George brings in a Missouri Pacific brass model caboose he painted, upgraded with new trucks, and outfitted with a SoundCar. Then Tom walks you through the correct way to reset the decoder, highlighting a crucial step that’s been missed a lot lately: cycling the power. Tune in for hands-on modeling tips and decoder know-how you can use right away.

George and Tom are back after the holidays and talkingtrains once again! This week, they dive into layout building and Tom’s plans for a new home layout, with a focus on how real railroads operate—and how you can model those same practices through thoughtful layout construction and locomotive operation.

They also highlight the beautiful work of Charlie Duckworth,sharing photos of his impressive layout for those watching the video version of the podcast. The conversation then shifts to upcoming shows, including Prototype Rails in Cocoa Beach, Florida on January 8, 2026, and Amherst in Massachusetts on January 24.

To wrap things up, George and Tom get practical with adiscussion on wire management, exploring different options to keep your installations clean, organized, and reliable.

Related Videos:

Wire Management with SoundTraxx: https://youtu.be/PtOP5-fmKuE

Tom kicks things off with an undecorated Bluford Shops Missouri Pacific caboose, sharing plans to paint it, add lighting, and install either a SoundCar decoder or a BLU-1100. George then brings in his “Rehab My Loco” Athearn SD40 to show how far a model can be elevated with some hands-on work and a new decoder. The conversation wraps up with a visit from Wes at Just Trains in California, where they talk about the hobby, running a local hobby shop, and how Blunami makes it easier than ever for beginners to get started.

Tom kicks things off with an undecorated SW1200, walkingthrough his prep work before paint, lighting, and decoder installation. Meanwhile, George pulls his popular General off the shelf for a BLU-1100 upgrade. He covers what he customized on the model, how he dialed in thedecoder settings to accurately replicate the real locomotive, and why the BLU-1100 is such a solid choice.

They also dive into an important topic: decoder safety. AllSoundTraxx decoders are designed with built-in safeguards—so you cannot damage a decoder by changing CVs. While you might get an unexpected result, a reset will always bring you back. With Blunami, you can even save your preferred CV setup, experiment with new features, and easily restore yourchosen settings without reverting to factory defaults.

Tune in to see the upgrades, learn helpful tips, and get theconfidence to experiment with your own decoder settings!

Related Videos:

Tsunami2 TSU-1100 install in a Walthers P2K SW1200: https://youtu.be/c6oht73h_64

Isolated Tsunami2 Steam Sounds: https://youtu.be/mGdqRMe6YZU

George and Tom are joined by Arron from A&S Trains to talk about the A&S website and their unique approach to traveling to tradeshows—bringing the full hobby shop experience right to attendees. From there, the conversation shifts into a deep dive on Blunami, where George, Tom, and Arron share why it’s one of their favorite ways to run and enjoy their trains.

Tom shows off his newly upgraded Athearn GP15-1 C&EI, now equipped with Blunami and renumbered. George brings his ScaleTrains D&RGW Rio Grande GP30—also upgraded with Blunami—and demonstrates full lighting control.

Together, they dive into how SoundTraxx decoders can enhance your layout. By using realistic features like momentum, braking, and other prototypical behaviors, you can make your layout feel larger, extend your operating sessions, and boost overall enjoyment of the hobby.

It’s fall in Durango, CO, and Tom has a new undecorated Walthers NW2 that he plans to paint to resemble a Zeigler Coal NW2. He’s also preparing to install a new BLU-1100 in it. Meanwhile, George shows off his Precision Scale On3 C-19 RGS 41, which he’s upgraded with Blunami. This model is battery-equipped, eliminating the need for track power. George explains how he upgraded the lighting on the locomotive and shares how class lights were used on real locomotives. He and Tom also discuss battery power and how you can run Blunami in deadrail. Watch now to join the discussion!

Related videos

Directional Lighting with Blunami: https://youtu.be/VuzeuecC3no

George shows off our 35th Anniversary gear, available now on our website. He highlights some of our industry firsts, including our very first product, the Hyperlight, and our role in helping establish the DCC standard. Then, he gives a sneak peek at the new Blunami App for Apple devices, featuring powerful updates like CV Copy, CV Utility, Function Mapping Management and Naming, Consist Functions and Consisting, and Locomotive Sorting.

Explore the Basics of DCC with SoundTraxx (Webinar4): https://youtu.be/t4xYHXkJXUk?si=WNm3g7ntKHarQ8Ic

Consisting Blunami Decoders https://youtu.be/uiJFCPT9VN4?si=sGLbWXUd6rFaL-cM