up button Charlie Comstock's MRH Articles - 2009
bcsjlogo Switching Jallen bcsjlogo

sitebtns index mylayouts operations gazette otherlayouts prototype layoutdesign howto humor links


Charlie's Published Article & Video Bibliography

Click the thumbnails to read the articles or view the videos

Last updated: April 2014




January
2009
mrhmag.com/mrh2009-01/bcsj_story
The story behind the Bear Creek & South Jackson
by Chip Engelmann
mrhmag.com/mrh2009-01/up_the_creek
Up The Creek - Serendipity: Somtimes good things happen even when they're not planned
by Charlie Comstock
mrhmag.com/mrh2009-01/little_colorado
Tom Miller's Fn3 Little Colorado
by Charlie Comstock
 
April
2009
mrhmag.com/mrh2009-Q2/manual_turnout_throws
Do it yourself manual turnout controls: Finding the optimum BC&SJ turnout control
by Charlie Comstock
mrhmag.com/mrh2009-Q2/up_the_creek
Up The Creek - Plate Tectonics: Building a swing bridge and a lift up hatch
by Charlie Comstock
 
July
2009
mrhmag.com/mrh2009-Q3/burgess_yosemite_valley
The Jack Burgess interview: The Yosemite Valley Railroad
by Charlie Comstock
mrhmag.com/mrh2009-Q3/up_the_creek
Up The Creek - Geology Lessons: The benchwork below the BC&SJ
by Charlie Comstock
 
October
2009
mrhmag.com/mrh2009-Q4/nyc_in_s
The Ed Loizeaux interview: The New York Central in S scale
by Charlie Comstock
mrhmag.com/mrh2009-Q4/scenery_scene
The Scenery Scene - Flower Power: Adding flowers to the BC&SJ
by Charlie Comstock
mrhmag.com/mrh2009-Q4/up_the_creek
Up The Creek - Micro Vignettes: Making a layout seem larger
by Charlie Comstock


January
2010
mrhmag.com/magazine/mrh-2010-JanFeb/scenery_scene
The Scenery Scene - Quick interiors for you structurs
by Charlie Comstock
mrhmag.com/magazine/mrh-2010-JanFeb/utc-night_lighting
Up The Creek - Night time: Layout and structure lighting
by Charlie Comstock
 
March
2010
mrhmag.com/magazine/mrh-2010-MarApr/franklin_south_manchester
George Selios interview: The Fraknline & South Manchester
by Charlie Comstock and Joe Fugate
mrhmag.com/magazine/mrh-2010-MarApr/housatonic
Craig Bisgeier interview: The Housatonic Railroad Company
by Charlie Comstock and Les Halmos
mrhmag.com/magazine/mrh-2010-MarApr/ss_hopper_loads
Scenery Scene - Quick and easy hopper loades
by Charlie Comstock
mrhmag.com/magazine/mrh-2010-MarApr/utc-tunnel_liners
Up The Creek - Tunnel Liners: The interiors of BC&SJ tunnels 2 and 3
by Charlie Comstock
 
May
2010
mrhmag.com/magazine/mrh-2010-MayJun/loading_dock_details
Scenery Scene - Detailing your loading docks
by Charlie Comstock
mrhmag.com/magazine/mrh-2010-MayJun/jim_dias_wp
Jim Dias interview - Western Pacific 3rd Subdivision
by Charlie Comstock
mrhmag.com/magazine/mrh-2010-MayJun/utc-roadwork
Up The Creek - Roadwork: Building a concrete highway
by Charlie Comstock
mrhmag.com/magazine/mrh-2010-MayJun/rr-now_you_see_it
Reverse Running - Now you see it, now you don't
by Charlie Comstock
 
July
2010
mrhmag.com/magazine/mrh-2010-JulAug/ss_ties_tieplates
Scenery Scene - Trackside stuff: Add piles of ties and tie plates
by Charlie Comstock
mrhmag.com/magazine/mrh-2010-JulAug/return_of_the_pennsy
Jimmy Deignan interview - The return of the Pennsy: Jimmy found and restored Dave Frary's Pennsy project layout
by Charlie Comstock and Joe Fugate
mrhmag.com/magazine/mrh-2010-JulAug/lumpy_track
Modeling Decrepit Spur Tracks - Are those sidings or roller coasters?
by Charlie Comstock
mrhmag.com/magazine/mrh-2010-JulAug/utc-model_a_creek_1
Up The Creek - Modeling a small creek, part 1: Grade crossings and a king post bridge for Sheffield Creek
by Charlie Comstock
 
