Model Trains As A Hobby For Children

By: Victor Epand

Did you ever collect model trains as a child? If you did then you might remember the awe with which you viewed the train as it tooted around the track. These trains seemed to be especially prevalent at the holidays and you could just imagine all the gifts that they would carry to all the good boys and girls.

Now you are grown and you have children of your own. They are interested in video games and such stuff but you want to find a hobby to keep them occupied and teach them with as well. One such hobby is that of model train building and collecting. The first thing you should do is to find a train that is acceptable for your child's age. There should be several different ones available and you can choose to allow your child to assist in the selection process as well. For example, you would not want to choose a Z scale fully wired train for a seven year old. You would probably be better off starting them out on an H0 scale or slightly smaller.

This also works in reverse. You would not want to buy your twelve year old a big clunky childish model train. Allow your child to assist you in selecting their first engine. They can usually pick out one that they like while you make sure that it is one that will be suitable. The next part you will need to decide is what sort of track layout it is that will be needed for their new train. Again, you will want to pick one that they can work easily with but not too much so. After you have the basics you will then be ready to get them started.

Allow your child to set up the train and tracks as much as possible on their own. Encourage them along the way and give pointers when needed. Tell your children about your experiences with trains as a child. Help them to understand what is involved in train collecting as a hobby. Try to stimulate your child by also picking up some books on trains as well. These can be about the history of the railroad or just amusing children's stories. As long as it can capture the child's attention it will work.

Now that you have piqued their interest you will need to keep it. This can be by any number of ways. You might offer new box cars as a means of rewarding you child for making good grade, or doing their chores. You can also offer to provide some of the accessories for different tasks that they complete and excel at. If your child enjoys watching videos then you could pick up one of several that show real life trains and how they work. There are so many ways you can incorporate different train related tasks to alleviate their every day boredom.

Before you know it they will be old enough to collect them on their own. You will have then started them down the road to a hobby that is loved globally by innumerable people. It is also a hobby that will help you to teach them different lessons such as the importance of chores.


Author Resource:->  Victor Epand is an expert consultant for model cars, model trains, and model trucks. You will find excellent hobbying and trading resources here for model car tricks and tips, model trains for children, and compact model trucks.

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How To Buy Model Trains Online

By: Victor Epand

Have you loved playing with or collecting model train sets since you were little? Have you thought about starting a new collection now that you have grown up a bit and you have more space to do so? You might have also considered picking the hobby back up as a way to spend quality time with you and your child. Either way you are looking for a way to begin collecting train sets once more.

There is a tool that is available now that was not around for many collectors years ago. The Internet has now connected model makers and model builders that previously would never have been free to communicate. A great equalizer, the Internet, it has made model collecting available to all who wish to do so.

Before you get started on the net you will need know a little bit about trains so that you can best choose the ones you want to start with. Check your local library for books on trains and you will soon know which type you would like to collect. You will want to write down the names of particular engines as well as the time period that it was located in. Once you begin to actually research for your model train you will find this info definitely can and will come in handy.

Now you are ready to hit the net. There are several different suppliers out there so you will have to probably check with several different ones before you will find one that suits your needs. From trains to scenery and more you will find all sorts of info available out there on the net. The first thing to know will be how much space you can devote to your model train collection. This will be one of the major deciding factors as to which of the models you should choose. The next will be the skill level that is required to run the train.

If you do not want to buy direct you may be able to find the train you are looking for at an online auction house. Sometimes people will decide to liquidate their collection for one reason or the other. You may just find the treasure you are looking for. Run your search based first on the name of the engine and then sort according to manufacturer.

One thing you will want to ensure is that you do not pay too much for your model train. It is easy to do if you do not shop around a bit. You will have to look around if you are looking for an antique train. You can probably expect to pay a high price if you just go with the first one you see. By taking your time and looking around you can actually save a good deal.

Model trains can make an excellent hobby for both adults and children. The key to getting started is in knowing where to go online to find the model train set that you want.


