Bring Your Model Train Set to the Next Level By Adding Multimedia

Contributed by Bill Murphy

Are you looking for a way to really take your model train to the next level? Would you like to make it appear, sound, and believe it or not, even smell more realistic? The best way to achieve your goal is to add multimedia. Due to the advances that have been seen in recent years in the field of electronics and technology, the sky is the limit. Use your imagination and creativity to make your model train something that will amaze the crowds. Consider some of the following types of multimedia that you could add.

What Kind of Multimedia You Can Add

While there is a dazzling array of multimedia that could be added to your set, the following are the most popular and the easiest to add. Each and every one of the multimedia types that will be mentioned, be it audio, video, pictures, or other special effects, will do wonders to make your set breathtakingly realistic.

A very spectacular element that you can add is video. Many in recent years have chosen to add a video background to their model train set. This background can be composed of several different elements. Some choose to thus add a changing climate to their set, a truly spectacular touch. You could also add animals, cars, trucks, other trains, and anything else that comes to your mind.

Another idea that is very easy and economical to implement is that of adding audio, or sounds to your train track. You can buy tapes or compact disks at nearly every store nowadays that contain "life sounds". This is a very important element to increase the realness of your layout. When watching your train circle the tracks while hearing the sounds of everyday life, people will truly be drawn into the event.

Another way to make your train set realistic is to add pictures. They can be added in several different ways. You could use them to complement the background, the scenery, or anywhere else you feel appropriate. You will thus be able to model your track after a specific decade, a very nice effect.

If you have ever seen a train set with special effects built in, such as fog coming out of the train's exhaust, lightning crashing in the background, and the likes, you know how realistic that makes the set. You can do the same to your set by using some creativity and adding these elements.

Just imagine incorporating all of the aforementioned multimedia into your set. You could be seeing a storm video on your video background, hear thunder booming in the background, and see bolts of lightning crashing down. Although a lot of labor would be included in adding these elements, the results would be well worth the effort.

Don't be afraid to be bold. Use your imagination, add multimedia to your set, and bring it to the next level!

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Model Train Collectors Don't Always Operate Their Trains

Contributed by Bill Murphy

Believe it or not there is a difference between model train enthusiasts and model train collectors. A subtle one for sure, but a difference nonetheless! Collectors are more interested in owning and displaying hard to come by prototypes or items of value rather then the art of recreating a diorama or prototype themselves.

Pretty well every hobby you can think of has collectors in it. They're the people who drive up prices of old items like the first edition of a famous novel. Most people don't understand the obsession, but collectors certainly do.

They help set standards and values, expend vast amounts of time detailing and listing historical facts about existing railroad prototypes and in general help to drive a level of professionalism into the hobby that otherwise might be missing. model train collectors are a good thing, and the fact is that most collectors are also hobbyists - displaying their collections not in jewel cases or behind glass but in a model train layout of their own design.

Some of the model train companies, such as Lionel Trains, even sponsor collectors groups for their historic equipment. If you're interested in learning more about a particular type of train, there are probably clubs you can join.

One of the things these groups do is create standards by which equipment can be rated. The equipment is often rated separately from the packaging it came in, if the box is still intact, and those that are still in the original box, never having been removed, fetch the highest prices.

model train Grading

* NEW - In order to be considered "new" the item must be unused, ideally never even removed from its original package.

* LIKE NEW - Good as new with no damage but likely removed from the packaging at some point.

* EXCELLENT - No rust, dirt or other types of damage but almost certainly used at some point.

* VERY GOOD - Some wear but no serious damage or rust.

* GOOD - Could be some minor damage such as scratches, and other signs of normal wear but no rust or major damage.

* FAIR - May be slightly damaged, scratched or worn but still functional.

* POOR - Suitable only for parts and possible not working.

How Packaging Is Graded

* NEW - Original packaging complete with no damage or fading.

* LIKE NEW - May have a bit of wear but no major blemishes.

* EXCELLENT - Like-original packaging with only moderate wear, no repairs.

* VERY GOOD - Minor damage possible, maybe even some tape for repairs but still complete.

* GOOD - Missing elements, heavy wear and possibly some mildew but complete.

* FAIR - Missing pieces, tears and discolorations on original items.

* R - A replica, not the original packaging.

If you're starting out with model train collecting, knowing your grades is important. Then pick the era and/or brand you want to pursue and get started.

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Converting Model Railroad Scales

Contributed by Bill Murphy

Prototyping is the word used to describe the use of scaling real-life objects down and typically for Model Railroading different names are given to differing 'scales' to represent the percentage of the original. For instance, the 'HO' scale means 3.5mm represents 1 foot, with a ratio of 1:87.086 ... needless to say this can get difficult.

Fortunately you rarely need to convert between scales that are already set -- but what about when you want to figure out what the scale conversion of an existing object or building should be to fit into your diorama? That's when you remember your third-grade math teacher who told you there'd be days like this.

First be aware of the measure of scale being used: is it the percentage or a millimeter (mm) scale? With the ratio, the right-most number shows how many units (normally in inches or centimeters) on the original are equal to one unit on the replica so a 1:200 scale means that if the miniature is 1 inch tall then the original was 200 inches or 16.67 feet tall. If the scale simply lists a height such as 25mm or 54mm as is common with many figurines, then they are referring to the number of mm to a certain height and an assumed ratio has been made based on the original's size.

In theory, to convert a ratio scale into a 'height' scale, you first assume that the height scale is measuring to 'eye' height on the figure and that ratio scales measure to 'head' height and divide 1610 by the scale. For example, a 1/285 figure comes out to approximately a 6 mm figure (1610 / 285 = 5.6) while a 1/64 scale is about 64.4 mm -- this may help if you find figures online that would work in your diorama but don't know if the scale is the same.

So you are probably wondering where we got the '1610' from right? With figurines and deciding to use 'eye' height, we assume a man's eyes average a height of 5'3" for a 5'8" tall man (the average human) and convert that to millimeters. If the height was specified to 'head' height, we would have had a number of 1730, equivalent to the average 5'8" tall man.

You can also use tricks like this to determine scale from photos, as follows:

First you need to have at least ONE known measurement such as the eye or head height for the man we used above, and the photo must be full on either the front or side of the source. So long as these are given, the following can determine the scale you need to use to create or build a prototype:

Cut out and paste or print the photo onto an A4 sheet of paper adjusting so it fills half the A4 sheet so you are on an approximately 1/35th scale. Since there are 25.4 mm per inch, you can now calculate the known measurement (say 100 width) by 25.4 to get a known 2540 mm or 2.54 meters. This can now be multiplied by the 28.57 that represents the 1/35 scale giving 72.57mm which means, at 1/35 scale, the width is 72.57mm -- you can now measure the photo with a ruler.

Let's say that you get 90 millimeters on the 'actual' photo -- you can now divide the 90 by 72.57 to get the factor to divide by -- in this case 1.24. You can now measure and just divide by 1.2 (approximately) to know the size to match a 1/35 scale ... using different size pages to adjust for differing scales can allow you to calculate most any ratio from any image so long as you know the scale of the printed paper size and at least one accurate measurement from the image in question.

It may seem like rocket science but it really isn't, and many resources and tools to help exist out there -- but isn't figuring things like this out part of the fun? On the other hand, I may just buy all my prototyping in a set scale ... I DID get a C- in geometry after all ...

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