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The following is a list of magazines which carry articles of interest to model railroaders. Model Railroader and Railroad Model Craftsman seem to be available in most of the hobby stores I've been to; the others depend partly on where you live and partly on how good the store is.
The bulk of the following magazine listings are from the same source as the bulk of the historical societies, with the same guarantee. The number in parentheses is the number of annual issues. Corrigenda (and reviews/summaries from readers) are always appreciated.
A reasonably good middle of the road magazine.
$23.54 for 1 year (6 issues) Inside Canada, $28.00 Outside Canada Focuses on Canadian prototypes and Canadian modellers.
3.95/20
89.- CHF/year international (add 40.- CHF for air mail)
This magazine is mostly in German, with some articles in French. It covers mainly Swiss railways (SBB/CFF and private-owned ones). It has only a small modeling section.
One year: DM 132.-; one issue DM 12.- + postage
Language: German. Around 120 pages, about 60 in colour, 40-45 on model railroading, rest on prototypes, mostly German and Central European, but almost always a section of 6-10 pages from some other part of the world. Never any track plans, but the pictures of the layouts featured are always top class.
Publication of the Bundesverbandes Deutscher Eisenbahn-Freunde e.V.
As of the February, 1992 issue, it cost 108 DM for a subscription in Germany (120 DM outside Germany). It covers model and prototype issues, with B+W and color pictures and runs about 100 pages.
3.95/1950;36.75
Published bimonthly for US$21 (US$28 Foreign) per year.
An English-language publication dedicated to LGB trains. It covers both models and prototypes, and it focuses somewhat more on US prototypes. It has color pictures, no advertising (but it does have announcements of new products), and seems to run about 50-60 pages. A one-year subscription is $24, and a two-year subscription is $44.
Buffington Publications
P.O. Box 187
Harrisburg, PA 17108-0187
A German-language publication dedicated to LGB trains and published by LGB. It covers both models and prototypes, and it focuses somewhat more on European prototypes. It has color pictures, no advertising (but it does have announcements of new products), and seems to run about 50-60 pages. A one-year subscription is $24, and a two-year subscription is $44. (It is also available outside the US directly from LGB, as I recall.)
320.- FF/year international
This magazine is in French. It covers mainly French railways (SNCF). It has a very good modeling section (how-to, detailing, electronics).
(414) 796-8776 (editorial) 1 Yr. $28.95, $34.95 Canada, $39.95 Foreign. Payable in US funds. (Canada add 7% GST to total)
8 issues a year, currently 2.40 UK pounds an issue, postal/subscription rates on application.
The best UK (in the world?) scratch builder/finescale magazine. Very well written, does not talk down, so possibly a bit daunting for beginners, superb photographs. Covers 1:43 to 1:152 scales.
Covers mainly UK prototypes, black and white photos (except very occasional colour A2[?] pictures), much of the coverage is on techniques and approach to model making, so is applicable outside UK.
One year: UK UKP 17.50; Europe UKP 24.15; US UKP 28.75
Interested in the application of prototype information to models.
UKP 2.40
One year: DM 52.- in Germany; DM 60.- in Europe; DM 70.- in the rest of the world.
Language: German. Around 50 pages, 10-15 with colour pictures, rest black and white. Mostly German subjects. About 10 pages of prototype articles, often with specific modelling advice like suitable vehicles and so on. Usually two layouts featured, one with text and pictures and one longer article of about 8 pages including a track plan.
Sample issue of the N Gauge Journal, published six times per year, available for 2 UK pounds or 5 IRCs. Editor can be reached at shillies@Bournemth.win-uk.net
The N Gauge Society produces 11 wagon kits for members.
This magazine is mostly about trains made to run on 3-rail tinplate track, such as Lionel, K-Line, Weaver, and Williams. It contains less material about 2-rail scale trains.
0 Scale News is the magazine among 0 scale modelers.
Interurban Press,
POB 250280,
Glendale, Ca., 91225
818-240-9130
1 yr is $22 to US addresses, $25 outside the US 2 yrs is $41 to US addressed, $47 outside the US
1 yr is $39 2nd class, $61 1st class to US addresses $47 2nd class, $66 1st class to outside the US
1 yr. $25, 2 yrs. $47, 3 yrs. $67, Canada add $6/year, foreign $8/year
Deals exclusively with real railroads, both contemporary (the main emphasis) and historical.
