Build a Model Railroad Archives - Page 11 of 18

In the July 2020 Model Railroader, Group Technical Editor Cody Grivno shows how he scratchbuilt an HO scale model based on the Chicago & North Western yard office in Butler, Wis. See a PDF version of this by clicking here. […]

Modeling an N scale Great Northern layout in less than 13 square feet

Picture of an N scale small town with a GP7 Great Northern unit in the foreground and an industrial building in the background. The original headline appears in the sky: Start Big, Finish Small.

Although I’m really an HO scale modeler at heart, I’ve always been intrigued with N scale trains and have more than once thought how neat it would be to “have a few.” Being without any other outlet for modeling, those very thoughts soon translated into construction of the Havaphew Central, my first N scale layout. […]

East Broad Top narrow gauge equipment drawings

Some of the most interesting narrow-gauge equipment to come off production lines is that made for the East Broad Top Railroad & Coal Co., especially the locomotive and cars pictured on these pages. Mikado No. 16 (Baldwin 1916) was one of the heaviest engines owned by the EBT, tipping the scales at 160,500 pounds. Nos. […]

Plans for a wooden railroad water tank

In the January 2020 issue, Donald M. Deuell described how he modified plans from a 1950s Model Railraoder article so he could add an operating spout to an HO scale wood water tower. See a PDF version of this by clicking here. […]

Plans for a rural rail-served dairy

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 […]

Tracklaying: adhesives, nails, or spikes?

Track and roadbed can be fastened to foam insulation board with construction adhesives made for use with the foamboard. Apply a ¼” bead along the center line, use a putty knife to spread it in a thin layer, and press the roadbed down into place. Add weights to hold it while the adhesive sets. Then […]

Model Railroader project plans: A freelanced factory

Many of us have hobbies within this hobby. Some like history, some collect freight cars or locomotives. Me? I read old issues of Model Railroader. In the past 15 years I’ve gone through my entire 50-year collection four times. Because my tastes and interests evolve over time, I inevitably find something new with each re-reading. […]

How to solder and conceal track feeder wires

Soldering track feeders isn’t that difficult. Learn this easy method for making reliable wiring connection that are also easy to conceal on a model train layout. Soldering feeders to the rails is a wiring method modelers have used since the hobby began. By soldering feeders directly to the rails instead of using other types of […]

Materials list for Build a late-1960s E unit

This materials list is an online bonus to “Build a late-1960s E unit” by Louis Millan from the October 2019 Model Railroader. Louis Millan shows how-to detail an HO scale Life-Like Proto2000 E8 diesel locomotive to represent a late 1960s Penn Central prototype. Below is the materials list for the project. Materials list Cal Scale […]

Plans for Union Pacific East Los Angeles Station

In the October 2019 Model Railroader, Bruce Briggs writes about the Union Pacific’s East Los Angeles Station that served as the railroad’s gateway to Southern California for more than 40 years. After extensive research, Bruce made detailed plans of this mission revival station based on official railroad blueprints. Cl […]

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