Q: I am looking for suggestions for industries for an Idaho model railroad in the 1940s. I’m working on building an HO scale 10 x 11-foot around-the-walls model railroad. I have decided to model a small town in rural Idaho along the Union Pacific in 1942. I am looking for a few plausible industries to […]
What was your first train set (or locomotive)? I’ll answer this one in two parts: locomotive and set. You may have already read on Trains.com or the Winter 2023 issue of Classic Toy Trains that my first model train locomotive was a Lionel Santa Fe Alco. That’s right, just Alco, with no model designation. The […]
The much-anticipated Krauss-Maffei ML-4000 diesel-hydraulic locomotive is now available from PIKO America. The newly tooled model, based on the 1961 prototype, has an injection-molded plastic body, die-cast metal chassis, and can motor with dual flywheels. Prototype history The PIKO America models are decorated as Southern Pacific 9000, 9001, and 9002 in their as-delivered appearance. The […]
Tony Koester’s “Trains of Thought” column in our May 2024 issue, about the Norfolk & Western (formerly Wabash) Detroit car float terminal, inspired me to sketch up a track plan for a rail-marine Free-Mo module. I’ve written before about the Free-Mo modular standard and designing a Free-Mo module, a variant of which became Freemont Mills, […]
Modelers David Popp, Brian Schmidt, and Bryson Sleppy continue the scenery process on their T-TRAK modules by adding gravel, ground foam, and static grass in an attempt to make them look more like the prairies of Colorado. T-TRAK is a modular N scale railroading system that uses foot-wide boxes plugged together to build tabletop layouts. […]
News & Products for the week of April 1st 2024 Model railroad operators and builders can get the latest information about locomotives, freight cars, passenger cars, tools, track, and more by reading Model Railroader’s frequent product updates. The following are the products Model Railroader editors have news on for the week of April 1st […]
Q: I always thought N gauge track was the go-to gauge for narrow gauge HO operating equipment. I found out yesterday that is not true. I got a model kit for an HOn3 locomotive. Everything was going smoothly until I discovered the wheels and trucks supplied with the kit are spaced too far apart for N gauge […]
![Two men operate trains on an HO scale model railroad]](https://www.trains.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/MRL0324-03-Jared-Childers-and-Eric-Mumford-work-Joe-Kaspers-BN-layout.jpg)
Recently I was asked for my best tips for operating session success. In turn, I asked numerous groups of operators, including participants at ProRail (an operating event held in Kansas City) and layout owners and operators throughout the Midwest. The query elicited a variety of responses, with several recurring themes. Here are the top five […]
Do you have a soft spot for railroad-rebuilt diesel locomotives? Then you’ll want to check out the HO scale Canadian Pacific RS18u from Rapido Trains. The model, designed from field measurements and a 3-D scan of a full-size engine, is offered in a variety of paint schemes from 1980 to the present. The prototype In […]
Q: I recently added a Faller carousel to my HO scale model railroad. It is lighted and motorized. Now I would like to add a sound module to the layout to play carousel sounds. Any suggestions where I might find one? — Larry Gaiardelli A: I couldn’t find a sound module pre-recorded with carousel sounds, […]
For the single rail-served factory on Model Railroader magazine’s 2024 project layout, the HO scale Free-Mo module Freemont Mills, Steve selected American Model Builders’ A.C. Brown Mfg. Co., a laser-cut wood kit. Follow along as he works through this build and see if you pick up any tips to help you on your next laser-cut […]
Model Railroader After Hours | March 26, 2024. After Hours is an informal livestream hosted by Trains.com staff members… after the “work” of the day is done, there’s aways something else fun! Host David Popp is back with a Bryson Sleppy on a special Tuesday night edition. After encouraging Bryson’s efforts to complete his N […]
