BGT Episode 12: Listener Questions 2

Well, it seems the world has changed a tad since I last released an episode. I hope everyone is staying safe and healthy out there. I, myself, am definitely putting a lot of time into building a model railroad, and I hope you all are too!

In this episode, I answer another round of listener questions, covering topics from layout design to turnouts and wiring. I also issue a correction from a previous episode and introduce you to a new scale, OO.

If you have any questions of your own, feel free to drop me a line. Good luck with coronapocalypsemageddonocaust!

BGT Episode 9: Prototype Research (Track Planning Workshop, Part 3)

In this episode, I wrap up the unintentional trilogy of Track Planning information episodes by giving you the strategies you can use to research a prototype railroad for the purpose of realistically modeling it.

To compliment this episode, I have created a new section of the Links page called Prototype Resources, inspired by listener Skyler, which has links to and details about all the resources I use when researching a prototype railroad. I highly recommend checking it out.

The website that I reference in the episode is here: https://geonames.usgs.gov/apex/f?p=262:1:19084355468963::::: and contains downloadable archives of every USGS map ever made. It has been an invaluable resource to me for over 1/3 of my lifespan, and I hope it brings you as many hours of fascination as it has myself.

BGT Episode 7: Designing for Space (Track Planning Workshop, Part 2)

In another mammoth episode, I am covering track planning once again, but this time from the perspective of the model railroader designing the railroad. Subjects covered include your modeler personality and preferences, fitting your layout into a room, the merits of a 4X8 layout, space use tips, layout orientation, human accessibility, operational concerns from a preference perspective, artistic presentation, and track plan design software. 

Just a note, sorry for the delay in episodes; I have been Amtraking across the country, moving from Wrong Island to Pennsylvania, and spending the summer with my family in Seattle. Next, I will be Amtraking back across the country and starting Graduate School, so, yeah... my life is, and will continue to be exceptionally busy. 

BGT Episode 6: Designing for Operations (Track Plan Workshop, Part 1)

My most dense episode yet, this was originally a one parter. However, at nearly an hour this time around, it is evident that this subject needed to be bifurcated. Whereas Part 2 will focus on space usage and human-centric design, this episode will focus on operations, train movements, and all other components integral to the movement of trains on real railroads. Even if you don't plan on operating your model railroad, it pays to build it to accommodate such, for so doing will make your railroad both more realistic and more versatile.

Since this is a particularly long episode, here's a cheat sheet of sections covered for you to refer back to if you're feeling lost:

1. Runaround

2. Industry Spur

3. Mainline

4. Interchanges

5. Staging

6. Storage Tracks

7. Yards

And here's a link to Craig's 10 Commandments of Yard Design.