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JSGeare's EZBizwebsite |
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You have landed here for one of the following reasons:
If 1 or 2, above, select a link from the list below to get where you want to go. But if you came here by bad luck, feel free to click around just to get an idea of what this web site is all about. Who knows? You might end up starting or returning to a fascinating hobby! Or maybe you'll be asking me about a website. Either way, welcome to my web site! Questions, issues, corrections, advice, problems? Just looking for an argument? Email me: jsgeare@yahoo.com. Here are the available links for more info: |
| Ballasting BACKWARDS! Who'd a thunk it? I was testing some combinations of powdered glue and ballast in an effort to come up with the perfect and final solution to quick, convenienent and (my favorite thing) CHEAP track ballasting. The results of that study will be published later. But the testing required that I ballast short sections of track over and over and over again. And that's when I discovered, accidentally, that applying ballast from the bottom UP is faster, better and easier than top DOWN. My illustrated report is found at this "Ballast Backwards" link. Please have a look, and let me know what you think. Thanks! |
| NEWSLETTER: Published whenever I jolly well get 'round 2 it! Click here for newsletters. |
| 1. It's All About Me: Some of my personal history, what I hope to accomplish, why I left Ebay, and how "Makin' Tracks!" got started. Read this and you'll have a good idea of what I'm up to and why secret agents are after me. |
| 2. DCC The Executive Summary: Confused by DCC? Here's the situation. The concept, wiring and basic operation is actually simpler to understand than plain old DC. Get a grip. Do you know how to operate your TV remote? Then you're good to go. The complexity comes in at the level of programming "decoders" to do "tricks." And this is something you don't need to do at all until the day your morbid curiosity finally takes over and you want to teach them tricks yourself. But meanwhile, if you are mystified by the terminology, confused by what you have read, uneasy about the cost or otherwise conflicted, this article is FOR YOU. |
| 3. They Make Such a Cute Couple, Don't They? I doubt it. Horn and hook, X2F, knuckle couplers, Kadee, EZ-Mate, McHenry. . . etc.? I don't have time for the pain, and neither do you. This guide covers a comparison of the various types of couplers and includes an extensive section on installation and adjustment of coupler height - the EZ way. |
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4.
This Tortoise ALWAYS wins the race! Perhaps the gold standard in the world of remote actuators, the Tortoise is
often misunderstood as the exclusive domain of advanced modelers who really ARE
rocket scientists in real life. Pfffft! If I can install them, then you
can install them. But yes, they can be fiendish little devils if for no reason
than that they go under the table to operate a turnout on top of the table, and
you can't be in 2 places at one time. The manufacturer instruction sheet is
available below in case you lost yours. The problem is that the supplied instructions
clearly tell you what to do, but don't tell you how. How could they? There's a
million ways to do it. Select the "No Fail" guide to learn how I do it.
Tortoise Motor Manufacturer Instruction Sheet |
| 5. Frog? What Frog? Why do they call it a frog? |
| 7. Miscellaneous collection of stuff I'll get back to later. See what you think. |
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7.1
Clubs: New page added for clubs. See who's there, and tell me
if you would like to be added. You don't have to BUY anything -just
tell me. Follow this clubs
page link. |
| 8. One Person's Trash is another person's . . . Before you order material to make a stone wall, tunnel portal or streets, hold your nose and examine your kitchen trash. I couldn't make this up! Your kitchen trash may well offer superior alternatives, save you a few bucks and -dare I say it? -save the environment. Who knew? |
| 8.1 Track Attack. Sounds simple enough. Lay down roadbed, put track down, and there you go. Well, yeah, if you're just putting an oval down. But anything beyond that will sooner or later have you pulling your hair out with all kinds of annoying little problems and issues. So why not look at the whole subject from the point of view of a real rocket scientist, who knows all the questions and answers? Or, on the other hand, you could just read what I have to say about it. Can't hurt, might help. |
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8.2 Got Switches in yer Britches? Pssst! Hey, you! Yeah, YOU! Wanna know the best way to mount a
