Take Amtrak to see a model railroad

A color photograph of the interior of a train station

If you’re like me and enjoy riding Amtrak, but also enjoy model railroading, you’ve likely asked yourself “can I take Amtrak to see a model railroad?” The answer is yes! Four model railroads call Amtrak stations their home Durand Union Station Model Railroad Engineers Inc. Durand Union Station 200 Railroad Street Durand, Mich. 48429   […]

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Moloco HO Northern Pacific boxcar

Color photo of HO scale boxcar painted brown and silver.

A Northern Pacific HO scale 50-foot XM double-door boxcar is the latest release from Moloco Trains. The ready-to-run model features car-number-specific details, Stanray R3-4 ends, and 8-rung ladders on the sides and ends. A railroad-built car The Moloco model is based on full-size cars built at NP’s Brainerd, Minn., shops between 1956 and 1959. During […]

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Broadway Limited HO scale EMD GP35

Screen capture from Product Review video showing HO scale diesel painted orange and green.

A sample from the latest run of Broadway Limited HO scale EMD GP35 diesel locomotives paid a visit to our Winston-Salem Southbound layout. Join Model Railroader Senior Editor Cody Grivno as he shares a brief history of the four-axle road locomotive and Burlington Northern No. 2510, points out the details on the plastic and die-cast […]

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Hobby Trax to enter North American market

A logo of a steam locomotive against a oval background of the US flag with the text Hobby Trax in black

Hobby Trax is posed to enter the North American model railroad market on October 15th with the launch of its new website, which “…(introduces) its range of truly unique products to model railroaders across the United States and Canada.”  The United Kingdom-based model designer and manufacturer began as a model train shop in rural Scotland […]

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News & Products for the week of September 9th 2024

A green and white model locomotive against a gray background

News & Products for the week of September 9th 2024   Model railroad operators and builders can get the latest information about locomotives, freight cars, passenger cars, tools, track, and more by reading Model Railroader’s frequent product updates. The following are the products Model Railroader editors have news on for the week of September 9th […]

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What structures and cars to model a brewery?

An HO scale model brewery complex with several different kinds of buildings

Q: I’m planning a rail-served brewery for my N scale layout. What did these industries look like, and what kind of products would trains deliver to the brewery or haul away from it? — Eli Quarless A: Breweries are large, sprawling, complex industries that take up multiple buildings and receive and ship a wide variety […]

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Why do railroads use signals?

A train passes in front of a large mountain in the background

A common question newcomers to model railroading ask is “Why do railroads use signals?” The quick answer is to keep trains moving safely. But the topic of railroad signals deserves more of an explanation. The evolution of railroad signals When trains are running in the same direction on the same line, in opposite directions on […]

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The HO scale Hudson, Delaware & Ohio and Trenton Northern Transportation & Light Co. layout

A large model railroad track plan for the Hudson, Delaware & Ohio railroad layout

Facts and features Name: Hudson, Delaware & Ohio and Trenton Northern Transportation & Light Co.Scale: HO (1:87.1)Size: 40 x 40 feet (phase I), 60 x 80 feet (phase II, under construction)Theme: freelance, inspired by Eastern Class I railroadsLocale: northern New Jersey and PennsylvaniaEra: steam-to-diesel transition (circa 1955)Style: multi-level walkaroundMainline run: HD&O (40 x 40-foot section), […]

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The HO scale South Durham Railway layout

A model railroad track plan for the south durham railroad, with two figures seen from above standing in an around-the-walls layout

Facts and features Name: South Durham Ry.Scale: HO (1:87.1)Size: 9’-6″ x 11’-0″Prototype: freelancedLocale: North CarolinaEra: 1970sStyle: around the wallsMainline run: 22 feetMinimum radius: 22″Minimum turnout: No. 4Maximum grade: none (flat)Benchwork: shelf Height: 57″Roadbed: cork on HomasoteTrack: code 83 extrackScenery: tabletopBackdrop: photo backdrop from Backdrop JunctionControl: Lenz DCC   Click the link to download a PDF […]

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Jacksonville Terminal N scale container flatcar

A 60-foot intermodal container flatcar has joined Jacksonville Terminal Co.’s growing N scale freight car lineup. The newly tooled car features Very Real Knuckle (VRK) couplers and insulated metal wheelsets. Prototype history The sample we received is decorated as Trailer Train car VTTX 91927. The proto­type VTTX cars were a mix of Pullman-Standard 60-foot bulkhead […]

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September 2024

The September 2024 cover of Model Railroader magazine

Also in this issue: ON TRAINS.COM, pg. 6 The latest features on our website FROM THE EDITOR, pg. 8 Building the stuff of fantasies NEWS AND REVIEWS, pg. 10 ScaleTrains HO scale EMD GP30 reviewed, plus the latest new products ASK MR, pg. 18 Which trains worked the Beer Line? STEP BY STEP, pg. 21 How […]

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