Building a recycled metal enginehouse

Lund7

Craig actually works in a railroad shop, which he modeled when scratchbuilding his scale metal engine house. The roof came from a fluorescent light fixture. Nancy Norris Craig Lund Craig Lund Craig Lund Craig Lund Craig Lund Craig Lund Craig Lund Craig Lund Denver, Colorado Recycled metal I like to use “used” items in my […]

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Building an acrylic train shed

Turner6

Tucked behind Ray’s Mystic Mountain Railroad, a weatherproof train shed houses his long coal train, which is ready to go at a moment’s notice. Ray likes working with acrylic, which should last a long time. Ray Turner Ray Turner Ray Turner Ray Turner Ray Turner Ray Turner Ray Turner San Jose, California Wooden box and […]

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Building an enginehouse out of wood

Ferrero2

After many months of build time in his garage, Bob emerged with a practical car barn, so trains are ready to roll anytime. Gas struts help with raising the three separate overhead doors. Bob Ferraro Bob Ferraro Bob Ferraro Bob Ferraro Bob Ferraro Bob Ferrero Leadville, Colorado Scratchbuilt wood The engine house still looks great […]

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How to build a scale tipi

teepees

Patrick Friedmann In the April 2016 issue, Patrick Friedmann describes how to build an authentic tipi for your garden railroad. Registered users of our website can download full-size drawings to build a tipi. […]

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HO scale Northern Memories

HOscaleNorthernMemoriestrackplan

The layout at a glance Name: Northern Memories Layout owner/designer: John Mueller Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 10 x 21 feet plus 13 x 17 feet Theme: freelanced, inspired by Chicago & North Western Ry. Locale: Northern Wisconsin Era: early 1950s Style: walk-in, around the walls Mainline run: 190 feet Minimum radius: 24″ Minimum turnout: Atlas […]

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HO scale River Falls & Eastern Ry

HOscaleRiverFallsEasternRytrackplan1

The layout at a glance Name: River Falls & Eastern Ry. Layout designer/owner: Larry Hickman Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 28 x 38 feet Prototype: Freelanced Locale: West Virginia Era: 1959 to ‘60 Style: Double-deck Mainline run: 400 feet Minimum radius: 24″ Minimum turnout: no. 6 Maximum grade: 2.5 percent Benchwork: open grid Height: 42″ (lower […]

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Bonus track plans for a small shelf switching model railroad

LappSidingtrackplan

Model railroad author Robert Pethoud wrote “How to operate a small switching layout” in the March 2016 issue of Model Railroader magazine. In that article Robert shows how to use three 15″ x 48″ modules to create an operationally interesting shelf layout. The story features an HO scale track plan, the Fall Creek Branch. As […]

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HO scale Fall Creek Branch

HOscaleFallCreekBranch

Name: Fall Creek Branch Layout owner: Robert Pethoud Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 15″ x 144″ Prototype: freelanced Locale: Oregon Era: 1950s Style: sectional Mainline run: 12 feet Minimum radius: 26″ Minimum turnout: no. 5 Maximum grade: none Benchwork: open frame Height: varies Roadbed: N scale cork on 1⁄4″ thick basswood Track: code 83 flextrack Scenery: […]

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