Chapter 5: Train Modeling Terms for Beginners
ONE THING THAT TENDS TO CONFUSE PEOPLE WHO ARE JUST GETTING INTO THE EXCITING WORLD OF TRAIN MODELING IS THE VARIOUS TERMS AND PHRASES USED AMONG THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN APART OF THE HOBBY FOR SOME TIME. FOR EXAMPLE, MANY BEGINNERS DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT A “WORK BENCH” IS ACTUALLY THE PLATFORM THE TRAIN DISPLAY IS SET ON, NOT A SEPARATE WORK AREA.
IN OTHER CASES, THERE ARE ALSO DISCREPANCIES BETWEEN TERMS IN DIFFERENT COUNTRIES SINCE TRAIN MODELING IS “THE WORLD'S GREATEST HOBBY” AFTER ALL. AN EXAMPLE OF THIS WOULD BE THE FACT THAT IN THE UK THE HOBBY IS REFERRED TO AS “RAILROAD MODELING” INSTEAD OF TRAIN MODELING AS IT IS IN THE US. THIS CAN ALSO CAUSE A BIT OF CONFUSION.
HERE ARE SOME OF THE COMMON TERMS AND PHRASES THAT YOU SHOULD FAMILIARIZE YOURSELF WITH. APART OF BECOMING A VETERAN TRAIN MODELER IS LEARNING THE LANGUAGE AFTER ALL.
ACCESSORY DIGITAL DECODER:
THIS IS A DEVICE WHICH POWERS AND CONTROLS NON-TRAIN MOVING PARTS ON THE DISPLAY. THIS INCLUDES OBJECTS SUCH AS BRIDGES, CRANES, AND TURNTABLES.
BENCHWORK:
ALSO KNOWN AS A WORK BENCH. THIS IS THE FOUNDATION THAT THE DISPLAY SITS ON TOP OF.
CAB:
A DEVICE THAT CONTROLS THE LOCOMOTIVE, TRACK SWITCHES, AND LAYOUT ACCESSORIES.
DRIVERS:
THESE ARE THE LARGE WHEELS ON A STEAM LOCOMOTIVE CONNECTED BY SIDE RODS.
FLEXTRACK:
ALSO KNOWN AS “FLEXI-TRACK.” THIS IS A TYPE OF TRACK ABLE TO BEND AS NEEDED. IT IS TYPICALLY USED WHEN BUILDING A TRAIN DISPLAY FROM SCRATCH AS OPPOSED TO STARTER SETS WHICH COME WITH A SET TRACK LAYOUT.
GAUGE:
THE DISTANCE BETWEEN THE INSIDE EDGES OF THE RAILS. DoN'T CONFUSE THIS WITH SCALE, MANY BEGINNERS DO.
HARD SHELL:
THIS IS A SCENERY BASE THAT IS CREATED BY USING PAPER TOWELS AND PLASTER. THEY ARE THEN PLACED ON TOP OF A BASE SUCH AS CARDBOARD.
LOADING GAUGE:
THE SPACE NEEDED TO THE SIDES AND ABOVE THE TRACK TO ENSURE THAT YOUR TRAIN DOESN'T HIT ANYTHING AND CAN MORE FREELY.
LDE:
LAYOUT DESIGN ELEMENT
MAIN LINE:
THE MAIN SECTION OF THE RAILROAD TRACK THAT CONNECTS ALL THE IMPORTANT DESTINATIONS ON YOUR DISPLAY.
PASSING SIDING:
A SECTION OF TRACK THAT RUNS PARALLEL TO THE MAIN LINE AND ALLOWS TWO TRAINS TO PASS ONE ANOTHER.
RAIL JOINER:
A SMALL METAL CLIP THAT ALLOWS TWO SECTIONS OF TRACK TO BE CONNECTED.
REEFER:
REFRIGERATION CAR.
ROLLING STOCK:
PASSENGER AND FREIGHT CARS.
SCALE:
PROPORTION OF A MODEL TO THE REAL LIFE EQUIVALENT. DON'T CONFUSE THIS WITH GAUGE.
TENDER:
THE CAR THAT COMES DIRECTLY AFTER THE STEAM LOCOMOTIVE THAT CARRIES THE COAL FOR THE FIREBOX AND THE WATER FOR THE BOILER.
TRANSFORMER:
A DEVICE THAT CONVERTS A HIGHER ELECTRICAL VOLTAGE TO A LOWER VOLTAGE. HAS A DIRECT IMPACT ON HOW MUCH POWER CAN BE ALLOTTED TO YOUR TRAIN SET.
TRUCK:
THE FRAME ASSEMBLY THAT'S UNDER EACH END OF A CARRIAGE OR DIESEL LOCOMOTIVE THAT HOLDS THE WHEELS.
WHEEL SET:
THE WHEEL AND AXLE ASSEMBLY THAT FITS INTO THE TRUCK OF THE CARRIAGE.