September
2010
mrhmag.com/magazine/mrh-2010-SepOct/ss_stumps
Scenery Scene - Quick and easy stumps: Got loggers?
by Charlie Comstock
mrhmag.com/magazine/mrh-2010-SepOct/cascade_county_narrow_gauge
Dave Clune interview - The On3 Cascade County Narrow Gauge
by Joe Brugger and Charlie Comstock
mrhmag.com/magazine/mrh-2010-SepOct/utc-model_a_creek_2
Up The Creek - Modeling a small creek, part 2: building the creek bed for Sheffield Creek
by Charlie Comstock
 
November
2010
mrhmag.com/magazine/mrh-2010-NovDec/ss_highway_stripes
Scenery Scene - Easy highway striping: Striping highways with an airbrush
by Charlie Comstock
mrhmag.com/magazine/mrh-2010-NovDec/washington_northern
Kevin Klettke interview - The HO scale bedroom size Washington Northern layout
by Charlie Comstock and Joe Brugger
mrhmag.com/magazine/mrh-2010-NovDec/utc-model_a_creek_3
Up The Creek - Modeling a small creek, part 3: Planting a giant cedar tree
by Charlie Comstock


January
2011
mrhmag.com/magazine/mrh-2011-01-Jan/ss-enhancing_trees
The Scenery Scene - Improving bottle brush trees: More realist trees using paint and ground foam
by Charlie Comstock
mrhmag.com/magazine/mrh-2011-01-Jan/ts-laser_leveler
Tool Shed - Make your own laser leveler: Getting level headed!
by Charlie Comstock
mrhmag.com/magazine/mrh-2011-01-Jan/utc-small_creek_4
Up The Creek - Modeling a small creek, part 4: Rock casting and zip texturing
by Charlie Comstock
 
February
2011
mrhmag.com/magazine/mrh-2011-Feb/ss-small_rocks
Scenery Scene - Small rock outcroppings: An easy method to stain cast plaster rocks
by Charlie Comstock and Joe Fugate
mrhmag.com/magazine/mrh-2011-Feb/ss-chalk_and_alcohol
Scenery Scene - Weathering with chalk and alcohol: It takes longer to dry than to do
by Charlie Comstock
mrhmag.com/magazine/mrh-2011-Feb/utc-design_a_yard
Up The Creek - Designing a small division point yard: Considerations for Bear Creek yard on the BC&SJ
by Charlie Comstock
 
March
2011
mrhmag.com/magazine/mrh-2011-03-Mar/editorial
Editor's Soapbox - Having fun, changing of the guard
by Charlie Comstock
mrhmag.com/magazine/mrh-2011-03-Mar/ss-build_billboard
Scenery Scene - Build a billboard: A laser kit made it easy
by Charlie Comstock
mrhmag.com/magazine/mrh-2011-03-Mar/utc-framed_wood_trestle-p1
Up The Creek - Installing a framed wood trestle, part 1: Benchwork preparation and trestle construction
by Charlie Comstock
 
April
2011
mrhmag.com/magazine/mrh-2011-04-Apr/editorial
Editor's Soapbox - Obsession! It's a way of life
by Charlie Comstock
mrhmag.com/magazine/mrh-2011-04-Apr/eh-gp7
Engine House - Putting an Atlas GP7 into service on the BC&SJ
by Charlie Comstock
mrhmag.com/magazine/mrh-2011-04-Apr/durlin_branch
Dave Adams interview - The On3 Durlin Branch
by Charlie Comstock
mrhmag.com/magazine/mrh-2011-04-Apr/utc-framed_wood_trestle_p2
Up The Creek - Insalling a framed wood trestle, part 2: Bracing, guard timbers, and scenery
by Charlie Comstock
 
