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I spent 28 years fixing things for a living, and one lesson stuck with me: the right tool makes the job easier. An N scale train set with DCC is exactly that-the right tool for running realistic model railroad operations when you don't have a spare barn to work with. My basement is full of O gauge, …

I spent 28 years fixing trains for the CTA, and if there's one thing that experience taught me, it's this: you don't need fancy equipment to do good work. You need the right materials, the right technique, and enough sense not to skip the boring steps that actually matter. N scale scenery works the …

After building houses for four decades, I learned that foundations matter. A crooked foundation means a crooked house, no matter how fancy the trim work. The same principle applies to model railroading, and in N scale, your couplers are the foundation of every operation you'll ever run. I've conver …

After spending 40 years building houses, I've developed a pretty simple philosophy: buy quality tools from companies that stand behind their work, or you'll waste more time fixing problems than actually getting things done. That same logic applies to N scale model railroading. I've been running tra …

I'll be honest with you: a 4x6 table sounds like a lot of space until you actually start laying track on it. Then you realize every millimeter counts, every curve radius decision haunts you, and that turnout you crammed into the corner is going to derail trains until the end of time.I've been there. …

I made every mistake you can make with N scale curves. My first layout used 9¾-inch radius track because that's what came in the box. My brand-new six-axle diesels derailed constantly. My 85-foot passenger cars looked ridiculous, lurching around corners like drunk elephants on roller skates. It took …