Feather-topped palm trees are a signature element for any model railroad set in a tropical climate. Author Joseph Kreiss scratchbuilt numerous coconut plams for his HO scale Big Island Rail layout, set in Hawaii in the 1970s. When you can’t live in a tropical paradise, perhaps the next best thing is to model it. That’s […]
American roundhouse Roundhouses were found all across the nation once. Now they’re rare gems. These structures began disappearing after the dieselization era. Only a few were left in use by some railroads. Many were eventually demolished or repurposed. Here’s a gallery of them under construction, in use, and after the wrecking ball. […]
Name: Järfälla Model Railroad Club Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 33 x 46 feet Theme: generic American Era: variable Style: walkaround Mainline run: 360 feet Minimum radius: 47″ Minimum turnout: no. 6 Maximum grade: 2 percent (main), 3.5 percent (branch line) Originally appeared in the March 2010 issue of Model Railroader. Click on the link to […]
Name: Mount Royal Division of the Baltimore & Ohio RR Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 12 x 24 feet Prototype: freelanced based on Baltimore & Ohio RR Locale: Maryland and Pennsylvania Era: 1940 to 1948 Style: walk-in with liftout Mainline run: 65 feet Minimum radius: 20″ (34″ on main) Minimum turnout: no. 4 Maximum grade: 3 […]
The year was 1939, and 29-year-old British stockbroker Nicholas Winton was set to leave for Switzerland on a ski holiday when he answered his phone. It was a friend conducting humanitarian aid in Prague, Czechoslovakia. This friend described the refugee camps in which he worked, and asked Winton to abandon his holiday, come to Prague, […]
For additional scenery tips, don’t miss Essential Model Railroad Scenery Techniques from Kalmbach Books. No muss! No fuss! Just add the ingredients, mix thoroughly, and pour yourself a hillside full of trees. Believe it or not, it really can be just about that simple. I came up with my scrambled-trees technique when I wanted to […]
MTH HO scale Dreyfuss Hudson steam locomotive This streamlined New York Central J3a Hudson accurately models the art deco curves of its famous prototype. The MTH HO scale “Dreyfuss” Hudson features realistic sound and smoke effects and operates on DC, Digital Command Control (DCC), and MTH Digital Command System (DCS) layouts. Prototype. In 1938 the […]
Bachmann Spectrum 44-tonner in N scale This N scale model of a General Electric 44-ton switcher features a dual-mode Digital Command Control (DCC) decoder that runs well in both DC and DCC modes. The Bachmann 44-tonner is part of the firm’s Spectrum series and is a highly detailed N scale model of its hard-working prototype. […]
Micro-Trains’ Z scale EMD SD40-2 diesel locomotive This SD40-2 from Micro-Trains Line Co. has an impressive amount of accurate detail, especially considering that it’s a 1:220-proportion model. This diminutive diesel also has one of the quietest, smoothest running mechanisms of any locomotive that I’ve encountered in any scale. Prototype. General Motors Electro-Motive Division built the […]
Having trouble viewing this video? Please visit our Video FAQ page Learn how to find out the if your freight cars’ couplers are at the correct height and what to do if they’re not. Model Railroader Associate Editor Cody Grivno shows you how to use a Kadee coupler-height gauge and shows you how to […]
Having trouble viewing this video? Please visit our Video FAQ page Model Railroader Associate Editor Cody Grivno shows you a variety of new products this week, including The Model Railroader’s Guide to Diesel Locomotives. Cody also gives you a tip for opening stubborn paint jars. Editor Neil Besougloff joins Cody to provide some more […]
Athearn Trains HO scale yard tractor Athearn has recently released the Yard Goats, which are used to move Trailer chassis and Trailers from one spot to another in warehouses, container yards, etc. This is a model that has been a long time in the making and the final result is that it is outstanding. Anyone […]
