MR Insider: A Virtual Visit with Hal Miller and David Popp

Trains.com staff members Hal Miller and David Popp stand along CTT O gauge layout.

What’s better than hanging out with Hal Miller and David Popp in the Model Railroader / Classic Toy Trains Workshop? The chance to repeat the experience! Enjoy this full replay of their hour-long trackside/layout-side chat, which was originally presented as a livestream session during the World’s Greatest Hobby Virtual Show on Saturday, April 17, 2021. […]

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Add Bluetooth control to your locomotives with BlueRailDCC

BlueRailDCC board, .57 inches by 1.5 inches, socket for connection plug on right

Everything runs on Bluetooth these days, so why not your locomotives? BlueRailDCC from Tam Valley has a solution (BlueRailDCC). This compact board (.57” x 1.5”) supports up to 2A of current, plenty for most HO scale installations. To connect, you’ll need to download the BlueRail Trains app to your Apple iPhone or iPad. Android support […]

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Scale It Down: Making big plans fit into less space, Episode 1

Scale It Down logo over image of unfinished benchwork and track work.

Steve Brown, host of It’s My Railroad, launches into an all-new, Trains.com exclusive series! Follow along as he walks through his plans and strategies for building a reduced-scope, N scale version of his favorite HO scale layout, the Winston-Salem Southbound Railway (The Tar Branch), previously featured in Model Railroader magazine and MRVideoPlus.com. […]

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Scale It Down: Laying Track, Episode 2

Steve Brown laying track on his N scale model railroad

Trains.com exclusive video series host Steve Brown gets to work on the trackwork of his down-sized (N scale) depiction of the Winston-Salem Southbound Railway. True to form, Steve follows his “Regular Guy” routine, and finds that some unexpected complications are cause for contemplation…and deviation from the original Model Railroader magazine HO scale track plan!   […]

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Layout Visit: Ted Pamperin’s C&O Hinton Division in HO scale

A Chesapeake & Ohio steam locomotive pulls a train of freight cars along on Ted Pamperin's HO scale C&O Hinton Division model railroad

Layout builder Ted Pamperin hosts an exclusive video tour of his HO scale (1:87) layout capturing Chesapeake & Ohio Railway’s steam and diesel-powered Appalachian operations during the early days of winter in 1951. Even in this unique scenery motif, you’ll find Ted’s depiction of West Virginia’s New River Gorge is quite impressive. […]

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Backdrop painting, Ep. 22

Steve Brown holding a paint brush in his hand while showing how to paint a backdrop for a model railroad

Want a better backdrop scene? Series host Steve Brown desperately desires something other than plain blue sky to grace his N scale layout background, so he jumps right into the process for hand painting his own mountain skyline. Grab your paint, brush, and big ideas, and then follow along the “Regular Guy” way! […]

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Backdrop painting, Ep. 22

Steve Brown holding a paint brush in his hand while showing how to paint a backdrop for a model railroad

Want a better backdrop scene? Series host Steve Brown desperately desires something other than plain blue sky to grace his N scale layout background, so he jumps right into the process for hand painting his own mountain skyline. Grab your paint, brush, and big ideas, and then follow along the “Regular Guy” way! […]

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