1 Yr. $28.95, 2 Yrs. $55 3 Yrs. $78 Extra postage: Canada $17.75 Mexico $18.50 Europe and South America $36.15 Central America $26.20 All other foreign countries $46.20.
I have seen advertisements in various model railroad magazines for comprehensive indexes. Some of these indexes use a data base program while others are just a published list based on subject matter. Does anyone have any information or recommendations about which indexes are best, where indexes can be obtained, and cost of indexes?
When somebody here on the net offered to sell individual issues of Trains from the 1940s on, I wrote to Kalmbach and got them to send me printed copies of their annual indices - I probably sent them a little money, but not much more than postage. It was a little tedious looking through 50+ pages of fine print after a while, but I did manage to select magazines based on the index.
Note: there are many books dealing with railroading, both model and prototype, historical and contemporary, various regions, etc., and we simply don't have space for an exhaustive list. I'd like this to be a short (~20 entries) list of basic books to get somebody started. A one paragraph review would be most helpful.
This is a large (coffee table size) softbound book with a blue cover. They publish a Diesel locomotive companion as well. You should be able to find this book advertised in Model Railroader or in a hobby shop with an interest in model railroading. A good book with photos and drawings (most of which are in HO scale).
This is an excellent softcover book which introduces you to the issues involved in trying to design your own layout. It discusses enough of prototype railroading to explain why certain track configurations are common, and how you can incorporate compressed versions in your layout. This has been widely recommended by many people and should be considered a must-read for somebody setting out to build a layout.
Don Frozina at (805)949-6107
Meetings: every Friday night at 7:30 pm
c/o Derrick Brashear
5115 Margaret Morrison Street
Box No. 836
Pittsburgh, Pa 15213
or
c/o Jason Togyer
Box 1376
1060 Morewood Avenue
Pittsburgh, Pa, 15213
The Purdue Railroad Club is a Purdue University student organization for Purdue students, staff, and faculty with a recreational interest in railroads or model railroading. Club activities include "railfanning" and the construction and operation of an HO scale model railroad layout. The public is welcome to visit the club anytime it is open (usually Friday and Saturday nights, when school is in session). Direct any questions via Email to "prrc@sage.cc.purdue.edu". A brief listing of upcoming club events can be viewed by using the UNIX "finger" command at this same computer address.
The NEB&W is set in September 1950, and features scenes duplicated from acutal railroads. It is based on the Rutland and the Delaware & Hudson railroads, and follows a fictitious route from Try, NY to the Canadian border. All scenery, structures, and rolling stock is constructed from prototype pictures, and is accurate for 1950.
The NEB&W is open to the public year-round on Fridays and Saturdays, 10 AM - 4 PM. There is a $3/person admission fee. Due to the height of the layout and the prototypical speeds and operation, it is not recommended for children under 12 or anyone interested in toy trains.
For directions, call the club's answering machine at: 518-276-2764.
The Rensselaer Model Railroad Society is a non-profit organization funded in part by the Renssealer Student Union.
Purpose: Promoting garden railroading as a family hobby.
Meetings: Monthly, usually at various members' homes.
Publishes Historical Model Railway Journal four times a year plus a newsletter. Has a large collections of archives, photos and drawings, copies are available to members. Now involved in building its own headquarters at Butterley, Derbyshire where artefacts and models can be put on display to the public.
Has recently taken over the PC range of transfers (decals) and has developed a catalogue program for photographs.
The NEM standards come in only two languages: French and German. This is so because the MOROP's (the European NMRA) only official languages are French and German. In Europe, one can get the full set of NEM standards by sending 19.-- CHF (Swiss Francs) to the Swiss Postal Account 90-13498-8 in St. Gallen, Switzerland; and indicating which language version one would like to get. Within Switzerland, it costs only 16.-- CHF. Outside of Europe, send a request (specifying which language you want) to:
Hans Hug
Ebnetstrasse, 29
CH-9100 Herisau
Switzerland
together with a 19.-- Swiss Francs cheque (only Swiss Francs are accepted and credit cards are not accepted).
