Railroad Links
Modeling reference sites:
Model Railroad Hobbyist online magazine Also
hosts a forum section
Marcus’ DCC for Novices
- as the name implies
- Article on adding "Stay Alive" circuitry to decoders
- NCE
System and modifications to same
- sound and lighting
-
addresses for NCE Cabs
- and numerous other articles
Boulder Creek Railroad / Luke Towan YouTube Channel
- Dozens of Model Railroading how-to videos
- How to do ultra-realistic scenery.
- How to make modeling tools - How to
make your own glue, ground cover, signs
- Electrical projects - Lighting
- 3D printing
Tony's Trains
- more
comprehensive DCC Primer
Mark Gurries' DCC page
Includes a lot of useful information on DCC, plus: -
Basic DCC Basics presentations
HOseeker.Net
HO Train Reference Site - Assembly & parts diagrams for many different brand trains - Gallery of Athearn and other make trains from 1948-1990 - Discussion forums
Ron Paisley Model Railroad & Misc. Electronics
- dozens of electrical circuits you can build
LED series/parallel array "wizard"
This LED calculator will help you design your LED array and choose the
best current limiting resistor values
- Handles multiple LEDs
- Gives as the solution one or more possible circuit configurations
- Will display a circuit diagram or schematic, and calculate power consumption
Alternates sites:
"Guru" LED
resistor calculator
Another series/parallel calculator
- Similar to the"wizard" but:
- gives suggestions for the input values for LED voltage and
amperage - only gives a
single solution, where the wizard might suggest 2 or 3
The Care and Feeding of LEDs -
Discusses reasons behind the calculations given in the
preceding links - Gives a WARNING about the
shortcomings of these calculators
- calculations only really work for when the resistor is
dropping a good percentage,
at least half, of the voltage across it
- only valid if the resulting resistor is not too low, say
above 50 ohm - Explains why not using any resistor
or other means to limit the current in an
LED circuit results in ABUSE of and DAMAGE to the LED
M L Rollins
collection of electrical circuits
TrainElectronics.com
- A small selection of microcontroller based electronic circuits to build
or buy
SignMaker
A free program to create realistic looking highways signs
for your layout
Free download for your MP3
player or listen on your PC:
Green Valley Line
- Old Time Radio Program, from about 1934.
A Story of a small railroad line at the turn of the 20th Century.
Complete 26 episode storyline, each one about 15 minutes long.
Has authentic railroad sounds and "talk" that makes
it even more entertaining for train buffs.
To download all 26 episodes in one ZIP file,
click here (~78 MBytes)
Podcasts with model railroading themes (free):
Taking a trip? Want
something to listen to while you exercise or commute?
Instead of music, download
the content from one of these links
Model Railcast Show
- A Model Railroad focused podcast/blog. For railroading beginners and
seasoned line veterans.
Crew call with Mike Rose - Model Railroad Podcast
- Monthly Podcast dating back to December 2007
The
Rip Track Podcast
- An audio show that includes segments on railroad history, news,
model railroad tips, reviews and almost anything else that has to
do with prototype and/or model railroading
- The first episode was uploaded on May 2, 2009
Model Rail Radio
- Live internet radio devoted to model railroading
- About 2 podcasts a month, originated September 2009
Let's Talk Trains
- An internet radio talk show all about railroads broadcast live every
Saturday
- Freight, passenger, trolleys, light rail, museums, as long as it is rail
/ train related, they talk about it
Model Rail
Hobbist Podcast
- Audio bits from their eMagazine.
All Points North Member Web Sites:
Bend The Irons
- Prototype pictures - C/MRI interface
software - Model RRing Topics - Printed Circuit Board (PCB) projects - Live streaming of Houston Railroad radio
Houston Area Hobby
Shops
Here are some places
to go in the Houston Area for Model Railroad
supplies/service
G & G
Model Shop - Model Trains and more. Open since
1945 - Houston's oldest hobby shop
KMJ
Model Trains - Boutique shopping for model trains.
