Crabbitt & Pitchahissee RR

Track plan at a glance Name: Crabbitt & Pitchahissee RRScale: HO and HOn3 (1:87.1)Size: 26’0″ x 26’0″Period: 1920Style: walk-inMainline run: 124 feetMinimum turnout: no. 4Minimum radius: 24″Maximum grade: 7 percentOriginally appeared in the April 2006 issue of Model Railroader.Click on the link to download a PDF of this track plan […]

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HO Western Pacific RR

Track plan at a glanceName: Western Pacific RRScale: HO (1:87.1)Size: 9′-0″ x 10′-6″Prototype: freelanced using Western Pacific lettering and heraldsEra: 1935Style: walk-inMainline run: 63 feetMinimum radius: 18″Minimum turnout: no. 4Maximum grade: 3.5 percentOriginally appeared in the November 2006 issue of Model Railroader. Also appeared in 102 Realistic Track Plans.Click on the link to download a […]

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Onion Valley Mining & Lumber Co.

Track plan at a glance Name: Onion Valley Mining & Lumber Co. Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 14′-0″ x 20′-0″ Theme: mining and lumber short line Era: 1935 Style: linear walkaround Mainline run: 60 feet Minimum radius: 18″ Minimum turnout: no. 5 Maximum grade: 4 percent Originally appeared in the June 2006 issue of Model Railroader. […]

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New socket for a prewar Lionel lighted bridge

Q: Ray, I have a Lionel no. 315 bridge with a red light on top. The light doesn’t work due to the light socket, which rests in a sort-of black square holder that’s corroded. I have checked several hobby parts sites but can’t seem to find the part number for a replacement part. Do you […]

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How to clean and oil O gauge and large scale engines

Photo of track cleaning fluid and accessories on white background.

For better or worse, the wheels of O and large scale trains seem to attract more grease and grime than those of HO and N scale pieces. Perhaps it’s the size of the trains, perhaps the shape of the wheels, or perhaps it’s carbon that gets deposited during operation, but either way they get filthy […]

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Ready to serve the nation

Here’s a variation on a familiar World War II theme, the diverse geographical backgrounds of men serving together in the armed forces. It comes to us in the form of some faded sheet music dedicated to the Military Railway Service. The rousing anthem “Railroaders Always” is of interest in its own right, but the cover […]

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