NMRA, Inc.
Headquarters Office
4121 Cromwell Rd.
Chattanooga, TN 37421
(615)892-2846
Jim FitzGerald, editor
NTRAK
2424 Alturas Rd.
Atascadero, CA 93422
(805)466-1758
A number of private (mostly volunteer) groups exist to help exchange historical information about railroading. Most, but not all, of these clubs deal with defunct railroads, although many include information about successor lines. Note that many of these organizations are run on a shoestring and thus may have moved or ceased operation since I last wrote to them. Also, if you write to ask for specific information it is considered good form to either join the club or at least send a small donation - the person answering your letter isn't getting paid to do so.
The following listings have been sent to me recently and thus are more likely to still be valid by the time you read this.
Note: Each year Model Railroader includes an extensive list of railroad historical societies in the February issue. It is bound to be at least as accurate as the listings below, so get a copy if at all possible.
Our (almost) quarterly magazine is called Flags, Diamonds, and Statues. This group focuses on railroads serving the anthracite coal mining region of northeast Pennsylvania, with emphasis on:
Santa Fe Modelers' Organization,
1704 Valley Ridge Road, Norman, Ok., 73072
Publishes the CARIBOU, for $12/year ( 4 issues)
Publishes Branchline, Canada's Rail Newsmagazine, 11 times a year. It contains news, features, and numerous photographs of railway activities in Canada, both present and past. In either 24 or 28 pages, it also contains articles from former railroaders on "life as it was". On a monthly basis, Branchline details changes in the motive power of Canada's railways, as well as VIA passenger rolling stock. It provides a monthly update to the Canadian Trackside Guide (see below). Changes in Canadian railway lines are detailed with up-to-date decisions on abandonments from the National Transportation Agency (NTA).
Subscriptions are $32.00 for one year. For U.S. deliveries, US funds are requested. Overseas, please write for prices.
The BRS also publishes the Canadian Trackside Guide, the only comprehensive guide to Canadian railways. The 1993 edition is now sold out. The 1994 edition will be available mid-March 1994. Now in its twelfth edition, it contains 520 pages, providing full and accurate up-to-date listings of:
The Canadian Trackside Guide is available at $15.95 plus $2.00 shipping and handling, plus $1.26 GST when shipped to a Canadian address (total of $19.21), from the Bytown Railway Society, P.O. Box 141, Station A, Ottawa Ontario, K1N 8V1. For orders to the U.S., we ask for payments in US funds of 17.95.
Further information is available from ad460@freenet.carleton.ca
RD #1, Box 295, (in USA)
Alum Bank, Pa., 15521-9658
$30 for six issues of Canadian Rail.
Conrail Historical Society
POB 1019,
St. Johns, Az., 85936
Publishes CP Tracks 4 times a year $15 to Canadian addresses, $17.50 to US addresses, $20 everywhere [else.]
It's a fairly new society (2nd or 3rd year) and has a nice monthly
Bulletin.
$15.00 Regular
12.50 Employee (of D&H Soo or CP Rail)
20.00 Family
17.50 Employee Family
50.00 Corporate
Membership dues are $18/year. Publishes a semi-annual magazine called The Diamond and a quarterly newsletter called the extra board. It also encompasses the Erie and DL&W roads.
(originally the Fraternal Order of Empire Builders)
Dues $15/20 year, back issues about $2.50 each.
Publishes The Mainstreeter magazine, a 32+ page quarterly magazine. Articles cover locomotives, freight and passenger equipment, operations, personal stories, models, and memorabilia.
Publishes a calendar illustrated with NP photographs and highlighted with the dates of many important events in NP history.
The NPRHA holds an ANNUAL CONVENTION at an important point along the line.
The Association also produces original video tapes and color slide sets and offers a variety of clothing, hats, and other souvenir items. The video tapes show and discuss the operations of the NP using the experiences of veteran NP workers and historic films, photographs, and documents. All of those items are available from our Company Store.
