Having trouble viewing this video? Please visit our Video FAQ page Host Aaron Skinner is back to show you an important finishing technique that doesn’t have a thing to do with airbrushing! Watch this video to learn how you can flawlessly apply water-slide decals — even on a model with irregular surfaces! […]
Section: Modeling
Carbon Model Railroad Society Lehigh Valley Mainline
This HO scale model railroad measures 20 x 45 feet and was recently converted to NCE DCC. […]
N scale Wet Mountain RR
The great thing about N scale is you can do so much in a small space — in this case, 2 x 4 feet. It’s a layout that got me back into the hobby some years ago. Although I now have a much larger layout, this is still physically attached to it. I purchased the […]
Train 98: The Coast Daylight
The off-peak fourteen-coach eastbound Coast Daylight storms through Guadalupe, Calif., in September 1954. Video by Brian Moore. […]
Design a layout you’ll love in 6 easy steps
Some of the brightest minds in our hobby are gifted with the ability to put pencil to paper and whip up an original track plan. Even though I’ve designed a fair number of plans for Classic Toy Trains magazine, I can assure you that I’m certainly not a person with that kind of raw talent. […]
How to build floating shelf benchwork for a model railroad
Without any legs, brackets, or other visible means of support, floating benchwork keeps all attention focused on the model railroad. Follow along as author Lance Mindheim shows how to build these lightweight, yet sturdy shelves. Lance designed his benchwork for a 16″ shelf width. Use as many benchwork segments (shown above) as needed to match […]
Canadian Canyons Series: Modeling a Burnt Forest
Having trouble viewing this video? Please visit our Video FAQ page David Popp and Drew Halverson work to add a signature forest fire scene to the Thompson River Canyon on our Canadian Canyons N scale layout. Even without incorporating animated fire or smoke effects, the guys show how use of subtle color and scenery […]
Canadian Canyons Series: Modeling a Burnt Forest
Having trouble viewing this video? Please visit our Video FAQ page David Popp and Drew Halverson work to add a signature forest fire scene to the Thompson River Canyon on our Canadian Canyons N scale layout. Even without incorporating animated fire or smoke effects, the guys show how use of subtle color and scenery […]
Modeling realistic roads with decals
Surfaces with complicated textures and colors, like roads, can be difficult to reproduce convincingly on a layout. Lance Mindheim used a digital camera, photo-editing software, and blank decal paper to transfer images of real roads to streets on his layout. Fig. 1 Patchwork pavement. Years of weather, use, and repairs transform roads into a crazy […]
How to model realistic modern-era structures
Adding mundane and non-revenue structures to your layout can enhance the authenticity of a scene, as demonstrated in these two scenes from the author’s Miami-based HO scale CSX Downtown Spur layout. The gray and salmon structure at the center of the top photo is 10th Avenue Tires in Miami. Structure building is one of the […]
City Terminal & Transfer Series: Episode 13 Fun with Paint
In this installment of the O gauge CT&T Railway Series, David plays with paints to apply appropriate colors to The Big City sidewalks and a rock formation found along the tracks. […]
John Allen’s Gorre & Daphetid Online Extras
The Port yard had its own control panel and box for car cards and waybills. Click on the links to get the online extras. John Allen’s HO scale Gorre & Daphetid remains one of the hobby’s most influential model railroads. Check out this collection of online extras about this model railroading pioneer and his layout. […]