Q: Recently, while driving along a highway in the vicinity of Lindsay, Mont., I came across a long, continuous line of covered hoppers. The photograph I took hardly does it justice. These cars stretched on for the better part of eight miles across the Montana prairie. I’d never seen such a thing before. From what […]
More in this issue FROM THE EDITOR •The hard work of having fun RAILWAY POST OFFICE •Letters from our readers NEWS & PRODUCTS •Hobby industry news ASK MR •How do I convert couplers on N scale cars REHAB MY RAILROAD •Tank cars for Jones Island DCC CURRENTS •Dealing with reversing sections PRODUCT REVIEWS •Kitwood Hill […]
Many modelers build their layouts with commercial turnouts with the expectation that these components are ready to install. However, building my HO Ohio Southern has convinced me that most commercial turnouts are really “ready to finish.” They may need a little tune-up to ensure smooth performance and reliable operation. Gauge (the proper spacing of the […]
When I asked my wife if we could walk through the cosmetic department at the local drugstore, she gave me a somewhat puzzled look. This part of the store is home to some fantastic weathering tools, including foam-tipped cosmetic applicators. I used these applicators to simulate rust and paint wear on this Athearn HO scale […]
Central Valley’s HO scale injection-molded plastic fence is a close match for the fence used by the Burlington Northern near buildings in the area of Minnesota that I model, 1. Though the fence looks good, it’s difficult to attach as-is to an extruded-foam insulation scenery base. However, with brass mounting pins, the fence can easily […]
Slippery engineering plastic requires specially formulated paint that’s flexible and won’t flake off. Fortunately, the paint is most likely available at the same hobby shop where you purchase your trains. Flexible paint designed for remote-control (RC) car bodies is the perfect solution for locomotive handrails. RC paint is offered in a limited number of colors […]
I’ve had a degenerative muscle condition for 20 years. Because it has been a gradual degeneration, I’ve been able to adjust my modeling over that period. I can still scratchbuild and kitbash buildings. I can also paint and decal locomotives and cars; it just takes longer. At times, modeling has become frustrating. However, I’ve been […]
N scale model railroads are often small layouts based on 4 x 8-foot sheets of plywood, for obvious reasons. A flat tabletop is a lot easier to build than L-girder benchwork, and almost any home has room for a 4 x 8 table at one side of a bedroom or basement. Great things have been […]
Chesapeake & Ohio no. 705, a Baldwin 2-8-0 Consolidation, pulls a log train over the bay inlet while workers perform some maintenance on the steel truss bridge. John Collins of Hartland, Wis., photographed the scene on his N scale layout. The locomotive is a DCC-equipped Bachmann Spectrum model; the fishing clipper is a Model […]
Check out Bachmann’s new HO scale Siemens SC-44 Charger on the Milwaukee, Racine & Troy! […]
Shall we play a game? Host James McNab is up for a round of Operations on his HO scale Hills Line layout! In this episode, he works from a perspective inside the cab of a locomotive to explain some of the prototype procedures crews follow to make running his small model railroad so interesting. […]
Q: I recently purchased the Kato 20th Century Limited in N scale. The documentation with the set says that run-through service was provided with the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe. Where can I find information on which ATSF cars were used for this service and where would they be cut into the NYC consist? – […]
