A nice $65 drill setup

Here is a “home-made” model drill set which I put together following a clinic at our local NMRA meeting (Thanks, Rich Breton!). I’m glad I did, it has made the task of drilling small holes simple.

This is a battery-operated General Tools model 500 screwdriver. It uses 2 AA batteries. A drill chuck from Micro-Mark fits right in. It turns very slowly, so slow you can see the fluting on the drill bit turning; perfect for drilling plastics. The control reverses the direction of turn, the speed is fixed.

About $65 set me up with everything.

Micro-Mark 82727: 20pc drill bit set, #41-#60 $19.99

Micro-Mark 26104: 20pc drill bit set, #61-#80 $10.99

Micro-Mark 86259: Drill chuck $16.99

General 500 Precision Cordless Screwdriver, about $19 at Lowes or Amazon

Also note NMRA members get a discount from Micro-Mark.

Before you do the 4x8 thing...

The traditional starter railroad is on a 4x8 sheet of plywood. However, a rectangle has limitations - it is difficult to use the corner space in a practical way. Here's an easy improvement on the good old 4x8. Cut two triangles, A, and B, off one end. Flip them around and attach to the other end. Now your 4x8 is 4x10, with a shape better suited to a big oval, with a longer mainline run. Formerly wasted corner space is gone.

Switchlist for the Kenton Turn

Well, I have tried a switchlist and I am sold on it. The Kenton Turn departs Davis Yard as Train 61, works only the trailing point industries all the way to Kenton. The loco runs around the train, and becomes Train 62 heading back to Davis Yard, switching the remaining industries (now trailing point) on the way. It was always confusing keeping the setouts/pickups straight but this does the trick now.

Easy domed rooftop vents

A little find from Hobby Lobby - 1/4" furniture buttons, intended to fill in screw holes - 32 for $1.99. They make nice little HO scale domed rooftop vents. Item 621367. I just stuck them on some tape and colored them with a silver Sharpie pen.

Wrong color, but expedient

CR 260517 wound up on the shop RIP track with a damaged door. All they had handy for a replacement was one still in PC Jade Green.

The speckly rust effect was made by making a distant squirt from a spray can of red auto primer.

GP-18's arrive at Davis

The four new GP-18's arrive at Davis Yard.

Four new GP-18s in service

Four "new" (to me) AHM GP-18's, 604, 608, 714, and 790 are just out of the shops and ready to be placed into service. All are eBay finds. The AHM GP-18 is the mainstay of Cape Ann's freight service. They are readily available (around $20 for a running one), and very easy to completely disassemble for cleaning and service. 8 wheel electrical pickup, 8 wheel drive. They get a complete overhaul here: clean, lube, directional LED headlights, paint, and decals.