The Second Rule Of Model Train Layouts

(And it's totally HO, not H0, duh.)

model train hotel room

oh Japan, of course you'd have an over-priced hotel room with a model train... it looks like all pretty boring store-bought stuff (albeit Japanese prototype of course, so outside of my area of expertise) - can't even make out if it's HO or N scale from the pic...

new NMRA logo

loving the new National Model Railroad Association logo though it does feel like it's following the current graphic design fads too much to be timeless enough:

Old logo:

::cringe::

Cyanide & Happiness @ Explosm.net
HO-scale maybe? Also, OUCH!!!

Wii Nunchuck N-Scale Model Train Control

SWEET (detailed writeup) [via Hack a Day]

smallest working model railroad?

more[via Hack-a-Day]

train photo of the day

2009-6-6 Keith's HO scale model RR

new free online model railroad magazine

FINALLY!! Model Railroad Hobbyist magazine

Philidelphia Bethlehem & New England RR

handy site of info on a RR I'm interested in modeling to some degree (proto-lance?)

2009-6-6 Keith Opp Session - Model Trains only

until I get permission to post the people shots just model trains:

Starting to think I should get one of these usb-interfaces for my model railroad so I can automate parts of the operations with some of these programs

rambling Springfield train show post none of you care about

This model has had a funny path: it came into the Acton train store in a collection, I bought it, then swapped it with Bill for a similar model (that currently resides in my basement in pieces), then Bill sold it at the white elephant table this winter, and this dealer bought it, marked the price up $10 and is now selling it (only a $10 profit??? sheesh).

 

Finally joined the Conrail Historical Society, and they had the Conrail Commodities book I'd been looking for at $10 off - yay.

I can't wait for these new Atlas models to come out:

The GenSet loco and bulkhead flat are gonna be Trainman units too!!!

And even cooler, they're coming out with a gon cover that is PERFECT for a bunch of my steel mill cars:

The Haul:

Best find? hard to say, but some criminal deals like a $125 Spanish import model of the Talgo for $60 or a D&H loco half price or a beautiful custom-modified box car-wood chip gon or the practical like a nifty mini-collet for using mini drill bits in a standard drill, or the Japanese commuter coach that makes a nice stand in for the MBTA Kawasaki bi-level cars, or...

super cool service that will do 3D printing for you - great for custom parts for hacking/modding, and oh, I don't know, model railroading perhaps...