When you are looking for a specific type of freight car or even the locomotive you are not really going to have that much trouble finding what you are looking for in any of the Atlas Model Trains catalogs. Do you need any of the electrical components and/or wiring that make it possible to run your model train set?

Atlas Model Trains are specifically available in the following scales: N, HO, O-27 and O. Are you looking for that HO 25, five hundred gallon Tank Car to either replace one that finally wore out or one to finally complete that Atlas train set that you have slowly but surely building? One of the most essential items that you need and will be able to find from both Atlas and Atlas O is the tracks that the trains need to run on. This is absolutely an essential component in and to any model train set that you would get going. After all, how in the world are those cars supposed to run if you do not have any pieces of railroad track for them to run on?

This is of paramount concern if you intend to run your Atlas Model Trains for any reason. Yes, you could simply have the train cars and flatbed cars that haul logs or other materials but what good is that unless your sole aim is simply to display them and show off your collection? We know that there are many people worldwide that are seriously into collecting these trains due to the fact that they are one of the best around.

There are also so many more out there – young and old alike – that seriously love playing with their Atlas Model Trains and will spend days upon months upon years building up their collection in order to have hours upon hours of model railroading fun. If you are an adult that absolutely loves your model trains and/or has had a model train set ever since childhood you are likely to like what you see in the Spring 2010 Quarterly catalog. There are many items that you are going to have to order pretty quickly in order to get them as well as many items that are going to be shipping out of their headquarters to hobby stores all around the country. For those that have to know what is coming out when, you can sig up for the Atlas E-News Flash.

Are you looking for real steam model trains? If you have always been looking a truly steam-powered model train set you are going to find what you are looking for within the product lists that Hornby Model Trains carries. This particular model is the LNER 4-6-2 A3 ‘Flying Scotsman’ and is a Double Tender model of train. This is indeed something that will seriously bring back the memories of days gone by when steam engines were the only things on the tracks. The really good thing about this particular steam train is that you need not worry about open flames heating the water that then becomes the steam that is the power source and true locomotion of this particular train.

Something else that you are definitely going to need to have as part of any Hornby model train set happens to be the locomotive that always leads the way any time that the trains hit the tracks. It really does not matter whether you are looking for a steam, an electric or a diesel locomotive you are likely to find exactly the one that you want. There has always been an ongoing fascination all over the world with trains and model railroading. Hornby has been known to provide the best materials and piece you can think of so that your model train setup looks as realistic and fantastic as you can possibly imagine it would be.

So what is the difference between model train gauge and model train scale?

Model train gauge refers to the distance, or width, between the two rails on a model train track. There are different gauges to choose from, and you need to make sure that the gauge you are using is compatible with the model train scale you have selected.

Model train scale, on the other hand, refers to the ratio between the model train and a real life train (or scenery elements). There are many different model train scales available to choose from, from the tiny Z scale to the large G scale.

If you make a mistake and match up the wrong scale to the wrong gauge the result will be, at best, constant derailments and at worst, a train which will not move at all on the track. For this reason, it can be a costly mistake if you have invested in purchasing a track that is incompatible with the trains you are using.

To learn more about how to match up train scale with gauge as well as many similar, costly, mistakes that can be avoided by model railroading beginners, it is well worth investing in the excellent model railroading guide: Model Railroading for Beginners. This affordable guide can save you a considerable amount of expense and hassle, and allow you to truly experience the best that model railroading has to offer!

One of the most important aspects of a model train layout is the perspective, or view, you will be using when creating the layout. There is a technique associated with model train building called “forced perspective” which is a way in which to make a certain element of the layout really standout. This is the result of an optical illusion created by the model train builder. With a forced perspective, foreground and background elements are used together to create an illusion of objects in the foreground being larger.

What this means, however, is that a background must be given equal importance to foreground elements. Often the background is added as the last element of a model train layout design, but this is a mistake as it plays an important role in highlighting elements in the foreground. You need to design both foreground and background elements together in order to create the most dynamic layouts.

The background also plays a crucial role in setting the tone of the layout. You can use the background elements to set the weather, illustrating what season it is in your model train layout. Will it be snowing, sunny, or will there be clouds in the sky, for example?

When designing your background there are some things you should keep in mind. To start, remember that even on a sunny, cloudless day, the sky will have different shades of blue in it resulting from variations in the sunlight and other environmental conditions. If you are using clouds, remember that no two clouds will look alike. You should try to represent actual cloud forms as well – will you have stratus, cumulus or cirrus clouds, for example? (White and puffy cumulus are probably the most common ones to use in model railroading backdrops).

A good base color paint for the sky is “velvet sky vinyl.” When painting your clouds, you need to decide where the sun is shining from, and then color the clouds nearest the sun lighter than those further away.

Paying attention to these often neglected elements will make your layout stand out and make a true impression on visitors! To learn even more great tips and techniques for creating amazing model railroad layouts, you should checkout Model Trains for Beginners – a great model train guide that gives you tons of helpful tips for creating the most impressive layouts!