Also does installation and repairs
Mike's Hobby Shop - Model Trains and more
Papa
Ben's Train Place - Exclusively Model Railroading, also
home to the
Houston N'Crowd
Club
Spring Crossing Trains - Primarily Model Railroading. CLOSED
February 2022
Houston Area Layouts
This is a very small
sampling of the layouts in the Houston area -
they number well over 100
We've included all that we could find on the Internet
Bob Barnett's
River City Union Terminal RR (HO)
Gordon Bliss's
The Santa Fe/All the Way (N)
Barry Bogs'
Colorado & Western (Gn3 - 1:22.5 scale)
Don Bozman's
The
Great Great Northern (HO)
Craig Brantley's
Denver & Rio
Grande Western - Spring Division (O/On3)
Paul Cesak's
Pagosa Creek Timber Company (On3)
Ted Doyle's
The
Great Northern Flyer (O)
David George's Golden~Blackhawk
& Central City (Z) (has been permanently set
up for display in the
Tomball Railroad Depot Museum)
Steve Sandifer's
ATSF Howard Branch (HO)
Rick Townsend's
Santa Fe in the 50's (N)
Bob Werre's
Railroad (S)
Bill Wright's
Green Bay
Southern (HO)
Joan and Frank Wyatt's
UPIT
Railroad (HO)
Houston Area Model Railroad Clubs:
We think what APN has to offer is unique, so we aren't afraid to
provide links to the "competition" (There are more clubs in Houston than listed here, but can't
find their webpage - if they have one)
Galveston County Model
Railroad Club, Texas City
Houston N'Crowd,
Houston
Houston Area "G"
Gaugers Model Railroad Club, Houston
Houston Area Live Steamers
(HALS),
Hockley
Houston S Gaugers
Houston Tinplate
Operators Society (HTOS), Houston
NASA Area N-Scale Operating Society (NANOS), Houston
Northwest Crossing Modular Railroad Club,
Houston
San Jacinto Model
Railroad Club, Houston
Texas
Railroading Heritage Museum at Tomball, Gulf Coast
Chapter - National Railway Historical Society - Tomball, TX
Contact Information for other clubs can be found at the
NMRA Texas Gulf Division's
website
Forums at Groups.io of interest:
Computer/Model Railroad Interface - Bruce Chubb's
invention
JRMI Users - DecoderPro and other free MRR software
NCE-DCC - NCE Systems & decoders for DCC control of your
layout
RailOp - Model railroad program for realistic operations
State and National Model Train Organizations:
National Model Railroad
Association
Lone Star Region of
NMRA
NMRA
Lone Star Region Division 8
The
Operations Special Interest Group (SIG) - Focusing on
Realistic Prototypical Operation
NTRAK Modular Railroading
Society
Train Collectors Association - Gulf Coast Chapter
Trains for riding or climbing on in the Area:
Full Size Trains:
Amtrak
Sunset Limited - ride a train to
Disneyland or Disney World!
Austin Steam
Train Excursion Railroad - Austin, TX
The Burlington-Rock
Island Railroad Museum - Teague, TX
Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART)
Flatonia Rail Park - Flatonia, TX
McKinney Avenue Trolley -
Dallas, TX
Museum of the American Railroad -
Frisco, TX
New Braunfels Railroad Museum
New Orleans' Streetcar Lines
Galveston Island
Railroad Museum
Grapevine Vintage Railroad (near Ft. Worth)
The History Center - Diboll TX
Houston METRORail light rail line
Jefferson
(operating narrow gauge steam) Railroad - Jefferson, TX
M-K-T Railroad Museum - Katy, TX
New Braunfels
Railroad Museum
Old Hickory (operating narrow gauge steam) Railroad -
Jackson, LA
Railroad Museum of San Angelo - San Angelo, TX
Rosenberg Railroad Museum (just southeast of Houston)
Six
Flags over Texas (narrow gauge steam) Railroad -
Arlington, TX They also have a
train ride at their San Antonio Park
Southern
Forest Heritage Museum - Longleaf, LA (SW of Alexandria)
Temple Railroad & Heritage
Museum - Temple, TX
Texas & Pacific
Railway Museum - Marshall, TX
Texas State
Railroad - Palestine & Rusk, TX
Texas
Transportation Museum - San Antonio, TX
DeQuincy Railroad Museum - DeQuincy, LA
List of surviving Steam locos in Texas
List of surviving Steam locos in Louisiana
Miniature Trains:
Aquarium Restaurant Shark Voyage Train Ride -
Downtown Houston
San Antonio Zoo Eagle Miniature Train - San Antonio
Cedar Rock
Railroad - north of Austin
Forest Park Miniature Railroad
- Ft. Worth
Hermann Park Miniature Train - Houston, TX
Houston Area Live
Steamers (free train rides to the public)
Kemah Boardwalk Miniature Train - Kemah, TX
Landa Park Miniature Train - New Braunfels, TX
Oil
Ranch - Houston
Zilker Park Train - Austin, TX
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