May
2011
mrhmag.com/magazine/mrh-2011-05-May/editorial
Editor's Soapbox - Creative Personalities: Being different, like everybody else
by Charlie Comstock
mrhmag.com/magazine/mrh-2011-05-May/ss-bamboo_skewer_trees
Scenery Scene - Bamboo Skewer and furnace filter connifer trees
by Charlie Comstock
mrhmag.com/magazine/mrh-2011-05-May/cloud_city_western
Jack Tingstad interview - The HO Cloud City & Western layout
by Charlie Comstock
mrhmag.com/magazine/mrh-2011-05-May/so-car_card_boxes
Superintendent's Office - Car card boxes: Easy to make with changable labels
by Charlie Comstock
 
June
2011
mrhmag.com/magazine/mrh-2011-06-Jun/editorial
Editor's Soapbox - The Doldrums: Getting nothing much done hobby-wise...
by Charlie Comstock
mrhmag.com/magazine/mrh-2011-06-Jun/ss-crates
Scenery Scene - Crates: Gift wrapped boxes?
by Charlie Comstock
mrhmag.com/magazine/mrh-2011-06-Jun/utc-what_time_is_it
Up the Creek - What time is it?: Running trains on time using a fast clock
by Charlie Comstock
 
July
2011
mrhmag.com/magazine/mrh-2011-07-Jul/editorial
Editor's Soapbox - Attention to detail: Details are like salt and pepper
by Charlie Comstock
mrhmag.com/magazine/mrh-2011-07-Jul/ss-applying_makeup
Scenery Scene - Applying makeup: Finger painting and painted people
by Charlie Comstock
mrhmag.com/magazine/mrh-2011-07-Jul/bnsf
Al Frasch interview - The N scale BNSF Pilchuck division
by Charlie Comstock
mrhmag.com/magazine/mrh-2011-07-Jul/cs-rollingstock_tuneup
Car Shop - Fine tuning rolling stock: making it run better
by Charlie Comstock
 
August
2011
mrhmag.com/magazine/mrh-2011-08-aug/editorial
Editor's Soapbox - Running in the dark: Hey! Who turned out the lights?
by Charlie Comstock
mrhmag.com/magazine/mrh-2011-08-aug/kcs_layout
Nick Muff interview - Going to Kansas City, Nick Muff's HO scale Kansas City Southern
Companion video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWGgKcHoPdk
by Charlie Comstock
 
September
2011
mrhmag.com/magazine/mrh-2011-09-sep/editorial
Editor's Soapbox - Are you a MRH Magellan?: Where the heck are we?
by Charlie Comstock
mrhmag.com/magazine/mrh-2011-09-sep/tehachapi_loop_gets_scenery
La Mesa club interview - The Tehachapi Loop gets scenery
Companion video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCZt3HZKgJA
by Charlie Comstock
 
October
2011
mrhmag.com/magazine/mrh-2011-10-oct/editors_soapbox
Editor's Soapbox - Are you a MRH Magellan - part 2?: Where the heck are we?
by Charlie Comstock
mrhmag.com/magazine/mrh-2011-10-oct/hybrid_trees
Scenery Scene - Hybrid Trees: Super trees meet Woodland Scenics
by Charlie Comstock
mrhmag.com/magazine/mrh-2011-10-oct/ownr
Kent Williams interview - The N scale Oregon Washington Navigation & Railway Co. layout
Companion video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgfrHoLuA40
by Charlie Comstock
mrhmag.com/magazine/mrh-2011-10-oct/up_the_creek
Up the Creek - Upper Bear Creek gets water, part 1: Paving sand creek bed upgrade
by Charlie Comstock
mrhmag.com/magazine/mrh-2011-10-oct/rr_backward
Reverse Running - Running backward toward fewer derailments
by Charlie Comstock
 
November
2011
mrhmag.com/magazine/mrh-2011-11-nov/editors_soapbox
Editor's Soapbox - Selective compression, turning less into more
by Charlie Comstock
mrhmag.com/magazine/mrh-2011-11-nov/up_the_creek
Up the Creek - Upper Bear Creek gets water, part 2: Envirotex water
by Charlie Comstock
 
