An overview of garden railroading: Garden railroading is the art of combining a model railroad and a beautiful garden to create a railway-like atmosphere. The difference between a traditional indoor layout and a garden railway is the difference between realism and reality. Indoors, the goal is to create the illusion of reality through the use […]
Questions and answers about large-scale track I see there are locomotives in 1:24 scale for gauge-3 track. What width is gauge-3 track? How many gauges are there? Gauge 3 is 2.5″, which is the correct gauge for modeling standard-gauge trains in G scale (1:22.5). 1:24 scale is close. There are three gauges commonly used in […]
Have questions about getting started in garden railroading? Start here. What are large scale trains? “Large scale” is a term that denotes trains that are larger than 0 scale (1:48) but smaller than the trains that are large enough to ride on. Large-scale trains generally run on gauge 0, gauge 1, or gauge 3 track. […]
Q: I have a 5’-6” x 6’-0” HO scale layout modeling south-central Oregon in the years 1950 to 1979. I want to model the industries that I grew up around in that area – potatoes, wheat farming, cattle ranching, and logging. The members of the train club I’m in say that the railroads quit hauling […]
Q: I’ve been a model railroader for many years, and my layouts have all been direct current. My daughter gave me a used Life-Like Proto2000 EMD E6 diesel that she purchased at a train show. The box says it’s equipped with a DCC plug, but an included card said “factory installed sound.” I don’t know […]
Q: In the good old days, it was fairly easy to distinguish among the major diesel locomotive players, especially the carbody units from Alco, Baldwin, and Electro-Motive Division (EMD). They all had distinctive noses and cabs. My question: Are there some features that will help with spotting EMD vs GE diesels I see on railroads […]
Q: I have an N scale Athearn EMD F45 locomotive with factory DCC and sound, released in 2016. I bought it new, and it worked until I activated different sounds, after which it shorted out. As soon as track power is turned on, my circuit breaker trips. When I tried bypassing the circuit breaker, it shorted […]
As the saying goes, curiosity killed the cat. But if you, like me, have both cats and model trains, it’s usually your layout that suffers the brunt of your cat’s curiosity. Model train layouts have all kinds of enticing chewable trees, invitingly textured landscaping, and of course, fun moving cat toys (a.k.a. locomotives). So what […]
In model railroad snow plow rolling stock round-up, we thought it would be fun to take a look at models of snow fighting equipment available in N, HO, and O scales. This is not meant to be an exhaustive list. Rather, it’s a look at some of the ready-to-run models and a few kits that […]
Can you help find a specific X-Acto cutting mat?: Cody helps a viewer find a specific X-Acto cutting mat with 1/8″ or 1/10″ cutting squares as seen in a Model Railroader story story from January 2023. Are you looking to learn more about your model railroad, or do you have questions about full-size trains? Send […]
Model a weather-beaten wood structure: In model railroading, weathering is typically associated with freight cars and locomotives. However, structure weathering is another way to add realism to a layout. Peeling and faded paint, a roof in need of repair, and broken glass are just a few of the ways to turn an ordinary structure into […]
How do I find out of production locomotive wheelsets? Cody provides tips for finding out of production locomotive wheelsets at various locations, from online bidding sites to the consignment section of a local model railroad shops. Are you looking to learn more about your model railroad, or do you have questions about full-size trains? Send […]
