Build a table for a small model railroad

benchwork lead

Good plywood benchwork provides a solid foundation for a model railroad. There are many different ways to support your railroad, and they all fall under the general heading of “benchwork.” Benchwork can be just about anything. We’ve heard of one modeler who uses the top of his piano for his railroad so he can enjoy […]

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Guide to model railroading scales and gauges

Image of model locomotives arranged by scaled size

You don’t have to spend much time with model trains to realize that they come in a number of different sizes. These differences are one of the things that make model trains so much fun because there are advantages to each size. Let’s take a look at them so you can think about which size […]

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Basic Training: How to install feeder wires

Hand adding feeder wire to piece of track

Having trouble viewing this video?   Please visit our Video FAQ page Good electrical connections are key to a smooth running model railroad, and one way to help achieve this is with feeder wires. In this basic training video you’ll learn how to attach feeder wires to the rails of model railroad track. […]

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Old model-railroad books

old_books_editorial

Marc Horovitz Here are a few of my favorite old model-train books, all published before 1960, in chronological order. There are many more. These are a mix of US and British books. I’ve tried to give a very brief synopsis of each. If you have a favorite old book, drop me a line at mhorovitz@gardenrailways.com […]

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Model railroading 101

learn the basics of model railroading

Learn the basics of the hobby of model railroading Illustration by Theo Cobb If you’re new to model railroading, a hobby shop is probably where you’d get your first crash course in hobby terminology. However, spending an afternoon staring at trains in display cases trying to get answers to basic questions can be frustrating. Having […]

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Model railroading scales

Model railroading scales are described by letters such as N, HO, S, and O. This alphabet soup may seem confusing at first, but the letters are simply shorthand to describe the ratio of the model’s size to its prototype, which is what model railroaders call the real thing a model is based on. The chart […]

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The Cascade & Timber Trail Ry

cascade_timber-800x600

The Cascade & Timber Trail Ry. is one of CTT’s project railroads. Click here for the entire series of building this layout from a starter set to its realistically scenicked, action-filled completion. 800 x 600 wallpaper 1024 x 768 wallpaper 1600 x 1200 wallpaper […]

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