December
2011
mrhmag.com/magazine/mrh-2011-12-dec/editors_soapbox
Editor's Soapbox - The season of trains, remembering good times with trains in the past
by Charlie Comstock
mrhmag.com/magazine/mrh-2011-12-dec/fascia_signs
Superintendent's Office - Fascias signs, from inkjet printer to fascia
by Charlie Comstock
mrhmag.com/magazine/mrh-2011-12-dec/up_the_creek
Up the Creek - Upper Bear Creek gets water, part 3: Finishing the scenery
by Charlie Comstock


January
2012
mrhmag.com/magazine/mrh-2012-01-jan/editors_soapbox
Editor's Soapbox - Sharing our passion, good things get better with friends
by Charlie Comstock
mrhmag.com/magazine/mrh-2012-01-jan/columbia-river-club
The Columbia River N Scale club interview - N-trak by the water...
Companion video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpyVZul6_2I
by Charlie Comstock
mrhmag.com/magazine/mrh-2012-01-jan/up_the_creek
Up The Creek - Peninsula construction, part 1, building a helix
by Charlie Comstock
 
February
2012
mrhmag.com/magazine/mrh-2012-02-feb/editors_soapbox
Editor's Soapbox - Overcoming lethargy, getting started ... again
by Charlie Comstock
mrhmag.com/magazine/mrh-2012-02-feb/mt_allen_is_gone
Mt Allen is gone! George Sellios tears out the famous Mt Allen on the F&SM
by Charlie Comstock
mrhmag.com/magazine/mrh-2012-02-feb/up_the_creek
Up The Creek - Peninsula construction, part 2, finishg the helix and expanding the helix table
Companion video, Adding gussets to joists with wood working biscuits: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gSVPhD0bIJU
by Charlie Comstock
 
March
2012
mrhmag.com/magazine/mrh-2012-03-mar/editors_soapbox
Editor's Soapbox - Lights, Camera, Action, sharing your layout with people who aren't there
by Charlie Comstock
mrhmag.com/magazine/mrh-2012-03-mar/up_the_creek
Up The Creek - Peninsula construction, part 3, Laying out a staging yard throat and more benchwork
by Charlie Comstock
 
June
2012
mrhmag.com/magazine/mrh-2012-06-jun/up_the_creek
Up The Creek - Peninsula construction, part 4, Connecting the peninsula to the rest of the layout
Companion video, Scratch building turnouts using homemade jigs:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_POUtKO5qQ
by Charlie Comstock
 
October
2012
mrhmag.com/magazine/mrh-2012-10-oct/utc_peninsula-construction
Up The Creek - Peninsula construction, part 5, Progress continues, slowly in main staging and wiring
by Charlie Comstock
 
November
2012
mrhmag.com/magazine/mrh-2012-11-nov/utc_peninsula-construction
Up The Creek - Peninsula construction, part 6, Getting wired, short circuit protections, turnout control panel, and serendipity in the new South Jackson yard
by Charlie Comstock
 
December
2012
mrhmag.com/magazine/mrh-2012-12-dec/utc_peninsula-construction
Up The Creek - Peninsula construction, part 7, Wiring a junction between reversing loops using relays
by Charlie Comstock


February
2013
mrhmag.com/magazine/mrh-2013-02-feb/utc_peninsula-construction
Up The Creek - Peninsula construction, part 8, First trains run through the new South Jackson on the mainline.
by Charlie Comstock
 
March
2013
mrhmag.com/magazine/mrh-2013-03-mar/utc_peninsula-construction
Up The Creek - Peninsula construction, part 9, The Bear Creek & South Jackson is running again!
by Charlie Comstock
 
May
2013
mrhmag.com/magazine/mrh-2013-05-may/utc_bending-sky
Up The Creek - Bending the sky, coving backdrop corners with styrene
by Charlie Comstock
 
June
2013
mrhmag.com/magazine/mrh-2013-06-jun/rob-careys-drgw
Rob Carey interview - A double-deck, N-scale, D&RGW Tennessee Pass layout
Companion video: Meet at Belden on Rob Carey's Tennessee Pass double deck layout:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXKACDjQdCM
by Charlie Comstock
 
