Mail and express train operations

ErieLackawannamailtrainNo7passesthroughBinghamtonNYin1965withamixtureofheadendcars

Head-end traffic helped cover some of the costs of America’s passenger trains for many years. Contracts with the United States Postal Service covered the transportation of mail, while the Railway Express Agency (REA) provided a nation- wide package delivery service. Small-to-medium-sized railroads forwarded most of the mail in Railway Post Office (RPO) cars and packages […]

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HOn3 Glenwood & Black Creek

GlenwoodBlackCreek

Name: Glenwood & Black Creek Scale: HOn3 (1:87.1) Size: 16′-6″ x 35′-0″ Locale: western United States Theme: western narrow gauge Period: 1930s – 1940s Turnout minimum: no. 6 Minimum curve radius: 24″ Maximum grade: 2 percent (main), or 3 percent (branches) Originally appeared in the May 2014 Model Railroader. Click on the link to download […]

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HO scale New York Central Hudson Division

NewYorkCentralHudsonDivision

Name: New York Central Hudson Division Layout designer: Richard L. Stoving Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 23′-0″ x 23′-6″ Locale: New York State Hudson River Highlands Era: 1940s Style: walk in Minimum radius: 32″ Minimum turnout: no. 6 Maximum grade: 1.3 percent Originally appeared in the January 2014 Model Railroader. Click on the link to download […]

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O scale Norfolk & Western Ry.

NorfolkWesternRy

Name: Norfolk & Western Layout designer: John Armstrong Scale: O (1:48) Size: 30 x 40 feet Prototype: Norfolk & Western Locale: Not specified Era: Steam Style: Walkaround Mainline run: 275 feet (loop to loop) Minimum radius: 54″ (main line) (44″ branch line) Minimum turnout: no. 8 (main), no. 6 (yard and secondary tracks) Maximum grade: […]

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HO scale Rice Harbor

RiceHarbor

Name: Rice Harbor Layout designer: David Popp Scale: HO (1:87.1)Size: 5 x 8 feet, plus a 9″ x 40″ folding carfloat extension Prototype: freelanced short line Locale: coastal South Carolina Era: 1930s Style: island, portable Mainline run: 18 feet Minimum radius: 18″ Minimum turnout: no. 5 (main), Atlas 18″ radius Snap-Switch (spurs) Maximum grade: none […]

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Wharf Street

WharfStreet

Name: Wharf Street Layout designer: Art Fahie Scale: S (1:64:1) Size: 6 x 17 foot L Prototype: Maine two-foot gauge railroads Locale: Maine coast Era: 1925 Style: shelf diorama Mainline run: n/a Minimum radius: 22″ Maximum grade: none Originally appeared in the Great Model Railroads 2014. Click here to download a PDF of this track […]

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Video Step by Step: Build a water tank part 1

A water tank standing next to the tracks.

Having trouble viewing this video?   Please visit our Video FAQ page   Associate editor Steven Otte needed several wood water tanks for his layout, so he decided to scratchbuild them using stripwood and common materials. In part one of this two-part video, Steve shows you how he built the tank and the roof. […]

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Video Step by Step: Build a water tank part 1

A water tank standing next to the tracks.

Having trouble viewing this video?   Please visit our Video FAQ page   Associate editor Steven Otte needed several wood water tanks for his layout, so he decided to scratchbuild them using stripwood and common materials. In part one of this two-part video, Steve shows you how he built the tank and the roof. […]

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The Gypsy Trolley Line

Name: The Gypsy Trolley Line Layout designer: John Kosma Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 2 x 34 feet Prototype: freelanced, inspired by the Chicago, North Shore & Milwaukee and The Milwaukee Electric Ry. & Light Co. Locale: Milwaukee Era: 1939 to 1941 Style: freestanding, modular display Mainline run: 68 feet Minimum radius: 7″ Minimum turnout: no. […]

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