Regular association dues are $17.00 per year, with Sustaining Memberships available at $32.00 (includes 1st class postage and a contribution to the work of NPRHA). NP Veterans are eligible for the special rate of $10.00 per year, with full membership privileges. Members receive four quarterly issues of The Mainstreeter Magazine and an NPRHA calendar. The calendar reproduces historic photographs and shows significant events in NP history. Calendars are available separately.
They publish The Keystone quarterly, an excellent glossy magazine. Magazine subscription only: $20/year, $25/year for Sustaining Membership, $50/year for Contributing Membership. $10/year extra postage to foreign countries. Back issues available. They also offer a photo list (although the turnaround is excruciatingly slow) and have produced helpful and well-researched answers to several questions I've asked.
$15/yr dues: quarterly newsletter, annual digest, single page calendar regional and annual meetings, drawing service.
Southern Railway Historical Association
POB 33,
Spencer, NC., 28159
(Three Rivers area [Allegheny, Monongahela & Ohio Rivers])
Chartered 1941. Publishes Rail & Transit monthly, a 16 page magazine of prototype mainline and transit news, historical articles and occasionally including(as insert) a more in-depth Bulletin on a particular subject. No photos except front and back cover.
Membership dues, which include subscription to Rail & Transit, are: Canada - $29.00 USA/Overseas - $32.00 Student(<=17) - $19.00
Monthly meetings are also held, usually in Toronto.
The Editor of Upper Canada Railway Society's Rail & Transit is Pat Scrimgeour, and he can be reached through Compuserve at 70613,362
Can you give an overview of the european model railway industry?
LILIPUT produces highly-detailed models of European steam locomotives and other epoch II rolling stock in HO scale.
ROCO (Salzburg) is one of Europe's most important manufacturers. Roco produces in 0, HO, HOe and N scale.
In 0 there is only a track system.
In HO Roco brings us a wide variety of rolling material from the whole Europe. These highly detailed plastic models, mostly in exact 1/87 scale, are available for both DC and AC systems. Some of the best known Roco HO models are the German Diesel TEE, the Swiss Crocodile and the Swiss locomotive 2000. The rail system Roco-Line with ballast is one of the most prototypical ones on the market. In HOe there are models of the Austrian Mariazellerbahn.
In N there are not as many models, but also of interesting prototypes. In the past Roco produced for the US market. I don't know if this is still the case.
HOBBYTRAIN is a manufacturer of models in N scale.
HORNBY produces a range of both steam and diesel prototypes. Has a reputation of being towards the toy end of the market. Though some of the latest models are better. Also produce a range of Thomas the Tank Engine models.
WRENN These are die cast models produced from moulds originally made by Hornby DoubleO. Mostly steam outline. Has recently been sold, again, and production is due to start up again late summer 1994.
DAPOL Took over the moulds of both Airfix and Mainline, and now produce a range which incorporates models from both ranges.
REPLICA Originally was marketing models produced by Bachmann from the Mainline moulds. Once Bachmann realised what the market was they withdrew their support and Replica were left without a range. They have now found some to manufacture for them, and by all accounts, the first of these new models (a BR Mk1 Full Brake) is as good as any continental manufacturer.
GRAHAM FARISH Produce the only N gauge RTR models available apart from a few by Minitrix.
BEMO is a specialist for HOm meter gauge railways. Most of the models are reproductions of Swiss prototypes.
BRAWA (Waiblingen) builds additional material for building landscapes and towns, but also models of small German shunting engines in HO scale.
FLEISCHMANN (Nuernberg) produces model railways in HO and N scales for the 2-rail DC system.
The HO models were first in 1/85 scale, but today the standard scale 1/87 is used. Long coaches are reduced to 1/92 or 1/100. Fleischmann uses lighter colors than the original. The Fleischmann program is mostly for the central European market. There are old Prussian models and a beautiful ICE. The track system `Profi-Gleis' is with integrated ballast.
In scale N, most of the HO program is repeated. There is a ballasted track system as well. Fleischmann's digital system is called FMZ.
LEHMANN builds the large, weatherproof L.G.B. models in 2m scale.
