Here’s a classic tale of a kid who badly wanted to play with his trains, but couldn’t – at least not right away. Find out exactly what we’re talking about! Jack Fox had to wait for his O gauge layout […]
Jack Fox had to wait for his O gauge layout
Era: 1946 - 1970
Saving an American Flyer Royal Blue engine from a landfill
While I have been a part of the toy train hobby, I have attended many train shows and met other train lovers. And I’ve come to realize that there are hundreds of us that don’t know enough about the value and rarity of different O and S gauge trains. We may not even be aware […]
A simple transition-era locomotive terminal
Want to add a basic locomotive servicing area but don’t have room for the turntable, roundhouse, and other shop and warehouse buildings typical of a large facility? As this 1953 photo of a Missouri Pacific RR fueling facility in Little Rock, Ark., shows, a no-frills fueling area can easily be modeled in limited space. At […]
Development of the railroad tank car
The invention of the tank car coincided with the discovery of oil in northwestern Pennsylvania in the 1860s. Oilmen quickly discovered that hauling oil to market in horse-drawn wagons or floating barrels down local streams wasn’t going to do the job as oil production ramped up. The oil industry needed to find a way to […]
Järfälla Model Railroad Club
Name: Järfälla Model Railroad Club Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 33 x 46 feet Theme: generic American Era: variable Style: walkaround Mainline run: 360 feet Minimum radius: 47″ Minimum turnout: no. 6 Maximum grade: 2 percent (main), 3.5 percent (branch line) Originally appeared in the March 2010 issue of Model Railroader. Click on the link to […]
Mount Royal Division of the Baltimore & Ohio RR
Name: Mount Royal Division of the Baltimore & Ohio RR Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 12 x 24 feet Prototype: freelanced based on Baltimore & Ohio RR Locale: Maryland and Pennsylvania Era: 1940 to 1948 Style: walk-in with liftout Mainline run: 65 feet Minimum radius: 20″ (34″ on main) Minimum turnout: no. 4 Maximum grade: 3 […]
Burlington Branch
Name: Burlington Brnach Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 10 x 12 feet Theme: branchline terminal Locale: Wyoming plains Era: 1950s Style: around the walls Mainline run: 26 feet Minimum radius: 24″ Minimum turnout: Peco large radius Maximum grade: none Originally appeared in the February 2010 issue of Model Railroader. Click on the link to download the […]
Virginian Ry.
Name: Virginian Ry. Scale: N (1:160) Size: 12 x 12 feet Theme: Appalachian coal railroading Locale: West Virginia Era: 1960s Style: around the walls Mainline run: 60 feet Minimum radius: 20″ Minimum turnout: Peco medium radius Maximum grade: 4 percent Originally appeared in the February 2010 issue of Model Railroader. Click here to download a […]
Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Brookfield Division
Name: Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Brookfield Division Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 26 x 36 feet Prototype: Chicago, Burlington & Quincy RR Locale: Missouri and Illinois Era: 1953 Style: linear walkaround Mainline run: 200 feet Minimum radius: 36″ main line, 30″ branch line Minimum turnout: no. 5 (main), no.4 (spurs) Maximum grade: 1½ percent Originally appeared […]
Cascade Pacific
Name: Cascade Pacific Scale: O (1:48) Size: 15′-6″ x 44′-6″ Prototype: freelance Locale: Pacific Northwest Era: late 1960s Style: walkaround Mainline run: 96 feet Minimum radius: 42″ Maximum turnout: no. 5 yard, no. 6 main Maximum grade: 1 percent Click on the link to download a PDF of this track plan. […]
Boston & Maine RR
Name: Boston & Maine RR Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 15 x 18 feet Prototype: freelanced B&M Locale: New Hampshire seacoast to the mountains Era: September 1954 Style: walkaround Mainline run: 115 feet Minimum radius: 22″ Minimum turnout: no. 6 Maximum grade: 3.5 percent Originally appeared in the December 2009 issue of Model Railroader. Click on […]
Buffalo Creek & Gauley
Name: Buffalo Creek & Gauley Scale: S (1:64) Size: 25 x 44 feet Prototype: Buffalo Creek & Gauley Locale: West Virginia Period: 1957 Style: linear walkaround Mainline run: 110 feet Minimum radius: 32″ (visible track), 24″ (hidden track) Minimum turnout: no. 6 Maximum grade: 11/2 percent (BC&G), 2 percent (ERC&L) Originally appeared in the December […]
