5 comments about How to Build Realistic Model Railroad Scenery, Third Edition (Model Railroader Books).

1. I have Mr. Frary's other two editions of this book. I bought the first one years ago when I got interested in my trains again around 1982. So much had changed and I never was very good at scenery that I needed "something" to help me improve my lay-out. Mr. Frary's first edition helped me do a very credible job of building scenery on the lay-out at that time with his "water soluble method."
   
   Fast forward--after another hiatus from model trains, I came back, yet again, to my model work and read a mention somewhere that referred to this "third" edition. Like many folks, I thought this would be just an up-dated book with a few changes and maybe a new suggestion or two.
   
   WRONG! Mr. Frary has managed to put together a whole new book--new pictures, new techniques, new "everything! Wow! I don't know where to start, but I know my scenery is going to take a giant leap forward. It's still "water-soluble," but he's added all kinds of new equipment and supplies to create marvelous landscaped vistas in miniature!
   
   If you are new to model trains, if you are trying your hand at building scenery that will be the envy of your friends in the hobby, or outside the hooby, get THIS book--the third edition! Get it even if you have the first or second edition--you need this book to learn about the latest techniques in building "knock-your-eyes-out" scenery that could fool Mother Nature!
   
   Oh, and don't worry if you don't think you are "very artistic"--Mr. Frary will fix that, if you follow his instructions and advice! You might surprise yourself and have a TON of FUN!
   
   Still unsure? Look around and find his dvd on building scenery! Between this book and his dvd, I bet you become the "scenery expert" in your group of hobbyists!



2. Step by step details. Explained well by author with hands on experience. Abundant quality photographs. Many simple suggestions and hints for saving time and expenses. A must for beginners and valuable for experienced model railroaders.



3. this book was late coming but that was due to slow shipping,NOT the seller. they followed up on it when i had concerns that i hadn,t received it. it was in very good condition



4. This author has done an amazing job going through step by step on how to create realistic scale model scenery. He adds tips and tricks that helped me to build some small scale movie sets I was making. I suggest this book to anyone trying to do what the title implies. It does not go into much detail on any other model railroad facets, but for the money and subject matter, it is well worth the money.



5. Full of helpful suggestions, particularly for those who like to scratch build. Innovative use of all sorts of materials to create great scenery. Good color pictures & 'how to' steps. Plus the book names brand name items that have been used in the scenery shown, so you know what to buy & what it can do if you are after a particular effect.
   Highly recommended.

3 comments about The Dcc Guide: How to Select and Use Your Command Control System.

1. Although I'm not done reading this book and being a Virgin to DCC it has been very helpful so far and when I finally purchase I am sure it will come in handy then also.



2. Certainly helped me choose which equipment to buy. Well worthwhile buying, especially for a beginner.



3. The DCC Guide by Don Fiehmann is an outstanding publication for anyone new to DCC! The author presents a very comprehensive approach to the subject and is accompanied with excellent graphics. I have purchased various publications on the subject, but The DCC Guide is truly the best guide for the non technical model railroader.

5 comments about One Hundred and One Track Plans for Model Railroaders (Model Railroad Handbook, No. 3).

1. I used this book about 18 years ago for a very small N scale layout - 2.5' x 3' - since I lived in an apartment at the time. I have received many compliments on my layout even though it is now in the basement of my house next to my husband's O scale layout that is 17' x 9' and has been shown on home tours. As others have mentioned, the book covers how to make each of the layouts in all sorts of scales from N to O.



2. This book is an esential for planning. It would be most useful for those looking to build smaller RRs.



3. This is the BEST of the best,of model railroad plan books,you can get. All plans can easily converted to any scale,from Z to G.Just photo-copy each plan you like,clip out the parts of each plan you like,annd then draw out your layout site in scale squares,and the piece together your own dream layout!!



4. 101 Track Plans is full of great ideas that can be pieced together from the many plans to make your own unique track layout. Of course, they can also be used as shown for a quick start. Spending significant planning time on the front end can save you many hours and disappointment during the assembly phase.



5. I purchased this book back in about 1984 or so. I was getting ready to build my dream railroad, and I needed ideas.....I found loads of ideas in this book!!! I picked bits and pieces from several of the plans in this book, and combined them to come up with that dream layout!
   
   I used plan #46 The Jordan Valley RR, as the basis for my layout. However, it was too narrow, so I 'stretched' it out 2.5 feet further, making it 12' x 10.5'. I also needed a freight yard and engine facilities, so I added onto the plan on one end to include a 10' long yard and service area.
   
   I made a few other adjustments to track placement here and there also. Added in several extra industrial spurs, extended extra mainline trackage on another addition. And various other things. This was the first layout that I ever built without any sectional track. I had never used 'flex-track' before, but I did on this layout! I never knew it could be so simple! You can do so much more with 'flex' than with sectional you'd be astounded! If you're a 'sectional' user, give 'flex-track' a try....you'll love the ease of use as well as the results!
   