Author Resource:->  Victor Epand is an expert consultant for model cars, model trains, and model trucks. You will find excellent hobbying and trading resources here for model car tricks and tips, model trains online info, and compact model trucks.

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Writing An eBook That Falls Into One Of The 6 Most Popular Categories

By: Connie Ragen Green

Ebooks come in all types and sizes, but they tend to be based in one of six categories. How-to eBooks tend to do very well, but people are actively searching
for additional information in each of these categories on a regular basis. Depending on your interests and level of knowledge and expertise, you may want to take a look at which category your eBook will fall into. This will help you to determine the exact needs of your target market. Here are the six major categories of eBooks that are the most popular on the internet.

1 - Business and Money-Making - This category has to do with helping people to start a business or make money doing something that you know how to do.
Perhaps you have been in a career for a number of years or have owned a part-time business. You have specialized knowledge that can be valuable for others who are interested in doing something similar to make money. Even if you are no longer actively involved in this type of career or business, you still have the ability to write about your experience and share it with other people.

2 - Health, Well-being, and Fitness - If you have survived an illness, are currently dealing with a life-threatening disease, or have achieved results in an area related to health, your experience will be of interest to others. Even if it is not you that has
gone through the experience, but someone close to you instead, many people will want to know exactly what you know that will be helpful and beneficial to them and their situation.

3 - Hobbies, Sports, Collectibles, and Recreation -Anything you can imagine that someone might be interested in, this is the category where it will probably go. Some examples are scrapbooking, hang gliding, model trains, and tennis. The more specific you can be about your topic, the more interested the people will be who are also looking for information on the internet.

4 - Politics, Religion, and Society - Again, these are areas where people can become quite involved. This is also a difficult category to monetize many times, because of the large quantity of information available online for free. Make sure your information is relevant and will give the reader beneficial information.

5 - Self-improvement - This category is becoming more popular as people become more aware of what is available to them. Sharing your own experiences and
success will help you to become well known in this arena.

6 - Family and Relationships - Anything to do with interpersonal relationships falls under this category. You can write your own ticket if you are a coach or consultant, or simply want to help others in the area that you choose to specialize in.

Spend some time thinking about how your eBook will fall into one of these categories. Then do your research and begin writing. You will be on your way to building a successful and profitable online business.


Author Resource:->  Connie Ragen Green teaches you how to write articles and eBooks to build an online business, as well as how to use the technology needed. Visit http://www.ebookwritingandmarketingsecrets.com/ to find out more.

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Building A Compact Model Train Layout

By: Victor Epand

If you love model trains but you are limited on space you will have to consider trying something a bit different. Why not build a compact model train layout? A compact layout will allow you to still enjoy the model trains you love so much while not taking up too much space. The first thing you will need to figure out exactly how much space you will have to dedicate to your layout. If it is going under a bed or any place similar you should consider keeping it within a 4x6 area. This will still give you a layout you can enjoy while keeping it from within reason.

If you are looking for a scale that is easy to handle for young children then you should choose HO scale. It will keep it at a manageable size without getting too large. If you are looking for one for yourself then the N scale trains have a track that usually runs about 9mm apart and cars that are about 3 to 5 inches in length. The first thing you will need will be your board for the train to be mounted to. A piece of plywood that is 1/2 inch thick and cut to your necessary dimensions will do perfectly. You will also need a sheet of Styrofoam that is 2 inches thick and the same dimensions as well.

When these are glued together you will then have a solid base for your train that at the same time will be protecting your carpet with the foam. You will now need to sketch your train layout onto the plywood and see how it is going to fit. Make sure that you are adding enough parts such like switches and interconnecting loops. Once you have it all laid out you will be ready to prepare your rail bed materials. You can glue these into place with white glue.

