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 […]
Era: 1946 - 1970
Oregon Coast RR
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 […]
Pennsylvania RR Juniata Division
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 […]
San Juan Extension
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 […]
HO scale Virginian Ry. Deepwater District
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. […]
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 […]
Building a 5 x 8 harbor railroad part 4
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 […]
Building a 5 x 8 Harbor Railroad part 3
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. […]
Thin Branch Series: Backdrops part 2 – Hill highlights
Having trouble viewing this video? Please visit our Video FAQ page In part 2 of our backdrop series, painter Jay Smith starts filling in the background details. In this installment he adds mist to the valleys and small treetops and sun highlights to the mid-ground hills. […]
Thin Branch Series: Backdrops part 2B – The 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. […]
Thin Branch Series: Backdrops part 2 – Hill highlights
Having trouble viewing this video? Please visit our Video FAQ page In part 2 of our backdrop series, painter Jay Smith starts filling in the background details. In this installment he adds mist to the valleys and small treetops and sun highlights to the mid-ground hills. […]
Thin Branch Series: Backdrops part 2B – The 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. […]