Lehigh & Susquehanna

LehighSusquehannaRR

Name: Lehigh & Susquehanna Layout designer: Wayne Sittner Scale: HO (1:87:1) Size: 9 x 41 feet Prototypes: Central of New Jersey; Delaware & Hudson; Delaware, Lackawanna & Western; Erie; Lackawanna & Wyoming Valley; Lehigh Valley; and Pennsylvania Locale: Northeastern Pennsylvania anthracite coal mining and cement-making regions Era: 1952-62 or 1978-85 Style: linear walkaround shelf Mainline […]

Read More…

Oregon Coast RR

OregonCoastRR

Name: Oregon Coast RR Layout designer: Mat Thompson Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 32′-0″ x 54′-6″ Prototype: freelanced Locale: Pacific Northwest Era: fall 1953 Style: walk-in Mainline run: 120 feet Minimum radius: 30″ (main), 24″ (branch) Minimum turnout: no. 6 (main), no. 4 (industries and yards) Maximum grade: 2.5 percent Originally appeared in the Great Model […]

Read More…

Pennsylvania RR Juniata Division

PennsylvaniaRRJuniataDivision

Name: Pennsylvania RR Juniata Division Layout designer: Dave Vollmer Scale: N (1:160) Size: 6′-8″ x 8′-8″ Prototype: Pennsylvania RR Middle Division Locale: central Pennsylvania Period: 1956 Style: island Mainline run: 15.4 feet Minimum radius: 13.5″ Minimum turnout: no. 5 Maximum grade: none Originally appeared in the Great Model Railroads 2014. Click on the link to […]

Read More…

San Juan Extension

DRGWSanJuanDivision

Name: San Juan Extension Layout designer: John Short Scale: HOn3 (1:87.1, narrow gauge) Size: 13′-6″ x 22′-6″ plus 7′-0″ extension Prototype: Denver & Rio Grande Western (some Rio Grande Southern) Locale: southwestern Colorado Period: September 1948 Style: walk-in Mainline run: 161 feet Minimum radius: 24″ Minimum turnout: no. 6 Maximum grade: 2.5 percent Originally appeared […]

Read More…

HO scale Virginian Ry. Deepwater District

VirginianRy.DeepwaterDistrict

Name: Virginian Ry. Deepwater District Layout designer: Gerry Albers Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 40 x 50 feet, plus 19 x 24½ feet for staging Prototype: Deepwater District, VGN New River Division Locale: southern West Virginia Period: summer 1959 Style: walk-in Mainline run: 600 feet Minimum radius: 32″, 28″ in yards Minimum turnout: no. 8, no. […]

Read More…

A minor adjustment, please

On May 29, 1961, engineer Walter Good tightens the spark arrestor on Cass Shay No. 1 after the engine started a brush fire. The railroad was in transition at the time from logging railroad to tourist attraction. Check out more Cass and West Virginia coverage in the August 2013 issue of Trains magazine. Photo by John P. Killoran […]

Read More…

Building a 5 x 8 harbor railroad part 4

Steve Otte working on a model house.

Structures and trackwork dominate this episode of the Model Railroader staff’s Rice Harbor video journal. Associate editor Steve Otte describes the lighthouse for Rice Harbor. Steve built the structure from a Branchline Trains kit, and the model also features a working beacon. Editor Neil Besougloff is also at the workbench finishing up a depot, coal […]

Read More…

Building a 5 x 8 Harbor Railroad part 3

A Model Railroader holding a model building.

Layout designer David Popp describes his strategy for using various turnouts on the Rice Harbor project layout. The turnouts are controlled by New Rail Models Blue Point controllers. You’ll also get a look at the benchwork for the folding staging track and see how pattern maker’s pins make is easy to align the layout sections. […]

Read More…

Thin Branch Series: Backdrops part 2B – The river

Jay Smith painting a river.

Having trouble viewing this video?   Please visit our Video FAQ page Painting backdrops involves trial and error, even for professional artists. In part 2B of our backdrop series, Jay Smith shows you how he painted the river from start to finish, including changing colors “midstream” several times to get the right look. […]

Read More…

Thin Branch Series: Backdrops part 2B – The river

Jay Smith painting a river.

Having trouble viewing this video?   Please visit our Video FAQ page Painting backdrops involves trial and error, even for professional artists. In part 2B of our backdrop series, Jay Smith shows you how he painted the river from start to finish, including changing colors “midstream” several times to get the right look. […]

Read More…