Tomytec N Scale Leipzig Trams

I found a pair of Tomytec N scale trams at a very good price on eBay. They'll be used on my developing N scale modular trolley/tram layout built on single-depth T-TRAK modules.

Here's a prototype photo I found on the web:

The cars come as dummies, with a power unit included to be installed by the user. There are also decals and various additional parts.

You can also see I've begun a module that uses Kato street trackage with urban street plates.

Bachmann N Illinois DOT Siemens Venture Cars

I ordered two of Bachmann's Illinois DOT Siemens Venture cars:

These seem to be hard to find. The ones I was able to find are Bachmann 74561 and 74562, IDTX 4002 and 4005. The Train World page on these list several others, 74563, IDTX 4009, and 74564, IDTX 4016, as well as "married pairs B" 74510, IDTX 4125, and 74511, IDTX 4130, and "married pairs A" 74512, IDTX 4203, and 74513, IDTX 4214. I asked Chrome AI mode, "What are Illinois DOT "married pair" Venture cars, and how are they used?" It answeered,

Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) "married pair" Venture cars are passenger train cars that are semi-permanently coupled together in two-car sets. Manufactured by Siemens Mobility, these specialized Siemens Venture cars are part of a regional fleet owned jointly by a consortium of Midwest states (Illinois, Michigan, Missouri, and Wisconsin).

Out of the 97 Venture cars ordered for the Amtrak Midwest network, 68 of them are configured into 34 distinct married pairs.

How They Are Configured

Instead of using traditional couplers and separate gangway doors between every car, a married pair functions operationally as a single atomic unit. They feature open, wide, weather-tight gangway connections that make moving between the two cars seamless for passengers. IDOT utilizes two distinct types of married pairs:

Café / Economy Coach Pairs: One car serves as the food/beverage café, while its "spouse" car is a standard economy coach.

Business Class / Economy Coach Pairs:

One car houses premium Business Class seating (along with some economy seats), while the attached car is fully dedicated to regular economy seating.

How They Are Used

The married pairs are managed by Amtrak to serve state-supported corridors originating out of Chicago.Targeted Routes:

You will find them running on regional lines like the Lincoln Service (Chicago to St. Louis), Wolverine (Chicago to Pontiac/Detroit), Hiawatha (Chicago to Milwaukee), and Missouri River Runner.

Flexible Consist Sizing: Unlike other operators (like VIA Rail or Caltrans) that buy fixed 4-to-6-car trainsets, IDOT uniquely uses these 2-car married pairs alongside 29 individual "unmarried" coach cars. This lets Amtrak easily scale the train length up or down. If a weekend rush requires more seats, they can simply drop in a few single coaches or add an extra married pair without disrupting the core amenities.

Enhanced Accessibility:

These pairs are essential for accessibility. IDOT designed the built-in wheelchair lifts directly into the married pair configurations, allowing mobility-impaired passengers to navigate between the service cars (like the café) and seating areas safely while the train is in motion.

Maintenance Efficiency: By utilizing integrated 3-phase auxiliary power inverters and advanced shared braking systems across the pair, the cars experience lower mechanical wear and offer a smoother, quieter ride.

I'm not sure if any of the model mags has published information this complete. As far as spotting features, from the Train World page, "married pair B" cars seem to be indistinguishable from the individual cars, while "married car A" cars have vestibules at each end. My two cars are Bachmann 74561-74562, individual coaches. Now I'm going to have to look more closely at prototype photos and videos to see how the trains are configured.

Using Light Gray Panel Liner For Mortar

I saw some Tamiya Light Gray Panel Liner at my local train store and decided to try using it for mortar on model brick buildings.

Here it is on a couple of walls from a Downtown Deco background flat kit. It takes some time to dry completely, so I'll have to see how things progress. I'll need to continue with the detail painting as well.

I used Robewrs Products mortar on the building on which they're leaning, a Downtown Deco Triangle Fruit Company. This product is still around, and it may still be better.