After building the benchwork and laying track, the CTT staff got to work creating scenery for this layout, including a backdrop that splits this compact layout into two distinct scenes. Get the full story in the March 2014 issue! […]
FULL SCREEN Ties await installation on the unused brick platform at Chelsea, Mich., east of Jackson. FULL SCREEN A Norfolk Southern tie gang finishes up for the day east of Chelsea. FULL SCREEN One mile further east, a tamper pushes gravel under and around newly installed ties at Chelsea, Mich. FULL SCREEN A laser beam […]
Having trouble viewing this video? Please visit our Video FAQ page David and Kent head to a local home improvement store to collect the building materials they’ll need to start an all-new On30 project layout. Inside the store they’ll share insights for selecting quality lumber, essential hardware, layout lighting, and more. […]
Having trouble viewing this video? Please visit our Video FAQ page The wide array of scenery products available for making a model railroad look realistic can be overwhelming, especially if you’re just getting started in the hobby. In this video, Kent Johnson takes a quick look at some of the most common varieties of […]
Having trouble viewing this video? Please visit our Video FAQ page The wide array of scenery products available for making a model railroad look realistic can be overwhelming, especially if you’re just getting started in the hobby. In this video, Kent Johnson takes a quick look at some of the most common varieties of […]
Having trouble viewing this video? Please visit our Video FAQ page In this bonus installment of the Family Train Layout project, David guides viewers through the steps for building a simple plastic water tower kit. Of course, the tools and modeling techniques demonstrated here can also be used to assemble numerous other structures for […]
It’s a warm Oct., 1, 2013, morning as CSX train K931-01 is coming off the Plymouth Subdivision in its namesake Michigan city with 52 empty stone hopper cars from Lansing behind BNSF No. 4992. In the distance, CSX No. 2741 waits for open track. Photo by Chris Paciocco […]
This is an O gauge set that wouldn’t normally be making a second appearance in reviews. We covered Lionel’s Polar Express in the January 2005 issue of Classic Toy Trains. It was a good model of the train in the movie Polar Express, and we had high hopes it would be a natural draw for […]
Dreams come true. Okay, maybe it wasn’t a big dream, but when I first saw the Woodland Scenics Built-&-Ready line of O gauge structures I hoped it would soon include industrial facilities as well as downtown-type retail shops (browse through the Woodland Scenics HO structures in shops and you’ll see the possibilities). I even turned […]
FULL SCREEN Mark Llanuza The headlights of an eastbound Metra train slice through the rain and heavy fog setting in over Elgin, Ill., in November of 2012. FULL SCREEN Mark Llanuza An early morning mix of rain and sleet greets commuters as they board a Metra train at the Bartlett, Ill., station in 2012. FULL […]
Bachmann N scale F7A and B units Bachmann Trains is introducing an N scale model of one of the most iconic locomotives ever built, equipped with a Digital Command Control decoder. The N scale locomotives, which come in A and B versions, have sharp paint jobs, are powered by can motors with dual brass flywheels, […]
Athearn Trains HO scale GE ES44AC GEVO diesel locomotive A mainstay of today’s main lines, the General Electric Evolution Series (GEVO) ES44AC is now available as part of the Athearn Genesis line of superdetailed HO scale locomotives. We tested a BNSF and a Union Pacific version. Both models feature prototype-specific detailing and a SoundTraxx Digital […]
