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I've lost count of how many times someone at a train show has used "O gauge" and "O scale" like they mean the same thing. They don't. And if you're about to drop serious money on locomotives, rolling stock, or track, understanding this distinction will save you from expensive compatibility headaches …

I've spent more hours than I care to admit lying on my back under a layout, cursing at a turnout that worked perfectly on the bench but decided to short out the moment I ballasted it. If you've been there, you know the special kind of frustration that comes with N scale trackwork. The tolerances are …

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 …

I'll never forget the first time I saw an N scale layout crammed into a space smaller than my kitchen table. A friend had built a twice-around mainline with a passing siding, a small yard, and enough industries to keep him busy for hours. All of it fit on a 2x3 foot board propped up in his apartment …

I got into model railroading thinking it would be relaxing. Then I discovered operations, and now I host timetable-and-train-order sessions in my basement that are probably more stressful than my actual job managing logistics for a trucking company. But here's what that background taught me: a model …