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On the final day of 2025 and the Trains.com seasonal mini-series, David Popp transforms the Alturas & Lone Pine boxcar from a pristine model into a grimy road warrior. Using three colors and a double-action airbrush, David demonstrates how to achieve realistic weathering in under an hour. Join David as he shares expert techniques, from […]
Freight Car Class: Lesson 5, Special Weathering Effects | Go beyond basic airbrushing to create freight cars with unique character and standout detail! This lesson teaches advanced techniques for replicating paint chips, deep rust, and realistic scratches using a mix of acrylics, enamels, and oils. Learn to highlight molded details, simulate bare metal, and master […]
Freight Car Class: Lesson 4, Airbrushing Techniques | Unlock the versatility of your airbrush to transform stock models into realistic, weathered railroad replicas! This segment of the freight car series shows you how to use an airbrush for effects like faded paint, dust, grime, and rust. Learn how to work your double-action airbrush, how to thin paint […]
Freight Car Class: Lesson 3, Weathering with Pastels | Transform pristine products into well-weathered, prototypical models using various powdered pastel techniques! In this segment of the freight car series, you’ll learn how to apply powdered pastels with brushes, makeup applicators, and artist sponges to simulate realistic rust. Discover how to use two shades of rust pastel […]
Freight Car Class: Lesson 2, Upgrading Kits for Better Operation | In this lesson, David shares essential steps for upgrading your model’s operation and realism. First, you’ll learn how to use the NMRA recommended practice (ARP 20.1) to calculate the target weight for your car, and how to install a peel-and-stick weight to achieve that […]
Painting is one of my favorite aspects of the hobby, though I guess that shouldn’t come as a big surprise. My father and grandfather were auto body repairmen, so painting (albeit on vehicles, not model trains) has been a part of my life from an early age. I started airbrushing model trains in my early […]
This article will help you build a simple Arduino-based DCC system. Growing up in the 1980s I was living the dream. I had an HO layout on a 4 x 8 sheet of plywood in my parents’ basement in Reading, Pa., a soldering iron, a nearby RadioShack, and a subscription to Model Railroader. My favorite […]
Freight Car Class: Lesson 1, Kit Building Basics| Building, operating, and weathering freight cars are essential skills for any modeler to acquire, regardless of experience level. This five-part video series is designed to help you create better freight cars! In the first lesson, expert instructor David Popp gets things rolling with the basics of kit […]
Football is getting underway, pumpkin spice everything is showing up on store shelves, and the thermometer has given a few hints that autumn is just around the corner. Of course, that means we’re heading into peak model railroading season. In the September 2025 episode of Cody’s Office, we feature three new products, a modeling tip, […]
Football is getting underway, pumpkin spice everything is showing up on store shelves, and the thermometer has given a few hints that autumn is just around the corner. Of course, that means we’re heading into peak model railroading season. In the September 2025 episode of Cody’s Office, we feature three new products, a modeling tip, […]
Q: I have a question about removing markings from rolling stock and steam engines. I’ve seen your videos on removing decals, but how do I remove these items when they are factory painted? — Michael Ricci A: Over the years, I’ve used a variety of methods to remove factory-printed graphics. In my September 2022 Model […]
Welcome to the August 2025 Cody’s Office! Perhaps we should have called this the Consolidation episode, as we’re on program number 2-8-0. This month the show starts with an exciting lineup of products. First up is the HO scale Fairbanks-Morse H16-44 from Rapido Trains. Features on the four-axle road unit include an injection-molded plastic body, […]
