@prrhorseshoecurve posted:So does the O.P. Practices what he is trying to preach? There are kits out there such as AHM. Babbitt Railway Supply, Guilmar, locomotive workshop, etc.
Not to mention the dozens of wood and plastic freight car and passenger kits from Weaver models white boxes to intermountain to walthers and labelle, etc.
In Charlie's defense, he SCRATCH builds and doesn't stop at the mechanicals. Often made with whatever is on hand or comes along first for free to cheap. Ingeniously simple stuff. Recreations, " copies" of old Lionels he couldn't afford but wanted to run was the driving factor in his youth. His posts are good reading; food for thought and know how. Even if you don't do it that way yourself, you might learn something if you're not too careful 
