50 tips & tricks for your garden railway

Whether you want to know how to keep your garden railway switches free of debris or a simple method to catch tiny track screws, this booklet contains a wealth of information. Some of the tips inside include: an easy way to simulate old, rusting enamel signs how to make translucent “glass” what to use for […]

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Build a better layout

Build a better layout

A decade ago, Dick Christianson, the founding editor of Classic Toy Trains, and I began work on what became the O gauge Lionel Lines/Santa Fe layout. With help from CTT staff members, who dutifully ventured to Dick’s suburban basement every Tuesday night, we spent countless hours planning, thinking, changing our minds, and making false starts […]

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HO Train Layout Ideas

This booklet contains five National Train Show track plans, along with a bill of materials for constructing each one and some operational possibilities. The 4 x 8 dimensions are time-tested – that’s the size of a sheet of plywood, plenty of track and broad-enough curves can fit on it, and, most important, filling those 32 square […]

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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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Hot Spots issue preview

Top portion of a magazine cover showing a n orange locomotive.

Check out Trains‘ latest special issue: Hot Spots! You’ll learn where to find trains, brush up on basics of railroad photography, decode train symbols and railroad signaling, find out how to maximize scenery on your next Amtrak ride, and more! This issue packs in 75 of the best train-watching spots with 50 detailed maps. Don’t […]

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Video: Inside the March 2018 Model Railroader

    Learn how to build better structures for your model train layout with help from the March 2018 issue of Model Railroader magazine. Projects include a modern lumber yard, tips for using 3D printing, weathering wood structures and more! Follow editor Hal Miller as he shows you highlights of the latest issue. […]

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Making signs for your garden railroad

Although signs are everywhere in everyday life, they’re typically absent from many backyard railroad scenes. If one wants a particular sign, then one has to make it himself or have it made commercially. Fortunately, in this day of desktop printing and digital technology, the palette we have available is constantly broadening. Even old standbys, like […]

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Trains on Location

In this free, 40-page download, we explore some of the most complex railroad locations in the United States. With multiple tracks, rough terrain, and dense traffic, these spots make for some great train-watching locations. Download this free guide to read about: Horseshoe Curve, Conrail’s mountainous railroad with multiple track tunnels and steep grades The Chicago […]

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