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Modelers David Popp, Brian Schmidt, and Bryson Sleppy continue the scenery process on their T-TRAK modules in an attempt to make them look more like the prairies of Colorado. T-TRAK is a modular N scale railroading system that uses foot-wide boxes plugged together to build tabletop layouts. In this sixth installment, the three modelers explain […]
Facts and features Name: Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe 4th Street SpurScale: HO (1:87.1)Size: 1′-6″ x 8′-0″Prototype: Atchison, Topeka & Santa FeLocale: downtown Los AngelesEra: 1950-1953Style: shelfMainline run: 8 feetMinimum turnout: No. 4Maximum grade: noneBenchwork: 1⁄2″ plywood secured to wall with shelf bracketsHeight: 48″Roadbed: 3⁄32″ basswood Track: Atlas code 83 Scenery: extruded-foam insulation board […]
I’ve had a lifelong fascination with trains, stemming from my father’s near 40-year career on the Santa Fe (and later BNSF) railroad. Some of my fondest childhood memories included trips to the train depot in Fort Madison, Iowa where I would see freight trains come and go. When I was 8 years old, I’ll never […]
About 10 years ago, because of a decision to downsize, I took down my 1,500-square-foot O scale railroad. To make that task more agreeable, I simultaneously started planning my next layout. I was a lifelong fan of the Milwaukee Road’s Beer Line. That branch was the busiest of all on a railroad that reached from […]
Lionel’s perfect postwar train set features a classic steam engine and a whistle tender pulling five different and very colorful freight cars or five streamlined passenger cars. How, you may be wondering, do we at Trains.com and Classic Toy Trains know this fact? Because a good number of loyal and experienced readers, familiar with the […]
Modelers David Popp, Brian Schmidt, and Bryson Sleppy continue the scenery process on their T-TRAK modules by adding gravel, ground foam, and static grass in an attempt to make them look more like the prairies of Colorado. T-TRAK is a modular N scale railroading system that uses foot-wide boxes plugged together to build tabletop layouts. […]
![Two men operate trains on an HO scale model railroad]](https://www.trains.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/MRL0324-03-Jared-Childers-and-Eric-Mumford-work-Joe-Kaspers-BN-layout.jpg)
Recently I was asked for my best tips for operating session success. In turn, I asked numerous groups of operators, including participants at ProRail (an operating event held in Kansas City) and layout owners and operators throughout the Midwest. The query elicited a variety of responses, with several recurring themes. Here are the top five […]
For the single rail-served factory on Model Railroader magazine’s 2024 project layout, the HO scale Free-Mo module Freemont Mills, Steve selected American Model Builders’ A.C. Brown Mfg. Co., a laser-cut wood kit. Follow along as he works through this build and see if you pick up any tips to help you on your next laser-cut […]
Today, home insulation is probably the first thing that comes to mind when you hear people talk about spray-on foam. But in the 1960s and ’70s, railroads wanted to see if the material’s insulating properties could be leveraged on rolling stock. Would foam-coated freight cars change the way perishable materials were transported by rail? Might […]
Built by Others in an article series showing layouts constructed by modelers using plans and projects from the pages of Model Railroader and its associated products. The Soo Line Red Wing Division originally appeared in the December 1994 issue. In this installment on Cody Grivno’s Red Wing Division, MR’s senior editor shares how he adapted […]
When I first got into model railroading, I tried handlaying my own track and quickly discovered that it wasn’t that hard. One benefit is that buying rail, spikes, and ties in bulk is considerably cheaper than purchasing ready-made track. Handlaying also lets me to duplicate unusual track arrangements found on full-size railroads. In addition, it […]
The SD40 could well be the most recognized face of second generation diesel power. Whether in the original version, or the Dash-2 with the extended front and rear pilots, or the Dash-2T tunnel motors with their extended body for air flow, they could be seen just about everywhere coast-to-coast. The Lionel Legacy No. 82276 SD40, […]
