Trains-N-Towns<sup><small>TM</small></sup> - September-November, 2010 Update


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Written by Paul D. Race for Big Indoor Trains^TM and Big Christmas Trains^TM

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Trains-N-Towns^TM, the Official Newsletter of BIGIndoorTrains.com and BIGChristmasTrains.com

This newsletter is for people who like O scale, O gauge, S scale, and Christmas trains, including people who combine On30 or O gauge trains with collectible villages. It is produced in conjunction with the Big Indoor Trains^TM and Big Christmas Trains web sites.

If you did not get this Trains-N-Towns^TM newsletter through your own e-mail, and you would like to get the newsletters in the future, please join our Trains-N-Towns^TM Mailing List
On the other hand, if you don't want to receive our e-mail updates, please e-mail me with a "Please Unsubscribe" message (worded any way you wish), and we will graciously remove you from our list.
Also, if you would like to subscribe to our free newsletter for garden railroaders (people running big trains outside), please join the Family Garden Trains Mailing List. By the way, you can subscribe to either, both, or neither, and we will just be glad to be of service, no matter what you decide.

In this Issue

Having recently taken the plunge back into full-time consulting, I found myself working way more hours this summer and fall than I had planned - but those of you who consult or contract know that you have to take the work when you can get it. In the meantime, I've gotten behind on newsletters again. WAY behind. We have some fantastic projects in the pipeline, including several by my very patient friend Howard Lamey, but I just ran out of time. I am delighted, however, to post a very useful project by a new contributor, Marx trains collector, Ed "Ice" Berg. He'll have more tips to post later, as well. So stay tuned.

Longtime readers will know, that I try to open my outdoor railroad at least once during the holiday season. The only currently scheduled date is Sunday November 14, 2010, from 1:00 to 7:00 PM. Why that date? It aligns with all the indoor open houses sponsored by the NMRA each November. If you think you might be able to make it, drop me a line and I'll send you directions. There's more information further down. . .

Yes, I know this is short notice. If your travels will EVER take you near Springfield, Ohio, and you want to stop by, get in touch, and I'll let you know if there's a chance of seeing the trains running. This is especially true between now and end of the 2010, because I probably will leave things set up until early January.

If you do have a chance to stop by this weekend, try to get here before 4:30, so you see the railroads in daylight, then stay until dusk, when the lights start to really show up and the "magic happens."

Finally, please accept our warm wishes for a great holiday season. And please especially enjoy any time you can spend with your family in the coming days.

Topics discussed in this update include:

New Big Indoor Trains^TM Article: Creating Custom Backdrops for Your Indoor Railroad
Train Set Shopping Alert - A very quick shopping alert for the model railroader in your life.
Special Announcement: Visit a Real Live Garden Railroad Decorated for the Holidays

New Big Indoor Trains^TM Article: Creating Custom Backdrops for Your Indoor Railroad

Tinplate train fan Ed "Ice" Berg is known in many forums for being a knowledgeable and helpful collector, who, above all, loves to run trains. In this article he describes how he combined graphics from many sources (including our Building Front Photos) to create a detailed, colorful background for his Marx-based railroad. Many of Ed's tips will work for any kind or scale of indoor railroad, so get some ideas about how to bring your blank walls to life.

Please click the following link for more information.

http://bigindoortrains.com/primer/backgrounds/ed_bergs_backdrops/ed_bergs_backdrops.htm

Train Set Shopping Alert

Unless you're living next to a huge supplier, buy any train sets you plan to buy early. Due to last year's weak economy, many train retailers have really cut back on their orders. And if they run out between now and Christmas, they won't be getting any more. I have already spent several hours removing links to vendors who had tons of stock last November and are already out of stock this year. Yes, you can see loads of recommendations for Large Scale, Christmas, or On30 and O gauge trains if you go to my "buyer's guide" pages. But wherever you shop for trains, don't wait too long to make the purchase. I expect many shelves will empty early this year.

Special Announcement - You Are Invited to Visit a Real Live Garden Railroad Decorated for the Holidays

Get in a Christmas Train mood early. Come to a Christmas-themed "open railroad" with 4+ trains running, snacks, dozens of lit trees, Christmas music in the background and an all-around good time. Sunday, November 14, 1:00-6:00 PM, near Springfield, Ohio. Here's a hint - Come by 4:00 to see everything in daylight. Stay 'till 5:30 to see the lights work their magic. Please check out our Christmas-Themed Open Railroad page for details and directions to this and other open railroads. Grandchildren welcome, as long as you can keep them under control. Also, if you want come by on Saturday, November 13, and learn a bit more about garden railroading by helping us get ready, please contact us.

Clicking the link below will tell you about this Christmas-Themed Open Railroad, as well as others as the information comes in:

http://btcomm.com/trains/outside_resources/openhouses/christmas_open_houses.htm

Keep in Touch

Each month, we get more interest in this newsletter, in the site, and in the trains and towns we discuss. We welcome your questions as indicators of what we should be working on next (also, we always try to answer reader questions quickly). In addition, if you have any photos, tips, or articles you'd like to share with your fellow hobbyists, please let us know. The hobby grows best when we all learn together.

In the meantime, please accept our very best wishes for a great season!

Paul Race

BigIndoorTrains.com
BigChristmasTrains.com
FamilyGardenTrains.com

To view the Trains-N-Towns^TM newsletter for July-August, 2010, click on the following link:

http://bigindoortrains.com/trains_n_towns/10_07_newsletter_indoor.htm

To read more, or to look at recommended Garden Railroading and Display Railroad products, you may click on the index pages below.

Visit our BIG Train Store<sup><small>TM</small></sup> Buyer's Guide Pages

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