Virtual garden railroad visits during quarantine

We’ve kept close to home since quarantine and social distancing guidelines have been issued. Club meetings have been canceled; events and open houses have been put on hold. Our hearts go out to anyone affected by COVID-19. Time at home has spawned creative moments, though. I’ve refurbished structures, maintained locomotives and rolling stock, and looked […]

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MRVP Summer Camp: Day 1

Welcome campers! Two fun-filled weeks of Summer Camp 2020 have begun. This week and next, David Popp will be your Camp Director guiding you through various all-scale modeling efforts covering structure-building, detailing, painting, weathering, and more. Get your permission slip submitted so you can join the Day One painting prep activities exclusively on MRVideoPlus.com! […]

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How-to Library: Signaling with JMRI, Part 2

A tv screen with JMRI logo

The JMRI signaling series continues with MRVP’s Ben Lake taking a closer look at the Layout Editor tool within PanelPro software. On the Canadian Canyons N scale layout, Ben shares his process and insights for using Layout Editor to link various components (turnouts, track segments, etc.) of a signaling system. […]

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The Hills Line with James McNab: The magic of mockups, Episode 2

The Hills Line with James McNab

Contributing Editor James McNab launches into his new, Hills Line HO scale layout development. In this episode, he focuses on establishing a practical footprint for the various rail-served complexes and industries that help keep the wheels of commerce (and railroad operation) turning. Don’t miss James’ take on making short-term structures with a purpose! […]

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How to cast plaster rocks for model railroad scenery

Pouring Hydrocal into a rubber rock mold

Rubber rock molds and hydrocal plaster make it easy to add exposed rockfaces and other dramatic scenic elements to your model train layout   Nothing says “impressive” quite like a rugged mountain range full of jagged rock faces. Though mountains appear solid to us, many are just individual layers of rocks, stacked one on top […]

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Modeling steers and bulls

DanLewisNscaleMilwaukeeRoadNorthMontanaLine_06

Most N scale bovines offered by figure manufacturers are milk cows, but the Montana cattle industry requires steers and bulls, too. Dan Lewis uses wire and Microscale Kristal Kleer to turn cows into bulls, as well as to model longhorns, on his N scale Milwaukee Road North Montana Line. One problem I encountered with commercially […]

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Modeling tip: Extra flags for locomotives

DanLewisNscaleMilwaukeeRoadNorthMontanaLine_07

A feature one doesn’t see modeled very often is white extra flags. On a line like the North Montana that hosted mostly time freights, extra trains carrying livestock and grain were seasonal. Extra flags can be easily made from .008″ brass wire and small squares cut from white tissue paper. After gluing the flags onto […]

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