Tips of the Trade

Track Cleaning Dirty track is a problem that every model railroader faces. Most experienced model railroaders know that if you want clean track you have to use a bright boy track cleaner. A bright boy is basically an eraser which contains a gritty pumice like substance, similar to lava soap. Handling a bright boy with your bare hands destroys your hands pretty quickly. Wrapping it with a paper towel or rag helps a little but what you really need to do is to make a track cleaning tool.
Here's the tip. Use a large pair of vise grips to hold the bright boy. This gives you a nice handle to hold onto. It extends your reach and reduces the amount of pressure that you have to use because the weight of the vise grips does most of the work for you.

Quick Guide to Couplers Here is a quick look at H.O. scale couplers. Use #5 centered medium shank couplers for most cars. Use over shank if the coupler is too high as compared to the height gauge. Use under shank if the coupler is too low. Use long shanks for locomotives with snowplows.