MAERKLIN (Goeppingen) produces model railways in the scales 1, HO and Z. The 1 models are expensive and robust, made of plastic and metal. There are some German steam, diesel and electric locomotives and the Swiss Crocodile. All Maerklin 1 engines will operate on 2 rail AC, and most can also be operated on either AC, DC or digital systems, so you can run them on any layout with 45 mm gauge, provided the curve radius is at least 1 m. There is also a 1 track system and an overhead wire system with German and Swiss pylons.
The HO models are produced for the 3-rail AC system. They are made of die-cast metal or plastic, and some of them tin plate. Most models are reproductions of central European prototypes, but there is also the US Diesel engine EMD F7 with US freight wagons. Other prominent models are the Kruckenberg rail-Zeppelin and the ICE. For the epoch I, there are some nice models of prototypes from Wuerttemberg. Long coaches are reduced to 1:100 scale.
Under the name HAMO, Maerklin produces models for the 2-rail DC system. There are two track systems for the 3-rail AC system: the M tracks, made of sheet metal, and the K tracks, with profile rails and plastic sleepers. Maerklin also produces an overhead wire system for HO.
The Z models are (nearly) the only ones of this small scale. These models are copies of German, Swiss and American prototypes. A track and overhead wire system completes the program.
The Maerklin digital system is available for all scales.
PIKO (Sonneberg), founded in the GDR, is a manufacturer of HO models from East German prototypes.
RAILEX is a small-series manufacturer of brass models in Z and N scale. The N scale ones are marketed by Arnold.
SACHSENMODELLE (Oybin) produces models of European, mainly German with a slight emphasis on ex-DDR, prototypes in HO scale. There is a model of the famous Soviet sleeping car.
SOMMERFELDT produces the most complete, complicated and prototypical overhead wire systems for HO, HOm and N, for most European railways.
TRIX (Nuernberg) produces model railways in HO and N scale.
In HO there are models for the exotic Trix-Express system (3-rail DC) and for the 2-rail DC system. Trix has some old Bavarian models.
The N scale is more important. Prototypes are German and French. Trix produces the third digital system, SelecTrix.
ZEUKE (Berlin) is the only manufacturer of model railways in TT scale, mostly reductions of GDR prototypes.
BUSCH, FALLER, HEKI, NOCH, POLA and VOLLMER are important producers of houses, landscape material, electric equipment and other accessories for all scales.
RIVAROSSI is a manufacturer of HO models from US prototypes.
There are many manufacturers of very expensive small-series brass models in 1, 1m, 0, 0m, HO and HOm scales. FULGUREX and LEMACO are the best known.
A boomer is (was) any transient RR worker. At one time, there were more jobs than skilled railroaders, especially in times of "boom"ing traffic (wheat harvest, etc) or a local boom, say due to a mine opening. Some men travelled, habitually, from road to road. They were a figure of some romance, and figured popularly in RR fiction. One could have boomer operators, boomer conductors, boomer anythings.
A craftsman kit implies that more time (and perhaps skill/experience) is needed to assemble the kit. They often include parts made of wood, metal, plaster, and paper/cardstock in addition to plastic, requiring knowledge of what adhesives should be used for different materials.
The benefit of this extra work is that the model typically looks much more realistic and detailed if properly assembled; such kits are often made in small runs and correspond to a specific prototype rather than simply giving a general impression. Many structures are available as craftsman kits in addition to models of rolling stock, with Westerfield being probably the best known supplier of cars in HO scale.
The frog is the part where the curved rail for the diverging line crosses the straight rail for the straight ahead move. (I tried drawing a diagram - didn't work in ASCII!) In Australia (and the UK) it is more usually referred to as the 'crossing'.
The frog number simply refers to how sharply the diverging line is diverging. For all practical purposes, you can consider it as the number of inches it takes for the diverging rail (at the frog) to diverge one inch from the straight rail. So a #4 frog takes 4 inches to diverge 1 inch, and is sharper than a #6 frog which takes 6 inches.
...
A frog is the 'center part' of a switch where the diverging rails cross. The frog number is a ratio of the length to width of the frog. A #4 frog is 4 times as long as it is wide. With a little bit of geometry you can figure the angle of the frog. A #4=14.36 degrees, a #6=9.56, a #8=7.187, and a #10=5.73 degrees. As you can see a #4 is a sharp turnout.
