Recent Entries

• Electicity in the 1880's ???

  by Roger Broederdorf August 11, 2012
    I took the advice or joke of a friend and did exactly what he said I should do... build my own locomotive. I have always been fascinated with vertical boiler, chain driven branch line locomotives. There were not that many ever built, I think the Sentinnel Y1 & Y3 series in Britian may have b...
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• Trying to come back

  by Roger Broederdorf January 15, 2012
  I am not looking for sympathy , I think it is more like I need to write this to help myself to try to get back to a normal life. Model railroading was something I did with my wife. She encouraged me to get back into it about 5 years ago. Her and I were building a portable layout we could run session...
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• Ending the Never Ending Layout Design, Part 2

  by Roger Broederdorf April 23, 2011
  I hope you find this as amusing as I do. The layout is now in revision 15 or 16, do not really care anymore. Why am I still changing the "Never Ending Layout design"? Operation, operation, operation. The Marklin C Track System has allowed me to run my trains over my layout design without it being at...

• Finally Going Digital

  by Roger Broederdorf April 10, 2011
  Tonight was a big step forward for me. I have been in and out of model railroading for almost 45 years now and finally, I took the big step, and hooked up my digital system and ran multiple trains on my layout. (Was testing all connections, turnouts, and so forth). I am running the Marklin 3 rail AC...
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• Ending the Never Ending Layout Design

  by Roger Broederdorf March 26, 2011
  I know I have posted before that I have finalized my design of the small portable layout I am building, (40 inches x 78 inches isn't real small or portable, but not very large either) but as things go, another couple changes.... this is it.... Honestly ... Completely Done... not to be changed again....

• Scratchbuilt Steam Locomotive Part 4

  by Roger Broederdorf February 12, 2011
  My motorized chassis has arrived from England, and in one piece !  The only parts missing now are the outside eccentric cranks and connecting rods. The gentleman who built the chassis went above and beyond by supplying me with different mounting brackets and axle bushings to try to cover any pr...

• Scratch built Steam Locomotive Part 3

  by Roger Broederdorf January 25, 2011
  After hours of looking at closed vans, brake vans, and cattle wagons, I have finally decided on the shell for my locomotive. I wanted to use a small 6 ton Brake Van, but could not locate a kit to use for the basis of the shell. However, I did find a Slater's 10 Ton Brake Van that has very much the s...
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• Scratch built Steam Locomotive Part 2

  by Roger Broederdorf January 21, 2011
  I have ordered my motorized chassis for my Vertical Boiler Box Car Steam Locomotive. It will take several weeks for them to build it for me and then even longer for it to be shipped here. In the meantime I am getting my box car design going. The motorized chassis fits under the frame of the box car....

• Scratch built steam locomotive

  by Roger Broederdorf January 7, 2011
  I am getting one step closer to building my first steam locomotive. I am sort of cheating in regards to the chassis and drive. I contacted a company in England and they make a complete package that fits into less then two inches. Considering my locomotive is fitting into an HO scale sixteen foot clo...

• Scratchbuilding steam locomotives

  by Roger Broederdorf December 26, 2010
  I have built rolling stock before and still am, but, I have never tried my hand at scratch building a one of a kind steam locomotive. I would love any helpful hints from experienced builders especially in the area of chassis and motor drive construction. I am not using any existing prototype, but my...