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4 minute informational video
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 Jon DeKeles Editor in Chief | He may seem like big bad Jon, but that’s because he’s a man of steel – born with trains and technology in his blood. No surprise he engineered the gene splice that gave birth to LSOL.com. | |
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 JD Miller Reviews Editor | The original tinkerer, JD took apart his first watch in 4th grade and now he’s having the time of his life taking apart trains to show you what’s inside. | |
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 Rick Henderson Associate Editor | Rick has more model train experience than Jon has years. He's LSOL.com's jack-of-all-trades from almost day one. He's reviewed, sold retail, and built trains, too. He's not grumpy, just focused. | |
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 Noel Widdifield Managing Editor | Since he’s a card-carrying member of the NMRA and TCA, we all yield right-of-way to Noel’s expertise when it comes to model railroading. | |
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 David Bodnar Electronics Editor | When you’re ready to “Bodnarize” your railroad, David’s the guy who puts the pedal to the metal. Our resident power ranger is all about automation and remote control. | |
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 Jo Anne Sales Manager | What’s a nice lady like her, doing with a crew like this? Joanne is the grand dame of discounts. Better yet, she’ll keep your large-scale spending on the QT from spousal units if you ask politely. | |
Bud Steinhoff: I use Aristo knuckle couplers on all my various brand 135 cars and 25 engines. I started with the Aristo coupler and stayed with them because to me they are reliable and inexpensive for my garden trains, especially that the Aristo equipment come with that coupler. I modify the couplers so they do not look so clumsy. Kadee's are great, but expensive and even if I wanted to change, it is too late now and I am satisfied with what I have.
James Scofield: I use Kadee's as a holdover from HO. I like to operate and there is nothing better than the knuckle coupler with delayed coupler action. The delayed action is great in Garden Trains and eliminates a lot of uncoupler magnets on every track. Kadee is also very helpful in answering questions when I have had a problem in the past with installation. They have always been the premiere coupler for many, many years.
Walter C. Bringsauf: Granted, KD couplers are a bit more expensive then other Garden Train couplers, but the reliability and ease of use more than makes up for the higher price. Also the wide variety of shanks offered by Kadee makes it easy to custom fit any type car or Loco. I have used Kadee's since they first came out in HO and have never considered using any other coupler, and I have used quite a few in the past 50 years.
Important Topics
Bridges
Buildings
Couplers
Getting Started
Grades
How Garden Trains Work
Live Steam
Wheels
Joseph Cicerello: I think that the grades provide a more realistic setting and make the garden railroad much more interesting. I have been reading as much as possible as to the ability of certain engines to climb and I hope I do it right.
John Damkier: No grades, allows me to run very long consists which is what I enjoy. I do have hills for added interest and a dry riverbed for the tracks to bridge across.
Mike Evans: Original loop was pretty much flat. Redesigned and rebuilt last year to create a twice around plan with an up and over. If you keep the garden railroad grade gradual and under 2% (2" in 10 ft seems about right), most modern equipment will handle reasonable length trains.
Jerry Tupper: I have a grade on my garden railroad. It is more interesting than running the train on the level. Since I have experience in HO scale, I know the value of keeping the grades within 2% if at all possible.
Jeff Crotty: I tried to limit all my garden railroad grades to 2% or less, but in a few spots the grade is more like 4%. This doesn't seem to cause a problem, but it just doesn't look as realistic. I am presently revamping a large, high, curved trestle to help reduce excessive grade in a spot. It's a lot of work - but isn't that the fun of garden railroading?
There is no better way to share your railroad than with a GRBLOGS. Garden Railroad Builder's Logs is a new blog service of LSOL.com. You can post information in an easy-to-use blog format as often as you like to keep people updated on the developments of your Garden Railroad. Keep your projects organized online in individual projects and show your photos, videos and more online for the whole world to see. Plus you can read other blogs and comment on all the exciting GRBLOGS that others have posted at the site.
Come see the first, the original and the best web blog dedicated to Garden Railroads. Remember: Some people talk about what they are going to do, and others actually do it. Come show people what you have done.