Engineer Ed West checks ahead as he eases his outside-frame Baldwin 2-8-0 - a recent acquisition for the Sandy River & Rangeley Lakes - and its local freight up to the platform at Strong, Maine. Model Railroader contributing editor Lou Sassi photographed the scene on his On30 narrow gauge model train layout. This month you can download this trackside photo sized appropriately for a background image on your computer screen. GET THE PHOTO!

A layout tune-up involves three basic steps: cleaning track and rolling stock wheels, adjusting wheelsets and couplers to National Model Railroad Association standards, and then checking and correcting all the layout’s track and turnouts. In this first part of our troubleshooting track article series, learn about how to use an NMRA standards gauge to check your track. GET THE ARTICLE!