Spaces to Places IV | Installing the Streets, part 3

It’s time to hit the streets of Westcott, the developing new town on Gerry Leone’s HO scale model railroad. After adding lights to structure interiors, adjusting city blocks, and then building, painting, and weathering sidewalks, our host shows his technique for paving roads made from medium-grit sandpaper! Want to see more of Gerry’s work in […]

Read More…

Wiring for Free-Mo

Ben, Eric, and David team up to work through the process for wiring trackwork on Model Railroader’s modular project, but the steps apply to just about any DCC layout. They’ll cover basic techniques for attaching feeder wires to the rails, fixing them to bus wires below the benchwork, and provide other helpful insights along the way! […]

Read More…

Midday Modeler – April 19th, 2023

On this week’s episode of Midday Modeler, David and Cody talk 3D printing and ballasting. Steve does some paving on the freemo layout. Bryson explains his new love for working on wood structures. David explains a project he’s been working on for a viewer that had his N scale pieces damaged in a basement flood. […]

Read More…

Carey Tarkman’s Standard and O gauge layout

Carey Tarkman has built a 15 x 20 foot layout that includes both Standard gauge and O gauge. It includes Lionel, MTH, and American Flyer motive power. The elements needed to give life to a display featuring prewar models differ from the norm. They demand different skills and artistry from the builder. He or she […]

Read More…

Spectacular scenery on an O gauge layout

Spectacular scenery on an O gauge layout: When layouts with a New York setting appear in Classic Toy Trains, they typically highlight passenger traffic moving in and out of Grand Central Terminal or freight trains delivering perishables to New York City. On those O gauge railroads, the Pennsylvania RR or the New Haven dominates, especially […]

Read More…

Trains LIVE — Daytime in the dome

Trains LIVE — Daytime in the dome — 4-19-2023 — In this special episode of Trains LIVE we are talking about an upcoming rail excursion through the Colorado Rockies and California’s Donner Pass. Daytime in the Dome is presented by Lowell Smith and Silver Smith Tours. The excursion features the opportunity to ride aboard a […]

Read More…

Trains LIVE — Stay bolts

Two men looking at a steam locomotive firebox under restoration.

Trains LIVE — Stay bolts — 4-15-2023 — Back in our March 15, 2023 episode we visited Spec Machine in Middleton, Wis., for an update on Chicago & North Western steam locomotive No. 1385. The Mid-Continent Railway Museum (North Freedom, Wis.) holds this steam locomotive in their collection and is restoring it to operation. As […]

Read More…

Midday Modeler – April 12th, 2023

On this week’s episode of Midday Modeler, David welcomes Lucas to talk about his new series called “Young Guns of Preservation”. Cody shows off some new locomotives from Atlas. Steve and Eric provide updates to the structures for the project layout. And, as always, more viewer questions are answered! Join all the fun LIVE on […]

Read More…

Build a crossover using two turnouts

Model Railroader Editor Eric White and Senior Editor Cody Grivno walk through the process for constructing a track crossover, starting from a pair of turnouts. The duo uses Walthers HO scale Code 83 No. 6 turnouts in this instance, but other brands and varieties work too. Be sure to follow the exclusive In The Workshop […]

Read More…

Midday Modeler – April 5th, 2023

David welcomes Steve Sweeney as co-host. Steve reflects on his career at Kalmbach and gives encouraging words about the Model Railroading hobby. Rene and Bryson pop in to talk about David’s upcoming Modeling Class video series, coming soon. Cody returns with an update on some new pieces that are soon to be hitting the Kalmbach […]

Read More…

Spaces to Places IV | Town development, part 2

The new town of Westcott has moved from concept to construction. Watch as host Gerry Leone shares how he initiated the development by laying out the town on a sheet styrene template. Learn helpful tips for arranging city streets, structures, and even rail-served industries. Plus, you’ll also glean insights for working with styrene or similar […]

Read More…