Get ready for a barn burner of an episode, when David Popp jumps into high gear to complete various scenery and structure projects on his Olympia & Sand Creek On30 display layout. Efforts include adding fences, installing the Armstrong-type turntable, and revamping the barn a bit. Be sure to explore the entire Olympia series, appearing […]
Chances are good that if you’re building a model railroad, you’ll want to include a bridge. After all, who doesn’t love a good bridge? I can’t speak for anyone else, but when I think of San Francisco, I think Golden Gate. When I think of Duluth, Minn., I think of the Aerial Lift Bridge (well […]
In a move that promises to reshape the landscape of transportation-themed attractions, Firecrown, a leading publisher of transportation and enthusiast titles, has acquired the railroad assets from EnterTRAINment Junction. The company plans to relocate the beloved train exhibits to Chattanooga, Tennessee, as part of an ambitious new transportation museum. Firecrown is also the parent company […]
A General Electric 44-ton diesel locomotive is the latest addition to the Rapido Trains HO scale diesel lineup. The center-cab switcher has an injection-molded plastic body; heavy, die-cast metal chassis; and prototype-specific details. Prototype history General Electric produced the 44-ton diesel locomotive from Sept. 1940 to Oct. 1956. During the course of the production run […]
Q: I have a question regarding using lichen to simulate vegetation on a layout. My basement is clean but unfinished, so the wood floor joists overhead and the concrete walls are all visible. The basement isn’t particularly humid, but it isn’t climate controlled either. There are the occasional spiders and cobwebs, as is normal in […]
News & Products for the week of December 23rd 2024 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 December 23rd […]
Host Gerry Leone returns to the lower level of his HO scale Bona Vista HO scale double-deck model railroad, with the intent to complete the yard adjacent to the scenes featured in Spaces to Places V. Follow along as he first plans, and then adds urban scenery and structures, plus plenty of gritty, attention-getting details, […]
As many of you know, my primary modeling interest is the early days of the Burlington Northern (1970-1974) in Crookston, Minn., my hometown. One of the rail-served industries that has long intrigued me is the Otter Tail Power Co. (OTPCO) power plant. The 10,000 kilowatt plant, which hugged the banks of the Red Lake River […]
In November 2021 I wrote about modeling a boxcar storage scene based around an ex-Milwaukee Road car in Milbank, S.D. This time around we’ll take a look at a car in the Minnesota Northern RR (MNN) yard in Crookston, Minn., my hometown. Back in 2016 I was invited to the National Model Railroad Association Thousand […]
The Trinity Industries “Pullman-design” 4,750-cubic-foot capacity three-bay covered hopper is now available from Tangent Scale Models. Features on the HO scale car, designed from Pullman-Standard plans and field measurements, include road-specific details, Barber S-2 100-ton trucks with rotating bearing caps and separate brake beam detail, and Kadee scale couplers. Prototype history The Tangent model is […]
Q: My light blue-gray walls look fine to the naked eye, but not so good in photos. Are there some tried and true formulas for the major paint brands that are a reliable “sky blue” for model railroad backgrounds? — David Provost A: Model railroaders have long asked “What color is sky blue?” when painting […]
The much-anticipated Rapido HO GE 44-ton diesel locomotive recently arrived at our headquarters. Model Railroader Senior Editor Cody Grivno provides a brief history of the center-cab switcher and Milwaukee Road 992; points out the various details on the diesel; and demonstrates the sound and light function on the model, equipped with an ESU LokSound V5 […]
