Adding track on the cheap

Pieces of Lionel Fastrack

There is an astonishing (and confusing) variety of track available, and you may wish to “mix and match” brands. For example, you may want to use an operating section for triggering a dump car, but it isn’t available in your track brand. You can transition to tubular track, insert a traditional activation section, and transition […]

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Tom Barker’s S gauge layout in action

Tom Barkers S gauge layout

Tom Barker’s S gauge layout is inspired by a vintage American Flyer dealer display. It features a lot of action and fun! It appears in the July-August issue of Classic Toy Trains. Subscribers can see how he built the circular four-tier structure that’s the centerpiece of the layout here. […]

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Tom Barker’s S gauge layout in action

Tom Barkers S gauge layout

Tom Barker’s S gauge layout is inspired by a vintage American Flyer dealer display. It features a lot of action and fun! It appears in the July-August issue of Classic Toy Trains. Subscribers can see how he built the circular four-tier structure that’s the centerpiece of the layout here. […]

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Make a Lake, Part 3 | Back on Track, Episode 20

Make a lake, part 3 – It’s all water under the bridge for this episode of the Back on Track mini-series, hosted by Gerry Leone on his HO scale Bona Vista RR. With the lakebed colors applied, Gerry shows how to add water effects, as well as a few special details a keen-eyed visitor might […]

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Make a Lake, Part 3 | Back on Track, Episode 20

Make a lake, part 3 – It’s all water under the bridge for this episode of the Back on Track mini-series, hosted by Gerry Leone on his HO scale Bona Vista RR. With the lakebed colors applied, Gerry shows how to add water effects, as well as a few special details a keen-eyed visitor might […]

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Five ideas for a shelf layout

A sheet of graph paper holds five sketches of 1 x 5-foot HO scale shelf layout plans

As the author of Model Railroader’s “Ask MR” column, I get a lot of questions from readers. Usually I either know the answers or at least where I can find the answers for them. Sometimes, though, I get a question that stirs my imagination and prompts me to compose a more involved response. Such was […]

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Make a Lake, Part 2 | Back on Track, Episode 19

Man standing over a model train layout wearing an apron.

Make a Lake, Part 2! In the previous video of this mini-series, host Gerry Leone launched an effort to add a realistic water feature to his HO scale Bona Vista RR. Now, he’s following up the groundwork and bridge construction by shaping the landforms along the shores. He also turns his attention to forming the […]

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Make a Lake, Part 2 | Back on Track, Episode 19

Man standing over a model train layout wearing an apron.

Make a Lake, Part 2! In the previous video of this mini-series, host Gerry Leone launched an effort to add a realistic water feature to his HO scale Bona Vista RR. Now, he’s following up the groundwork and bridge construction by shaping the landforms along the shores. He also turns his attention to forming the […]

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Make a Lake, Part 1 | Back on Track, Episode 18

By popular demand! Back on Track host Gerry Leone jumps ahead in time to begin an effort to shape a common layout space into a unique place! In this episode, you’ll see the start of the lake scene takes the curved mainline into consideration. First, Gerry works to build up a plate girder bridge to […]

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