Mont Switzer’s finished HO scale Sylvan Scale Models GMC Cannonball semi-tractor, as detailed for a McLean Trucking Co. prototype. The article “How to model a 1950s semi-tractor” by Mont Switzer appeared in the July 2018 Model Railroader. The materials list for the project is shown below. Materials list A-Line 29201 Windshield wipers Bachmann 42342 Sitting […]
Click on the photo or link to download the prototype plans for this fertilizer blend plant. Rich Cobb Fertilizer blend plants have been common rail-served industries since the 1950s. Rich Cobb describes the prototype for his HO model of one of these trackside structures in the April 2018 Model Railroader. Click on the link below […]
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. […]
The prototypes for the passenger shelters in these plans originally served the Rochester & Eastern Rapid Transit Ry. This interurban line ran from Rochester, N.Y., to Geneva, N.Y. Models of these compact trackside structures would also work well as flagstop stations on a model railroad. Click on the link to download a PDF of the […]
These shipping cartons make an interesting addition to a model train station scene. Click on the image to download a PDF of the shipping cartons that you can print out and fold. Shipping cartons are an easy to add detail to model railroad passenger station scenes. Click on the link to download shipping cartons in […]
Click on the image to download the plans. Model railroader Raymond Howard scratchbuilt an HO scale model of a blacksmith shop in Alloway, N.Y. The prototype was built in 1832 with cobblestone walls in an octagonal configuration. You can read about how Raymond cast plaster walls for his model in the October 2017 issue of […]
Laying tangent (straight) track is pretty straightforward but those curves can, well, throw you a curve. Equipment that enters a sudden curve is more likely to derail. And even if wheels stay on the rails the sight of a train jolting into a sudden curve can make even the most realistic layout look like a […]
In this final installment, Model Railroader magazine’s Eric White addresses how to prepare parts for painting, apply paint using an airbrush, reassemble the truck, and add decals, all before putting the 1940s era cement truck into service on MR’s HO scale Beer Line layout. After watching Eric’s two videos, check out the related story in […]
Having trouble viewing this video? Please visit our Video FAQ page From manual ground throws to DCC decoders, there are countless options for controlling how turnouts are thrown on your layout. In this video, Gerry Leone shares how to assemble and install a simple touch-sensitive button to swing those switch points! For additional information, […]
Click on the link to download the part templates for the log-grasping lift. In the June 2017 Model Railroader, Andrew Taylor describes how he kitbashed an HO scale container loader into a log-grasping lift. Andrew scratchbuilt the claw-like lift from styrene. Click on the link below to download the templates for cutting out the parts. […]
Having trouble viewing this video? Please visit our Video FAQ page Model Railroader Associate Editor Eric White and MRVP’s Ben Lake join forces to build models of something no one produces in HO scale – a 1940s era cement truck. In this first installment, Eric walks you through the process of kitbashing the chassis […]
In the January 2017 Model Railroader, Thomas Klimoski describes how he built a compact HO scale diesel service terminal based on a prototype found on the shortline Georgia Northeastern RR. A signature structure on the scene is Tom’s scratchbuilt sanding tower. Download Tom’s template for the sanding tower as well as the handrail bending template […]