...
This table is taken from Track Planning for Realistic Operation by John Armstrong. This book has been recommended as a source book for operation and planning basics for modeling. Since one of the goals of the book is to design and layout a model railroad there are a lot of details needed for drawing a plan in detail.
Turnout Angle N scale HO scale S scale
O scale
Frog. No. Degree
4 14.25 15 3/4" 29" 39" 53"
4 1/2 * 12.5 36"
5 11.4 24" 44" 60" 80"
6 9.5 30" 56" 76" 102"
8 7.15 60" 110" 150" 200"
*Atlas "No. 4" HO Custom-Line turnout is actually a No. 4 1/2
(The following paragraph is describing a diagram which I could not reproduce.)
The curved leg of a standardized railroad turnout is not of uniform radius. A
short section through the frog is made straight to improve the action of the
wheels at that critical point and to allow the same frog to be used in right
and left-hand turnouts alike. The switchpoint is not shaped to a perfect curve
because that would make it impracticable long, slender, and fragile. For any
standard turnout there is an equivalent substitution radius, as shown in the
diagram, which can be substituted for the actual rail location in fitting the
turnout into a section of curve. Approximate values for substitution radii are
given in the table above.
Gauge is the distance between the inside faces of the two rails of a railroad. In the US, most of Europe, and most of the British Commonwealth, the normal or standard gauge is 4'8.5" (1.435 meter). Common smaller gauges in the US are 3' and 2', while in Europe one finds 1.0 meter as well as 0.75 meter.
This a plaster product commonly used for creating terrain. The easiest sources seem to be model railroad stores, since I've yet to find a building supply store that has any idea what I want. The advantage of hydrocal is that it is very strong once it sets up, as opposed to plaster which needs something underneath it to support it even after it dries. Hydrocal needs support while setting but cardboard strips do just fine. Regular plaster requires chicken wire and wood supports for shaping - it's a lot more work, and a lot more weight.
Kitbashing refers to starting with one or more commercial kits but assembling the pieces in a different fashion, often adding other material or recutting the original pieces.
To specify a model railroad's scale, one uses "designations". Unfortunately, these designations do not have a universal meaning (and some even changed over time). The most common ones and their most accepted meanings are given in the following table (NEM is the European model railroad standards body):
Designation US NEM Others
Z 1/220 1/220
N 1/160 1/160 UK: 1:148
TT 1/120 1/120
HO 1/87.1 1/87 US: 3.5 mm per foot -> 1/87.1
OO 1/76 UK: 4.0 mm per foot -> 1/76.2
S 1/64 1/64
O 1/48 1/45 1/43.5 also (see next question)
I 1/32 1/32
II 1/22.5 1/24 also (see next question)
G 1/22.5 1/24 also (see next question)
When a model railroad models a non-standard gauge prototype railroad, one can
indicate it by appending a "postfix" to these designations. Sad enough, there
are (at least) two types of such postfixes.In the US, the postfix is made up of a lower case "n" followed by the prototype gauge expressed in feet. Thus, an Sn3 model railroad models a prototype railroad with rails 3 feet apart at a 1/64 scale.
In Europe, NEM gathers prototype gauges together in 4 categories: normal gauges (1.25 to 1.70 meter), metric gauges (0.85 to 1.25 meter), narrow gauges (0.65 to 0.85 meter), and industrial gauges (0.40 to 0.65 meter). Each non-normal category has its own designation postfix: "m" for metric, "e" for narrow, and "i" for industrial. Thus, an H0m model railroad models a prototype railroad with a gauge between 0.85 and 1.25 meter at a 1/87 scale. The idea is that as one goes down to a narrower gauge, one uses the next smaller scale's track. For example: H0m track is in fact TT track, while H0e track is N track.
British N scale is, in fact, 1:148, not 1:152. The 1:152 scale (2mm/ft) is used by the "2mm Scale Association", which pre-dates N, and is a scratch builder/advanced kit builder scale, with fine track standards (eg. code 40 rail, 9.42mm track gauge).