July
2013
mrhmag.com/magazine/mrh-2013-07-jul/utc_staging-access
Up The Creek - Peninsula contruction, part 10: Starting on the peninsula's upper deck reveals turnout placement issues in lower deck staging.
by Charlie Comstock
 
August
2013
mrhmag.com/magazine/mrh-2013-08-aug/utc_photo-contest
Up The Creek - Entering a photo contest, what does it take?
by Charlie Comstock
 
October
2013
mrhmag.com/magazine/mrh-2013-10-oct/utc_train-order-semaphore
Up The Creek - Train order semaphore, moving from Track Warrants to TT&TO operation
by Charlie Comstock


April
2014
mrhmag.com/magazine/mrh-2014-04-apr/bear-creek-tenth-anniversary
BC&SJ 10th Anniversary
Companion video: A 10th anniversary tour of the Bear Creek & South Jackson:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBDz1q4lKhE
by Charlie Comstock
July
2014
mrhmag.com/magazine/mrh-2014-07-jul/utc_laminated-backdrop
A skinny laminated backdrop for the BC&SJ peninsula - maximizing space for track by minimizing the thickness of a center backdrop on a peninsula. Having the backdrop installed made a HUGE difference to the crews when running trains!
by Charlie Comstock
September
2014
mrhmag.com/magazine/mrh-2014-09-sep/utc_benchwork-roadbed-track
Benchwork, roadbed, and track come to Browning - at long last Browning the mainline reaches Browning. A golden spike ceremony will soon be following as the mainline reaches its full five scale mile length.
Companion video: Laying Micro Engineering flex track on the Bear Creek & South Jackson:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qmE0EiWPQHk
by Charlie Comstock


September
2015
mrhmag.com/magazine/mrh-2015-09-sep/utc_bullnose-backdrop-end
Putting a bullnose on the end of a backdrop - Using a heavy duty cardboard shipping tube to add a bull nose to the end of the BC&SJ peninsula backdrop.
by Charlie Comstock
November
2015
mrhmag.com/magazine/mrh-2015-11-nov/recessing-digitrax-panel
Recessing a Digitrax throttle panel - recess your throttle panels in the fascia to avoid snagging them.
by Charlie Comstock


August
2016
mrhmag.com/magazine/mrh-2016-08-aug/up-the-creek
Joining Dissimilar Types and Sizes of Track - Not all rail, even of the same code, is the same size. Charlie shows how he joins different sized pieces of rail
by Charlie Comstock


Micro Engineering tracklaying tips. This is the companion video for the September 2014 MRH article.

BC&SJ 10th Anniversary layout tour. This is the companion video for the April 2014 MRH article.

Rob Carey's N-scale Tennessee Pass layout. This is the companion video for the June 2013 MRH article.

Scratch building an HO scale #6 turnout using inexpensive homemade jigs. This is the companion video for the June 2012 MRH Up the Creek column.

Using woodworking biscuits to reduce wasted wood when building model railroad benchwork. This is the companion video for the Feb 2012 MRH Up the Creek column.

Interview of Columbia River N-scale club members and eye candy shots of their layout's gorgeous scenery. From the wasted wood when building model railroad benchwork. This is the companion video for the Jan 2012 MRH Columbia River N Scale club article.

Follow a passenger train from Glenwood Springs to Salida though the beautiful scenery on Jack Tingstad's HO Cloud City & Western Railroad. From the wasted wood when building model railroad benchwork. This is the companion video for the May 2011 MRH Cloud City & Western layout visit article.

An A-B-A consist of SP black widow units pulls a train on the Bear Creek & South Jackson in May 2010.

A pair of BC&SJ RS-2s in bumble bee paint pull a train through the newly completed Hwy 97 grade crossing. This went with the Roadwork Up the Creek column in the May 2010 MRH.

The lift up hatch in Oahill is mounted on steel drawer slides and raises up to provide access to the Oakhill wye tail track. This is a companion video for the Plate Tectonics Up the Creek column in the April 2009 MRH.

The swing bridge that carries the BC&SJ mainline across the entry door to the train room swings on heavy duty door hinges mounted on some solid benchwork on either side of the bridge. This is a companion video for the Plate Tectonics Up the Creek column in the April 2009 MRH.



This page copyright © 2014 by Charlie Comstock