How to disassemble a locomotive in HO scale

Two hands removing the shell from a model train locomotive.

How to disassemble a locomotive without damaging it and then reassembling it is one of the more advanced tasks of a model railroader. Some people just want to see the inside of the locomotive, while more often, there’s a circuit board that needs repair or replacement, gears that need lubricating, or a faulty wire or […]

Read More…

Acrylic paints for airbrushing

Two skinny paint bottles, one dark gray, the other gold, next to each other in front of white background

Acrylic paints for airbrushing While there are many different areas of the model railroading hobby that we can all explore, one common theme involved in almost all of these areas is paint. Whether you are painting entire backdrops, buildings, vehicles, or even figures, paint is a product that is necessary for model railroading. If you’re […]

Read More…

HO scale number 6 turnouts

Group photo of HO scale No. 6 turnouts

HO scale number 6 turnouts HO scale number 6 turnouts. Running trains in a circle or oval may hold your attention for a little bit, but eventually you’ll want your trains to go somewhere beyond that basic loop. That’s where turnouts enter the scene. Turnouts let you split one line into two, design yards, model […]

Read More…

How to build a train table

How to build a train table butt jointed and L girder diagram

Giving your trains a permanent home starts with building a train table. Here are two popular construction types: butt-jointed and L-girder. We’ll show you how to build a simple 4 x 8-foot train table using both techniques. Modelers have been using these method since the early years of the hobby. In fact, the information and […]

Read More…

20 tips to improve your layout

20 tips to improve your layout O gauge Pennsy torpedo stopped at station

CTT is providing 20 tips to improve your layout. Hobbyists in O and S gauge are always looking for ways to make their displays better. These are simple and anyone can use them. Looking for a track plan for your next layout? 20 tips to improve your layout 1. Learn about the new technology in […]

Read More…

Kansas City Southern profile

An images of a Kansas City Southern locomotive hauling a train in sunlight with blue skies in winter time.

KCS ES44AC No. 4765 leads a Canadian Pacific freight train through southeastern Wisconsin in 2015. Trains staff Read more Kansas City Southern articles on Trains’ website. Kansas City Southern summary Kansas City Southern is a railroad holding company incorporated in Delaware and operating from a headquarters in Kansas City, Missouri. As a railroad, it’s the […]

Read More…

CSX Corporation profile

CSX_Blue_Island_Lassen

A CSX train passes through Blue Island, Ill., in September 2019. CSX led Class I railroads in operating ratio in 2019. TRAINS: David Lassen Read more CSX articles on Trains’ website. CSX summary CSX Corporation is a railroad holding company incorporated in Virginia. The company’s corporate headquarters are in Jacksonville, Florida. CSX Transportation Incorporated (CSXT), […]

Read More…

Norfolk Southern Corporation profile

A black and white painted Norfolk Southern locomotive leads a train along NS tracks through a slightly foggy winter afternoon.

A Norfolk Southern train storms eastward through Otis, Indiana. Trains staff Read more Norfolk Southern articles on Trains‘ website. Norfolk Southern summary Norfolk Southern Corporation is a railroad holding company incorporated in Virginia. The company’s corporate headquarters are in Norfolk, Virginia. Operations headquarters are located in Atlanta, Georgia. Norfolk Southern Railway Company (NS), a large […]

Read More…

Burlington Northern Santa Fe LLC profile (BNSF Railway)

An empty BNSF coal train passes through La Grange, Ill, on Oct. 27, 2019. TRAINS: David Lassen Read more BNSF Railway articles on Trains’ website. BNSF Railway summary Burlington Northern Santa Fe LLC is a railroad holding company formed in 1994 and incorporated in Delaware that owns BNSF Railway Company, a Fort Worth, Texas-based railroad […]

Read More…

Canadian National Railway profile

A southbound Canadian National container train passes through Sussex, Wis., in 2015. TRAINS: Brian Schmidt Read more Canadian National articles on Trains’ website. Canadian National summary Canadian National Railway Company (CN) is a Montreal, Quebec-based railroad operating over approximately 20,000 route miles connecting the Atlantic and Pacific oceans and the Gulf of Mexico throughout Canada […]

Read More…

Canadian Pacific Railway profile

A Canadian Pacific heritage locomotive appears in Iowa in 2019. Steve Smedley Read more Canadian Pacific articles on Trains’ website. Canadian Pacific summary Canadian Pacific Railway Limited is a railroad holding company based in Calgary, Alberta. Its subsidiary Canadian Pacific Railway Company (CP) extends over about 12,700 route miles from British Columbia to New Brunswick, […]

Read More…

Union Pacific Corporation profile

An eastbound Union Pacific auto rack train passes through Lombard, Ill., on Nov. 16, 2019. TRAINS: David Lassen Read more Union Pacific articles on Trains’ website. Union Pacific summary Omaha, Nebraska-based Union Pacific Corporation is a railroad holding company for the Union Pacific Railroad Company (UP). It controls one of the largest railroads in the […]

Read More…