Davis Bradley: HO Train Modelling

Ariel Bowman                         
Professor Cryer
English 122
18 September 2018

Davis Bradley: HO Train Modeling

On his growing passion of HO Train Modelling, Davis Bradley, tells me about what it takes to be apart of the HO Train Modelling community.

Davis Bradley does not have an ordinary hobby like any other college student such as: playing video games or scrap booking. His hobby is a very unique one called, “HO Train Modeling”. Which is a rail transport modelling scale using a 1:87 scale. HO stands for (Half-0 16.5mm gauge. 1:87 scale is one on the most popular scales when it comes to train modelling.

HO Train Modelling is a tiny version of a train and its railroad. HO scale modelling began in Europe, but its resourcefulness made it to the United States. It became popular after World War 1. It was so eye catching because of how small the train model was compared to the actual size of the real thing. You can get very creative with it. HO Train Modelling is affordable compared to buying a real train. Hobbyist get very decorative when constructing their train design. They start off with plastic which is usually coated with a spray called, “Testors.” When hobbyists are creating their scenery, they usually include people and mountains. To build the scenery, modeler’s use pieces of cardboard, newspapers and plaster.

There are many conventions throughout the United States where you can see people building the models from start to finish. The conventions are open to not only hobbyist, but to the public as well. These conventions are held by the National Model Railroad Association. This year the convention was held in Kansas City and it lasted for a few days. Going to these events opens the eyes of the hobbyist. They learn new techniques on how to better construct their models. They also learn how to better program their systems and how to make a model from very little into something really spectacular.

Bradley grew an interest in this hobby at fourteen years old. He would go on YouTube and gaze at how other people construct their train models. He desired to be like one of them or even better. Bradley wanted to tell his parents what his new hobby was. He soon told his dad and it turns out, his dad had a passion for HO Train Modelling when he was younger. His dad soon went into the basement and started digging in old boxes, he pulled out the models he built. Bradley shortly found out that his hobby was very costly. He was too young to have a job, therefore, he used aged scrap metal and his dad’s old models to build a layout. Bradley said, “It’s kind of hard starting with limited resources. It’s easier said than done. You have to take a piece of plastic and start painting it. You have to paint so many layers to get the color you want. You have to make sure the lines are right and make sure you don’t crease anything you’re not supposed to crease.”He understood that he was going to have to have patience in this process.

This is not a hobby that you can just start one day and quit the next. HO Train Modeling takes a good amount of time and a wholesome amount of money. If you’re going to do it, you need to continue it. These models are hundreds to hundreds of thousand dollars. Bradley said, “You need to put your mind into it.”

He knew that he had a lot to learn. Watching his inspiration, YouTuber, NS Modeler 24, showed him how to build prototypes and custom build. Bradley improved his skills by copying him. He needed help achieving his goal on building an HO Train Model. He bought an Digitrax Zephyr Xtra Starter Set and they usually run for about one-hundred and seventy-five dollars. Getting started was difficult for him. Bradley said the hardest part of his hobby was, “figuring out how DCC (Digital Command Control) works. I needed to learn mathematical factors and programming skills. The power pack is very complicating. Ugh, I hate electricity”. He wants to successfully build a model by himself. He enjoys hearing about the conventions that are coming up in the community. There was one in Kansas City on August 10th-12th but he didn’t get to go due to being out of town.

When Bradley was asked, “Do you see yourself continuing this hobby when you get older?” He said, “I love doing this. It’s awesome. It’s something I can always do. It doesn’t take much space, so you can set it aside and put it off for a couple months. You can even do it on your free time.


HO Train Modelling has been a very eventful hobby that came to the United States. The National Model Railroad Association has helps hobbyist gain more knowledge with their hobby. Bradley is very passionate about his hobby and is going to continue his interest in it. He has been working hard at it starting at fourteen years old. He was greatly inspired by a youtuber named NS Modeler 24, which had help him with the development of his hobby. He realizes the amount of effort that you have to put into it, but that does not discourage him to quit. He will continue to become the best at HO Train Modelling as he can.

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