Olympia & Sand Creek, Episode 15 | All in the details

In this session, Host David Popp promises to finish the work on the passenger car project! That includes paying careful attention to those tiny details on the passenger car and the layout itself…you know, all of the little things he’d notice if he did not take the time to complete them now, including the addition […]

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Trains LIVE — Making friends at summer railroad camp

Large room with full-size trains and children working at tables. Making friends at summer railroad camp.

Trains LIVE — Making friends at summer railroad camp — 9-27-2023 — Railroad museums, tourist lines, railroad historical societies, even some universities host summer camp programs centered around trains. The programs are offered for all ages ranging from story and activity curricula for the youngest rail enthusiasts to taking the throttle of a steam locomotive […]

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Pacific Southern Railway in HO scale

With a mainline run of more than 1,000 feet, this freelanced HO scale (1:87.1) club layout is quite impressive! But the fact that the established Pacific Southern Railway Club 501(c)(3) nonprofit raises funds for a local emergency services definitely makes this model railroad a stand-out/stand-up amongst some of the finest in the hobby! To learn […]

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Model Railroader After Hours | October 5th, 2023

Model Railroader After Hours | October 5th, 2023. An all new series, After Hours is a fun and informal livestream hosted by David Popp… live from his basement workshop. In this episode, David Popp walks you through the process of starting a river scene on an N scale T-Trak module. David covers scene planning, how […]

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Spaces to Places IV | Light up this whole town, part 6

Westcott is now officially more of a place than it is a space! It’s time for host Gerry Leone to shine a light on and around this town on his HO scale model railroad. Follow along to learn how he added interior illumination to the structures, period-correct streetlights, and fine details that give select scenes […]

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Atlas N scale S4 diesel locomotive

Screen capture from video with N scale locomotive in blue and yellow paint.

The Atlas N scale Alco S4 diesel locomotive recently paid a visit to our N scale Milwaukee, Racine & Troy State Line Route layout. Join Model Railroader senior editor Cody Grivno and associate editor Bryson Sleppy as they discuss the features on this newly tooled model, demonstrate some of the sound and light functions, and […]

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Athearn HO EMD SD39

Screen shot of title page for HO scale SD39 review video.

We’ll head down to Larson Stone on our Milwaukee, Racine & Troy staff layout to check out a model from the latest run of HO scale Electro-Motive Division SD39 diesel locomotives produced by Athearn Trains. Join Model Railroader senior editor Cody Grivno as he points out the features on the six-axle road locomotive, demonstrates some of […]

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Polar Express five-day layout build

scene of toy train on holiday layout

The Classic Toy Trains staff built the Polar Express layout over a five day period, from benchwork to final scenery. The layout features scenes from the beloved movie, including the Hero Boy’s house, the train crossing the frozen river, and the city scene where the First Gift of Christmas is given. Staffers Hal Miller, Roger […]

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Trains LIVE — Durango & Silverton all-female engine crew

TV screen image with two women and a man in an interview

Trains LIVE — Durango & Silverton all-female engine crew — 8-30-2023 — What was the Denver & Rio Grande narrow gauge line between Durango and Silverton, Colo., has been in existence for 142 years. In that time, across all of it operators, including the current Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, there has never been […]

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Atlas HO scale EMD GP40

Title screen of Atlas HO scale EMD GP40 review video.

The Atlas HO scale EMD GP40 is back for another run, this time with ditch lights on select road names. Join Model Railroader senior editor Cody Grivno as he points out the features on the four-axle road switcher, demonstrates some of the light and sound features, and switches cars on the Jones Island section of […]

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Trains LIVE — National Railroad Museum library expands

Trains LIVE — National Railroad Museum library expands. Two men talking during a TV interview.

Trains LIVE — National Railroad Museum library expands — 8-16-2023 — It was a good idea, no great idea, at first. Then the COVID-19 pandemic hit. In 2016, the Merrill (Wis.) Historical Society began gathering books and ephemera, for a railroad library within its local history collection. The library was unique in North Central Wisconsin […]

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