Track plan at a glance Layout designer: Eric Brooman Name: Utah Belt Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size:17 ‘-7″ x 23 Prototype: free-lanced Period: the present Style: linear walkaround Mainline run: 173 feet Minimum radius: 39″ Minimum turnout: no. 6 Maximum grade: 1.5 percent Originally appeared in Great Model Railroads 1997 and in the February 1998 issue […]
Section: How To
HO scale Milwaukee Road Beer Line
Name: Milwaukee Road’s Beer Line Layout designer: Rich Steenwyk Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 20 x 48 feet Prototype: Milwaukee Road Chestnut Street Branch Locale: Milwaukee Era: 1975 Style: around-the-walls Branch line run: 85 feet Minimum radius: 26″ (main), 15″ (spurs) Minimum turnout: no. 5 Maximum grade: 2 percent Originally appeared in the November 2011 issue […]
How to make tinted tail lights and turn signals on HO scale automobiles
Having trouble viewing this video? Please visit our Video FAQ page Model Railroader associate editor Cody Grivno shows how to use MicroScale Kristal Klear and food coloring to make tinted tail lights and turn signals for your vehicle. […]
How to blacken turnout frogs on model railroad track
Having trouble viewing this video? Please visit our Video FAQ page Model Railroader associate editor Cody Grivno shows how to darken switch frogs with a product called neolube. […]
How to paint wheelsets on model train cars
Having trouble viewing this video? Please visit our Video FAQ page Model Railroader associate editor Cody Grivno shows how to paint wheelsets using a micrbrush. […]
How to use an NMRA gauge
Having trouble viewing this video? Please visit our Video FAQ page Model Railroader senior editor Jim Hediger shows how to use a National Model Railroad Association gauge to check the spacing of different aspects of track and your model trains. […]
HO scale Brandywine Valley RR
Name: Brandywine Valley RR Layout designer: Dil Huey Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 26 x 42 feet Prototype: Octoraro RR Locale: Southeastern Pennsylvania and parts of Delaware and Maryland Era: transition era to 1980s Style: multilevel walk-in Mainline run: 365 feet Minimum radius: 30″ Minimum turnout: Peco large radius Maximum grade: 2 percent Originally appeared in […]
HO scale Canada Central Ry.
Name: Canada Central Ry. Layout group: Montreal Railroad Modelers Association Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 37 x 123 feet Prototype: freelance Locale: Quebec and Ontario, some western landscapes Era: 1959 Style: walkaround Mainline run: 1,200 feet Minimum radius: 42″ (main), 36″ (branch) Minimum turnout: no. 6 Maximum grade: 2.2 percent Originally appeared in the October 2011 […]
The basics of LEDs for model railroaders
Don’t miss Kevin Strong’s “Garden railway basics” column in the October issue, where he discusses LED lighting for large-scale trains! Download this bonus article from the November 2009 issue of Model Railroader magazine. […]
Plans for a 1:29-scale train-order station
Download the PDF of this project here. This PDF is formatted to print on your home printer. Most pieces are formatted to fit on a 8.5″ x 11″ piece of paper. For larger parts of the plan, you will see “break lines.” Line up the break lines to create the larger piece. Despite our best […]
N scale Southern Ry. Spartanburg Subdivision
Name: Spartanburg Subdivision Layout designer: Steven Otte Scale: N (1:160) Size: 3′-0″ x 5′-6″ Prototype: Southern Ry. Locale: upstate South Carolina Era: early 1940s Style: island Minimum radius: 9-3/4″ Mainline run: 11 feet Minimum turnout: no. 5 Originally appeared in the October 2011 issue of Model Railroader. Click on the link to download the PDF […]
Adhesives for structure models
Having trouble viewing this video? Please visit our Video FAQ page Model Railroader associate editor Cody Grivno gives you an overview of the different types of adhesives that he uses for various structure projects. Cody will also give you a tip for adding interior bracing to make a finished structure model more durable. […]