B&M NH Mainline – Ballasting the Track

Hand adding ballast to model track

This is the second part of a two-part series where I demonstrate the process I used for ballasting the track on my B&M NH Mainline. This video details the four step process shared by Cody and others: Glue down cinders if appropriate; ballast the track center; light ballast on roadbed shoulders; and final ballast on […]

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BNSF Coal Operations

N scale coal operations

The bulk of my layout is set in Wyoming with a bit of Colorado and Nebraska. Coal is a key source of revenue for the BD&O. Here we see a BNSF Coal Train arriving at Cowboy Coal in Campbell County, Wyoming, then departing for Power Plants to the south. Video by Brian Olson. […]

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CSW CSX Rail Train

CSW CSX Rail Train

A loaded CSX ribbon rail train traverses the, in-progress, Chesapeake, Susquehanna and Western RR on HARM night. HARM (Harford Association of Railroad Modelers) is a round robin group celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. Located in northeast Maryland, members meet every Tuesday evening. This train is based on the CSX prototype often seen on the […]

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Video 101: Talking pictures

filming an outdoor model railroad with a phone

We can do something with our videos that frontier photographers could not. We can make our pictures talk and make the trains rumble. With sounds, our videos can have mood and a speaking voice. We can make “talkies.” Learning how to add sound to video can be done in under an hour using basic consumer-level […]

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Canadian Canyons Series: Part 31 – Surfacing with Shaper Sheet

Kent Johnson and Drew Halverson next to layout scenery

Having trouble viewing this video?   Please visit our Video FAQ page Drew and Kent have relied on paper-based Sculptamold to fill in the sloped mountainside thus far. In this episode, they demonstrate another scenery surfacing technique that utilizes a relatively new and versatile product from Woodland Scenics. Watch and learn how easily Shaper Sheet […]

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Video: Inside the April 2018 Model Railroader

The April issue of Model Railroader magazine is full of new layout tours, projects, and how-to tips. The Pennsylvania RR-inspired HO scale Johnstown & Gerryville, built by John Travis, is featured on the cover. Follow Editor Hal Miller as he shows you the highlights of the latest issue. […]

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Bob’s Train Box: Episode 67

Bob Keller

Having trouble viewing this video?   Please visit our Video FAQ page Bob Keller of Classic Toy Trains magazine is back with a bounty of new toy trains and related products to share with you! In this episode of BTB, you’ll also get a good look at a powerful new release from Menards! […]

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Video Step by Step: Weathering metal siding

Having trouble viewing this video?   Please visit our Video FAQ page After assembling several plastic structures for an HO scale layout, MR associate editor Eric White aims to make the corrugated metal (simulated) exterior look authentic. Follow along, as he demonstrates steps for applying realistic weathering effects using an airbrush. […]

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