Gunderson Bros. HO scale freight car Tangent Scale Models unveiled a Gunderson Bros. 50-foot 6,089-cubic-foot capacity high-cube double-plug-door boxcar at the St. Louis Railroad Prototype Modelers meet in Collinsville, Ill., on Friday, July 29. This is Tangent’s second new freight car release in 2022. The model, in stock now, is decorated for Denver & Rio […]
Modeling Bushes – In this episode of Kathy Millatt’s Let’s Make a Scene video series on Trains.com, follow along as she shares her quick-and-easy technique for shaping low-growth bushes that help fill in the gaps of a forest floor. Even better, Kathy has also documented many of her expert modeling processes in the Kalmbach Media/Model […]
Final details for Star Industries – Host Steve Brown concludes construction of his N scale rail-served industry, by adding scenery and details to the structure and right-of-way, including a proper perimeter fence. Of course, it’s all prepared using Steve’s simple, but effective “regular guy” techniques! It’s My Railroad host Steve Brown states he’s a “regular-guy” […]
Modeling Background Trees – Can’t see the leaves for the trees? As noted modeler Kathy Millatt explains, that’s perfectly fine to when you’re modeling background trees on your layout. In this episode of Kathy’s Let’s Make a Scene video series on Trains.com, you can follow along as she shares her technique for shaping a distant […]
Q: I’ve always liked unusual rail cars — the more unusual, the better. I wonder how many readers might be stumped by the identity of the rail car in this photo? Hint: It’s pretty heavy; otherwise, it might just float away. – Greg Hodges, Powhatan, Va. A: That car’s not so mysterious; its unique appearance […]
WASHINGTON — The Surface Transportation Board will allow a limited number of Amtrak personnel access to raw train data used by CSX Transportation and Norfolk Southern so the passenger operator can run its own Rail Traffic Controller capacity modeling study. In a decision issued Friday, the STB also ordered board-sponsored mediation to address the differences […]
Model paved brick streets: As on most of our garden railways, trains run by a model town. Mine is based on a small midwestern town I visited every summer as a boy. I hung out on Main Street lined with shops in an array of Victorian buildings with a brick paved street. In those days, […]
Shaping the Diorama – Kathy Millatt’s Let’s Make a Scene video series first appeared on Model Railroader Video Plus, and now continues on Trains.com. In this episode, you can follow along as she forges ahead with the basic framework, ground contours, and rocks of her spring and fall season scenery diorama. Even better, Kathy has […]
WASHINGTON — Host railroads and Amtrak have not presented enough information to allow the Surface Transportation Board to determine whether two daily passenger round trips between New Orleans and Mobile, Ala., would “unreasonably” impair freight operations, board chairman Martin Oberman said Thursday. Oberman made the statement as part of a wide-ranging commentary at the conclusion […]
WAUKESHA, Wis — Kalmbach Media Co. has named veteran editor and journalist Eric White as the new editor of MODEL RAILROADER, the nation’s largest-circulation magazine covering the model railroading hobby. White succeeds Carl Swanson, who is moving to TRAINS Magazine, also published by Kalmbach Media. White joined the MODEL RAILROADER in 2014 as Associate Editor. […]
Measuring track curvature Q: Model railroaders measure curves in inches, which is easily understood. However, prototype railroads measure their curves in degrees. I’m accustomed to degrees as a measure of angles. How do degrees measure radii? – Alan Crouse A: We modelers measure track curvature by radius because it’s convenient. It’s usually easy to locate the center […]
Elevate buildings to track height! Work continues on the Star Industries project, a mid-sized industry modeled on Steve Brown’s N scale layout. In this episode, Steve shares how he raises his rail-served buildings to the appropriate track height, simply by adding a foundation. You’ll also see his techniques for making paved roads featuring proper curbing […]
