Visitors to the Cass Scenic Railroad in the early 1970s watch Shay No. 5 switch in the yard. Check out more Cass and West Virginia coverage in the August 2013 issue of Trains magazine. Photo by J.J. Young Jr. […]
The envy of all
Zone & Region: Appalachia
Thin Branch Series: Backdrops part 4 – Clouds
Having trouble viewing this video? Please visit our Video FAQ page In our final backdrop painting installment, artist Jay Smith shows you how to add clouds to the sky of your model railroad. To complete the scene, he also provides tips for painting simple birds. Look for Jay’s other backdrop-painting videos on MR Video […]
Thin Branch Series: Backdrops part 4 – Clouds
Having trouble viewing this video? Please visit our Video FAQ page In our final backdrop painting installment, artist Jay Smith shows you how to add clouds to the sky of your model railroad. To complete the scene, he also provides tips for painting simple birds. Look for Jay’s other backdrop-painting videos on MR Video […]
Thin Branch Series: Foam scenery part 1 – build a tunnel
Having trouble viewing this video? Please visit our Video FAQ page For our Thin Branch project railroad, David used foam insulation board as a base for much of the scenery. In this video installment, he shows how he used the foam to build a simple tunnel liner. […]
Thin Branch Series: Foam scenery part 1 – build a tunnel
Having trouble viewing this video? Please visit our Video FAQ page For our Thin Branch project railroad, David used foam insulation board as a base for much of the scenery. In this video installment, he shows how he used the foam to build a simple tunnel liner. […]
Thin Branch Series: Foam scenery part 2 – making hills
Having trouble viewing this video? Please visit our Video FAQ page In our second foam scenery installment, David shows how he built a variety of hills by stacking strips of foam insulation board. He also covers some basic shaping and finishing techniques in this video. […]
Thin Branch Series: Foam scenery part 2 – making hills
Having trouble viewing this video? Please visit our Video FAQ page In our second foam scenery installment, David shows how he built a variety of hills by stacking strips of foam insulation board. He also covers some basic shaping and finishing techniques in this video. […]
A minor adjustment, please
On May 29, 1961, engineer Walter Good tightens the spark arrestor on Cass Shay No. 1 after the engine started a brush fire. The railroad was in transition at the time from logging railroad to tourist attraction. Check out more Cass and West Virginia coverage in the August 2013 issue of Trains magazine. Photo by John P. Killoran […]
Building a 5 x 8 harbor railroad part 4
Structures and trackwork dominate this episode of the Model Railroader staff’s Rice Harbor video journal. Associate editor Steve Otte describes the lighthouse for Rice Harbor. Steve built the structure from a Branchline Trains kit, and the model also features a working beacon. Editor Neil Besougloff is also at the workbench finishing up a depot, coal […]
Building a 5 x 8 Harbor Railroad part 3
Layout designer David Popp describes his strategy for using various turnouts on the Rice Harbor project layout. The turnouts are controlled by New Rail Models Blue Point controllers. You’ll also get a look at the benchwork for the folding staging track and see how pattern maker’s pins make is easy to align the layout sections. […]
Thin Branch Series: Backdrops part 2 – Hill highlights
Having trouble viewing this video? Please visit our Video FAQ page In part 2 of our backdrop series, painter Jay Smith starts filling in the background details. In this installment he adds mist to the valleys and small treetops and sun highlights to the mid-ground hills. […]
Thin Branch Series: Backdrops part 2B – The river
Having trouble viewing this video? Please visit our Video FAQ page Painting backdrops involves trial and error, even for professional artists. In part 2B of our backdrop series, Jay Smith shows you how he painted the river from start to finish, including changing colors “midstream” several times to get the right look. […]
