Creating a model railway is a popular hobby worldwide.  Inspired by the elegance of trains and railroads, these models are life-like in details and prove to be a worthwhile pastime.  This pastime has also evolved from a simple hobby to an earning opportunity for railway model enthusiasts.

Model railway Basic Concepts

There are basic concepts that you will encounter in this hobbies.  Scale and gauge are often heard in talk of model railway.  The gauge is actually the distance between rails.  Scale is the ratio of the model to actual trains.  These two terms are often mixed up.

Typical scales used in rail models are N and HO scale.  N scale is built with a 1:160 ratio. On the other hand, HO scale is usually built with a 1:87 ratio.

A railway model often starts with a layout.  The layout is planned to know exactly where you put the parts of model.  You will assign a space for your train station model, paths of the railways, position for the details, and more.  Aside from the plans, the layout is also needed for you to avoid packing and unpacking of the setup.  With proper arrangements made, the layout will surely keep everything in place.

Actual Construction

First and foremost, you will need a board.  The board is where the actual layout will be placed.  You should choose the board that will accommodate the designs that you wanted.  The size of table tennis is often used.  There is no actual limit required for the size.  Ready to use boards are suggested for beginners who lack carpentry skills. 

After preparing the board, you may now continue with placing the rails.  The rails are often nailed to avoid derailment of the train.  You can also place rail underlay.  This is commonly placed to regulate the sound of the moving train when it is on the move.  Another purpose of the underlay is to smoothen the surface of the board and allow better placement of the rails.

Know the tips in choosing the right rails for your model on this model railway guide.

Increasing Aesthetic Value

It is a wise idea to add details to your model.  Aside from the rail road, details such as the trees, fences, cars, and houses in your railway model attract people.  You can also place landmarks, bridges, and parks.  These details can be made of common house items.  You just have to be creative to make this work.

One way to make the railway look more realistic is by adding ballast.  A ballast not only increases aesthetic value but also placed to increase the stability of the model railway.  Placing ballast is a challenge.  Adding glue as adherent will not work.  This is because some of its particles do not make contact with the glue and remain loose.  To solve this, you have to make use of PVA wood glue.  This glue is diluted 1:1 with water and dishwashing liquid.  The glue will be dropped with an eyedropper.  It is important to be careful in handling the ballast.  Its particle can be glued moving parts causing problems to your model.     

 

People have varying opinion regarding crate training a puppy.  Some people see it as an act of cruelty.  To them, it restricts the freedom of the animal.  But to many, with understanding of taking care of pet dogs, crate training is very helpful.

Choosing the Right Crate

Choosing a crate is a very important part and dictates the well being of your pet.  The crate will serve as a home for your pet for a period of time.  You should choose your crate wisely and adjust it according to the needs of your pet.

There are various types of crates.  Each has its own advantages.  The wire crate is the most common type of crate used in crate training.  It provides visibility of the whole crate.  It is also made of versatile materials; it makes the crate easy to carry around and provide additional space when needed.

Another type of crate is the soft-sided crate.  Like the wire crate, soft-sided crate is also lightweight and very suitable for carrying your pet around.  The downside of this crate is that the dog will learn the habit of chewing or scratching the sides of the crate.  This is not suggested for puppies.

Plastic crates are the ones used in sniffing dogs such as canine.  This crate is strong and ideal for large pets.  The problem that one can see in this crate is that it has three side enclosed limiting air circulation.  The crate also has areas that are hard to clean.

(You can also consult this dog training eBook to learn more on choosing the right crate for your dog.)

Confining with Comfort

After choosing the right crate, you may now throw in the basic needs of the puppy.  This includes water, old blankets to act as padding, toys, and treats.

In introducing the puppy to the crate, it is essential to do it in an unhurried manner.  Let it explore the crate without being rushed.  Throw treats inside the crate.  Close the door and take a minute to observe.  As soon your pet keeps calm, let it out of the crate.  This is also a way on how to train your dog not to bark.  Repeat the steps and increase the length of time the dog stays in the crate.  The dog will associate the crate as a place it as a safe haven.  Give praises once in a while and reward with treats every time it enters the crate.  Repeat this process until it gets comfortable with the crate.

As the puppy gets more comfortable with the crate for about 30 minutes, you may now start leaving it inside the crate for longer periods.  There is no general rule on how long a puppy should stay inside the crate but it is advisable not to crate puppies for longer than six hours.

You should give time for your pet to relieve itself.  Praise it excessively afterwards.  This is done not only to diminish the chances of accidents in your home, but it also gives an idea to your pet that going to bathroom outside the house will result in praises.