Twin Cities Division NMRA
The Crossing Gate. Model railroad discussion.Episodes
Episodes of The Crossing Gate. Model railroad discussion.
Mark All
Search Episodes...
In this episode, we discuss what makes us anxious. What fears do you have that keep you from building that layout or model? Is there not enough room? Do you not want to waste material or time? Do you not have the skills?This episode's crew incl
In this episode, the crew discusses how to improve operations Cog Railway. What customers do you need? What makes a great Cog Railway engine? How do you handle interchange? And how big should your cogs be?The crew in this episode is Joe Bini
Operations with a two-person crew on a train. Have you tried it? Do you like it or dislike it? What job would you prefer and why?All these questions, plus more, are answered by our panel.Ken Borowski, David Hamilton MMR, Mike Jordan, William S
This episode discusses how layout owners can inform their operators of specific rules or nuances.The crew for this episode is Ken Borowski, Dan Dossa, David Hamilton MMR, Mike Jordan, and Thomas Gasior MMR.The sponsor for this show is A Track T
If you are going to model a Freelance railroad and make it believable, we have some rules you could follow.This episode features Joe Binish, Ken Borowski, Mike Jordan, and William Sampson Jr. and is hosted by Thomas Gasior MMR .This episode is
In this episode, we discuss specific catalysts to make us finish a project.It could be visiting another layout, watching a video, listening to a podcast, or just plain old shame.We also learn what crew members talk about when the host drops off
Are you going to start over with your layout, or have you been thinking of modeling something else altogether? We discuss those options in this podcast. We asked our panel what changes they would make. Different scale? Era? Railroad of choice?O
Have you ever wondered how to take your operation sessions to the next level? Our Guest Alan Saatkamp shares his five points to bring a layout up to greatness for guests.These simple steps improve all areas of the session. This discussion evolv
In this episode, we chat with three layout owners who have created fantastic stories in a small footprint. Dan Dossa talks about his multilevel Minnesota Commercial. Jonathan Jones is making a slice of the Central of New Jersey Newark Branch. H
A recent post online about the expectations of an operations crew to make the layout come to life for the owner has created some ripples in social media. We discuss this post and what we as layout owners expect from our crews. We also look at i
The crew gets together with Eric Smith to discuss the benefits of operations. Eric is the editor of the OPSIG magazine, The Dispatcher. We learn that operations are more than rules and paperwork. Eric and the crew bring up some great ideas and
In this episode, we discuss what it takes to be a Yardmaster at an operation session. Our crew has years of experience in this role. Sometimes, they do great, and sometimes not so great. Why is this such a difficult job to fill, and what are s
In this episode, we discuss the pre-operations session job/safety briefings. Why are they so long? Why are they so dull? Why can't we change them? The crew discusses their job briefings and ones they have endured at other layouts. Maybe you ca
#52 - Challenge yourself. What do you consider a challenge your current skills in Model Railroading.
The crew discusses ways to challenge yourself and improve or learn new skills.Is it DCC, scratch building, operations, or using an airbrush? Many aspects of this hobby are challenging, and the crew gives their stories on accepting these challen
In this episode, we discuss how an operations designed layout does not need a yard. We talk with three layout owners who either do not have a yard, or use them in a non-traditional manner. Their layouts are fun to operate and have run hundreds
A different podcast. Not a topic-driven discussion this time. This podcast discusses events and activities we worked on at the Regional Convention. We then shift gears and discuss all the activities the TCD has planned for this summer and fall—
This episode is about operations. We discuss fast clocks and the changes they bring to operations—the effect of passenger trains on a schedule, why we are rebuilding portions of our layouts to improve operations, and the research of prototype p
In this episode, we discuss Car Cards and Waybills. Not a new subject, but we talk about the portion that no one wants to explain. How does a modeler start to use a waybill on an existing layout if they have never set up waybills before?Heath H
In this episode, we discuss why we add specific details to our layouts that any visitor probably won't notice unless we point them out—for example, adding mirrors on cars, putting birds in the trees, and having simulated rail joint bars on the
The grain elevator is on 99% of the layouts. How do you use and operate your elevators? Do you have a small country elevator or a large milling complex? The crew discusses their elevators and how they model and serve them. The crew on this epi
We invite he Narrow Gauge mafia from western Wisconsin to talk about modeling non standard gauge layouts and the operations.Discussions range from switching to narrow gauge, to operations, plus taking things slower but with more detail.The crew
Do you give or receive feedback after an operations session? What are some ideas you have implemented after being informed by a crew member that they have a better idea? We discuss this topic and detail the changes we have made and suggested.Th
In this episode, we discuss the addition of animation to a layout: lighting, sounds, and more. Many products are available, and we discuss the ones we have used.From structure lighting to hobo campfires and welders. Sounds from defect detectors
In this episode, we discuss the painful realization that changes to our layouts will be for the better. Modelers might not want to rip up scenery, track, wire, and more to improve their layout. We talked about our changes and why they helped
This episode of The Crossing Gate discusses the advantages of smaller-size layouts.Less cost, less work, easier to detail, plus many other features. The crew of this episode is Dan Dossa, Heath Hurwitz, William Sampson, and Thomas Gasior MMR.He
Join Podchaser to...
- Rate podcasts and episodes
- Follow podcasts and creators
- Create podcast and episode lists
- & much more
Unlock more with Podchaser Pro
- Audience Insights
- Contact Information
- Demographics
- Charts
- Sponsor History
- and More!
- Account
- Register
- Log In
- Find Friends
- Resources
- Help Center
- Blog
- API
Podchaser is the ultimate destination for podcast data, search, and discovery. Learn More
- © 2024 Podchaser, Inc.
- Privacy Policy
- Terms of Service
- Contact Us