New products for the week of June 12, 2014

KatoUSAHOscaleElectroMotiveDivisionSD80MACdiesellocomotive

HO scale locomotives Electro-Motive Division FP7 diesel locomotive. New paint schemes: Atlantic Coast Line (black and yellow), Penn Central (black with red “P” on single unit, black with white “P” on two-packs), and Rock Island (maroon with yellow nose). Road-number-specific details, Blomberg B trucks, and etched-metal windshield wipers. Single FP7 (one road number): direct-current model, […]

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Adding DCC power districts to a model train layout

ToomanysoundequippedlocomotivesinoneplacelikethoseshownhereontheMRTcanspelltroubleforaDCClayoutPaulDolkostakesyouthroughthestepsheusedtosetuppowerdistrictsonhisHOmodelrailroad

Too many sound-equipped locomotives in one place, like those shown here on the MR&T, can spell trouble for a DCC layout. Paul Dolkos takes you through the steps he used to set up power districts on his HO model railroad. Imagine you’ve just begun running trains on a layout equipped for Digital Command Control (DCC) […]

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How to wire a layout for two-train operation

The initial goal of a new model railroader flush with locomotives, track, and rolling stock is to operate two trains on his layout at the same time, each with independent speed and direction control. This milepost can be reached with cab-control wiring. With two direct- current power packs, single-pole double-throw toggle switches, and hardware-store wire, […]

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HO scale Progressive Rail

ProgressiveRail

Name: Progressive Rail Layout designer: Jim Hediger Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 3 x 16 feet Prototype: Airlake Industrial Park Locale: Minnesota Era: 1970s Style: Island Minimum turnout: no. 5 Originally appeared in the June 2002 Model Railroader. Click on the link to download the PDF of this track plan. […]

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In memoriam: Model railroad author Paul Scoles

PaulScolesobit

Paul Scoles’ Sn3 Pelican Bay & Navigation Co. was featured in Great Model Railroads 2010. Well-known model railroader Paul Scoles, of Shoreline, Wash., died May 9 from cardiac arrest after surgery. He was 71. Paul was a well-known Sn3 hobbyist who had written nearly 100 articles for various model railroad publications since the 1970s and […]

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DCC Programming: episode 7 – Programming modes

Operations mode, programming on the main.

Having trouble viewing this video?   Please visit our Video FAQ page Model Railroader magazine’s Dana Kawala addresses basic DCC programming modes. Dana first talks through Operations mode programming on the main, as well as Service mode programming. As with every episode in this helpful DCC Programming series, Dana shows you the essential steps, while the […]

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DCC Programming: episode 7 – Programming modes

Operations mode, programming on the main.

Having trouble viewing this video?   Please visit our Video FAQ page   Model Railroader magazine’s Dana Kawala addresses basic DCC programming modes. Dana first talks through Operations mode programming on the main, as well as Service mode programming. As with every episode in this helpful DCC Programming series, Dana shows you the essential steps, while […]

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Video: HO scale Sandy Fork Lumber Co

HO scale Sandy Fork Lumber Co

Having trouble viewing this video?   Please visit our Video FAQ page Frank Henry Fieler’s HO scale Sandy Fork Lumber Co. is a freelanced HO scale model railroad that’s set in West Virginia in the 1960s. The layout is inspired by the Elk River Coal & Lumber Co. and other West Virginia logging railroads. Watch […]

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Video: HO scale Sandy Fork Lumber Co

HO scale Sandy Fork Lumber Co

Having trouble viewing this video?   Please visit our Video FAQ page Frank Henry Fieler’s HO scale Sandy Fork Lumber Co. is a freelanced HO scale model railroad that’s set in West Virginia in the 1960s. The layout is inspired by the Elk River Coal & Lumber Co. and other West Virginia logging railroads. Watch […]

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Cody’s Workshop: Episode 15 – right-of-way details

Cody Grivno standing in front of model railroad layout

Having trouble viewing this video?   Please visit our Video FAQ page For this episode of Cody’s Workshop, Cody heads to Model Railroader‘s HO scale layout, the MR&T. As he completes the Big Bend remodeling project on the layout, Cody shows how easy it is to enhance a scene with small details like wood guardrail […]

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Cody’s Workshop: Episode 15 – right-of-way details

Cody Grivno standing in front of model railroad layout

Having trouble viewing this video?   Please visit our Video FAQ page For this episode of Cody’s Workshop, Cody heads to Model Railroader‘s HO scale layout, the MR&T. As he completes the Big Bend remodeling project on the layout, Cody shows how easy it is to enhance a scene with small details like wood guardrail […]

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