If you were interested in creating a model train layout during the early 1900′s, you would have most likely had to design and build the complete layout yourself, as prefabricated train kits were not yet widely available. A few manufacturers were developing train cars as early as 1900, but these were few and far between. Most model train enthusiasts would build their models using ordinary household items.

By the 1930s and 1940s, manufactured trains by Lionel, Ives and few other manufacturers were starting to become more widely available, as were tracks and other manufactured scenery elements. In the 1950s, however, a big change occurred when plastic modeled trains and train kits entered the market. Some of the first plastic train kits by Aurora became very popular household items. These model train kits were very easy to set up and required little technical expertise or skill. Because of the ease of using these manufactured kits, the general interest in model railroading expanded greatly.

However, in the past couple of decades, interests in hand crafting scenery elements has re-emerged, while manufactured trains have become increasingly sophisticated and realistic in design. Today’s model train layouts are often a combination of homemade scenery elements and sophisticated manufactured ones. Model train clubs, conferences and shows have become increasingly popular as well. Now is a great time to become a model train collector!

To find out how to make the best model railroad layouts, you check out the excellent guide: Model Trains for Beginners. This easy to follow guide will teach you all the basics of model railroading, including how to create beautiful and affordable model model train scenery at home.

1. Z scale – 1:220 ratio
2. N scale – 1:160 ratio
3. HO scale – 1:87 ratio
4. S scale – 1:64 ratio
5. O Scale – 1:48 ratio
6. G Scale – 1:22 ratio

To choose your scale, you should consider the following three factors:

1) How much space do you have for your benchwork? For small spaces (like apartments), the N scale may be best. The HO scale may also work, as long as you have enough space for at least an 8 by 4 bench-work layout.

2) How much selection do you want when choosing trains and scenery elements? The “HO” scale is probably the most popular train scale used today, and because of this there is a wide variety of scenery and trains to choose from and the competition keeps the prices fairly affordable. You may find the selection for the very large and small sizes a bit more limited. You also are more likely to find used model railroad and scenery elements for HO and N sizes for sale on eBay and in classified ads, if that is an important consideration for you.

3) Will the model train be used primarily indoors or outdoors? If you want to have your trains outdoors, you should select the G scale, as the trains and scenery elements will generally be made for outdoor use and be suitable for use in nearly all weather conditions.

Once you have selected the model train scale you are going to use for your layout, you will find there variety of clubs, shows and publications dedicated to the model you have chosen. You will find an instant community of support for that scale, whose enthusiasts are all certain their scale is the best!

For even more information and great tips on how to select your model train scale and then build beautiful model railroad layouts, checkout my reviews of the most popular model train guides.

Another advantage of a 4 by 8 foot benchwork platform is that it is easily built using a 4 by 8 foot sheet of plywood. If you have just basic carpentry knowledge, you should find this to be a fun and easy building project. Here is a great video tutorial on how to build your own 4 by 8 foot plywood benchmark table:

Part One:

Part Two:

When constructing the legs of the benchmark platform, keep in mind that you will be spending hours working at the platform and you may want to make it a height at which you can sit comfortably. You also want to consider making it a height so that young children will be able to see and enjoy your model train layout.

Your final decision regarding your benchwork will be deciding where to locate the platform. Resist the urge to locate it up against a wall if at all possible, since this makes it difficult to reach the far side of the platform. If at all possible, locate it in an area where you have easy access to all four sides of the platform.

Once you have built and situated your model train benchwork, you are ready to move onto selecting what model train scale you will use on this platform (it should easily accommodate most scales, including HO and N scale trains), and designing your model railroad layout. For help with these elements of your model train building, you may want to consider purchasing one of these valuable model train guides:

Model Trains for Beginners – a guide covering all the beginning basics of model train building

Model Train Help – solves all the common model railroading problems faced by intermediate to advanced railroad builders

Click here to learn more about these excellent model train guides.

Model train beginners may find Model Train Help to be a bit too technical and difficult to understand, since this book presumes you will already know many of the basics of model train building. They should instead consider purchasing the Model Trains for Beginners guidebook, which is written especially for their skill level. But for the intermediate railroad builder, this book will easily be worth the $49 investment and will solve many common model railroad technical problems.

Model train help is written with the goal of preventing costly mistakes in model railroad building. If you are a railroad enthusiast, you know that the hobby can be an expensive one, and when mistakes are made they tend not to be cheap.  This one book alone can save you hundreds, and possibly thousands, of dollars on your model railroading projects.

Model Train Help provides the answers to many common technical problems faced by model railroad builders. This includes such issues as:

• What to do if your locomotive sits and hums, but won’t move.
• Three things to do if your locomotive frequently stops or slows down in the same spot on the track.
• How to dislodge decals without damaging paint on trains and scenery.
• The common cause of why locomotives become wobbly and fail to pick up electricity, and how to avoid or fix this problem.
• What you should do if your engine freezes when being fed current.
• How to prevent interference problems between wiring on your model railroad.
• The right track geometry for the laying of parallel track shown step-by-step.

There are many, many more technical fixes and solutions presented in this guidebook. This one book alone can save you hundreds of dollars in repairs as well as countless hours of frustration!

Click here to learn more about the Model Train Help guidebook for intermediate and advanced model train enthusiasts