O scale Wingate

OscaleWingate

Click on the image to download this track plan. The layout at a glance Name: Wingate Layout designer: Tony Koester Scale: O (1:48) Size: 30″ x 16′-0″ plus optional 30″ x 8′-0″ extension Prototype: Nickel Plate Road Locale: Wingate, Ind. Era: 1954 Style: portable tabletop Mainline run: 16 feet Minimum radius: none Minimum turnout: no. […]

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Track plan for a port that fits on shelf

PortofBrunswick

See a PDF version of this by clicking here. This might be the simplest track plan ever to appear in Model Railroader. It includes just three turnouts, almost all the track is dead straight, and it’ll fit in office cubicles, studio apartments, dorm rooms, and other spaces traditionally considered too small for a model railroad. […]

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Plans for a rural rail-served dairy

DairyplansDec19

Frequent Model Railroader contributor Brooks Stover built this small rail-served dairy for his S scale Buffalo Creek & Gauley model railroad. It’s based on a compact trackside industry found on the prototype. Learn more about the project in the December 2019 Model Railroader. You can also download a PDF of drawings of the structure, including […]

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Weathering winter in the woods

winter_lead

Fall is the time many builders begin preparing their railroads for harsh winter weather that lies ahead. Unless, of course, you’re lucky enough to live in a temperate climate zone. In the weeks before the cold arrives, some folks start to stow their structures, drain water features, and tuck the trains away for months of […]

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Weave a dry wash into your railway

dryscape4

Photo 1 River rock provides operator access Nancy Norris Photo 2 Nancy Norris Photo 3 Nancy Norris Dry streams can make a splash in your railway! There’s no water, yet the path still flows. Running a ribbon of river rock unites your scenery and gives bridges purpose. The premise is simple. We mirror a watercourse, […]

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Dwarf prickly pear cactus

prickly_pear1

Nancy Norris Common name: Dwarf prickly pear cactus, devil’s tongue Latin name: Opuntia sp. USDA Hardiness Zones: 3-10, depending on species Cultural needs: Gravelly or sandy well-drained, neutral soil, sun or part shade Plant size: 4-6″ pads, clumping Nancy Norris To feature “devil’s tongue” cactus in a family hobby may be controversial—just check out all […]

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A noisy little railway story

Black Canyon Railroad

As I walked up the driveway toward Mick Spilsbury’s Black Canyon Railroad, I could begin to hear the multitude of sounds stemming from the site. At first, I could distinguish the sounds of cows and sheep coming from the vicinity of four stock cars. But then I listened a bit more deliberately, and heard 10 […]

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A noisy little railway story

Black Canyon Railroad

As I walked up the driveway toward Mick Spilsbury’s Black Canyon Railroad, I could begin to hear the multitude of sounds stemming from the site. At first, I could distinguish the sounds of cows and sheep coming from the vicinity of four stock cars. But then I listened a bit more deliberately, and heard 10 […]

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HO scale Greenville & Ohio RR

HOscaleGreenvilleOhio1

Name: Greenville & Ohio RR Layout owner: Jack Varadi Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 131⁄2 x 23 feet Theme: freelanced short line Locale: Ohio, Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina, and South Carolina Era: 1940s to 1950s Style: walk-in Mainline run: 160 feet Minimum radius: 26″ Minimum turnout: no. 6 Maximum grade: 3 percent Benchwork: L-girder Height: 48″ […]

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