Rapido Electro-Motive Division E8 executive units Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: A-A two-unit set, DC, $459.90; DC/DCC, sound, $669.90. Manufacturer: Rapido Trains Inc., 500 Alden Road, Unit 21, Markham, Ontario L3R 5H5 Canada; 905-474-3314; rapidotrains.com Electro-Motive Division E8 executive units feature: Correct HEP muffler and hatch Roof-mounted cooling coils, non-skirted fuel tanks Heavy die-cast chassis Numerous road-specific […]
A John Armstrong inspired layout: In March of 1952 Model Railroader magazine began a series called Track Plan of the Month. A frequent contributor was John Armstrong, an undisputed genius of model railroad planning. Armstrong designed two track plans for the September 1953 issue. John rotated the center line of the layouts’ footprints 45-degrees and […]
Q: I have built three HO scale railroads and am in the planning stages of my fourth, which will be my last. I want to do this one right. I have seen many articles about how to construct open grid benchwork, but none provide instructions about how to install structures, roads, fields, etc. into the […]
Six model railroad photography tips. Whether it’s a feature for the pages of Model Railroader or an article for the Trains.com website, photography can make or break a story. Readers and website viewers expect quality images that are sharp, well composed, and free of distractions. There have been more than a few times in my […]
Q: I would like to add red and green lights to my HO scale Peco turnouts. How would I use an LED to indicate turnout direction? – Joseph Chiarolanzio A: There’s a simple way to do it, but it depends on your turnout being powered. The easiest way is if you’re using a Tortoise by […]
What is Amtrak’s “rainbow” fleet? Amtrak began operations on May 1, 1971, and at the time had only one piece of equipment sporting Amtrak’s first logo, E8 No. 4316. This engine is currently offered by Rapido. All of the passenger equipment came from the railroads that joined to form Amtrak, including over 400 from the […]
Looking at old Model Railroader back issues, I found poisonous model railroad materials. I give those hobbyists a lot of credit; you couldn’t drive over to the hobby store and pick up ground cover or resin to make a water feature. You often used materials from the hardware store, or whatever you had on hand. […]
In Memoriam: John Kunzie. John Paul Kunzie of Woodstock, Ill., passed away on November 29, 2022, at the age of 87. He founded John’s Lab, a model railroad supply company after working for Johns Mansville and R.R. Donnelley. In 1976 he purchased Castolite, Inc., a producer of liquid resin. He also became a great mentor […]
Erie-Lackawanna Alco PA1 from American Z Line Scale: Z (1:220) Price: Contact manufacturer Era: Late 1940s+ Manufacturer: American Z Line, 6142 Northcliff Blvd., Dublin, OH 43016; 614-764-1703; americanzline.com Erie-Lackawanna Alco PA1 features: Prototype specific details 7mm can motor Dual flywheels Directional light-emitting diode lighting Six-axle trucks with blind middle axle Blackened metal wheels Traction tires Optional snowplow and front coupler […]
Using cosmetic applicators for weathering: When I asked my wife if we could walk through the cosmetic department at the local drugstore, she gave me a puzzled look. However, this part of the store is home to some fantastic weathering tools, including foam-tipped cosmetic applicators. I used the applicators to simulate rust and paint wear […]
Tangent Illinois Central Centralia Shops caboose Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: $119.95 Era: 1960s+ (varies depending on scheme) Manufacturer: Tangent Scale Models, P.O. Box 6514, Asheville, NC 28816; 828-412-3886; tangentscalemodels.com Illinois Central Centralia Shops caboose features: IC-specific interior Era-specific body details for each scheme, including multiple body, side vents and side window combinations Three different era and […]
National Steel Car barrel ore hopper from Rapido Scale: N (1:160) Price: Single car, $42.95; three-pack, $128.85; six-pack, $257.70 Era: 1967+ (varies depending on paint scheme) Manufacturer: Rapido Trains Inc., 500 Alden Road, Unit 21, Markham, Ontario L3R 5H5 Canada; 905-474-3314; rapidotrains.com National Steel Car barrel ore hopper features: Two carbodies representing short and long barrel […]
