The Cold hard tracks Crystal Lake was once used for harvesting ice. Blocks of ice were cut from the lake in winter, then stored in warehouses along the shore. The ice was shipped in refrigerator cars to Chicago via the “Ice Track,” a 2-mile branch that ran from the C&NW main line through the west […]
Magazine: Model-Railroader
Research sources for prototype railroad information
Not everyone has a fabulous railroad library to work from, but the library at the Model Railroader offices didn’t get me as far as you’d think. Following is a short list of places I’ve found amazing stuff when looking for research: • Most railroads have a historical society, so it’s good to have an up-to-date […]
A busy urban model railroad
Prototype operations weren’t the focus of many model railroaders when I started work on my HO scale layout in 1988. But I had a clear vision of an operations-oriented layout that would depict the Canadian Pacific Ry.’s Montreal Terminals Division in Canada’s second largest city in the late 1960s. That was when I spent […]
Remembering Pennsylvania Railroad locomotives
Classic Trains editors are celebrating the heritage, history, and lore of famed (and infamous) railroads. In January 2020, we celebrate the Pennsylvania Railroad. Please enjoy a collection of locomotive images located in the David P. Morgan Library archives at Kalmbach Media that include the Pennsy’s iconic locomotives and classic scenic photos. You might also enjoy […]
HO scale Stockton & Copperopolis
The layout at a glance Name: Stockton & Copperopolis RR Layout designer: Don Ball Scale: HO (1:87) Size: 37′-0″ x 40′-3″ Prototype: Stockton & Copperopolis RR Locale: California Era: 1895 Style: linear walkaround Mainline run: 240 feet Branchline run: 100 feet Minimum radius: 30″ Minimum turnout: no. 6 Maximum grade: 2 percent Train length: […]
A model railroad that turns the clock back to 1895
Why would anyone model the Stockton & Copperopolis, an obscure short line with a name that sounds made up? Or model this little-known prototype in the 1890s? Most importantly, would it be practical to build it as a large, prototypically faithful model railroad capable of realistic operation and equip it with authentic locomotives and rolling […]
Operating a small switching model train layout
In this video, I show how I set up operations on my small switching layouts, including making car cards, building car-card racks, and running through a short operating session. Video by Steven Strum […]
2020 Railroad Hobby Show report
The 2020 Amherst Railway Society Railroad Hobby Show is being held Jan. 25 and 26 at The Eastern States Exposition Fairgrounds in West Springfield, Mass. The two-day show, now in its 52nd year, features model railroad manufacturers, railroad historical societies, vendors, and clinics. Athearn Genesis 2.0 HO scale EMD SD80MAC diesel locomotive HO scale locomotives […]
How to model hardwood trees
For nearly 30 years, when we lived in upstate New York, I would occasionally watch my husband, Lou, making trees for his HO scale West Hoosic Division RR. Over the years, together with his friend, Pete Darling, he managed to build and plant more than 4,000 HO scale hardwoods on his 22 x 26-foot layout. […]
Menards exclusive Bachmann HO scale Rocket Freight train set
Menards exclusive Rocket Freight train set is led by a Bachmann HO scale GP40-2R diesel. Many of us got our start in the hobby with a train set like the new Bachmann HO scale Rocket Freight set, with its sturdy diesel locomotive, colorful cars, and oval of snap-together track. This set includes everything a new […]
Athearn Genesis HO scale Canadian National GP9 diesel locomotives
Athearn HO scale CN GP9 diesel Our review sample included a SoundTraxx Tsunami2 decoder mounted above the Athearn Genesis mechanism. The model also features all-wheel drive and pickup. Both of our CN review samples feature roadname- and roadnumber-specfic details and accurate paint schemes. Superdetailed Electro-Motive GP9 diesel locomotives return to the Athearn Genesis series in […]
RailSmith N scale Tippecanoe Rapids sleeper
RailSmith N scale Tippecanoe Rapids sleeper The partitions and seating arrangements match prototype plans. Pennsylvania RR N scale modelers can now add an accurate re-creation of Pullman-Standard (PS) sleeper Tippecanoe Rapids to their passenger car rosters thanks to Lowell Smith’s Signature Series of RailSmith cars. The prototype. As part of its post-World War II modernization […]
