Detail a diesel on a budget, Ep. 47

From adding grab irons to installing hood details to painting the parts, Cody Grivno shares how he finished his HO scale Atlas Trainmasters EMD GP38-2 diesel locomotive without breaking the bank. Watch all the steps detailed in this video, and then read the story in the September 2021 issue of Model Railroader magazine. […]

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Detail a diesel on a budget, Ep. 47

From adding grab irons to installing hood details to painting the parts, Cody Grivno shares how he finished his HO scale Atlas Trainmasters EMD GP38-2 diesel locomotive without breaking the bank. Watch all the steps detailed in this video, and then read the story in the September 2021 issue of Model Railroader magazine. […]

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How to strip paint from plastic models

Piece of a train car being dipped in chemicals and scrubbed with a toothbrush

Eric White couldn’t find a Northeastern style caboose painted for the Lehigh Valley, but a vendor at a train show had several models in another paint scheme. In less than an hour, Eric had a model that was ready for new paint. Watch this video to see how he stripped the original paint. VIDEO TRANSCRIPT […]

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How to strip paint from plastic models

Piece of a train car being dipped in chemicals and scrubbed with a toothbrush

Eric White couldn’t find a Northeastern style caboose painted for the Lehigh Valley, but a vendor at a train show had several models in another paint scheme. In less than an hour, Eric had a model that was ready for new paint. Watch this video to see how he stripped the original paint. VIDEO TRANSCRIPT […]

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Meet Walthers Open Class Contestant DJ Arlia

A CSX train sits in the middle of a track, the scene is partially covered by a bush

WAUKESHA, Wis. — It’s mid-April and the second-annual Walthers National Model Railroad Build-off is well-underway. Across the country, modelers are hard at work on their layouts. With four different categories and hundreds of contestants, the judges are sure to see no shortage of talent from this year’s submissions. “Open class” contestant Domenic Joseph Arlia, otherwise known […]

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Kitbash a large-scale gazebo for your garden

Large-scale gazebo with two female figures next to it.

DIY garden train gazebo While shopping at a local thrift store, I spotted an aluminum tea light candle holder. The shape and size approximated a large-scale gazebo. With minor modifications and spray paint, it would make a weatherproof and inexpensive display piece in the railroad. I added a miniature hanging basket plant, made from a […]

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