Trains.com
Subscribe

Subscription: Metered

HO scale Karlberg Shelf Plan

By | January 18, 2021

The layout at a glance     Name: Karlberg Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 15″ x 9′-0″ Theme: generic granger road Locale: upper Midwest Era: 1950s Style: shelf Mainline run: 8 feet Minimum radius: 30″ Minimum turnout: no. 5 Maximum grade: 4 percent (interchange) Benchwork: tabletop Height: 54″ Roadbed: Homasote Track: Micro Engineering code 55 Scenery: extruded-foam insulation board Backdrop: photographs Control: Digitrax Digital Command Control plus ProtoThrottle See a PDF version of this […]

Read More…

HO scale CSX Thurmond, WV

By | January 18, 2021

Layout at a glance Name: CSX Thurmond, W.Va. Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 25 x 47 feet Prototype: proto-freelanced CSX Locale: Thurmond, W.Va. Era: Present day Style: Shelf Minimum radius: 32″ main, 24″ in industrial park and RJ Corman shortline Minimum turnout: no. 6 Maximum grade: none Benchwork: box girder Height: 56″ Roadbed: birch plywood Track: Peco code 83 flextrack Scenery: extruded-foam insualtion board Backdrop: hand-painted on medium-density fiberboard Control: NCE wireless Digital […]

Read More…

HO scale Boston & Maine

By | January 18, 2021
Track layout

The layout at a glance Name: Boston & Maine Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 14 x 25 feet Prototype: Boston & Maine Locale: Springfield, Mass., to White River Junction, Vt. Era: Autumn, late 1950s Style: around-the-walls Mainline run: 80 feet Minimum radius: 32” Minimum turnout: no. 5 Maximum grade: less than 1 percent Benchwork: L-girder Height: […]

Read More…

Model railroad locomotive, freight car, structure, accessory, and decal announcements for January 21, 2021

By Cody Grivno Group Technical Editor | January 18, 2021
Two passenger cars

Product news  Model railroad operators and builders can get the latest information about locomotives, freight cars, structures, electronics, train sets, and more by reading Model Railroader’s frequent product updates. Here are the products Model Railroader editors have news on for the week of January 21, 2021. HO scale locomotives Electro-Motive Division FP45 diesel locomotive. Atchison, […]

Read More…

Larry Burk’s On30 Laurium, Mohawk & Brockway background images

By | January 15, 2021
Larry Burke's On30 Laurium, Mohawk & Brockway

Laurium, Mohawk & Brockway no. 2, a Baldwin 2-6-2T, maneuvers its work train through Phoenix Yard on its way to do some track work. Larry Burk of Holly, Mich., photographed the scene on his On30 layout, which was featured in our November issue. Engine no. 2 is a modified Bachmann Spectrum model.   Download the […]

Read More…

Remembering New York Central passenger trains

By | January 15, 2021
GL130501-1

New York Central is the Railroad of the Month all through January 2021. This week, Classic Trains editors celebrate the Central’s great passenger trains. Only from Classic Trains! A version of this photo gallery first appeared online in October 2018. […]

Read More…

Product Review Kitwood Hill Models 36-foot On30 turntable

By David Popp | January 15, 2021
wooden turntable

Steam-era operation typically requires additional infrastructure items, such as coaling towers and water cranes, but perhaps the most interesting of these is the turntable, used for turning locomotives and sending them back out in the opposite direction. Kitwood Hill Models offers several laser-cut wood kits for gallows-style narrow-gauge turntables in an assortment of lengths, all […]

Read More…

Product Review Atlas HO scale RSD-4/5

By Cody Grivno | January 15, 2021
Atlas HO locomotive

Atlas Model Railroad Co. has released a new run of HO scale Alco RSD-5 diesel locomotives in its Classic line. The six-axle road switcher features a dual-mode ESU LokSound decoder, improved tooling on the turbo exhaust stack (air- and water-cooled versions), and factory-installed and painted wire grab irons. The prototype. Alco produced the RSD-5 from March […]

Read More…

Pennsylvania Railroad electric locomotives

By Robert S McGonigal | January 14, 2021
Box-cab electric locomotive

The Pennsylvania Railroad is famed for its GG1 electric locomotives, but casual observers might be surprised to learn how extensive Pennsy’s electric operations were. After a tentative start with a limited D.C. third-rail system in the early 1900s, the PRR built an A.C. catenary empire between 1915 and 1938 — and fielded an impressive array […]

Read More…

Model railroad locomotives, freight cars, structures, decals, and more for January 14, 2021

By Cody Grivno Group Technical Editor | January 14, 2021
Refrigerator car

Product News Model railroad operators and builders can get the latest information about locomotives, freight cars, structures, electronics, train sets, and more by reading Model Railroader’s frequent product updates. Here are the products Model Railroader editors have news on for the week of January 14, 2021. HO scale locomotives Electro-Motive Diesel SD70M-2 diesel locomotive. Canadian […]

Read More…

Santa Fe Inspiration gallery volume 2

By | January 14, 2021
A Santa Fe steam locomotive and caboose are posed at Gary Hoover's HO Scale representation of "Summit", the top of the grade for the Santa Fe in California's Cajon Pass.

In this photo gallery, we encourage you to enjoy two fantastic Santa Fe layouts that are inspired. We hope they inspire you on your journey to creating a new model railroad layout, even one based on the Santa Fe! The first railroad is Gary Hoover’s interpretation of the Santa Fe Railway on Aug. 29, 1951. […]

Read More…