turnout to roadbed and ballast it? The fast, easy, sure-fire, never
fail way? Are you tired of cutting and fitting roadbed for a
turnout? Of the waste and frustration? Are you fed up with tearing
everything apart because of some minor adjustment after you install
the turnout? Are you nearly psychotic about leaning over the layout
while you apply ballast oh, so carefully so as not to interfere with
the operation of the turnout? Are you sick and tired of trying to
then install a Tortoise motor under all that stuff - the drilling,
the bits of roadbed? Are you? Well, ARE YOU?! Of course you
are. Admit it, that's the first step. So was I. Until I invented the
way to get rid of all those problems, restore my sanity and have my
membership to the human race restored. Read all about it:
Well, I'll be Switched! Easy and Fast Roadbed for a Turnout! |
| 8.3 Going Around in Circles? Installing the Atlas HO Turntable. It's a clever little sucker. Easy to understand and install, but somewhat of a challenge when it comes to getting power in the correct polarity on the turntable track. Here's my handy-dandy, illustrated guide. This is a BIG pdf file, so give it time to load. |
| 9. Oh No! Not ANOTHER Crumby little plastic Model! Before you send off for some expensive built-up replica of a "must have" structure, think about converting a cheap plastic kit into a model that will be the envy of your friends and talk of the town. Or maybe just a convincing addition to the layout. |
| 9.1 Brewing Up Something? When you can't find what you want in a kit, you make it up from other kits, left over parts or whatever may be at hand. "Kit-bashing." We're talking about using the parts left over from kits, or tearing apart an old model to rebuild it in a new way. Here's just one example, but there will be more to follow. |
| 10. Lionel? Did someone say Lionel? Say what you will about accurate modeling of the prototype, if it weren't for 2 men in particular (A. C. Gilbert and Joshua Lionel Cowen) model railroading might be very different today. And to think, a former VP of Playboy ended up running Lionel. I report - YOU decide. |
| 11. Shameless Self-Interest. That would be ME: Yeah, I write about this stuff AND sell it. Here's a quick take on some of what I have: |
| 12. Oh, and did I mention I sell stuff, too? Heh, heh. Silly me. But really, this is HUGE: |
| 12.1 Estate Sale of Museum quality European HO Equipment. Marklin, Trix, Fleischmann and Roco locomotives and rail cars. European style couplers. All from a perfectly maintained layout that was 20 years in the making. High end, super quality. We very much want this inventory to have a second life in the hands of modelers who understand and appreciate it. Pricing is already very attractive and we're open to your offers. |
| 12.2 Gerry Siegel's Layout is for sale! Don't know him? For shame. But if are looking for a serious expansion of your layout and roster, or a new, professionally built up HO railroad, or you know someone who IS. And even if you are NOT looking, you'll sure enjoy seeing the layout! |
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13. Talk about Beau Bridges - Wow! Once in your life, maybe twice, or even three times, you are entitled to have a hand built, custom-made, prototypically correct structure model on your layout. One that's made quickly and a price you won't believe. One made just for YOU. Don't think so? Think it's too expensive? Think again. What are you staring at this for? Click the link! |
| 14. Got a Moment? How to wire a momentary contact switch motor, such as the Atlas "snap switch" motor. |
| 15. Are You Crazy? YOU want ME to Design Your website? OK. Web site design. For free. Don't let THIS page discourage you - YOURS will look better. How could it not? |
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"Other" For various reasons I'll put pictures, links, or heaven knows what in this area from time-to-time. Bored? Check back here every now and then to see what nonsense I have posted. |
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1/100 Scale vehicles can sometimes work at 1/87 scale. Here, the 3 Norscott earth movers are 1/100 models of what are very big machines in the real world. However, there are real world versions of this equipment which are "junior" size, perhaps anywhere from 1/3 to 3/4 the size of their grown up cousins. They key is this: could a 1/87 scale figure (like the man with the wheel barrow) actually sit in one of the machines and operate it? If so, then good to go. What are you seeing is the demolition of the old passenger and freight depot at Sugar Hollow. A new passenger platform is on the near side of the tracks. |
