East Troy Industrial Park, Ep. 5 | Transferring a track plan

In this episode, David demonstrates a simple process for plotting the track plan for the HO scale East Troy Industrial Park (ETIP) model railroad onto the essential layer of subroadbed material. After measuring twice, he then shows the next steps to carefully cutting out the parts and pieces needed to assemble a foundation for layout […]

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East Troy Industrial Park, Ep. 4 | Installing the backdrop

To make their future construction efforts a bit easier, David and Bryson work to install the backdrop for the East Troy Industrial Park (ETIP) model railroad now! Don’t miss their tips and tricks for keeping this essential, scene-setting hardboard component in place along the back of the entire layout. Be sure to keep up with […]

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East Troy Industrial Park, Ep. 3 | Adding legs to the frame

Host David Popp and Bryson Sleppy work to raise the wood framework of their East Troy Industrial Park (ETIP) model railroad off the ground. Watch as they share how to plan, construct, and install the legs for a nearly any layout. And don’t miss the simple, yet extraordinarily helpful insights the crew shares in Model […]

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East Troy Industrial Park, Ep. 2 | Building a Frame

With all the same enthusiasm and expertise demonstrated in previous Model Railroader Project Layout efforts, host David Popp and Bryson Sleppy begin constructing the East Troy Industrial Park (ETIP) model railroad! While it will be just a small semblance of the former Milwaukee, Racine, & Troy HO scale (1:87.1) layout, the all-new ETIP promises to […]

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In Memoriam: Iain Rice

Photo of man with beard and hat on boat

In Memoriam: Iain Rice. The hobby lost one of its most creative and prolific track planners with the passing of U.K.’s Iain Rice on October 8, 2022. Iain was a frequent contributor to Kalmbach Media’s Model Railroad Planning as well as to Model Railroader. He also wrote four books for Kalmbach: Small, Smart & Practical […]

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The Turlan’s HO scale layout for Walthers

Building with lit up sign on top

Modeling is for hobbyists of all ages, and the Turlan family is an example that proves just that! Xavier and Lindsay Turlan, along with their seven-year-old son Gabriel, all worked together to build a layout for the 2021 National Model Railroad Build-Off. Interested in hearing more from the Turlans? Check out their interview. […]

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Matthew Mendolia’s HO scale layout for Walthers

Industrial scene next to tracks

Matthew Mendolia might have been away at college, but that didn’t stop him from building this impressive layout for the 2021 Walthers National Model Railroad Build-Off from the confines of his dorm room. Matthew uses every piece that he received from his kit from Walthers to prove that you don’t have to spend a lot […]

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DJ Arlia’s N scale layout for Walthers

Train yard

Check out the layout built by open class contestant DJ Arlia for the 2021 Walthers National Model Railroad Build-Off! Designed to look like an old chemical plant based in Pittsburgh, Pa., this module is full of interesting details and thought-out designs. Interested in hearing more from DJ? Check out his interview!  […]

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Building the HO scale Bay Junction layout

Bay Junction

Bay Junction was a project railroad for the editors of Model Railroaders in the early 2010s. Track plans and videos for that project are linked to below. Bay Junction track plans The Bay Junction track plan Industries and tracks and Williams Bay   Bay Junction overview article Read the first article about the second Milwaukee, […]

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