   Using 'flex' is like playing "connect the dots". Lay out your turnouts and crossings where they need to be, and then pencil in the connecting tracks. Once you have everything the way you want it, start the roadbed and track installation. Don't be afraid to experiment and try different things! Model railroading is fun!!!
   
   I built my 'dream layout' in 1985....and it hasn't changed much in all those years! A few minor tweaks here and there, but no major changes to the original. The only major changes have occurred in the freight yard and engine facilities, and that wasn't until last year (2008), as they had never been completely finished...all that's left to do now is some scenic work!
   
   So if you're considering build a new model railroad layout, or you're looking to tweak or modify your existing layout, grab this book for some great inspiration! You won't be disappointed in the least!!!
   
   Happy Railroading!

No comments about Dcc Projects & Applications.

5 comments about Track Planning for Realistic Operation: Prototype Railroad Concepts for Your Model Railroad (Model Railroader)(3rd Edition).

1. This is THE book if you want the details on essential layout planning issues. Period. If you are interested in model railroad layouts, you won't be able to put this down. Grades, track spacing, s-curves, basic layout shapes, siding lengths, planning for smooth operations, etc., etc..
   
   Even if you are just thinking about or planning a layout, this book is loads of fun.
   
   I do feel that this latest version has been dumbed-down a little. Some of the more technical sections have been truncated, but it is still a complete coverage. However, if you can locate an earlier edition, I recommend it.



2. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is tired of watching the train go round and round with no purpose. Chock full of information and ideas. I find myself going back time and time again to referance it. Highly recommended.



3. I don't usually take the time to do this review stuff, but I felt compelled to let others know about this book. I'm not an experienced model railroader and I have even less experience with full scale railroads, so from this beginners perspective the book is perfect. It walks the reader through the basics of very complex ideas in railroading, model or otherwise, without over simplifying or becoming dull. The concepts as John wrote them are very easy to digest, well organized and well illustrated in diagrams. It explains yards, passing tracks, time tables, curves, grades, and a long roster of other building blocks as it relates to planning, constructing and operating your model railroad empire again at a level of detail that I've yet to come across in some other books and publications I've read. Although I'd suggest this book to any railfan simply to learn more about railroading, I'd strongly suggest this book to those like myself just getting into the hobby of model railroading.



4. This is a great book on how to run and plan your next model railroad. Gives great idea's and samples of yards, train movements and point to point locations. Not just for beginers.



5. John Armstrong is one of the best known names to the model railroad hobby. He has written extensively but this book is his finest work.
   
   A person interested in railroads finds himself caught up in lots of detailed scenes and complex trackwork. Armstrong explains what it all does and why it is arranged in the way it is. He does this by explaining railroad practice in the real world and then by looking at the problems faced by the modeler. He does so in a lucid and interesting manner...for the first half of the book.
   
   While the first half of the book is dedicated to teaching about how railroads operate, the second is intended to teach how to model them effectively. He explains broad general concepts and then refines things and explains them in easy stages. He knows where the pitfalls are and he points out solutions.
   
   This is a useful book for anyone from beginner to advanced but especially the beginner.

5 comments about How To Design A Small Switching Layout.

1. Lance Mindheim presents many ideas to consider when designing and building a shelf layout. He presents the tips with straight forward diagrams and explinations.Photographs showcase some of his layouts and excellent modeling along with prototype photographs to represent ideas presented in the book.
   
   The track plan in the final chapter incorporates all the ideas and suggestions presented in the preceeding chapters. The plan highlights Lance's ideas about prototypical operations and that less track can make a small layout look more realistic. Many times modelers try to squeeze in just one more track or turnout and it detracts from the overall look of the layout. Lance also presents some basic measurements of turnouts, yard ladders, and other track configurations so that the modeler will know just how much room it will take when designing their own layout.
   
   I wish that this book had come out before I built my current layout. I could have used the information to prevent some of the problem issues that I have dealt with during construction and operation of my layout. I have fallen into many of the traps that Lance mentions in the book to avoid. I highly recommend this book to all considering building a model railroad layout. Model railroaders of all levels can learn something from this book.



2. Great book. A straight forward, easy to understand book about a subject many struggle with, designing a layout. Its easy to lay track, but to do it right and give years of satisfaction is another. Lance talks you trough the design process, illustrates pitfalls do's and don'ts in a clear way, and sets about designing a switching layout in stages so you can follow the process and understand why it's done, including alternatives.
   A great book by one of the masters of building model railroads. Recommend it highly!



