Q: I’ve recently tried to purchase wood stains for a project and have been unsuccessful finding commercial products that were previously available. I also have three concentrations of India ink washes, made with 70% denatured alcohol, but that limits the final color. I was considering diluting Minwax oil-based wood stain with mineral spirits to the […]
News & Products for the week of February 9th 2026 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 February 9th […]
Becoming acquainted with Robert Sherman, the talented and kind-hearted artist affiliated with Lionel and Diorama Studios, stands as a highlight of my career at Classic Toy Trains. Though frail when we met in the early 1990s, Bob eagerly shared stories of his contributions to the postwar consumer catalogs as well as his involvement with the […]
An A-B-A set of F units departs San Francisco with Southern Pacific train 372, the piggyback-heavy Advance Overnight for Los Angeles, in August 1955. William Harry photo […]
The ScaleTrains Electro-Motive Division SD7 HO scale (1:87.1) diesel locomotive is highlighted in this latest product review video from Model Railroader magazine. Senior Editor Cody Grivno explores the manufacturer’s Rivet Counter line, focusing here on the highly detailed Great Northern No. 572. Built in April 1953, the prototype 1,500hp locomotive originally sported the iconic Empire […]
The ScaleTrains Electro-Motive Division SD7 HO scale (1:87.1) diesel locomotive is highlighted in this latest product review video from Model Railroader magazine. Senior Editor Cody Grivno explores the manufacturer’s Rivet Counter line, focusing here on the highly detailed Great Northern No. 572. Built in April 1953, the prototype 1,500hp locomotive originally sported the iconic Empire […]
For many years Hobbyshop Window was a popular department in the pages of Model Railroader magazine. We’re excited to bring it back as an occasional feature on Trains.com. Here’s a recap of some of the items that arrived at our offices for the week ending February 6th 2026. Keep up to date on the latest […]
At the dawn of the 20th century, dusk was approaching for the narrow gauge (3 feet or smaller between the rails) fad that began roughly 30 years prior. As 4’ 8 ½” officially became the “standard” gauge, as it remains to this day, retaining multiple rail lines in different gauges no longer made sense for […]
Facts and features Name: Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Aurora Branch Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 15″ x 72″ with 36″ extension Prototype: Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Locale: downtown Aurora, Ill. Era: early 1950s Style: shelf Mainline run: 6 feet Minimum radius: none Minimum turnout: No. 4 Maximum grade: none Benchwork: 1∕4″ plywood base with frame (1 […]
Though cabooses have all but disappeared from today’s railroads, they’re still front and center for hobby manufacturers. Rapido Trains recently released its latest premium-level model, the HO scale Canadian National Hawker Siddeley van. The model features a detailed interior and underbody, numerous operating lighting features, and metal semi-scale couplers. Prototype history Hawker Siddeley produced 150 […]
You can make the best models in the world, but as soon as you can see the layout room wall behind them, they tend to lose their feeling of realism. Adding a backdrop behind your layout is a great way to extend the miniature world beyond what you’ve modeled. Back in part 2 of our […]
In a scene far removed from today’s unit and intermodal trains, a small boy watches as a shipment is loaded aboard the Union Transportation Co.’s daily train at New Egypt, N.J., in September 1958. The short line used locomotives and cabin cars leased from the Pennsylvania Railroad. Aaron G. Fryer photo […]
