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Q: In the September 2022 issue of Model Railroader, Mike Tylick wrote “Add a gated crossing to your layout.” On page 36, there is an image of a gate that he built for the F scale Chester & Beckett RR. What is F scale? — via email A: The Chester & Beckett RR, featured in […]
Large scale trains are offered in a variety of proportions, from 1:20.3 to 1:32, but they all run on no. 1 gauge track (13⁄4” between the rails). Bob and Rose Ann Bell use 1:20.3-proportion trains on their Crescent Canyon RR garden railroad. George Hall photographed the road’s 2-6-0 leading a three-car freight over a scratchbuilt […]
In this episode of The Roundhouse, host Brian Schmidt and Bob Lettenberger continue to explore how employee timetables offer rail enthusiasts a “behind the curtain” look at operations. These official documents are vital for planning photography, conducting historical research, and accurately modeling railroads. They also serve as an index to other crucial railroad documents. Be […]
News & Products for the week of July 14th 2025 Model railroad operators and builders can get the latest information about locomotives, freight cars, passenger cars, tools, track, and more by reading Model Railroader’s frequent product updates. The following are the products Model Railroader editors have news on for the week of July 14th, […]
S scale gained popularity during the 1940s and ’50s because of American Flyer toy trains, and the scale is still going strong today. Here we see New York Central 4-8-4 no. 6008 passing Tower SM with a milk train on Ed Loiseaux’s NYC Valley Division layout. Andy Sperandeo took the photo. Model Railroader‘s Photo of […]
WalthersProto HO Budd 73-foot baggage car Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: $105.98 Manufacturer: Wm. K. Walthers Inc., 5601 W. Florist Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53218; 414-527-0770; walthers.com WalthersProto HO Budd 73-foot baggage car features: Factory-installed formed-wire grab irons Factory-printed road numbers (two cars per paint scheme) Freestanding roof vents Limited edition, one-time run of these road numbers […]
Athearn Genesis N acid tank car Scale: N (1:160) Price: Single car, $44.99; three-pack, $124.99 Manufacturer: Athearn Trains, 2904 Research Rd., Champaign, IL 61822; 800-338-4639; athearn.com Athearn Genesis N acid tank car features: Based on 13,000-gallon prototype Body-mounted McHenry Type F double-shelf couplers Car operates on codes 40, 55, and 80 track Etched, stainless steel […]
Modeling in N scale is a great choice if you want to convey the size differential between big industry and the trains that serve them. In this scene, a hopper is being spotted at Baker Industries on Dennis Murphy’s layout in Girdwood, Alaska. Model Railroader‘s Photo of the Day features images from our archives, celebrating […]
Broadway Limited has released a new run of its N scale Electro-Motive Division NW2 diesel locomotive. The end-cab switcher features a die-cast metal body and chassis, all-wheel electrical pickup, factory-applied detail parts, and body-mounted couplers. The prototype Electro-Motive Division built the NW2 from February 1939 through December 1949. Production was paused from 1942 to 1945 […]
Dave Cwirko submitted this photo of two Union Pacific Geeps (Electro-Motive Division General Purpose locomotives) pulling a solid refrigerator car train through Pine River on his freelanced Rocky Mountains layout. Model Railroader‘s Photo of the Day features images from our archives, celebrating decades of model railroad heritage and excellence. […]
Rapido HO FM H16-44 diesel Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: Direct-current model, $225; with ESU LokSound V5 sound decoder, $335 Manufacturer: Rapido Trains, 382 High St., Buffalo, NY 14204; 905-474-3314; rapidotrains.com Rapido HO FM H16-44 diesel features: Carbodies with and without dynamic brakes Dofasco or Fairbanks-Morse trucks as appropriate Illuminated number boxes, headlights, and green and […]
Even though Doug Tagsold has a large HO scale model railroad, he didn’t let that stop him from building another layout – this time in On3. Doug took this photo of a D&RGW wood caboose bringing up the rear of a freight passing through Rockwood, Colo. Doug’s layout is based on the Denver & Rio […]
