News & Products for the week of March 25th 2024 Model railroad operators and builders can get the latest information about locomotives, freight cars, passenger cars, tools, track, and more by reading Model Railroader’s frequent product updates. The following are the products Model Railroader editors have news on for the week of March 25th […]
Scale: HO Scale
Five techniques for modeling mountains
Mountains have long been a popular scenic feature on model railroads. Sometimes they’re incorporated to accurately re-create a prototype location. Other times they’re used to help conceal a tunnel, helix, or turnback curve. Regardless their purpose, there is no denying mountains are dramatic and add visual interest to a model railroad. All of the methods […]
Fox Valley Models HO 55-ton hopper
Fox Valley Models, a ScaleTrains company, has released an HO scale 55-ton two-bay hopper. The model, based on a United States Railroad Administration (USRA) prototype, features plastic and die-cast metal construction, 33” metal wheelsets, and semi-scale Type E knuckle couplers. Prototype information With railroads facing equipment shortages during World War I, the USRA designed five […]
How to keep your model railroad layout clean
Tips for keeping your model railroad layout clean: A clean layout is fun to run, fun to work on, and fun to look at. Unfortunately, the three D’s – dust, dirt and debris – are in season all year long and can make keeping a layout clean a constant, time-consuming job. Here are a few […]
Jim Hediger’s HO scale Detroit Western RR
Jim Hediger, a member of the Model Railroader staff for 43 years, passed away on February 9, 2024. His family generously donated his slide collection to Kalmbach Media. While going through the images, I found several slides featuring Jim’s HO scale Detroit Western RR. The layout was the successor to the 5 x 9-foot NJ&E […]
News & Products for the week of March 18th 2024
News & Products for the week of March 18th 2024 Model railroad operators and builders can get the latest information about locomotives, freight cars, passenger cars, tools, track, and more by reading Model Railroader’s frequent product updates. The following are the products Model Railroader editors have news on for the week of March 18th […]
Rapido Trains announces US tour
Rapido Trains has announced a tour across the continental United States. The tour, which began on March 17th at the California Southern Model Railroad Club in Los Angeles, will make stops at model railroad clubs, rail museums, and hobby shops from California to Michigan en route to Rapido Trains headquarters in Toronto. Per a statement […]
Backdrop round-up
Backdrops are an important part of any model railroad. Whether you use drywall, tempered hardboard, or some other material, backdrops help operators and visitors focus on the layout and not other distractions in the room. If you’re looking for something beyond basic sky blue, and painting isn’t your game, then this backdrop round-up is for […]
Aurora Miniatures HO National Steel Car gondola
The Aurora Miniatures HO National Steel Car gondola is the latest North American freight car in the manufacturer’s product lineup. The newly tooled car, available for the first time as a mass-produced model, was designed using a variety of prototype resources. The prototype The sample we received is decorated as GNTX 295512, part of TTX’s […]
Model Train Stuff to reopen under Factory Direct Hobbies family (updated)
Seemingly bringing an end to a saga of uncertainty, Model Train Stuff is set to reopen under the Factory Direct Hobbies family. In a statement released by Factory Direct Hobbies President Joe Grubba, it was announced that M.B. Klein and Model Train Stuff will live on as a part of the Arden, North Carolina-based company. […]
Hattons legacy to live on under Rails of Sheffield
Rails of Sheffield has announced that it has bought the Hattons brand, allowing the famed company’s legacy to live on for years to come. Per a statement released by Rails of Sheffield: “We are pleased to annnounce that we have now brought ‘Hattons Model Railways’ into the Rails family! It was a shock to the […]
News & Products for the week of March 11th 2024
News & Products for the week of March 11th 2024 Model railroad operators and builders can get the latest information about locomotives, freight cars, passenger cars, tools, track, and more by reading Model Railroader’s frequent product updates. The following are the products Model Railroader editors have news on for the week of March 11th […]