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Facts and features Name: Willoughby LineScale: HO and HOn3 (1:87.1)Size: 13 x 22 feetPrototype: proto-freelancedLocale: California’s Central Valley and Sierra NevadaEra: 1935-1950Style: multi-deck walk-inMainline run: 180 feetMinimum radius: 30″Minimum turnout: No. 6Maximum grade: 2%Benchwork: L-girder and plywood brackets (upper deck)Height: 40 to 60 inchesRoadbed: HomasoteTrack: Micro Engineering codes 55, 70, and 83 flextrackScenery: Hydrocal hard […]
Facts and features Name: Buffalo & Susquehanna to Wellsville, Addison & GaletonScale: HO (1:87.1)Size: 12′-4″ x 32′-0″Prototype: Buffalo & Susquehanna and Wellsville, Addison & GaletonLocale: north central PennsylvaniaEra: spring 1910 and spring 1950Style: multi-deck walk-inMainline run: 96 feetMinimum radius: 22″Minimum turnout: No. 8Maximum grade: upper level and lower staging, 2%; middle level, noneBenchwork: wall mountedHeight: […]
The Minneapolis & St. Louis yard in Aberdeen, S.D., is alive with activity today. As a four-car local rumbles past the depot, M&StL NW2 no. 101 switches cars in the yard. Andy Sperandeo photographed the scene on Jack Gutsch’s HO scale layout. Jack resides in Menomonie, Wis. Model Railroader‘s Photo of the Day features images […]
Rapido Trains HO PC&F 5241 boxcar Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: Single car, $54.95; three-pack, $164.85; six-pack, $329.70 Manufacturer: Rapido Trains, 382 High St, Buffalo, NY 14204; 905-474-3314; rapidotrains.com Rapido Trains HO PC&F 5241 boxcar features: Factory-installed and painted wire grab irons Full underbody detail Multiple road numbers for each scheme Rapido semi-scale metal couplers Roller-bearing […]
A New York, New Haven & Hartford RS-1 brings the three-car River Job past Bank Street Junction. The southbound train will switch industries along the Naugatuck River before returning to Waterbury. Senior editor David Popp photographed the scene on his N scale Naugatuck Valley layout, featured in the April 2006 issue of MR. Model Railroader‘s […]
Also in this issue: ON TRAINS.COM, pg. 6 The latest features on our website FROM THE EDITOR, pg. 8 You could be the author we’re looking for! NEWS AND REVIEWS, pg. 10 Hobby industry news ASK MR, pg. 19 Any ideas for building a workbench? STEP BY STEP, pg. 23 A flag for the Kingfield […]
Q: I have some N scale cars from Micro-Trains. Recently, I swapped out the factory-installed plastic wheelsets with metal wheelsets, but now the cars don’t roll freely. What can I do to fix this? — Kelly Walton-Harper A: Metal wheelsets aren’t one-size-fits all. The first thing you’ll want to check is wheel size, as it’s […]
With a freight passing on the adjacent track, the engineer of Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe 4-8-4 no. 3781 uses the few minutes of free time to oil the locomotive. Gary Hoover of Florissant, Mo., took the photo on his old HO scale Missouri, Kansas & Quincy. Model Railroader‘s Photo of the Day features images […]
ScaleTrains HO AC44C6M diesel Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: Direct-current model with 21-pin connector, $225; with ESU LokSound V5 sound decoder two cube-type speakers, and ESU-designed PowerPack with two super capacitors, $335 Manufacturer: ScaleTrains, 4901 Old Tasso Road NE Cleveland, TN 37312; 844-987-2467; scaletrains.com ScaleTrains HO AC44C6M features: Factory-applied snow plow, m.u. hoses, train line hose, […]
News & Products for the week of June 30th 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 June 30th, […]
Coal is big business on the Allegheny & Lackawanna Southern. Contributing editor Lionel Strang photographed a pair of Alco C-424s bringing a loaded coal train up the 4 percent grade at Blackwater Canyon on his HO scale model railroad. Model Railroader‘s Photo of the Day features images from our archives, celebrating decades of model railroad […]
David and Bryson share the steps they used to install a complete Walthers Switch Machine system on the HO scale (1:87.1) East Troy Industrial Park project layout. To get things started, the pair first explains the features and function of each component. Then it’s straight to the task of installing the parts used to pivot […]
