HO scale Story City Branch

HOscaleStoryCityBranch

Name: Story City Branch Layout owner: Clark Propst Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 13 x 20 feet Prototype: Minneapolis & St. Louis Locale: central Iowa Era: September–October 1949-’50 Style: linear walk-in Mainline run: 70 feet plus staging Minimum radius: 28″ Minimum turnout: no. 5 Maximum grade: none Train length: 3 feet Benchwork: L-girder with extended-foam insulation […]

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HO scale Southern Pacific’s Shasta Division

HOscaleSouthernPacificShastaDivision

Name: SP’s Shasta Division Layout designer: Byron Henderson Layout owner: Richard Kelliher Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 21 x 37 feet Prototype: Southern Pacific, McCloud River RR Locale: northern California Era: 1950s Style: walk-in Mainline run: 210 feet (visible) Minimum radius: 31″ (main), 24″ (industrial) Minimum turnout: no. 7 (main), no. 6 (yards/industries) Maximum grade: 2.1 […]

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HO scale Wabash Cayuga Subdivision

HOscaleWabashCayugaSubdivision

Name: Wabash Cayuga Subdivision Layout owner: Pierre Oliver Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 13 x 41 feet and 11 x 21 feet Prototype: Wabash Ontario lines Locale: Ontario Era: 1951 Style: linear walk-in Mainline run: 200 feet Minimum radius: 30″ Minimum turnout: no. 6 (main), no. 4 (industries) Maximum grade: none Train length: 13 feet Benchwork: […]

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N scale Nickel Plate Road in Ohio

NscaleNickelPlateRoadinOhio

Name: Nickel Plate Road in Ohio Layout owner: John Colombo Scale: N (1:160) Size: 13 x 26 feet Prototype: Nickel Plate Road Locale: northwestern Ohio Era: 1957 Style: walk-in Mainline run: 110 feet Minimum radius: 15″ Minimum turnout: no. 7 (main line and yards), no. 4 (industries) Maximum grade: none Train length: 8 feet Benchwork: […]

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Steam to Silverton in O scale

steamtosilvertonGMR2007

Doug Tagsold’s 1:72 Colorado & Southern Clear Creek District is featured in Model Railroad Planning 2018. As an online bonus check out this article from Great Model Railroads 2007 about his previous On3 Silverton Branch layout. DOWNLOAD THE ARTICLE […]

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Accessories for garden-railroad vignettes

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Photo 1 The clay jugs and pots were made by the author’s wife Joyce. The standing figure working at a potter’s kick-wheel was obtained from Just Plain Folks. Don Parker Photo 2 This painted, rustic bench looks in place with the squared-log cabin. Note the watering-can planter with simulated flowers behind the figure of the […]

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Scab plant

scab_plant

Nancy Norris Common name: Scab plant Latin name: Raoulia australis Plant type: Groundcover USDA Hardiness Zones: 5-10 Cultural needs: Dry, well-drained soil, sun or part shade Plant size: under 1″ high by 12″ wide Raoulia (Ra-OO-lee-uh) admittedly has way too many vowels but it does sound better than “scab plant,” its common name. The silvery […]

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Video 101 Trains at twilight

trains running on a garden railroad at twilight

Many garden railways are lighted for evening viewing. Some have intricate model street lighting, while others use various yard lights or strings of overhead outdoor bulbs. Bob Guinan installed several light sources along his railway, including inside buildings and balloons, overhead, and along the viewing pathways. Our club looks forward to Trains at Twilight on […]

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HO scale Baltimore & Ohio

HOscaleBaltimoreOhio

Name: Baltimore & Ohio Layout owner: John Listermann Scale: HO (1:87.1 ) Size: 32 x 35 feet Prototype: freelanced, inspired by the B&O Locale: West Virginia Era: early 1950s Style: walk-in Mainline run: 500 feet Minimum radius: 24″ Minimum turnout: no. 4 Maximum grade: 2.7 percent Benchwork: L-girder and open grid Height: 36″ to 54″ […]

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HO scale Pacific Coast Lines

HOscalePacificCoastLines

Name: Pacific Coast Lines Layout owner: Steve Mahan Scale: HO (1:87.1), HOn3 (1:87.1, 3-foot gauge) Size: 42 x 57 feet Prototypes: Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe; Southern Pacific; Union Pacific; Western Pacific; Denver & Rio Grande Western Locale: Southern California Era: 1952-1960 Style: multi-deck walk-in Mainline run: 1,600 feet Minimum radius: 36″ Minimum turnout: no. […]

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Video 101 Trains at twilight

trains running on a garden railroad at twilight

Many garden railways are lighted for evening viewing. Some have intricate model street lighting, while others use various yard lights or strings of overhead outdoor bulbs. Bob Guinan installed several light sources along his railway, including inside buildings and balloons, overhead, and along the viewing pathways. Our club looks forward to Trains at Twilight on […]

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Olympia 2, The Log Blog: Part 11 – Scenery Surprise

David and Jenny by the Olympia layout

Having trouble viewing this video?   Please visit our Video FAQ page Hard to believe David has been working on the Olympia Logging Co. On30 layout revisions for an entire year now! What better time to take a look at the work he’s completed thus far. But to keep the progress moving forward, David enlists […]

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