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Author Archive: John Cubbin

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YOCTOSUN Head Mount Magnifier

YOCTOSUN Head Mount Magnifier

For years I’ve used a simple swing arm magnifying lamp when I need to do close-up model work, and while it’s not particularity fancy, it does a reasonably good job. I recently saw a few folks using a new style of lighted headband magnifier and thought I’d pick one up over at Amazon. The new […]

January 1, 2019 More
A Little Early Christmas

A Little Early Christmas

I wasn’t going to start listening to Christmas music early this year… until I did. Ah well, can you really ever have too much Christmas, too early? Yes, I know it’s sappy, over-sentimental, cutesy, cornball, mushy, saccharine, etc., etc. Hey, I play with trains all day, so I’d be right at home in this little […]

December 2, 2018 More
Bad Bayou N Scale Halloween Diorama Revisited 2018 | Part 4 / Final

Bad Bayou N Scale Halloween Diorama Revisited 2018 | Part 4 / Final

In Part 3 of the Bad Bayou 2018 series, we had all our LEDs installed and I vowed not to add any more, so naturally I had to add some more. Just one more flashing welding effect set and a few individual flickering LEDs for a campfire… and one more LED spotlight from our metal […]

October 29, 2018 More
Bad Bayou N Scale Halloween Diorama Revisited 2018 | Part 3

Bad Bayou N Scale Halloween Diorama Revisited 2018 | Part 3

Here’s the penultimate article for the 2018 MTL themed, Halloween Bad Bayou N scale shadowbox. That really is a mouthful! In the last article we were painting LED strip lights and really setting up for the addition of even more LEDs and LED effects. Well clearly, we got a bit obsessed since then. I am […]

October 24, 2018 More
Bad Bayou N Scale Halloween Diorama Revisited 2018 | Part 2

Bad Bayou N Scale Halloween Diorama Revisited 2018 | Part 2

After we finished Part 1 of this series, we realized the brass toggle switch we’re using for the main power was installed upside down! Quickly ordering a new switch, we then dug the “incorrect” switch out of the epoxy used to mount it in the shadowbox with a rotary tool. So… funny story, the original […]

October 17, 2018 More
Bad Bayou N Scale Halloween Diorama Revisited 2018 | Part 1

Bad Bayou N Scale Halloween Diorama Revisited 2018 | Part 1

Last year, 2017, we built the Bad Bayou, Micro-Trains Line inspired, N Scale Shadowbox for Halloween. As often happens, we ran a little short on time. I’ll give some blame to a nor’easter that knocked out power for a day on October 30th 2017, but I’ll take the hit too… there’s always too little time. […]

October 10, 2018 More
Using Tree and Plant Roots in Model Train Scenery

Using Tree and Plant Roots in Model Train Scenery

To add a nice extra bit of realism, I’ve always liked to look of exposed tree roots on a model train layout. Roots creeping out from cuts in the earth or even from rock faces add a nice touch to any scene. You’ll need to do a little judicious root hunting to get the right […]

June 1, 2018 More
NO-OX-ID A-SPECIAL For Model Trains

NO-OX-ID A-SPECIAL For Model Trains

There was a recent post on a forum talking about revitalizing some old, corroded track and the product NO-OX-ID A-SPECIAL electrical grease was brought up in the conversation. This is one of those products you hear about from time to time, make a mental note to buy but never actually get around to buying it; […]

March 19, 2018 More
Cleaning Model Trains With Foam Tipped Swabs

Cleaning Model Trains With Foam Tipped Swabs

Lots of model railroaders use Q-Tips cotton swabs for cleaning hard to reach areas on their trains, track and turnouts. Having worked extensively in the smaller scales, Z and N, the cotton fibers that can / will come loose from a Q-Tip and find their way in to gears, wheels, track joints and all other […]

March 13, 2018 More
Shortytown In Z Scale | Rokuhan Shorty

Shortytown In Z Scale | Rokuhan Shorty

Rokuhan recently, and in a very welcome move, introduced their Shorty Z scale locomotive chassis. This new Z scale chassis reminds me of the Kato N scale series of powered chassis, the 11-xxx series. Both are very inexpensive, nice little runners and ready to be used for all sorts of DIY projects. The new Rokuhan […]

March 6, 2018 More
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