How To's and Layout Planning,

 

These are some tips and tricks as well as information you can use to make your layout ever more spectacular and hopefully make the hobby more enjoyable. I have attempted to group them into related groups. That doesn't mean you won't find a related site in another area.

 

Topic Placement
Scenery and Scenicing
Tracks, Tracklaying and Turnouts
Layouts and Layout Planning
Benchwork, Construction and Lighting
Modeling and Weathering
Couplers and Coupling
Electronics
DCC
Operations
General How-To Pages

 

Last updated 5/17/08
How To
Scenery and Scenicing
Landscape demo module 1 Make a Rushing Stream
Landscape demo module 2 Making a Cardboard Party Balloon Pond
Landscape demo module 3 Creating Realistic Water Effects by Dana Geraths
Making an Eroded Field, Faux Fur Grass as Individual Tufts Knarly Miniature Modeling Tree Materials & Tutorial
Faux Fur Grass for Realistic Scenery Sagebrush Tree Tutorial
Faux Fur Grass - Further Adventures Making Pine-Spruce-Cedar Trees
ARK-LA-TEX CLUB Portable MODULAR SCENERY Noobie with a Tree Tutorial - Zealot Hobby Forum
Enlarging, Reducing, and Scaling Paper Models PLUS a semi-secret Enlargement Chart Scratchbuilders Guild Making detailed oaks and maples
Backdrops and Backdrop Painting Cheap but Nice Looking Deciduous Trees
Easy Ceiling Tile Rockfaces Making Polyfiber Bushes and Other Tales
Free Paper Models from FreePaperToys.com Using Common Paver Sand for On30 Ground Cover
Scratchbuilding N-Scale Chain Link Fences Making an On30 Stream Spanning Trestle
Roads Make Realistic Weathered Wood
Lots of How-To articles 10 Ways to Model Water
   
Tracks, Tracklaying and Turnouts
manual turnout actuation Hand Laid Track
Manual Turnout (rod)Throws Fast Tracks Handlaid Tracks
Manual Switch Throws Turnout Clinic
Easly installed Flex Track # Hump Yard Purveyance
Build your own Turntable with SimplyTrains Track Checker Car
HOW TOs Scratch Built an HO Turntable Hand Laying the Track
Hand Laying Stub Switches Automated Track Inspection Car #
Layouts and Layout Planning
Layout Design Primer Layout Plans @ Fotopic.Net
Mike's Small Trackplans Page Operational Switching Plans
More N Scale Shelf Layouts Micro Layouts for Model Railroads
An MLMR Clinic small track plan HO Scale Shelf Layouts
Doorway Layouts for HO Scale Track Easy-to-Build HO Layouts
General Info & Tips From Start to Finish Steve's Page on Track Planning For Operation
Model Train Articles - Gateway NMRA Model Railoader Layout Database
Model Your Layout Before you Build It Mini Layout Track Plans
Gateway Division NMRA - Small Model Railroad Layouts  
Benchwork, Construction and Lighting
Steve's Page on L-Girder Construction Building The Benchwork
The Gauge - Will annand Foam Risers Lighting the 4x8 On30 Layout
How to Build a Waffle Module Liftouts and Lift Bridges
End Plates - How to Make Them  
Modeling and Weathering
MODELING TECHNIQUES Fayle's Model RR & Figure Painting
Weathering Atlas Code 100 Track Fastpainting Figures
Making Plastic Look Like Weathered Wood Casting Miniatures
Hirst Arts Mold Making Page Articles on Applying Decals
Homemade tools Model Trains Weathered
IGS Hansa - North American Intermodal Container Paper Templates (German) HO Scale, but can be resized. Detailing and Painting an N Scale Kato SD70M
How to paint a CB&Q GP30 in N scale - TrainBoard.com BLMA Models Tips & Tricks
Couplers and Coupling
CLOSE COUPLING Couplers
NMRA Retrucking w-Couplers NMRA Knuckle Couplers
   
Electronics
Realroad Homepage - Electronic Detailing &Controls Model Railway Electronics
One Method of Wiring Reversing Loops Automatic Reversing Circuit
Reversing Circuit 4 TCH Technology Infrared Detector Specialists
Model Railroad and Misc. Electronics  
DCC
Wiring for DCC by Allan Gartner Wire a DCC Bus in an On30 layout
Tried & True Trains Wiring for DCC by Allan Gartner
DCC Topics What is DCC
Atlas Decoder Install Atlas Decoder Lights Install
Empire Builder and the DT300 - Basics DCC - Model Railroad Digital Command Control
DCC Projects Page Basic Wiring an On30 Layout
dccuncoupling.com  
Operations
Lone Wolf and Santa Fe Railroad Operation Railroad Signalling Basics
Fast Clock - free download Timetable and Train Order Operation Basics
   
General How-To Pages
The Haggis List Model Railroading FAQ All-Gauge Model Railroading Page
Railroad Depot Site Contents Modelrailroad Technical Information
Paciic Coast Air Line Articles to Build a Layout Scale Modeling Online Clinics from HORailroad.com
The Gauge - The Academy  
The Gauge - Links for \how-to\ threads  
   

I try to keep this page up-to-date, however I am sure that there are many sites that would be useful here as well as sites that for one reason or another have closed down. If you know of a site that should be added or encounter a broken link please email me at:

Pitchswebpages@centurytel.net

Please use "Link Page - How To" in the subject line.

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