As Jay Smith, former illustrator (ret.) for Kalmbach Media, continues is his backdrop painting efforts on David Popp’s Olympia & Sand Creek On30 display layout, you’ll see several subtle techniques Jay employees to create lighting effects and enhance the detailed appearance of even the most distant landform and structures he paints. Be sure to explore […]
Magazine: Trains Video
Olympia & Sand Creek, Episode 19 | Painting the backdrop – Part 2
Jay Smith, former illustrator (ret.) for Kalmbach Media, is back for more work on David’s painted backdrop of his On30 display layout. Although the painting won’t be completed here, Jay shows off his various techniques for adding more precision to the roughed-in mountains he crafted in the previous episode of this Olympia & Sand Creek […]
Spaces to Places VI | Fixing a wayward waterway, part 3
Gerry is back to reworking the river scene on his HO scale Bona Vista HO scale double-deck model railroad. As he heads for the homestretch, our host shares tips and tricks for making the new river bed easy to install (and remove); modifying bridge abutments; building the bridge itself; and then finally forming the river […]
CSX train collides with truck hauling military equipment in South Carolina
GOOSE CREEK, S.C. — Amateur video shows when a CSX Transportation train collides with truck hauling military artillery equipment at Goose Creek, The Post and Courier reports. Goose Creek is located about 15 northwest of Charleston on a former Atlantic Coast Line route that also hosts Amtrak’s Silver Meteor. The incident occurred Thursday […]
Rebuilding the S-Line | Amtrak in North Carolina and Virginia
Rebuilding the S-Line | As detailed in the November 2024 issue of Trains magazine, the neighboring states of North Carolina and Virginia are up to something big! They are cooperating, collaborating, and even co-funding to create a 110-mph interstate passenger-train speedway dubbed, the “S-Line”. Watch this video to see some of the existing Amtrak trains […]
Operating Behind the Scenes | La Mesa Model Railroad Club’s Tehachapi Subdivision
Operating Behind the Scenes | La Mesa Model Railroad Club’s Tehachapi Subdivision | Join Model Railroader Editor Eric White for a rare, insider look at a world-class operating session over the gigantic HO (1:87) scale public display highlighting Southern California’s famed Tehachapi Loop. Peer into the invite-only November 2023 session that required more than 30 […]
Olympia & Sand Creek, Episode 18 | Painting the backdrop – Part 1
In this episode, professional help is on the way! Jay Smith, former illustrator (ret.) for Kalmbach Media, heads for the basement to help make realistic mountains materialize on the backdrop of the On30 display layout. Guided by David’s practice painting, pretty pictures, and temporary placement of key structures, Jay shares his specific techniques for turning […]
Spaces to Places VI | Fixing a wayward waterway, part 2
Host Gerry Leone left us with a bit of a cliffhanger in his quest to remake a wider, curved river for his Bona Vista HO scale double-deck model railroad. In this episode, he shares the plan and his efforts to move forward with the required deconstruction and reconstruction (…and even re-reconstruction — don’t ask, you’ll […]
Olympia & Sand Creek, Episode 17 | Mirrors and clouds
Feather canyons everywhere! David looks at clouds that way. If you really don’t know how to paint clouds at all, then you’ll want to follow David as he demonstrates his techniques for adding realistic skies to his On30 display backdrop. But that’s not the only illusion recalls! David also shows how easy it is look […]
Exclusive Layout Extra | Final ride along the Milwaukee, Racine & Troy in HO scale
Final ride along the Milwaukee, Racine & Troy | In this salute to Model Railroader magazine’s renowned MR&T (a.k.a “Myrt”) 28 x 54-foot model railroad in HO (1:87) scale, Trains.com cameras capture the final run over the entire +200-ft mainline route. Enjoy this first-ever, on-track perspective video of the storied layout that thrilled MR staff […]
The Cass Scenic Railroad | Cass, W.Va.
The Cass Scenic Railroad is logging locomotive central for the East Coast, rostering all three major types of geared steam locomotives. The railroad is based out of Cass, W.Va., where a former logging railroad was saved in the 1960s to become the Cass Scenic Railroad State Park to preserve the railroad for future generations. Come […]
Climbing over La Mesa Model Railroad Club’s Tehachapi Subdivision
Climbing over La Mesa Model Railroad Club’s Tehachapi Subdivision | In this Trains.com Video Exclusive Layout Extra, our staff captures trackside views of both freight and passenger train forging the enormous 42 x 80-foot HO (1:87) scale public display depicting the route over Southern California’s famed Tehachapi Loop. Sit back and enjoy this extended reel […]