3. One would think that Mr. Mindheim, a professional layout designer-builder, is trying to put himself out of business. Having published two superb track plan books that set a new standard for that genre, he has now clearly and concisely explained how to design `em yourself. For all the bloviation out there about layout design, this two-hour "read" says and shows more really useful stuff in 68 pages than you're likely to dig up in a month of web searches. As I read, I quickly came to understand why some layouts look and "feel" good and why the prototype and Mindheim use certain track configurations. Even if you have your own layout, you'll likely gain a greater understanding of your own and your colleagues' layouts and why their aesthetics and operation work the way they do, after having read this book. Although "How to Design" is a bit longer than Mindheim's previous books, it still benefits from an efficiency of language that makes a seemingly-opaque topic quite clear. This book is a very good value.



4. Being new to this hobby I plan to start with a really small layout and to that end I found this book to be extremely informative and I am learning a lot from it. The author does a great job explaining concepts and giving examples of how to do things. I only gave it four stars because this book has a somewhat "home-made" look about it. The pages are non-glossy "copier-type" paper and the color images all look like they were printer on a color laser printer. Only the cover is of the traditional glossy paper style, as seen on the books of the two main publishers of such manuals, Kalmbach and Carstens. While this approach is perfectly valid and probably yields higher profits for the author (this is after all both a hobby and a business for him), it definitely does make the book seem overpriced (in my view). I feel a retail price in the $ 12.94 - 14.95 range would have been more appropriate for this book, given the somewhat "home-made" look and slightly lower image quality.



5. I've been wanting to write this review for a couple of weeks now, but every time I pick up Lance Mindheim's "How to Design a Small Switching Layout" a new facet or idea has caught my attention--and stoked my enthusiasm.
   Every design work is a reflection of its author's philosophy, and Lance's philosophy provides a refreshing note of simplicity and practicality at a time when most layout design books focus on huge, gadget-filled plans. Indeed, one of the thngs that makes this 72-page softcover compendium not only enjoyable but significant is Lance's ability to empower the modeler whose space, budget, skills and available time place him or her in the 'average' category. This is a welcome and much-needed bit of validation for those of us who don't have a gymnasium and a trust fund to devote to our hobby.
   Don't dismiss this as a 'beginner's book' (although a beginning modeler could use it to good effect). This reviewer has been a model railroader for many years and designed literally hundreds of layouts, and I keep finding ideas and insights in this book which are changing the way I view model railroad design.
   Over the course of the book, Lance takes the reader step by step through the design of the Union Belt Line, an L-shaped switching layout which illustrates his principles. If you're feeling a little intimidated at the thought of doing your own original design, this layout (or one of the two bonus plans included with it) can be built verbatim from the book--and it looks like it would be a very practical, feasible and enjoyable railroad when it's done.
   Even if you've got a gymnasium and trust fund to devote to the hobby, get this book and assimilate what Lance Mindheim has to say about cramming too much onto the layout, track spacing for mainlines and yards, making many design decisions before you ever pick up a pencil, the ratio of track and industries to scenery, engineering for maximum efficiency, and lots of other design principles which are applicable to all scales, sizes and types of layouts. Your next model railroad will benefit from the knowledge.

5 comments about Easy Model Railroad Wiring, Second Edition (Model Railroader).

1. This is a must have book for any model railroader. It is well researched and I have recommended it to others. It will help you with electrical wiring problems you encounter on you railroad layout or keep you from making mistakes. Thanks again Andy on helping to revive my 35 year old Mantua 0-4-0.



2. I'm just getting started on my first non-oval layout and this book is invaluable. Contains all the basics and stuff you'll probably want to know when you get fancier.



3. I started out with a DC train set under the christmas tree about two years ago and now I'm diving into DCC. I wish the book had more on computer control and wiring occupany detection but still it's a very good starting point.



4. The book will answer all my questions nicely.
   
   
   Thank You
   
   
   Jim Murphy



5. Requires electrical and soldering knowledge. Younger individuals may require supervision. Excellent ideas for creating personal layouts.

5 comments about Greenberg's Repair and Operating Manual for Lionel Trains, 1945-1969 (Greenberg's Repair and Operating Manuals).

1. If only we had ordered this book before Christmas! My husband decided the grandchildren were old enough to enjoy the old Lionel trains with Grandpa as the cheif engineer. So Christmas Eve, he can't get switches to work or the milk bottles to unload from the milk car. This part was not so enjoyable. This book explores the electrical circuits and mechanics and provides information needed to get the layout up and running. The book is Grandpa's new best friend.



2. My husband is very pleased with this book. The diagrams are awesome and it is extremely helpful in getting parts for the trains and repairing them.



3. I have some old Lionel trains I wanted to repair and didn't know how to find the right parts to order. Greenberg's Repair manual is just what I needed. Anyone who wants to repair a vintage Lionel train should have it.



