Making realistic roads

It’s my Railroad with Steve Brown Part 11

  Having trouble viewing this video?   Please visit our Video FAQ page MRVP’s Steve “Regular Guy” Brown first shows his process for trimming the dock piling level with the paved pad, before sharing how he added finishing touches to both components of Port Smith. Plus, you’ll also see a sneak peek at the making […]

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News & Products for March 25, 2010

American Model Builders Inc. HO scale Great Northern and Burlington Northern wood transfer caboose

HO scale locomotives United States Railroad Administration heavy and light Mikado steam locomotives. Heavy: Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe; Chicago & North Western; Missouri Pacific RR; New Haven; Nickel Plate Road; Southern Ry.; and Western Pacific. Light: Canadian National, Florida East Coast, Lehigh & Hudson, Maine Central, National Ry. of Mexico, New York Central (Indiana […]

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Building the N scale Salt Lake Route part 4

Dick Christiansen next to layout

Layout builder Dick Christianson shows you a couple of ways to install feeder wires with the N scale Kato Unitrack track system. He’ll also show you how he wired the layout’s power bus using terminal strips and you’ll see how he stores the Digitrax Digital Command Control (DCC) command station on this Model Railroader project […]

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The N scale Salt Lake Route project layout part 5

Scene of Salt Lake layout

Learn some of the techniques used to build the desert scenery on the N scale Salt Lake Route. Layout builder Dick Christianson shows you tips for using extruded foam insulation board, rock castings, and more. You’ll also see some prototype photos that Dick used as inspiration for this N scale model railroad. […]

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Building the N scale Salt Lake Route part 4

Dick Christiansen next to layout

Layout builder Dick Christianson shows you a couple of ways to install feeder wires with the N scale Kato Unitrack track system. He’ll also show you how he wired the layout’s power bus using terminal strips and you’ll see how he stores the Digitrax Digital Command Control (DCC) command station on this Model Railroader project […]

Read More…

The N scale Salt Lake Route project layout part 5

Scene of Salt Lake layout

Learn some of the techniques used to build the desert scenery on the N scale Salt Lake Route. Layout builder Dick Christianson shows you tips for using extruded foam insulation board, rock castings, and more. You’ll also see some prototype photos that Dick used as inspiration for this N scale model railroad. […]

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Fox Valley Models N scale ES44AC diesel locomotive

Fox Valley Models N scale ES44AC diesel locomotive

Fox Valley Models N scale ES44AC diesel locomotive A General Electric ES44AC is the debut locomotive from Fox Valley Models. The direct-current ready-to-run N scale model, based on GE’s Evolution Series locomotive, uses a split-frame mechanism and features numerous railroad-specific details. A package of modeler- installed etched-metal and wire details is also included. The GE […]

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The N scale Salt Lake Route project layout part 2

Dick Christiansen next to layout

One interesting feature of this Model Railroader project layout are the folding legs that support the benchwork. Dick Christianson, the layout builder and Model Railroader magazine’s former managing editor, gives you a demonstration of how the folding legs work. He’ll also discuss the fascia and backdrop material that he used for the N scale Salt […]

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The N scale Salt Lake Route project layout part 2

Dick Christiansen next to layout

One interesting feature of this Model Railroader project layout are the folding legs that support the benchwork. Dick Christianson, the layout builder and Model Railroader magazine’s former managing editor, gives you a demonstration of how the folding legs work. He’ll also discuss the fascia and backdrop material that he used for the N scale Salt […]

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Kato N scale El Capitan passenger set

Kato N scale N scale El Capitan

Kato N scale N scale El Capitan From their sleek, silver, fluted sides to their detailed interiors, this N scale El Capitan is an accurate model of one of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Ry.’s most famous long-distance trains. The ready-to-run Kato passenger cars make it easy to operate a full Hi-Level El Capitan […]

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Layout construction

Fig. 5. L-girder benchwork. A simple L-girder table is a good, sturdy choice for a long, table-style layouts and around-the-wall designs.

Open-grid benchworkStarter layouts are often flat and built on a 4 x 8 sheet of plywood. However, the majority of layouts have tracks at varying heights separated by grades. The easiest way to add elevation to a layout is to use open-grid benchwork. For this type of construction you place a plywood subroadbed under the […]

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Bachmann Spectrum 44-tonner in N scale diesel locomotive

Bachmann Spectrum 44-tonner in N scale

Bachmann Spectrum 44-tonner in N scale This N scale model of a General Electric 44-ton switcher features a dual-mode Digital Command Control (DCC) decoder that runs well in both DC and DCC modes. The Bachmann 44-tonner is part of the firm’s Spectrum series and is a highly detailed N scale model of its hard-working prototype. […]

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