Car routing with JMRI OperationsPro | The crew continues to prepare the State Line Route N scale model railroad for a prototypical operating session, and the next step is car routing. Instead of the widely used car-card-and-waybill freight-car routing system, David Popp and Trains.com host Gerry Leone use a computer program called JMRI OperationsPro to […]
Section: Videos
Alco PA-1 and PB-1 diesel locomotives from Rapido Trains
Alco PA-1 and PB-1 diesel locomotives from Rapido Trains are arriving on hobby shop shelves now. An HO scale PA-1 decorated for the New York, New Haven & Hartford paid a visit to our Milwaukee, Racine & Troy layout. Join Senior Editor Cody Grivno as he points out features on the six-axle unit, highlights some […]
Rerouting track | Back on Track, Episode 23
In this episode, Host Gerry Leone acknowledges two areas on his layout where he needs to rethink the track arrangements. He discusses possible solutions and then shows how he rerouted the track on the lower and upper decks to fit his vision. Getting to know Gerry Leone Back on Track host Gerry Leone is just […]
Midday Modeler — 10-19-2022 — live from the Workshop
In this episode of Midday Modeler — 10-19-22 Classic Toy Trains’ Rene Schweitzer and Hal Miller show off some budget-friendly items and share some modeling tips you can use to help decorate your layout for the Halloween season. See how Hal used some of these items on the Chaos, Terror & Tragedy small Halloween layout […]
Bay State Model Railroad Museum N scale layout
The New England & Pacific, the Bay State Model Railroad Museum N scale layout, was featured in Great Model Railroads 2023. The Bay State Society of Model Engineers, the club that builds, maintains, and runs the museum’s layouts, was founded in 1968. The museum, in Roslindale, Mass., has four layouts in O, HO, HOn3, and […]
Trains Live — Rochelle Railroad Park
Trains LIVE — 10-12-2022 — Imagine a place that sees the passing of dozens of trains each day. This place is a safe, welcoming location for railfans to watch the trains. Its elevated location provides great photo opportunities. There place offers amenities such as a shelter with picnic tables, plenty of benches, and restrooms. Such […]
Trains Live — Rochelle Railroad Park
Trains LIVE — 10-12-2022 — Imagine a place that sees the passing of dozens of trains each day. This place is a safe, welcoming location for railfans to watch the trains. Its elevated location provides great photo opportunities. There place offers amenities such as a shelter with picnic tables, plenty of benches, and restrooms. Such […]
Rapido Trains General Motors Diesel F40PH-2D
Rapido Trains recently released their General Motors Diesel F40PH-2D diesel locomotive. Associate Editor Bryson Sleppy hosts a Product Review video of this new N scale passenger locomotive. He demonstrates the details on the locomotive as well as lighting and sound effects from the dual-mode ESU LokSound 5 sound decoder. Finally, he takes passengers on the […]
Midday Modeler — 10-12-2022 — Illinois Railway Museum
In this episode of Midday Modeler — 10-12-22 The Crew is reporting from the Illinois Railway Museum in Union, Ill. A tour of the museum and some interviews with staff ensue. Midday Modeler is a new, regular video segment, recorded on-site and unscripted from Kalmbach Media beginning in February 2022. The segment features Kalmbach Media […]
Burlington Northern and the Grain Industry
Sure thing, Angela. Since the Baltimore & Ohio began hauling flour from Ellicott’s Mills to Baltimore in 1830 — grain, flour, and seeds have been an important part of railroading. Grain moved in boxcars for decades, but in the early 1960s, Southern Railway’s new, 100-ton — Big John — covered hopper revolutionized grain […]
Midday Modeler — 10-05-2022 — recorded in Rochelle, Ill
In this episode of Midday Modeler — 10-05-22 Bryson Sleppy and Brian Schmidt are reporting from the Rail Park in Rochelle, Illinois. A tour of the park and layout discussions ensue. Plus, a special “drop-in” from another Trains.com staff member! Midday Modeler is a new, regular video segment, recorded on-site and unscripted from Kalmbach Media […]
Modeling a Mountainside | Let’s Make a Scene: Spring & Fall, Part 6
Modeling a Mountainside | Follow host Kathy Millatt’s Let’s Make a Scene video series on trains.com, to see how she adds bridges, track, rockfall and other final touches to the mountainsides on her seasonal scenery dioramas. Even better, Kathy has also documented many of her expert modeling processes in the Kalmbach Media/Model Railroader book, Building […]