Olympia Logging Series: Part 24 – Snowshed kitbash

After making a cardboard mock-up of a timber snowshed for our Olympia Logging Co. On30 layout, MR staffer Eric White starts to build the structure kit. Eric demonstrates the complete kitbashing process, ranging from how he stains, measures, and cuts the stripwood to fitting the final structure into position on the layout where it will […]

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DCC Programming: episode 11 – manual notching

Manual notching using a QSI Quantum decoder.

Having trouble viewing this video?   Please visit our Video FAQ page   Modern sound decoders have made it possible for your model locomotives to sound just like the real thing. In this episode, DCC Programming Series host Dana Kawala shares a few ways to tweak the sound effects to further enhance the realistic operation […]

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Rehab My Railroad: Episode 1

Having trouble viewing this video?   Please visit our Video FAQ page To get the series started, show host Drew Halverson introduces you to layout owner Chuck Sable and his HO scale basement setup. Top-notch modelers David Popp and Cody Grivno waste no time jumping into rehab work, with the first targets being a simple […]

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Olympia Logging Series: Part 23 – Make a structure mock-up

Model Railroader magazine’s new staff member Eric White will kitbash a timber snowshed for our Olympia Logging Co. On30 layout. But before construction begins, he’ll first share how to make a useful cardboard structure mock-up. Along the way, Eric shows how a mock-up can immediately reveal issues to address, without needlessly sacrificing kit parts. […]

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Olympia Logging Series: Part 22 – Painting rock faces

To complete the rockwork suite on the Olympia Logging Co. On30 layout, David Popp shares an easy technique for adding realistic coloring to the wall of Sculptamold and rubber rock castings. Watch how David uses just a few shades of latex and acrylic modeling paint, along with a few light brushstrokes, to turn a stark […]

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Olympia Logging Series: Part 21 – Sculptamold rocks

Having trouble viewing this video?   Please visit our Video FAQ page The scenery work keeps rockin’ on the Olympia Logging Co. On30 layout as David Popp demonstrates another technique for making simple, yet realistic rock outcroppings using Sculptamold. David walks you through all of the steps, from mixing up the material to forming the […]

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Olympia Logging Series: Part 20 – Rubber rock castings

Having trouble viewing this video?   Please visit our Video FAQ page Scenery projects resume on MRVP’s On30 Olympia Logging Co. display-style layout with Kent Johnson adding a large rock face. Kent keeps it simple by using a single rubber casting to form a sheer rock wall along the layout’s elevated line. Don’t miss his […]

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Olympia Logging Series: Part 19 – Adding LED lighting

David Popp holding a 6' LED lighting strip

After installing the fascia and cabinet, David had the bright idea to keep progress rolling on MRVP’s On30 Olympia Logging Co. layout. In this episode, he assembles, installs, and wires the LED strips used to illuminate our display-style layout. This is our first attempt at using LEDs, so David also shares several helpful installation tips […]

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