There are several types of frogs that "move". Some model (and some real) frogs have moving wing rails that actually close the gap for the opposite route, reducing wheel "bounce" and thus reducing frog wear. In model railroading, the old "Tru-Scale" turnouts have this type of frog.
...
The slim switches by Maerklin for the K track system (HO central conductor, AC) also have moving frogs. And from Fleischmann there are switches with moving frogs coming in 1993 (for Profi track, HO 2-rail DC).
At all the high speed railroads (at least TGV and ICE, I don't know about Japan) there are switches with moving frogs used, but they are very long, and they have concrete sleepers. The type used on DB high speed lines allows 250 km/h on the straight track and 160 km/h on the curved track. The model switches described above have wood sleepers and are still too short to be used on a scaled high speed line.
These are "non-revenue" cars (so-called because they are not used to service paying customers) used by the railroad for upkeep on the track, roadbed, and surrounding infrastructure. These are typically older or damaged cars no longer suitable for high-speed work. They include things such as cranes, ballast cars (converted hoppers used to spread gravel between the ties), tie cars, rail cars, etc. Since they are usually fabricated by the shop crew out of whatever is available they come in a wider range of styles than ordinary cars.
It seems that way. In the US, track has been traditionally laid to scale 5'0" gauge instead of standard. American 0 scale modelers divide into three groups, according to how they handle the discrepancy between gauge and scale:
What's more is that there have been changes over time. A very similar problem is encountered by G scale (II scale in Europe) modelers.
It has several meanings, but typically refers to real-world trains (in contrast to scale models of them). Also called 12"-to-the-foot. However, it can also mean the first item in a series, which meaning is often applied to equipment built as tests by real railroads.
A rerail-frog is a kind of a metal ramp thing that is used to help re-rail a car or engine that has gone off the track but not wandered too far away or overturned. It is temporarily spiked, wedged or clamped next to the rail at the wheel that needs to be lifted back over the rail and then the car is pushed or pulled by the engine to get the wheel to ride up over the ramp and back onto the track.
Typically in branch line service you would see these dangling from the sides of the tender along with some chains or cables. More tools including jacks, levers, wrenches for splice bolts and so on might be kept in the caboose or stashed on the engine.
Abbreviation for "ready to run," indicating that the model can be removed from the box and placed directly on the tracks without any assembly, and usually without painting or lettering.
Scale is the proportion which the model bears to the prototype. For example, an 87 feet platform will be represented by a 1 foot long model platform in 1/87 scale.
Scratchbuilt usually means starting with wood, cardboard, plastic, or other basic materials and then designing and cutting all of the necessary pieces.
"Shake the box" is a slightly derogatory term describing a kit so simple to assemble that all you need to do is shake the box and it is finished. (Actual assembly usually takes 30-60 minutes and requires only a knife, plastic glue, tweezers and a small screwdriver.) This ease of assembly usually indicates that there is a lower level of detail, but also makes the kits less expensive and allow you to build up a large fleet in a reasonable amount of time. Athearn freight cars are an example of a good quality kit of this type.
The term as used in model railroading refers to streetcars, trolleys, and electric-powered interurban lines. They usually contain very tight curves and overhead wiring (functional in some cases) in an urban setting.
>From Railway Track and Maintenance: A Manual of Maintenance-of-Way and Structures by E.E.R. Tratman, McGraw-Hill Book Company, Inc., 1926, p. 342 [formerly published under the title of Railway Track and Track Work], quoted here without permission:
Turnouts - Where a train is to be diverted from one track to another, a turnout is installed, which is essentially a curve connecting two parallel or diverging tracks. This curve, however, is composed of three principal parts: (1) a switch, consisting of two movable rails to direct the train onto one track or the other, as desired; (2) a frog to allow the whaeel flanges to pass the intersection of the rails; and (3) rails, known as lead rails, connecting the frog with the switch rails.
A hatch or cover used to cover up or close off the normal ventilation for oil-coolers, air-coolers or excess fan/radiator area for extreme cold weather.
A freight car carrying people. Living rough, in the car. Could be emigrants heading west, or ranch hands accompanying a shipment of cattle, or.... In first case, could have animals in the car with them.