Cleaning old tubular track in bulk

O gauge track with bottles of cleaner

Q: I have a bunch of old track – maybe 500 pieces – which I’d like to use on a layout. Most of it is dirty, greasy, and rusty, and I’d like to know how to clean it without doing each piece separately. – Larry Novis, Hermitage, Tenn. A: There is no mass-cleaning technique, shortcut, […]

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Housatonic Valley Ry.

Name: Housatonic Valley Ry. Scale: N (1:160) Size: 8 x 9 feet Prototype: freelances Period: 1930s Style: walk-in Mainline run: 43 feet Minimum radius: 9.5″ Minimum turnout: no. 5 Maximum grade: none Originally appeared in the August 2008 issue of Model Railroader. See a PDF version of this track plan by clicking here. […]

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Indiana & Aurora RR

Name: Indiana & Aurora RR Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 6 x 7 feet Prototype: freelanced Locale: Northern Inidana Era: 1970s Style: doughnut Minimum run: 40 feet Minimum radius: 24″ Minimum turnout: no. 5 Maximum grade: none Originally appeared in the August 2008 issue of Model Railroader. See a PDF version of this track plan by […]

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Oklahoma & Western RR

Name: Oklahoma & Western RR Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 6 x 12 Prototype: freelanced Locale: Western Oklahoma Era: 1950s Style: tabletop with shelf Minimum run: 29 feet Minimum radius: 19″ Minimum turnout: no. 5 Maximum grade: none Originally appeared in the August 2008 issue of Model Railroader. See a PDF version of this track plan […]

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Pennsylvania RR

Name: Pennsylvania RR Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 21′-6: x 30’0:” Prototype: Pennsylvania RR Locale: eastern Pennsylvania and western New Jersey Era: 1940s Style: walk-in Mainline run: 120 feet Minimum radius: 25″ Minimum turnout: no.6 Maximum grade: 2 percent Originally appeared in the August 2008 issue of Model Railroader. See a PDF version of this track […]

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Chicago & North Western Des Moines Subdivision

Name: Chicago & North western Des Moines Subdivision Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 24′-0″ x 38′-0″ Prototype: C&NW Period: 1955 Style: walk-in Minimum radii: 28″ main line Minimum turnout: no. 6 main line, no 4 spurs Maximum grade: 1 percent Originally appeared in the July 2008 issue of Model Railroader. See a PDF version of this […]

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Western Maryland’s Thomas Subdivision

Name: Western Maryland Thomas Subdivision Scale: N (1:160) Size: 12 x 12 feet Theme: Appalachian coal-hauler Period: 1950s to 1960s Minimum radius: 11″ Minimum turnout: Peco medium Maximum grade: None. Originally appeared in the July 2008 issue of Model Railroader. Also appeared in 102 Realistic Track Plans. Click here to download a PDF of this […]

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PDF: Build a 1:20.3 scale baggage wagon

Build a 1:20.3 scale baggage wagon

Download the PDF of this project here. Note: 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 […]

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Montreal Harbour Ry.

Track plan at a glance Name: Montreal Harbour Ry. Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 9 x 11 feet Prototype: Port of Montreal Era: 1912-1914 Mainline run: 34 feet Minimum radius: 24″ Minimum turnouts: Peco small Originally appeared in the June 2008 issue of Model Railroader. See a PDF version of this track plan by clicking here. […]

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San Bernardino, Calif.

Track plan at a glance Name: Santa Fe Scale: HO (1.87.1) Size: 24 x 49 feet Prototype: Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe and Union Pacific Era: 1951 Style: walk-in and around-the-walls Mainline run: 150 feet Minimum radius: 30″ Minimum turnout: no. 8 Maximum grade: 2.5 percent Originally appeared in the June 2008 issue of Model […]

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Soo Line

Track plan at a glance Name: Soo Line Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 10′-6″ x 18′-0″ Prototype: Soo Line Era: summer 1947 Style: shelf Mainline run: 18 feet Minimum radius: 18″ Minimum turnout: no. 4 Maximum grade: 5 percent Originally appeared in the June 2008 issue of Model Railroader. See a PDF version of this track […]

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Virginia & Western RR

Track plan at a glance Name: Virginia & Western RR Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 25 x 37 feet Prototype: freelanced, based on Norfolk & Western Era: 1940s Style: walk-in Mainline run: 600 feet Minimum radius: 32″ on main line, 24″ on branch line Minimum turnout: no. 6 on sidings and branch line, no. 8 on […]

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