The Crossing Gate. Model railroad discussion.

Modeling things that are not trains, tracks, or rail-served industries.

What details, scenes, structures, and more do you use to make your layout more cohesive? What can you do that is beyond fifty feet of the centerline of the main. Do you have any non-rail-served industries? How do you model vehicles for your era and location? The crew discusses the periphery of layouts and how not to fill every blank part with more track. Dealing with backgrounds, structures, vehicles, and the importance of editing your modeling. Can you separate your layout from the emotional attachment of certain equipment? 

The crew in this episode is Joe Binish, Greg Dahl, Dan Dossa, David Hamilton, Mike Jordan, Ken Zieska, and Thomas Gasior MMR.

Switch Lists. JMRI, The Switch list Program, and even handwritten notes.  Do you use them and what do you think of them? How have they evolved? How does the JMRI program help you create a better switch list? William and his father use them for their layouts, Dan Dossa uses them for his small industrial line, and Larry uses the JMRI program at the local club. 

Is this an upgrade to running with car cards? What are the benefits of using a switch list rather than other forms of operation paperwork?

Crew this episode is Dan Dossa,  Larry Eggering , David Hamilton, Mike Jordan, William Sampson, Ken Zieska, and Thomas Gasior MMR

The simple concept of where do you look? How do we apply this to our layouts and create scenes or places that draw the eye? How do we design and keep a scene from being cluttered? 

Do you design the background, the foreground, and a signature scene for your layout? Planning and working on this visualization can make a layout really come to life.

 This episode of the Crossing gate is sponsored by The Firehouse.

The crew on this discussion includes Joe Binish, Eric Boone, Greg Dahl, Dan Dossa, Lawrence Eggering, and Thomas Gasior MMR.

Episode #19 - Hurdles in Model railroading. The crew discusses overcoming obstacles. What has been in your way of a better layout, models, engines, or anything else? You may not become the Edwin Moses of Model Trains, but hopefully, you can overcome some difficult portions of this hobby. 

This episode is sponsored by The Local Model Railroad Club. We also feature a Gripe from the Curmudgeon.

This episode features Greg Dahl, Dan Dossa, Mike Jordan, Luke Lemmens, William Sampson, and Thomas Gasior MMR.

What things from the prototype inspire your modeling. What have you learned about prototype operations that have changed your mind about things on your layout?  If you stick to what real railroads did in certain eras, your entire layout will improve, even if you model a freelanced railroad. 

Join the crew as we discuss how modeling prototype practices have helped our modeling, building, and even narrowed down our choices.  Do you follow prototype practices? Please let us know. 

This episode is sponsored by: The Gruesome Casket Kit

Joe Binish, Eric Boone, Lawrence Eggering,  David Hamilton, Mike Jordan, William Sampson, ken Zieska, and Thomas Gasior MMR.

Planning your next layout, or want to redo your current one? The crew discusses some things that went well for them and things that did not go well. The voice of experience is a great teacher. What three things would you tell others to include or avoid?
We also have a new intro and our first sponsor. Blue Tubs!
Join the crew of Eric Boone, Thomas Gasior MMR, Mike Jordan, Luke Lemmens,  and  Ken Zieska.

This episode is about improving your locomotive performance. Focusing on Mike Jordans attempts at making the Bachmann 70 Ton GE run better. Adding an NWSL Stanton drive and other fixes suggested by the crew.  We discuss bad gears and some solutions. Join Eric Boone, Thomas Gasior MMR, David Hamilton, Mike Jordan, and William Sampson as they discuss locomotive improvements and frustrations. 

The crew discusses building a large home layout. What are the advantages and disadvantages. What is the cost, the time, the skills you will need? How are operations set up for a large layout different from a medium-size or small layout? Many more topics are touched on in this intriguing conversation focused on building the layout that is the right size for you. Join David Hamilton, Mike Jordan, Luke Lemmens, William Sampson, Ken Zieska, and Thomas W Gasior MMR in this episode. 

Mistakes happen, and how you deal with them will define you as a modeler. Do you redo the whole project? Do you push it away and wait for an epiphany to sort it out? Do you move on and sell it or even trash? Or are you a "Sucker for hope?" and will cling to this for a long time.
Join Joe Binish, Thomas Gasior MMR, Dave Hamilton, William Sampson, and Ken Zieska as they discuss their mistakes and favorite recovery method. 

Do you choose an industry and then purchase rolling stock, or do you create an industry to fit the cars you have on hand? The crew discusses how they find and fit industries on their layouts using everything from a phone book to an Internet search engine. Join Joe Binish, Greg Dahl, Thomas Gasior MMR, Dave Hamilton, Mike Jordan, and Ken Zieska as they discuss industries and their value to layouts operations.