DCC Portal

Great Train Movies
Those gleaming tons of steel moving along railroad tracks are perfect subjects for great train movies. The first train movie was the Great Train Robbery, filmed in 1903. A Lackawanna Railroad locomotive was used in this movie. The movie, Murder on the Orient Express, based on the novel of the same title by Agatha Christie, is one of the most famous great train movies with a full scale model provided by an international railroad. The recent movie, Under Siege, model trains instead of full (more…)

Do you remember when you first got bit by the model railroading bug? Some people remember their first model railroad from childhood, while others came to the hobby late in life. Some people are in it for the amazing trains themselves, while others lovingly build up the countryside to give their trains the perfect backdrop.

For people who are not familiar with model trains, it is merely a hobby. They see collectors and crafters, and they do not understand exactly what it is that makes us tick.You can find a quick rundown www.wildbluedeals.com. Once you are tapped in, you can access a whole world of information you never imagined.

Whether you collect vintage trains, or prefer to build your own there is something for you waiting just around the bend. Many times people who connect in online forums sharing similar interests are able to connect offline as well and develop friendships or are able to use each other for professional business netwrking purposes as well.

The possibilities are endless once you get on the right track and share your knowledge with the model railroading world.

The train is such a fascinating invention that it’s not surprising how quickly it became a hobby. After modern rail systems appeared in England in the 1820s, models began to pop up around Europe. In 1825, Josef Ritter von Baader built a model railroad near Nymphenberg Castle as a presentation for the king of Bavaria. Ten years later, the Nurnberg-Furth railway was opened in Bavaria, and toy-makers started offering solid casts of trains. But the most interesting part of early model railroad history begins a few years after this in the early 1840s. We refer to that unique toy known as the Birmingham dribbler.These toys didn’t actually feature a model railway, but instead simply ran along the carpet, gaining them their other name of “carpet railways.” These toys were working steam locomotives made of brass and with an oscillating cylinder driving the wheels. To run the train, one filled the boiler with water and lit the burner. Once steam was being produced, the toy was capable of running until the water ran out. (more…)

If you want to visit the largest HO scale model railroad in the world, you’d better pack your bagsthe Miniature Wonderland is located in Hamburg, Germany. For true hobbyists, though, it’s worth the trip. With over 11,000 meters (36,089 feet) of fully computerized track, the model is both a memorial and a challenge to DCC enthusiastsyou can’t help but be inspired to go home and stock your own set up a little bit.The model celebrates the international appeal of model railroading, with sections based around America, Hamburg and the Coast, Scandinavia, Southern Germany and the Austrian Alps, and Switzerland. Perhaps it’s better to just let the numbers tell the story, though: in 2009, there were over 10,000 train cars, 170 computer-controlled cars, 200,000 people, 200 cameras, 300,000 LED lightsI say 2009 because the creators, brothers Frederik and Gerrit Braun, aren’t done yet. By 2014 they aim to add five more sections. About 1,396,300 has been spent on the railroad so farafter the final completions are done, the value should be somewhere around 2,094,450.

Model railroading is one hobby where a good guidebook can really come in handy. The vast amount of details and specifications that go into even the smallest freight car or piece of scenery can be a headachebut also a lot of fun if you have the patience and the right resources. These books have come in handy in the pastwe hope they work for you, too.How to Build Realistic Model Railroad Scenery by Dave Frary: This is one book you can judge by the cover. If you’re having trouble making your railroad presentable, check out this book for advice and examples of how to create everything from lakes to mountains. Reviewers have also commented that it applies well to any other hobby where you need to make realistic backdrops. (more…)