Mount Coffin & Columbia

Name: Mount Coffin & Columbia Layout designer: M.C. Fujiwara Scale: N (1:160) Size: 231⁄2″ x 411⁄4″, 3″ x 18″ Prototype: freelanced Locale: Pacific Northwest Era: early 1900s Style: island or shelf Mainline run: 9 feet Minimum radius: 9″ Minimum turnout: no. 4 Maximum grade: none Originally appeared in the September 2012 issue of Model Railroader. […]

Read More…

Whiskey Barrel & Gotham

Name: Whiskey Barrel & Gotham Layout designer: M.C. Fujiwara Scale: N (1:160) Size: 2 x 4 feet Prototype: freelanced Locale: mountain railroading Era: 1900 to 1970s Style: island or shelf Mainline run: 9 feet Minimum radius: 9-3/4″ Minimum turnout: no. 4 Maximum grade: none Originally appeared in the September 2012 issue of Model Railroader. Click […]

Read More…

Wordsworth Township

Wordsworth Township

Name: Wordsworth Township Layout designer: M.C. Fujiwara Scale: N (1:160) Size: 2 x 4 feet Prototype: freelanced Locale: urban industrial district Era: 1900 to 1970s Style: island or shelf Mainline run: 9 feet Minimum radius: 9″ Minimum turnout: no. 4 Maximum grade: none Originally appeared in the September 2012 issue of Model Railroader. Click here […]

Read More…

Midwest Quarry & Mining Co.

MRR-KC0912_A plan

The layout at a glance Name: Midwest Quarry & Mining Co. Layout owner: Bob Genack Scale: On 2 1/2 (1:48, narrow gauge) Size: 8′-6″ x 12′-0″ Prototype: freelanced Locale: Midwest Era: 1930s Style: L-shaped Benchwork: L-girder and open grid Height: 46″ Roadbed: cork Track: Atlas code 100 Mainline run: 57 feet Minimum radius: 24″ Minimum […]

Read More…

The HO scale Coloma Line

MRR-A0912_A plan

The layout at a glance Name: The Coloma Line Layout owner: Perry Amicangelo Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 9 x 13 feet Prototype: Chicago & North Western and Milwaukee Road Locale: southwest Wisconsin Era: mid-1950s Style: walk-in Benchwork: open grid Height: 43″ Roadbed: none Track: code 100 sectional and flextrack Mainline run: 44 feet Minimum radius: […]

Read More…

How to use heat shrink tubing

Hand holding a piece of heat shrink tubing

Having trouble viewing this video?   Please visit our Video FAQ page When working on a wiring project, it’s a good idea to protect solder joints. Model Railroader associate editor shows you an easy method using heat-shrink tubing. […]

Read More…

Make stronger scale retaining walls

retaining_walls1

Here’s a delicate looking woodworking project that’s tough enough to resist even being accidentally stomped on. Almost everyone has a section of a 2 x 6 stored on their property. You’ll also need a table saw for ripping the narrow boards required, or you can use thin wooden stakes from a garden center or collect […]

Read More…

Branchline station drawings in 1:29 scale

Branchline station drawings in 1:29 scale

Download the PDF of this project here. This PDF is formatted to print on your home printer. Most pieces are formatted to fit on a 8.5″ x 11″ piece of paper. For larger parts of the plan, you will see “break lines.” Line up the break lines to create the larger piece. NOTE: This file […]

Read More…

Silver carpet or dymondia

silver_carpet

Nancy Norris Common name: Silver carpet, Dymondia Latin name: Dymondia margaretae Plant type: Groundcover USDA Hardiness Zones: 9-11 Cultural needs: Full sun to part shade; well drained, sandy soil Plant size: 1-2″ high, spreading slowly Dymondia margaretae is usually just called dymondia, because it’s the only species of a genus from South Africa. As a […]

Read More…

HO scale Boston Maine Bedford Division

Name: Boston & Maine Bedford Division Layout designer: Bill Moore Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 12′-0″ x 18′-6″ Prototype: freelanced, inspired by the Boston & Maine Locale: west-central New England Era: late 1940s to early 1950s Style: multilevel walk-in Mainline run: 174 feet Minimum radius: 36″ (upper level), 28″ (middle level), 21″ (lower level) Minimum turnout: […]

Read More…

HO scale Long Island & Lake Erie RR

Name: Long Island & Lake Erie RR Layout designer: Charlie Weinhofer Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 17 x 24 feet Prototype: Pennsylvania RR and Long Island RR Locale: New York Era: 1950s Style: walk-in Mainline run: 60 feet Minimum radius: 36″ Minimum turnout: no. 8 (main), no. 6 (yards), no. 4 (spurs) Maximum grade: 2 percent […]

Read More…

Build an 1880s oil refinery

Pioneer Refinery

Refineries are a fascinating industry to model, and they can add considerable switching activity to a model railroad operating session. Kits for contemporary refineries are available, but they weren’t much help on my 1895-era railroad where the principal retail petroleum product is kerosene instead of gasoline. Some time ago, I became aware of the remains […]

Read More…