HO scale Eaglecreek & Northern Ry. engine terminal module

EaglecreekNorthern

Name: Eaglecreek & Northern Ry. engine terminal module Layout designer: Flemming Ørneholm’s Size: 2 x 5 feet with 41⁄2″ x 10′-0″ staging track shelf Prototype: Union Pacific Locale: western United States Era: 1955 Style: module Minimum radius: 28″ Originally appeared in the October 2013 Model Railroader. Click on the link to download the PDF of […]

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Calumet & South Chicago RR

CalumetSouthChicago

Name: Calumet & South Chicago RR Layout designer: Michael Sharp Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 12′-0″ x 14′-6″ Prototype: freelanced Locale: Calumet Region of northwest Indiana Era: mid- to late-1960s Style: double-deck shelf Mainline run: n/a Minimum radius: 21″ Minimum turnout: no. 4 Maximum grade: n/a Originally appeared in the October 2013 Model Railroader. Click on […]

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HO scale Pennsylvania RR

PennsylvaniaRRupperplan

Name: Pennsylvania RR Layout designer: Bill Hughes Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 23′-6″ x 24′-9″ Locale: New Jersey Era: transition era Style: Walk-in Minimum radius: 30″ Minimum turnout: no. 6 Maximum grade: 2 percent Originally appeared in the October 2013 Model Railroader. Click on the link to download the PDF of this track plan. […]

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Thin Branch Series: Ballasting turnouts

Cody Grivno ballasting turnouts.

Having trouble viewing this video?   Please visit our Video FAQ page Ballasting turnouts can be tricky because there’s a lot of potential for the little stones and glue to interfere with the proper operation of the points. Cody Grivno shows you an easy technique for ballasting turnouts that keeps the points working just like […]

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Thin Branch Series: Ballasting turnouts

Cody Grivno ballasting turnouts.

Having trouble viewing this video?   Please visit our Video FAQ page Ballasting turnouts can be tricky because there’s a lot of potential for the little stones and glue to interfere with the proper operation of the points. Cody Grivno shows you an easy technique for ballasting turnouts that keeps the points working just like […]

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Thin Branch Series: Powering turnout frogs

David installing turnouts.

Having trouble viewing this video?   Please visit our Video FAQ page You can improve the operation on most any railroad by installing turnouts with powered frogs. David shows you how we set up the Thin Branch project railroad with turnout frogs powered through switch motor contacts. […]

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Thin Branch Series: Powering turnout frogs

David installing turnouts.

Having trouble viewing this video?   Please visit our Video FAQ page You can improve the operation on most any railroad by installing turnouts with powered frogs. David shows you how we set up the Thin Branch project railroad with turnout frogs powered through switch motor contacts. […]

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Cass before it was Cass

  With Cass Shay No. 4 lettered for the scrapper that was dismantling the railroad, a governor’s special visits the wye located at Camp One on Bald Knob on April 23, 1961. Check out more Cass and West Virginia coverage in the August 2013 issue of Trains magazine. Photo by John P. Killoran […]

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HO scale Lehigh & Keystone Valley

MRRA0913_Lehigh_A

Name: Lehigh & Keystone Valley Layout designer: Lehigh & Keystone Valley model railroading club Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 45 x 60 feet Theme: Eastern Pennsylvania and western New Jersey Locale: Pennsylvania’s Lehigh Valley Era: 1950-1970 Style: linear walkaround Mainline run: 960 feet Minimum radius: 28″ Minimum turnout: no. 5 Maximum grade: 1.5 percent in helix […]

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S scale Central California RR

MRRB0613_Central

Name: Central California RR Layout designers: Robert Jackson and Brian Jackson Scale: S (1:64) Size: 27 x 39 feet Prototype: Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe (diesel) and Southern Pacific (steam and diesel) Locale: Fresno to Sacramento, Calif. Era: 1955-1959 Style: walkaround Height: 55″ to 58″ Benchwork: L-girder Roadbed: Homabed Track: code 100 flextrack and handlaid […]

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Thin Branch Series: Making puffball trees

Neil Besougloff holding materials for puffball trees.

Having trouble viewing this video?   Please visit our Video FAQ page Need a lot of tree-covered hills on your layout? In this video, MR’s editor Neil Besougloff shows you how to make common puffball trees. This technique models just the treetops, and it’s a great way to fill background hills with trees quickly. […]

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Thin Branch Series: Making puffball trees

Neil Besougloff holding materials for puffball trees.

Having trouble viewing this video?   Please visit our Video FAQ page Need a lot of tree-covered hills on your layout? In this video, MR’s editor Neil Besougloff shows you how to make common puffball trees. This technique models just the treetops, and it’s a great way to fill background hills with trees quickly. […]

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