Q: I’ve always liked unusual rail cars — the more unusual, the better. I wonder how many readers might be stumped by the identity of the rail car in this photo? Hint: It’s pretty heavy; otherwise, it might just float away. – Greg Hodges, Powhatan, Va. A: That car’s not so mysterious; its unique appearance […]
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WASHINGTON — The Surface Transportation Board will allow a limited number of Amtrak personnel access to raw train data used by CSX Transportation and Norfolk Southern so the passenger operator can run its own Rail Traffic Controller capacity modeling study. In a decision issued Friday, the STB also ordered board-sponsored mediation to address the differences […]
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Model paved brick streets: As on most of our garden railways, trains run by a model town. Mine is based on a small midwestern town I visited every summer as a boy. I hung out on Main Street lined with shops in an array of Victorian buildings with a brick paved street. In those days, […]
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Shaping the Diorama – Kathy Millatt’s Let’s Make a Scene video series first appeared on Model Railroader Video Plus, and now continues on Trains.com. In this episode, you can follow along as she forges ahead with the basic framework, ground contours, and rocks of her spring and fall season scenery diorama. Even better, Kathy has […]
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WASHINGTON — Host railroads and Amtrak have not presented enough information to allow the Surface Transportation Board to determine whether two daily passenger round trips between New Orleans and Mobile, Ala., would “unreasonably” impair freight operations, board chairman Martin Oberman said Thursday. Oberman made the statement as part of a wide-ranging commentary at the conclusion […]
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WAUKESHA, Wis — Kalmbach Media Co. has named veteran editor and journalist Eric White as the new editor of MODEL RAILROADER, the nation’s largest-circulation magazine covering the model railroading hobby. White succeeds Carl Swanson, who is moving to TRAINS Magazine, also published by Kalmbach Media. White joined the MODEL RAILROADER in 2014 as Associate Editor. […]
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Measuring track curvature Q: Model railroaders measure curves in inches, which is easily understood. However, prototype railroads measure their curves in degrees. I’m accustomed to degrees as a measure of angles. How do degrees measure radii? – Alan Crouse A: We modelers measure track curvature by radius because it’s convenient. It’s usually easy to locate the center […]
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Elevate buildings to track height! Work continues on the Star Industries project, a mid-sized industry modeled on Steve Brown’s N scale layout. In this episode, Steve shares how he raises his rail-served buildings to the appropriate track height, simply by adding a foundation. You’ll also see his techniques for making paved roads featuring proper curbing […]
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You’ve come to love Kathy Millatt as host of Let’s Make a Scene on Model Railroader Video Plus since October 2017. She’s now back with all-new episodes, Spring & Fall Part 1 Building Bridges, of the helpful scenery-making series on Trains.com! Even better, she’s also documented many of her expert modeling insight in the Kalmbach Media/Model […]
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Host Steve Brown has just a bit of a surprise in store. In this episode you’ll be the first to see It’s My Revised Railroad revealed! Right in the middle of his Star Industries project effort, our “regular guy” has done something very much out of the ordinary. Steve shares his efforts to redirect and […]
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Jacksonville Terminal Co., a firm that’s quickly become well-known for its line of N scale intermodal containers, well cars, and details, announced that it is entering the HO scale market. “We will feature products that are not currently available, and/or are improved versions to meet modelers expectations,” the company said in a press release. “We […]
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Rethinking, rebuilding, and relocating structures are all part of Steve Brown’s major changes. Right in the midst of his efforts to scratchbuild an N scale industrial structure, of course. But that’s what the It’s My Railroad series is all about! In this episode, you’ll see our host employ helpful techniques to tackle challenges in assembling […]
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