World’s Greatest Hobby on Tour – Oaks, PA

UPDATE: Please see the more recent article, World’s Greatest Hobby on Tour – Oaks, PA Show a Big Disappointment.

Another upcoming train show for those of you in the Philadelphia area.  This time, it’s the World’s Greatest Hobby on Tour show being held at the brand new Greater Philadelphia Expo Center at Oaks on January 3rd and January 4th, 2009.

It promises to be an excellent show with both retailers and manufacturers, including booths by Atlas, Kato, Walthers, Lionel, Woodland Scenics.  All together, there is scheduled to be 200 booths in the 50,000 square foot complex and seminars and workshops are being offered. Walt Disney will even be in attendence with their Railroad Story Exhibit and Presentation.

One special feature is that the first 1,000 attendees each day will receive a free Bachmann Plasticville structure.

For more information, see The World’s Greatest Hobby on Tour.

Filed under: Events , model railroad, model railroading, Train Show

Free N Scale Signs – Sam’s Generic Bargin Store

Just a quick post.

I found the prototype for this sign in a 1948 photo of 6th Avenue in New York City.  I thought it was visually interesting, so I quickly threw this together with 3 color variations.

Filed under: Free Downloads, Signs , free download, Free Downloads, model, model railroad, model railroading, N Scale, n scale sign, n scale signs, New York, printable n scale sign, scale model, scale modeling, Signs

Resource for Printable Details and Building Flats

I’ve come across a Web site that can be quite useful to the model railroader, but it’s likely that most of you wouldn’t even consider looking for a site like this.

The site is CGTextures.com provides textures for computer graphics.  Typically textures for 3D computer modeling and rendering.

But if, as a model railroader, you are selective with the textures you use from sites like this, they can be quite effective.  You may jut need to scale these textures to look appropriate in N scale. In addition, CGTextures has a good number of building photos that could easily be adapted to flats against the backdrop of a layout. Most of these look European, but could still work.

I would recommend looking at the Brick (includes flooring), Buildings, Fabric (more flooring), Metal, Roofing and Windows categories.

Filed under: Reference