Pullman-Standard 2,750- and 2,960 cubic-foot capacity three-bay hoppers from Atlas

a black three-bay hopper car in the foreground and a red three-bay hopper car in the background

Pullman-Standard 2,750- and 2,960 cubic-foot capacity three-bay hoppers from Atlas Scale: N (1:160) Price: $24.95 Era: 1954 to 1990s (depending on scheme) Manufacturer: Atlas Model Railroad Co., 378 Florence Ave., Hillside, NJ 07205; 908-678-0880; shop.atlasrr.com Features: 15 body panels and 16 exterior posts Die-cast metal hopper and center sill construction Optional heap shields Solid- or […]

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Broadway Limited HO scale Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Blue Goose

a light blue model steam locomotive

Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Blue Goose Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: $899.99 Era: 1938 to 1956 (depending on scheme) Manufacturer: Broadway Limited Imports LLC, 9 East Tower Circle, Ormond Beach, FL 32174; 386-673-8900; broadway-limited.com Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Blue Goose Features: Synchronized puffing smoke with chuff sound Variable puffing smoke intensity and timing Dual-mode Paragon4 […]

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Atlas Ford F-250 and F-350 pickup trucks from Atlas

Two green Ford pickup trucks

Atlas Ford F-250 and F-350 pickup trucks Scale: N (1:160) Price: Two-pack, $32.95 Era: 1992+ Manufacturer: Atlas Model Railroad Co., 378 Florence Ave., Hillside, NJ 07205; 908-678-0880; shop.atlasrr.com   Features: Trim packages for XL and XLT trucks Semi-detailed chassis Clear window glazing Release date: Now available Road names: Burlington Northern (green), Amtrak (white with arrow […]

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Rapido Trains HO scale E8

Screen capture of product review video

The Rapido Trains HO scale E8 diesel locomotive decorated as Amtrak No. 4316 paid a visit to Model Railroader’s Milwaukee, Racine & Troy layout. The six-axle passenger locomotive is decorated in Amtrak’s “day one” paint scheme. Features on the Rapido Trains HO scale E8 diesel locomotive include an injection-molded plastic body; a passenger pilot; separate, […]

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Electro-Motive Division SD40 from Broadway Limited

A navy blue locomotive with yellow detailing

Electro-Motive Division SD40 Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: $399.99 Era: 1966+ (depending on scheme) Manufacturer: Broadway Limited Imports LLC, 9 East Tower Circle, Ormond Beach, FL 32174; 386-673-8900; broadway-limited.com   Electro-Motive Division SD40 features: Paragon4 sound & control System Integral dual-mode decoder with back-EMF ABS plastic body with die cast chassis Separately-applied details including handrails, grab irons, […]

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C&O K-2 Mikado from Broadway Limited

A black locomotive with yellow text

C&O K-2 Mikado Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: $899.99 Era: 1940s+ Manufacturer: Broadway Limited Imports LLC, 9 East Tower Circle, Ormond Beach, FL 32174; 386-673-8900; broadway-limited.com   C&O K-2 Mikado features: Paragon4 Sound & Control System Synchronized puffing smoke with chuff sound Variable puffing smoke intensity and timing Integral DCC Decoder with back-EMF 5-Pole Can Motor with […]

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GATC 8,000 Gallon Radial Course Tank Car from Tangent Scale Models

A black tank car with yellow Deep Rock logo

GATC 8,000 Gallon Radial Course Tank Car Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: $46.95 Era: 1917+ Manufacturer: Tangent Scale Models, P.O. Box 6514, Asheville, NC 28816; 828-412-3886; tangentscalemodels.com GATC 8,000-gallon tank car features: Circumferential riveted tank body and riveted underframe hazardous placards with hole detail Separately applied tank handrail & tank strap details KC- or AB- brake variations […]

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Maxi-IV line from American Z Line

A series of 3 brown freight cars

Maxi-IV line from American Z Line Scale: Z (1:220) Price: Contact manufacturer Era: Modern Manufacturer: American Z Line, 6142 Northcliff Blvd., Dublin, OH 43016; 614-764-1703; americanzline.com Maxi-IV features: Each set includes six containers. 53′ containers are the first time AZL has offered corrugated type containers in this length. 40′ containers are a rerelease with new tooling. […]

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Model an enginehouse scene

Photo of metal single-track enginehouse with supplies stored along right side

Model an enginehouse scene. Last year, I wrote about an old 40-foot insulated boxcar being used as a storage shed on the Sisseton Milbank RR (SMRR) in Milbank, S.D. I thought it would be fun to take another look at the 38-mile line, a subsidiary of the Twin Cities & Western RR, this time focusing […]

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Building a wood kit: What not to do

Two walls of a small wooden structure kit are glued together, aligned by a small machinist’s square

Over the years I’ve built a whole lot of wood structures – large and small, laser-cut kits and stick-built, beginner and craftsman. And I’ll admit I’ve made a few mistakes along the way. That’s how we learn. You may have an idea of what to do when building a wood kit, but it’s equally important […]

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How do I build a layout swing gate?

A section of a train layout built on a swinging gate stands open, giving access to a home furnace behind it

Q: On page 45 of the Nov. 2022 issue, a swing gate is shown as part of Mark Carlson’s Chicago & North Western layout. It looks like a marvelous way of avoiding duckunders, lift bridges, and other methods of entering an around-the-room layout. Are there any alignment problems or inherent sagging issues of which builders […]

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