What grade can an engine climb? Different engines will climb different grades. If you are trying to stay within full-size railroad practice, your grades should be no more than about 3 percent for mainline traffic (3″ of rise in 100″ of travel) or 5 percent to 6 percent for logging, mining, or industrial lines. I […]
Follow along as the southbound local on Rock Island’s Mid-Continent Route operates from Inver Grove Yard in Minnesota to Armourdale Yard in Kansas City, Kan., and meets a few trains along the way. Video by Michael Armstrong. […]
Click on the image or link to download a PDF of this drawing of the Union Pacific Big Boy In 1941 the Union Pacific RR took delivery of its first 4-8-8-4 single-expansion articulated steam locomotives. Aptly named “Big Boy,” these 7,000 hp, 386-ton locomotives were the heaviest and among the most powerful simple articulateds ever […]
Climb aboard B&O no. 4580 and enjoy a cab ride along the B&O Ridgley Division. Your journey starts at Clarksville yard and terminates past the tiny town of Franklin. You will pass through Macauley, Heckton, the S curve around Leyden lake, and ride the high line. Video by Dale Ridgeway. […]
Alejandro’s “Random Semi-arid Railroad” (RSAX) is a small shelf layout set somewhere between 1970 and 1990. The layout is intended to be lightweight and portable, so that it can be hung upon storage. […]
The Mad City Model Railroad Show will be held in Madison, Wis., on February 16-17, 2019. Sponsored by the South Central Wisconsin Division – NMRA. […]
Here’s a quick clip of a Union Pacific mixed freight train crossing the Powder River in Natrona County, Wyo. Video submitted by Brian Olson. […]
Watch switching operations and see updates on the O scale Rayantown layout. Video by Paul Dell Ava. […]
Coffee stirrers can be a realistic load for flatcars. Stan Trzoniec Photo 1 Stan Trzoniec Stan Trzoniec Photo 2 Stan Trzoniec Photo 3 Stan Trzoniec Photo 4 Stan Trzoniec Photo 5 Stan Trzoniec Photo 6 Stan Trzoniec Scratchbuilding is fun! Do you remember making fences and small buildings out of ice cream sticks when you […]
Download this free nine-page PDF to learn how to control the growth of miniature trees, and prune, shape, and trim a variety of different plants. […]
Download this free 24-page PDF for a brief overview of track-planning terms, tips, and techniques as well as a handful of Lionel FasTrack plans of all sizes. […]
When you have more than a bedroom for your railroad, you have some choices to make regarding what to fill the space with. Download this free 15-page PDF for 28 inspiring N, Nn3, HO, HOn 2 ½, Sn3, and On 2 ½ layout plans. […]
