New model trains for the week of August 6, 2020

Model Railroader placeholder image

HO scale freight cars Bi-level auto rack. New paint schemes: BNSF Ry. (Oxide Red with circle-cross herald and yellow with post-2005 herald), Canadian National (white with red “wet noodle” herald, six road numbers), Conrail (brown with “can opener” herald), CP Rail (red), CSX (yellow), Kansas City Southern (yellow with dual heralds), Mexican Rail Transportation (yellow), […]

Read More…

New large scale products for August 2020

Caboose

Engines & rolling stock Pennsylvania RR double-sheathed cupola caboose. Separate, factory-applied brake wheels, brake cylinder, smokejack, ladders, and grab irons; plastic wheelsets; and hook-and-loop couplers. $94.99. PIKO America LLC, 619-280-2800, piko-america.com General Electric Dash 9-44CW diesel locomotive. Pre-production artwork shown. 1:29 scale. Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe (warbonnet); BNSF Ry. (Heritage III); CSX (dark blue […]

Read More…

Tunneling through tough times

The author designed her rear-of-the-railway tunnel for viewing from a glider on the front door stoop

Like a grade-school report, “What I did on my spring 2020 vacation,” this story is about optimism in the face of confusion and lack of resources. We had just started a new little garden railway loop in front of our house, but hidden from the street. Having built a gallery along the walkway, we next […]

Read More…

Virtual garden railroad visits during quarantine

We’ve kept close to home since quarantine and social distancing guidelines have been issued. Club meetings have been canceled; events and open houses have been put on hold. Our hearts go out to anyone affected by COVID-19. Time at home has spawned creative moments, though. I’ve refurbished structures, maintained locomotives and rolling stock, and looked […]

Read More…

Virtual garden railroad visits during quarantine

We’ve kept close to home since quarantine and social distancing guidelines have been issued. Club meetings have been canceled; events and open houses have been put on hold. Our hearts go out to anyone affected by COVID-19. Time at home has spawned creative moments, though. I’ve refurbished structures, maintained locomotives and rolling stock, and looked […]

Read More…

Scene and scale lighting options for your garden railroad

Solar powered lighting

Scene lighting allows you to shine a spotlight on your favorite railroad scenes. Again, the idea is to draw the viewer’s eye toward something you want to emphasize, like ridges, waterfalls, and pathways. You can be as creative as you want. You’ll want to hit the landscape lighting section at your local home improvement store. […]

Read More…

Remembering the Lehigh & Hudson River Railway — a history

Four Lehigh & Hudson River RS3 diesel locomotives.

History of the Lehigh & Hudson River Railway The Lehigh & Hudson River Railway was a bridge route in the most literal sense. For much of its lifetime, New England freight moving via the 6,747-foot-long (including approaches), 212-foot-high Poughkeepsie Bridge over the Hudson River at that New York town was L&HR’s essential lifeblood and key […]

Read More…

The story of Squaw Valley

F7A 4219 and F3A 6709 bracket three B units on an Asheville-bound Southern Railway freight along the French Broad River in April 1966.

Downhill skiing buffs immediately think of the winter vacation destination (and site of the 1960 winter Olympics) in California’s Sierra Nevada mountains when “Squaw Valley” is mentioned. More than 50 years ago, the name Squaw Valley came to the mountains of Western North Carolina under entirely different circumstances. To set the stage, I was a […]

Read More…

In Memoriam: Neil Besougloff, 1959 – 2020

Neil Besougloff working on tracks

Neil Besougloff, editor of Model Railroader from June 2007 to June 2017, passed away on July 26 from complications related to COVID-19. He was 61 years old. Neil was born in Toms River, N.J., and graduated from Toms River High School South. After earning an associate degree from Ocean County College in Toms River, he […]

Read More…

New model trains for the week of July 30, 2020

Ten train cars

HO scale locomotives Alco RS-11 diesel locomotive. Burlington Northern (Cascade Green and Northern Pacific patchout); Central Vermont (green with “wet noodle” herald); Delaware & Hudson (gray, yellow, and blue “lightning stripe” scheme); Duluth, Winnipeg & Pacific (as-delivered green-and-gold scheme); Maine Central (Pine Green); Portland Terminal (Pine Green, conditional release); New York Central (black); Nickel Plate […]

Read More…

Ask MR: Got any ideas for an uncoupling tool?

Model Railroader placeholder image

Question: I model in N scale. I’m having problems uncoupling the cars. Is there a tool out there to assist with this task, or do you have a suggestion on how to make this easier? – William Semanko, Junction City, Kan. Answer: Many N scalers like yourself uncouple their cars by inserting the point of […]

Read More…