far…my question is…why do railroads not place all of their horns in the same place on diesels, they are all over the place and it seems to be railroad specific, why so different? Crew safety issues?
Great episode David, lots of great info. One question…why is there masking tape on your vacuum nozzle?
Hi all You can get the stand directly from Märklin, item number 78151, if you want.
In response to Dean’s question about the tape on the vacuum nozzle, if David’s shop vac has weathered the storms like mine has then that nozzle plastic end has cracked and the duct tape is keeping it round and usable. Nozzle ends on those flexible hoses just don’t handle being dropped and stretched by attachments very well.
David: Good suggestion regarding freight car wobble, but another reason might be that one of the wheels is not concentric on the axle. Have experienced that with “cheap” wheel sets with the wheels being all sorts of crooked on the axle and not “true” in more ways than one.
Also, while not the best solution, a model RR friend had a spray booth set up on a stool in his shower stall of his 2nd restroom, vented outside via the bathroom exhaust fan. Our kinda guy. But then he was a bachelor and that probably explains the rest of the house. 
what are your thoughts on using bachman ez track and switches on your layout