The N scale Milwaukee Road North Montana Line

DanLewisNscaleMilwaukeeRoadNorthMontanaLine_02

When I cut a hole in the living room wall in order to expand my N scale railroad into the hallway beyond, I thought that was as large a model railroad as I would ever own. I was just happy that my wife agreed to my bizarre suggestion (see “Harlowton, Montana, in N scale,” ­Model […]

Read More…

Modeling steers and bulls

DanLewisNscaleMilwaukeeRoadNorthMontanaLine_06

Most N scale bovines offered by figure manufacturers are milk cows, but the Montana cattle industry requires steers and bulls, too. Dan Lewis uses wire and Microscale Kristal Kleer to turn cows into bulls, as well as to model longhorns, on his N scale Milwaukee Road North Montana Line. One problem I encountered with commercially […]

Read More…

Modeling tip: Extra flags for locomotives

DanLewisNscaleMilwaukeeRoadNorthMontanaLine_07

A feature one doesn’t see modeled very often is white extra flags. On a line like the North Montana that hosted mostly time freights, extra trains carrying livestock and grain were seasonal. Extra flags can be easily made from .008″ brass wire and small squares cut from white tissue paper. After gluing the flags onto […]

Read More…

Gettin’ out of Dodge

ATSFmixed

In August 1968, two years before author Dierks’ ride and when the Boise City mixed carried a combine instead of just a caboose, Santa Fe train 174 is at Elkhart, Kans. Joe McMillan This wasn’t my first rodeo, so to speak. I had ridden mixed trains in Utah and Idaho, and, just four days ago, one in Kansas. […]

Read More…

Tips for identifying modern diesel locomotives

Moderndieselidentification

Many readers have asked how we identify the current crop of big, modern road diesels. Unfortunately, it isn’t easy, as many locomotive designs have evolved into a family of similar looking locomotives. This means modelers have to study the details to figure out what locomotive is represented by a specific scale model. Comparing the model […]

Read More…

Remembering Pere Marquette Railway freight trains

A black and white photo of the Chesapeake & Ohio No. 350 locomotive leaving the rail yard with white smoke coming out of its chimney

All this month — April 2020 — Classic Trains editors are celebrating the heritage, history, and images of the Pere Marquette Railway. Please enjoy this photo gallery of images from the David P. Morgan Library archives at Kalmbach Media that include Pere Marquette diesel- and steam-powered freight trains through time. You might also enjoy this […]

Read More…

Remembering Pere Marquette locomotives

1PM318

Classic Trains editors are celebrating the heritage, history, and lore of famed (and infamous) railroads. In April 2020, we celebrate the Pere Marquette Railway. Please enjoy a collection of locomotive images located in the David P. Morgan Library archives at Kalmbach Media that include the Pere Marquette’s iconic locomotives and classic scenic photos. You might […]

Read More…