Tips for identifying modern diesel locomotives

Moderndieselidentification

Many readers have asked how we identify the current crop of big, modern road diesels. Unfortunately, it isn’t easy, as many locomotive designs have evolved into a family of similar looking locomotives. This means modelers have to study the details to figure out what locomotive is represented by a specific scale model. Comparing the model […]

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HO scale St. Louis Junction RR Co.

HOscaleStLouisJunctionRRCo

The layout at a glance Name: St. Louis Junction Layout designer: John Schindler Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 30 x 60 feet Prototype: BNSF Ry., CSX, Norfolk Southern, Terminal RR Association of St. Louis, and Union Pacific Locale: St. Louis area Era: 2010 Style: multi-deck walk-in Mainline run: 275 feet Minimum radius: 32″ Minimum turnout: no. […]

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N scale Four Corners & Five Lakes Ry. track plan

NscaleFourCornersFiveLakesRy

Click on the image or link below to download a PDF of this track plan. The layout at a glance Name: The Four Corners & Five Lakes Ry. (a business unit of FCFL Transportation) Scale: N (1:160) Size: 20 x 30 feet Theme: freelanced Locale: Four Corners region of U.S. Era: modern Style: around the […]

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Cody’s Workshop: Ep. 42, SW8 Photo-etched details

Cody Grivno’s Workshop Part 42

Having trouble viewing this video?   Please visit our Video FAQ page In this episode, Cody shows how to add photo-etched metal parts to his HO scale EMD SW8 diesel switcher. Follow along to learn his tips and tricks for working with these small details that make a big difference in the realistic appearance of […]

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Cody’s Workshop: Ep. 42, SW8 Photo-etched details

Cody Grivno’s Workshop Part 42

Having trouble viewing this video?   Please visit our Video FAQ page In this episode, Cody shows how to add photo-etched metal parts to his HO scale EMD SW8 diesel switcher. Follow along to learn his tips and tricks for working with these small details that make a big difference in the realistic appearance of […]

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MRVP Layout Visit: Matt Snell’s Conrail NJ Division in HO Scale

Matt Snell's HO scale Conrail New Jersey Division

Having trouble viewing this video?   Please visit our Video FAQ page Model Railroader magazine readers will recognize Matt Snell’s skills from the numerous articles highlighting his modeling efforts. Now you can also enjoy an exclusive tour of his HO scale (1:87) Conrail New Jersey Division layout. Follow along Matt’s mainline route, hosting contemporary motive […]

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MRVP Layout Visit: Matt Snell’s Conrail NJ Division in HO Scale

Matt Snell's HO scale Conrail New Jersey Division

Having trouble viewing this video?   Please visit our Video FAQ page Model Railroader magazine readers will recognize Matt Snell’s skills from the numerous articles highlighting his modeling efforts. Now you can also enjoy an exclusive tour of his HO scale (1:87) Conrail New Jersey Division layout. Follow along Matt’s mainline route, hosting contemporary motive […]

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Trains Photo Contest 2019 winners: Go West!

FULL SCREEN Photo by Bryan Bechtold Runner-up: To appreciate the daunting task of the transcontinental railroad builders, you need only go west to Wyoming. The modern Union Pacific Railroad remains tested by the same vast landscape that challenged the pioneers. In a scene repeated for 150 years, a manifest train climbs out of Rock River, […]

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Trains Photo Contest 2020: In the City

Sumpter Valley trains Ben Duncan Grand Prize winner Trains photo contest 2019

2019 Grand Prize: Ben Duncan This photograph captures my perceptions of American westward expansion. It creates a tension between ideas of East and West, past and future, static and dynamic, confinement and freedom. Taken on my first visit to the western United States, it depicts the Sumpter Valley Railroad, which runs close to one of […]

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