Seattle & North Coast GP7 no. 717, still in the colors of its previous owner, leads a string of recently painted ore cars past the mine at Marmot. The scene is on the Boeing Employees’ Model Railroad Club HO scale layout in Kent, Wash. Timothy Repp of Renton, Wash., took the photo. Introducing Model Railroader‘s […]
For model railroaders choosing a separately applied roadbed for laying track, two popular options dominate: cork and foam. Each has its own strengths and weaknesses, as well as impacting factors such as ease of installation, durability, and realism. Let’s dive into the details and help you make an informed decision on cork vs. foam roadbeds. […]
Walthers HO scale Electro-Motive Division NW2 Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: Direct-current model with Next18 DCC plug, $154.98; with dual-mode ESU Sound & DCC, $209.98 Manufacturer: Wm. K. Walthers Inc., 5601 W. Florist Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53218; 414-527-0770; walthers.com Walthers HO scale Electro-Motive Division NW2 features: Dual tall conical exhaust stacks Factory-installed grab irons on hood […]
Back in 2010, I was part of a group of contributors to Scenery by the Seasons by Kalmbach Publishing Co. The 98-page book featured stories on modeling seasons on your layout. Among the topics covered were spring backdrops; lily pads, cattails, and pond scum; easy autumn trees; and ice and snow. Though the title is […]
Model railroad operators and builders can get the latest information about locomotives, freight cars, passenger cars, tools, track, and more by reading Model Railroader’s frequent product updates. Athearn recently released an F89-F TOFC flatcar in its Genesis line. The flatcar is based on a prototype built in the 1960s by Bethlehem Steel Co. at its […]
An assortment of Electro-Motive Division and Alco locomotives waits between assignments at the diesel shop in Barstow, Calif. It appears that a few Santa Fe employees are interested in taking a closer look at the EMD SD45 demonstrator in the foreground. Bill Pearce of Wichita, Kan., photographed the scene on his N scale Cajon Pass […]
Wm. K. Walthers, Inc. offers a vast range of products and services with something for everyone in the hobby, regardless of whether you’re a beginner or seasoned veteran. Product and Brand Manager Dana Kawala recently stopped by Firecrown Media’s Brookfield, Wis., office to discuss more with Trains.com Staff Writer Lucas Iverson, as well as to […]
Price: Single car, $37.99; six-pack, $219.99 Manufacturer Otter Valley Railroad Inc. 37 Tillson St., Unit E Tillsonburg, Ontario, Canada N4G 0B7 ovrtrains.com Road names: American Iron & Metal Co. (20000 and 21000 series), Midwest Railcar Corp., Triple M Metal, and XRMX. Also available painted black with data only. Six to 12 road numbers per paint […]
From tabletop, to shelf, to open grid, there are a lot of different methods you can use to build model railroad benchwork. For our HO scale East Troy Industrial Park project layout, we used a combination of two methods, cookie cutter and L-girder, to make solid, stable benchwork. While not exactly framing for a layout, […]
“Which type of subroadbed is right for me?” It’s a question that is especially asked by beginners. The subroadbed is the material that you place under your roadbed, track, and often scenery. It serves as the foundation for your model railroad, so choosing the correct material is very important. Before evaluating good subroadbed options, let’s […]
Also in this issue: ON TRAINS.COM, pg. 6 The latest features on our website FROM THE EDITOR, pg. 8 What’s your scale? NEWS AND REVIEWS, pg. 10 Hobby industry news ASK MR, pg. 17 Selecting the right wire size STEP BY STEP, pg. 24 Quick and easy car card racks ON OPERATION, pg. 53 Checkbox […]
When we moved to our new office in Brookfield, Wis., one of my favorite aspects of this new space was the workshop area. Not only do we have plenty of space for modeling and layout building, but we have just enough space for the Winston-Salem Southbound layout to sit next to our workbenches. One day […]
