Raildig
Raildig Scratchbuilders Calculator

Author Archive: John Cubbin

rss feed

Author's Website

Bad Bayou N Scale Halloween Diorama Revisited 2018 | Part 3

Bad Bayou N Scale Halloween Diorama Revisited 2018 | Part 3

Here’s the penultimate article for the 2018 MTL themed, Halloween Bad Bayou N scale shadowbox. That really is a mouthful! In the last article we were painting LED strip lights and really setting up for the addition of even more LEDs and LED effects. Well clearly, we got a bit obsessed since then. I am […]

October 24, 2018 More
Bad Bayou N Scale Halloween Diorama Revisited 2018 | Part 2

Bad Bayou N Scale Halloween Diorama Revisited 2018 | Part 2

After we finished Part 1 of this series, we realized the brass toggle switch we’re using for the main power was installed upside down! Quickly ordering a new switch, we then dug the “incorrect” switch out of the epoxy used to mount it in the shadowbox with a rotary tool. So… funny story, the original […]

October 17, 2018 More
Bad Bayou N Scale Halloween Diorama Revisited 2018 | Part 1

Bad Bayou N Scale Halloween Diorama Revisited 2018 | Part 1

Last year, 2017, we built the Bad Bayou, Micro-Trains Line inspired, N Scale Shadowbox for Halloween. As often happens, we ran a little short on time. I’ll give some blame to a nor’easter that knocked out power for a day on October 30th 2017, but I’ll take the hit too… there’s always too little time. […]

October 10, 2018 More
Using Tree and Plant Roots in Model Train Scenery

Using Tree and Plant Roots in Model Train Scenery

To add a nice extra bit of realism, I’ve always liked to look of exposed tree roots on a model train layout. Roots creeping out from cuts in the earth or even from rock faces add a nice touch to any scene. You’ll need to do a little judicious root hunting to get the right […]

June 1, 2018 More
NO-OX-ID A-SPECIAL For Model Trains

NO-OX-ID A-SPECIAL For Model Trains

There was a recent post on a forum talking about revitalizing some old, corroded track and the product NO-OX-ID A-SPECIAL electrical grease was brought up in the conversation. This is one of those products you hear about from time to time, make a mental note to buy but never actually get around to buying it; […]

March 19, 2018 More
Cleaning Model Trains With Foam Tipped Swabs

Cleaning Model Trains With Foam Tipped Swabs

Lots of model railroaders use Q-Tips cotton swabs for cleaning hard to reach areas on their trains, track and turnouts. Having worked extensively in the smaller scales, Z and N, the cotton fibers that can / will come loose from a Q-Tip and find their way in to gears, wheels, track joints and all other […]

March 13, 2018 More
Shortytown In Z Scale | Rokuhan Shorty

Shortytown In Z Scale | Rokuhan Shorty

Rokuhan recently, and in a very welcome move, introduced their Shorty Z scale locomotive chassis. This new Z scale chassis reminds me of the Kato N scale series of powered chassis, the 11-xxx series. Both are very inexpensive, nice little runners and ready to be used for all sorts of DIY projects. The new Rokuhan […]

March 6, 2018 More
DIY LED Pin Spotlight

DIY LED Pin Spotlight

While I was doing a little shopping online the other day I came across some neat looking little LED spotlights. Having no real need for them, I naturally bought several. At less than $3.00 each, how wrong can you really go? These are 1W LED lights with a swivel head and they each come with […]

February 5, 2018 More
Merry Christmas Everyone!

Merry Christmas Everyone!

I just wanted to wish all our Raildig readers and customers a very Merry Christmas. Enjoy these wonderful days and nights of the season with family and friends and have an eggnog , apple cider, mulled wine… you get the idea. Below is a nice 3 hour Yule Log with some crackling Christmas music to […]

December 24, 2017 More
Bad Bayou Halloween Diorama | Final

Bad Bayou Halloween Diorama | Final

Halloween is finally here, and so is the final build article for the Bad Bayou Halloween shadowbox. In the last article we had the basic foam shape we’d use for our track and scenery. We’ve fleshed this foam form out a bit more and hit it with some very basic craft paints just to give […]

October 31, 2017 More
Raildig YouTube
Raildig Scratchbuilders Calculator