DIY Network

Power and DCC: Chattanooga Choo Choo Visit a famous Tennessee railroad model layout. From "Workin' On the Railroad" episode DWRR-106L

Here club members are at work doing what they love with a passion -- maintaining the HO Scale layout and railroad system.

Host Chris Chianelli shares more scenes from the Chattanooga Choo Choo layout and sound bites from some of its members.

For the Chattanooga Model Railroad Club members, maintaining the vast and impressive HO Scale layout is a labor of love, which is a fortunate thing since it takes a lot of time and there's always something that needs repair or modification.

Everyone has a specific town or area of contribution, including Bob Swanner, who you met in the last segment. He explains that the locomotives run 14 hours a day, seven days a week--or until they quit, which is when he takes charge.

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	Figure A
	Figure B

More Insider Details

Since one line of track is 200-feet long down "one" side, there is approximately more than 500 feet altogether in one circle, and the trains make dozens of circles (figure A) in one day. Other loops are smaller, but they cover mainly the same distance according to Bob. "You're talking about a locomotive running a few miles in one day," he said.
• While Bob keeps the locomotive running smoothly (figure B), fellow club member Christopher Doyte maintains the dozens of cars being pulled behind those locomotives. Christopher said he got into the habit of counting train cars while waiting at a railroad crossing, and when he got into model railroading it was the cars that fascinated him most. And he knew from the start that he wanted to run "long trains."

• Each car is weighed according to a standard relevant to its length, according to Christopher. "I have a digital gauge and I'll weigh all the parts that go into the car," he said. "I usually weigh somewhat on the heavier side that way if the track is bad or something like that, it keeps the car down on the rails."

• Having the power and space to run long trains are just two aspects of the vast layout; creating and maintaining a level of detail on the scenery (figures C, D and E) is just as vital to the overall success of the model system.

Figure C

Figure D

Figure E

Thanks to the dedication, talent and enthusiasm of the club members, thousands of visitors to the Chattanooga Choo Choo museum can enjoy an amazing HO Scale wonderland of enchantment!

RESOURCES :

Magazines and Books on Railroading
Kalmbach Publishing Co.
Website: www.modelrailroaderbooks.com

DCC Systems
Digitrax, Inc.
Website: www.digitrax.com

Trains and Accessories in HO
Athearn
Website: www.athearn.com

Trains and Accessories (All Scales)
Bachmann Industries, Inc.
Website: www.bachmanntrains.com

DCC Systems
NCE Corp.
Website: www.ncedcc.com

Trains, Accessories and Scenic Materials
Life-Like Products
Website: www.lifelikeproducts.com

Model Train Control Systems (All Scales)
Model Rectifier Corp.
Website: www.modelrectifier.com

Sound Generators for Layouts
Miller Models
Website: www.millermodels.com

N and Z Scale Trains
Micro-Trains Line Co.
Website: www.micro-trains.com

Atlas Model Railroad Co, Inc.
378 Florence Ave.
Hillside, NJ 07205
Phone: 908-687-0880

GUESTS :

David Popp
Kalmbach Publishing Co.
Website: www.kalmbach.com