4. Dear Sirs
   Excuse me, but I do not speak or write English well.
   When I bought from Amazon the Lionel repair manual I wanted to get a guide to help me make services for my Lionel's customers and for my own Lionel.
   I'm working by mysef reparing different modell trains from USA, Europe and Asia in all gauges available in the world's market.
   This manual is simple to undestand and give me solutions from electric Lionel circuits and parts in each model.
   
   Sincerely
   
   Mike Veraldi (from Buenos Aires, Argentina)



5. This book is great for people (like me) looking to repair and run that old box of trains collecting dust in the attic or basement. You do need to know how electricity works and be handy with basic tools.
   
   I agree with the others, the print is SMALL. I can read it OK, but I can see where someone with marginal vision might need a magnifier.

5 comments about Dcc Projects & Applications (Model Railroader).

1. Do not buy this book supposing that it will teach you all you need to know about digital command and control for model railroads. It will NOT do that. Instead, it will teach the basic ideas behind DCC and provide a wealth of information as to how the technology can be used. It can be used for much more than just controlling multiple locomotives.
   
   The approach is basic and easy to understand. It outlines the differences between DCC and traditional wiring, points our what kind of equipment is needed for various applications and even takes a look at some of what is out on the market.
   
   I am well satisfied. I need to know more but this book helps me to get started on the right path.



2. This has some good, general and various ideas for DCC. What it isn't about is DCC Basics (at least not very much - just a brief mention). There are other books to get for that. This one focuses on what to do after you get a basic DCC setup going. It's good to keep in a club library or one you'll share with others, but it isn't one I reach for all the time, while getting more out of my DCC layout and motive power.



3. Great book with valuable information on DCC Operations for both the novice and the seasoned DCC user. Clear, easy to understand information that can help in the application of DCC to your model railroad.



4. An easy read with lots of good information, that I can apply to my layout.



5. Straight forward and easy to understand projects for those just starting out or that already have DCC on the model empire.

5 comments about The Model Railroader's Guide to Bridges, Trestles & Tunnels (Model Railroader's Guide To...).

1. A good general overview of various types of Trestles, Bridges with a light touch on Tunnels. The author comments on several types of bridges in general use over the two eras of railroading, steam and diesel. He does demonstrate how he and others have made up a few different ones, shows the use of jigs for making up trestle structures and gives a few tips and tricks on adding some interesting details to model railroad layouts. Not a comprehensive digest but more of an idea manual to get you started on making your own as well as making use of available kits for these structures. Lots of illustrations and period photos, diagrams as well as a few explainations on some of the more complicated engineering ideas that get used to make up Bridges and Trestles. A little bit of nomenclature is added to your vocabulary as you read through the chapters and a few of the tips are downright handy.



2. This book is an excellent guide to model railroad bridges, trestles, and tunnels. It presents all types of construction including wood, stone, iron, concrete, etc and all era's from the early 18th century to the present.
   
   Many prototype photographs and illustrations are used to show the different types of bridges. You don't have to be a civil engineer to read the book, but it will give you a very good detailed view of each type of bridge.
   
   Each section in the book ends with information on how to model these structures. This includes construction details including sources for the needed products. Information is also included on how to finish the products.
   
   When I now see a bridge while traveling I have good knowledge of why and how the bridge was constructed.
   
   I am not a modeler (at least yet) but I think this book will appeal to both novices and more experienced modelers. I have two other similar books and this book is by far the best of the three. I highly recommend it.



3. This is honestly a great book, it helped me. Im fairly new to model railroading (only about 4 years) and it has honestly made me into the goto guy (within my model railroad club) for bridges and tunnels. It covers all sorts of wierd and wonderfull ideas for your layouts. A GREAT resource and addition to any model railroaders libary.



4. As a 28 year veteran of professional railroading, with 18 years in the bridge department, Jeff has indeed managed to bridge the gap between prototype and modeler. He explains in great detail the "why" that goes into selecting the proper type or size bridge for a particular location. Many beautiful bridge models are spoiled because they would just not be practical in the real world. Jeff did an excellent job of researching the subject material and has made it easy for a modeler to build a very nice, prototypical bridge for a given geographic location.



5. The Model Railroader's Guide To Bridges, Trestles & Tunnels is an in-depth hobbyist's guide to adding minutely detailed, realistic bridges and tunnel portals to a model railroad layout. Chapters include overviews of the construction and purpose of bridges, trestles, and tunnels; historic and contemporary prototype photos, in black-and-white and color; strategies for modeling, painting, and weathering scale replicas; listings of bridge, trestle, and tunnel kits in HO, N, and O scale, as well as excellent suggestions for modifying kits and scratchbuilding; and so much more. An in-depth guide that combines an appreciation of railroad history with solid how-to tactics for bringing said history to life.