Q: I would like to feature modern automobiles on my currently under construction layout. Is there a manufacturer that makes vehicles from the late 1990s to modern day? If not, is there any way to make them? — Jake, via email A: You didn’t specify your modeling scale, Jake, but there are multiple sources for […]
Is your locomotive struggling to produce a good amount of smoke, even after cranking up the smoke volume and adding fluid? While it’s not the one-and-only culprit, a charred smoke wick is a common problem. The wick is a strand or braided fiber glass material in the smoke unit’s heating chamber. It generates the smoke […]
Athearn HO 20-foot ISO tank container We recently received a pre-production sample of the Athearn HO 20-foot tank container. This is a hand-assembled model. Details on production models may vary slightly. Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: Two-pack, $47.99 Manufacturer: Athearn Trains, 2904 Research Rd., Champaign, IL 61822; 800-338-4639; athearn.com Athearn HO 20-foot ISO tank container features: […]
Athearn HO drop-frame spread-axle chassis We recently received a pre-production sample of the Athearn HO drop-frame spread-axle chassis. This is a hand-assembled model. Details on production models may vary slightly. Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: $49.99 Manufacturer: Athearn Trains, 2904 Research Rd., Champaign, IL 61822; 800-338-4639; athearn.com Athearn HO drop-frame spread-axle chassis features: Air tanks and […]
In 1980 and 1981, my wife and I rode round trips on the Viking and Badger, respectively, when they were still being used as railroad carferries operating between Wisconsin and Michigan. After those trips, I wanted to build an N scale version of the Viking. Unfortunately, I didn’t have the time or skills required back […]
We’ve all been there before. Seated at the drafting desk, or perhaps the workbench, depending on how your layout room or workshop is set up, notebook open, pen in hand, writing out a list of desired traits for your soon-to-begin model railroad, maybe sketching possible track plans in the margins. A tale as old as […]
Last month we took a look at modeling urban scenery. This time around, we’ll step back from the big city and focus on rural scenery. I spent my formative years in the Red River Valley of the North, which was dotted with small towns up and down the Minnesota and North Dakota sides of the […]
Though we consider model railroading a hobby, it’s also an investment. Consider the prices of model trains today. Depending on the scale, level of detail, and features, a ready-to-run freight car retails for anywhere from $20 to $150. Today’s injection-molded plastic steam and diesel locomotives are priced from $150 to $900. The numbers start to […]
When I first started at Model Railroader in February 2014, I edited a story by Alex Marchand about how he created N scale hoppers using 3-D printing. That story was where I began to learn the basics of 3-D printing. But things have come a long way in the decade since. What was once a […]
Though the hobby has evolved throughout the decades, one theme has remained constant: Model railroaders are a resourceful bunch. There are many in the hobby community who have a knack for looking items not for what they are, but for what they might become. In this article, we’ll take a look at 10 household items […]
Lionel Trains’ 21″ passenger cars have been a staple in the manufacturer’s lineup of O-scale, 3-rail products for some time. A common censure though has been the lack of previously installed passengers upon purchase, leaving empty seats that need to be filled. From disassembly to reassembly, this project is easier to accomplish than I initially […]
Having trouble viewing this video? Please visit our Video FAQ page Popp. David Popp. That’s who we’ve got (Mr. Bond wasn’t up to the task) to demonstrate how to position, align, and connect the Tortoise switch machines used with the turnouts of our N scale Canadian Canyons project layout. Don’t miss his not-so-secret agent […]