If you will use road bed material made out of cork board will help to keep your train much more quiet. It can be a lot of work to do, but it is not really essential so if you do want to skip this step then you will not be losing anything important. You can now begin to attach your rail components. You should use small nails to do this. Make sure that you are using insulated track connectors to keep track sections that have switched polarity separated.

Your next step will be to attach the wires to their correct places. You will need to drill all the necessary holes through the base and you can then begin to attach all their components in the correct places. Once you have all these installed in the right places then you are ready to attach your power supply and try it out. If everything is working right then you have installed it all properly and you are finished. Your train should still be light enough to handle yet large enough to be able to enjoy. Have fun!


Author Resource:->  Victor Epand is an expert consultant for model cars, model trains, and model trucks. You will find excellent hobbying and trading resources here for model car tricks and tips, compact model trains, and compact model trucks.

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Displaying Your Miniature Model Trucks

By: Victor Epand

Model collecting can be an excellent way to spend your time. It is an interesting hobby and can help you clear your mind. It is also a great way to relieve your stress. It can take up a good deal of your time and can take up a bit of space as well. With miniatures there is no exceptions. There are, however, many benefits to collecting miniatures that one might not realize if they are considering them for the very first time.

One of these benefits is the amount of space that you can possibly save when collecting these miniatures. One thing to clarify is that when you are talking about miniatures you are referring to anything that is built on a 1:64 scale. There are some manufacturers that will classify their trucks on this scale they can actually range from a bit bigger all the way down to 1:1000. This will all depend on the type of truck that is being modeled. No matter how you see it this size will still save space. It can also mean that they may stay much more affordable for the consumer.

Once you are actually ready to display this collection you will find that there are many different options that you can choose from. One way to display these trucks is to place them on a knick knack shelf. These shelves can be place on the wall and will make a great display for your miniature trucks. Another way to display these trucks is to build a diorama. These can make a great way to display your miniature trucks.

A diorama is a way of depicting a scene that can be either imaginary or real. It might be a campground that you are trying to copy or it may even be a cityscape. You can include everything form miniature animals, plants and people to many different types of scenes. There is a long history of building dioramas and they have been used as a way to copy exact scenes. Some people are very passionate about building dioramas but this number is slowly dropping and the art is in danger of dying out.

If you choose to try this method then you will need to know the scale that your diorama will need to be built upon. You will want to match the scale of your model truck first. If your model truck happens to be 1:64 scale then your choices would be easy. It would match up with the S scale for model trains. You would also be correct in calling this scale 3/16th as well. Now that you have this knowledge you are ready to be able to choose what scene you would like to build and exactly how many trucks it will be able to hold.

Another consideration was exactly how big you wanted your diorama to be. This can be easily based upon the overall number of model trucks you are going to display. You can build them as big as you can imagine and go all the way down to shoe box size. There have been dioramas built that were even as big as entire rooms. Again, the only limitations you will have when you go to build this sort of diorama is the amount of space you able to allot and the amount of money you will be spending. The money will be offset by the amount you have saved by buying the miniature trucks. Now you will only be held back by your imagination.


Author Resource:->  Victor Epand is an expert consultant for model cars, model trains, and model trucks. You will find excellent hobbying and trading resources here for miniature model cars, model trains, and model truck miniatures.

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New Model Trains In The Future

By: Victor Epand

The past of the model train is filled with design changes and ideas. From wind up models to spring driven ones there are a world of methods used for locomotion. Steam driven models have been used as well as gasoline driven. The current method of choice for movement is electricity. Many of the past methods mirrored those of their full size kin. This begs the question, will they continue to do so in the future?

In many areas the idea of trains that could run on a Maglev system beginning to become accepted. In Japan in 1962 research of the possibility for actual Maglev travel would be feasible. Maglev testing ran for many years before an actual manned run could be attempted. The goal of a successful test run finally saw its day in September of 1982 and was a two car run.

