Ask MR bonus: Waybills and operating forms

Tonywaybill

Download waybills and engine and caboose assignment cards for your model railroad operating sessions. Learn about routing non-revenue equipment in the new Ask MR column in the December 2015 Model Railroader. You can also download these waybills and operating forms, including contributing editor Tony Koester’s caboose assignment card and engine assignment card as well as […]

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Visit the Morning Glow Railroad

Visit the Morning Glow Railroad

Name: Morning Glow Railroad Size: Irregular L-shaped 100′ x 150′ Scale: 1:29 Gauge: Nº 1 (45mm) Era: 1960 to present—all diesel Theme: Southern Pacific—Donner Pass to Tehachapi Age: 3 years Motive power: All battery Length of mainline:  1,101′ Maximum gradient: 3 % Track: Code-250 stainless steel; #10 pneumatic turnouts Minimum radius: 7′ Water features: 500-gallon […]

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First look: New body styles on WalthersMainline HO scale Budd passenger cars

WalthersMainlinepassengercarsnewbodies

Walthers is introducing three new passenger car body styles in its WalthersMainline HO scale Budd passenger car series. This photo shows pre-production samples of the baggage/Railway Post Office (top), small window coach (middle), and the observation car (bottom). Model Railroader magazine recently received pre-production photos of the next three passenger cars in the WalthersMainline HO […]

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Journeys on World War II troop trains

WWIItroop

A Union Pacific 4-6-6-4 leads a troop train east through California in 1946. George M. Speir In early May 1945, I boarded a troop train at Fort Knox, Ky., and headed west on the Louisville & Nashville, destination unknown. The war in Europe had just ended and my fellow 18-year-old replacement tank crewmen had been […]

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A modified bonsai technique for miniaturizing trees

bonsai_pruning1

1. A five-to-six-year-old Washington hawthorn tree on the author’s former railroad. Don Parker 2. A potted three-to-four-year-old hawthorn growing in the Hoot ’n’ Holler railroad garden. (Note the use of double potting to aid in getting the tree out of the ground for root pruning. Also note the thorns.) Don Parker 3. A dawn redwood […]

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Sanders Blue dwarf Alberta spruce

sanders_blue_spruce

Nancy Norris Common name: Sanders Blue dwarf Alberta spruce Latin name: Picea glauca ‘Sanders Blue’ aka P.g. ‘Sanderi’ Plant type: Dwarf conifer USDA Hardiness Zones: 4-9 (winter protection in Zones 3-5) Cultural needs: Moist, well-drained, slightly acidic soil, sun or part shade Plant size: 4-6′ high by 2-3′ wide in 10 years, if not pruned […]

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Just Plain Folk barber shop

barber_shop

Kevin Strong 1:24 scale (approximately) assembled and painted barber shop Just Plain Folk 818 Lincoln Ave. Palmyra NJ 08065 Price: $79 Website: www.justplainfolkfigures.com Large scale, cast-resin structure; fully finished and painted; no interior. Dimensions: Depth, 9″ (excluding front sidewalk); height, 9″; width, 7″ Pros: Good exterior detail; good paint and finish; open bottom and removable […]

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Kadee gauge-1 freight-car trucks

kadee_trucks1

Marc Horovitz 1:29 scale, gauge-1 trucks Kadee Quality Products Co. 673 Avenue C White City OR 97503 Price: $49.99/pair Website: www.kadee.com 1:29 scale, gauge 1, freight-car trucks; available in three different styles (see text); mostly metal construction; unsprung, equalized; insulated axles; mounting adaptors provided for Bachmann, USA Trains, Aristo-Craft, and LGB. Dimensions: Wheel diameter at […]

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VES Enterprises wood tunnel portals

portal

Kevin Strong Wood tunnel portals VES Enterprises PO Box 11672 Casa Grande AZ 85130 Prices: Tunnel portal, $19; wing walls, $19/set Website: www.gtrainbuildings.com Natural cedar tunnel portal; wing walls available separately; supplied assembled, ready to finish. Dimensions: Portal: height, 131/2″; width, 131/2″; depth, 2″; tunnel opening, 73/4″ x 11″.  Wing walls: 11″ x 11″ as […]

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