We’ve kept close to home since quarantine and social distancing guidelines have been issued. Club meetings have been canceled; events and open houses have been put on hold. Our hearts go out to anyone affected by COVID-19. Time at home has spawned creative moments, though. I’ve refurbished structures, maintained locomotives and rolling stock, and looked […]
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Scene lighting allows you to shine a spotlight on your favorite railroad scenes. Again, the idea is to draw the viewer’s eye toward something you want to emphasize, like ridges, waterfalls, and pathways. You can be as creative as you want. You’ll want to hit the landscape lighting section at your local home improvement store. […]
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Solar lights are convenient and are available in a wide variety of styles. You just put them where you want them and you’re good to go. The sun charges the battery during the daylight hours, and the lights come on after dark. On a good charge, they may stay on all night, but they’re supposed […]
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History of the Lehigh & Hudson River Railway The Lehigh & Hudson River Railway was a bridge route in the most literal sense. For much of its lifetime, New England freight moving via the 6,747-foot-long (including approaches), 212-foot-high Poughkeepsie Bridge over the Hudson River at that New York town was L&HR’s essential lifeblood and key […]
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Downhill skiing buffs immediately think of the winter vacation destination (and site of the 1960 winter Olympics) in California’s Sierra Nevada mountains when “Squaw Valley” is mentioned. More than 50 years ago, the name Squaw Valley came to the mountains of Western North Carolina under entirely different circumstances. To set the stage, I was a […]
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Neil Besougloff, editor of Model Railroader from June 2007 to June 2017, passed away on July 26 from complications related to COVID-19. He was 61 years old. Neil was born in Toms River, N.J., and graduated from Toms River High School South. After earning an associate degree from Ocean County College in Toms River, he […]
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HO scale locomotives Alco RS-11 diesel locomotive. Burlington Northern (Cascade Green and Northern Pacific patchout); Central Vermont (green with “wet noodle” herald); Delaware & Hudson (gray, yellow, and blue “lightning stripe” scheme); Duluth, Winnipeg & Pacific (as-delivered green-and-gold scheme); Maine Central (Pine Green); Portland Terminal (Pine Green, conditional release); New York Central (black); Nickel Plate […]
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Question: I model in N scale. I’m having problems uncoupling the cars. Is there a tool out there to assist with this task, or do you have a suggestion on how to make this easier? – William Semanko, Junction City, Kan. Answer: Many N scalers like yourself uncouple their cars by inserting the point of […]
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Classic Trains editors are celebrating the heritage, history, and lore of famed (and infamous) railroads. In July 2020, we celebrate the Toronto, Hamilton & Buffalo. Please enjoy a collection of locomotive images located in the David P. Morgan Library archives at Kalmbach Media that include the TH&B’s iconic locomotives and classic scenic photos. […]
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Denver & Rio Grande Western class K-27 2-8-2 Mikado no. 463 starts down the High Line with a string of boxcars in tow on Mike Schwab’s Sn3 scale D&RGW layout. Mike’s trackside photo is also September’s featured computer desktop wallpaper. Click on the links below to download the image sized appropriately for your computer screen. […]
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Walk up the stairway leading to Stan Ludwikowski’s 23 x 36-foot layout and you’re suddenly looking at scenes from northwest Chicago more than half a century in the past. Watch this exclusive video tour of Stan’s impressive toy train layout. […]
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Walk up the stairway leading to Stan Ludwikowski’s 23 x 36-foot layout and you’re suddenly looking at scenes from northwest Chicago more than half a century in the past. Watch this exclusive video tour of Stan’s impressive toy train layout. […]
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