By 1998 the testing crews were ready to attempt a passing run. Two trains were successfully able to pass each other at speeds of close to 966 km/h. In 1999 the test trains then passed each other at speeds exceeding 1,000 km/h. In January 2001 The Imperial Prince and Princess of Japan were the first ones to experience the very first trial ride. By March of the next year more than thirty thousand people had been on a trial ride of the Maglev technology.

Needless to say, Maglev technology is now here to stay. With top speeds that can surpass anything that rides a normal rail it may soon come a day when Maglev will cause standard rail travel to become obsolete. It may seem like a world away but with rising transportation costs it may come sooner than later. So, what is Maglev and what makes it so important?

Maglev, a derivative of magnetic levitation, is a method where magnetic fields alone provide the sole support for an object. This is achieved through the use of electromagnetic force to overcome the effects of gravity. The force that provides the lift is usually magnetic levitation. There is normally a mechanical support that keeps the system stable while bearing very little load. Another term for this process is know as pseudo-levitation.

This means that trains equipped with Maglev technology are no longer directly dependent on oil as a source of fuel. They still depend on electricity which could be provided by fossil fuels but this is still a greatly reduced amount. If all trains were converted to this type system the initial cost would be great but the potential for savings is greater.

This could possibly mean the demise of the steam driven locomotive. So, what could this mean for model builders? Will the model trains of tomorrow be based on the current designs of the bullet trains and the Japanese Maglev train? It is conceivable that before long the models could actually be functioning on this sort of technology. This can also be a boon for model train collectors. The "old" electric trains will soon become collector's items as well and could soon be fetching high prices just like the cast iron ones that came before.


Author Resource:->  Victor Epand is an expert consultant for model cars, model trains, and model trucks. You will find excellent hobbying and trading resources here for model car tricks and tips, model train concepts, and model truck dioramas.

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Building Your Antique Model Train Collection

By: Victor Epand

There is a long and glorious history that surrounds model trains. They have been delighting kids and adults alike for many years. There are a few different companies that have been manufacturing and distributing model trains in the United States for ages. If you love model trains and would like to get into touch with the history behind them then collecting antique trains may be right up your alley. If the idea appeals to you then there are some things that you should keep in mind.

With a history that dates back into the 1800's model trains have been around long enough to produce many innovations. The first locomotive that you might want to consider would be a Lionel. Made in the early 1900's their model trains came with many different working parts. It boasted tiny electric motors and different accessories such as railroad crossings, and stations. These engines functioned when they were attached to a pulley. This was then attached to some of the accessories to run them.

Some of the very first model trains to be distributed across the United States were actual mock ups of the real things. Most of these model trains worked by use of a spring system or had to be worked manually. Some of the most famous names tied to mass production of these trains were Garlick and Weeden. These can make a very nice addition to any antique collection.

There were many smaller manufacturers between the late 1800's and the very early 1900's. One of these was the Bergmann Company that was located in New York City. During the 1870's they produced miniature trains that were made of tin plate. These were actually some of the very first to come out and worked by the use of a clock work mechanism or were spring based as well. There were other small name manufacturers around this time as well. Some of these included Fallows who were out of Philadelphia and Brown who was out of Connecticut.

Companies such as J & E Stephens, Pratt, and Letchworth found popularity in their tinplate trans as well as their cast iron ones. The cast iron ones soon outstripped the other ones in sales due to their ability to be mass produced. Light metal trains found their rise in the 1890's due to the amount of decoration that could be included on them the much cheaper price that they were offered for.

No matter which of these types of antique trains it is that you wish to collect you cannot go wrong. From tin type to cast iron each is worth a good deal to antique dealers and collectors alike these days. It is best to start your collection with one particular sort such as the lightweight wind up kinds until you get all you can and then you can move on to another type.

Once you have all your antique model trains you can then display them in a spot of honor. These are pieces of history that have helped to lead the way to the model rail industry as it is today.


Author Resource:->  Victor Epand is an expert consultant for model cars, model trains, and model trucks. You will find excellent hobbying and trading resources here for model car tricks and tips, antique model trains, and model race trucks.

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