When people think about building a model train layout on a hollow core door, they most often envision an N scale layout, like our Red Oak project (which was published starting in MR’s January 2015 issue). Admittedly, hollow core doors are a convenient size for small N scale layouts, since nested 9.5” and 11” radius […]
Magazine: Model-Railroader
Cardinal River Models’ Super Power startup
In May 2024, an up-and-coming model railroad company took the stage with Super Power in its arsenal. Cardinal River Models LLC of West Virginia announced plans to manufacture a museum-tier model of the Nickel Plate Road Class S-2 2-8-4 Berkshire-type steam locomotive in HO. Although Nickel Plate Berkshires are nothing new to the market, owner […]
Plans for a masonry depot
Harold W. Russell’s illustrations have been appearing in Model Railroader magazine since the mid-1960s. He has more than 150 bylines to his credit. In the July 2024 issue he shared plans for a masonry depot on the Lehigh Valley in Gorham, N.Y. Click on the link below to download Harold’s plans. Use this link to […]
News & Products for the week of July 1st 2024
News & Products for the week of July 1st 2024 Model railroad operators and builders can get the latest information about locomotives, freight cars, passenger cars, tools, track, and more by reading Model Railroader’s frequent product updates. The following are the products Model Railroader editors have news on for the week of July 1st […]
ScaleTrains HO Rivet Counter Trinity reefer
The ScaleTrains HO Rivet Counter Trinity reefer recently arrived at the Model Railroader offices. Join Senior Editor Cody Grivno as he provides a brief history of the full-size BNSF Ry. cars, points out the various details on the contemporary freight car, and demonstrates how the sound and light functions work. Then see two of the […]
Five train layouts you can visit this summer
Planning your travel for this summer? Be sure to include some model trains in those plans! These five train layouts throughout the country (and world) are all worth a visit this summer. Colorado Model Railroad Museum Featuring more than 500 HO scale locomotives, 80 scale miles of track, and tens of thousands of handmade trees, […]
Model Railroader Hall of Fame August nominees
The Model Railroader Hall of Fame August nominees are all part of the Kalmbach Media (formerly Kalmbach Publishing Co.) family tree. Though all three men worked here, each impacted model railroading in a different way. Jim Hediger shared his modeling tips and techniques with readers for more than 40 years. Michael Stephens, a second-generation Kalmbach […]
Storage ideas for under your layout
Model railroads can take up a lot of space, but one way to recuperate some of that is to use the area under the benchwork for either modeling or household items. So here are some storage ideas for under your layout. Shelving Shelving is a popular strategy for storage under your layout. One of the […]
New Train Show: The National Festival of Railway Modelling to fill a void
In early 2024, the United Kingdom’s Warley Model Railroad Club announced they were discontinuing the renowned Warley National Model Railway Exhibition. As the club pivots in a new direction, there’s another organization looking to fill the void left behind with the cancellation of the national event. The need for a national event On Feb. 16, […]
Why do railroads use towers?
What are railroad tower operations? Railroad tower operations can have at least two meanings. One is what happens inside a tower, or more specifically, an interlocking tower. The other is a way of running a railroad, by using the operators in interlocking towers to control traffic through specific points of the railroad. So, why do […]
News & Products for the week of June 24th 2024
News & Products for the week of June 24th 2024 Model railroad operators and builders can get the latest information about locomotives, freight cars, passenger cars, tools, track, and more by reading Model Railroader’s frequent product updates. The following are the products Model Railroader editors have news on for the week of June 24th 2024. […]
Which trains worked the Beer Line?
Q: I am modeling the Milwaukee Road’s Beer Line in HO scale. Which trains worked the Beer Line, and what were the train numbers they used? I can’t find any information on the internet. They didn’t just call them “Midnight Beer Train” or “Elevator Job,” did they? — Jerry Lane A: The Beer Line is near […]