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A three-pack of Chicago & Northern Western ACF 2970 covered hopper kits recently arrived at our offices. Take a look at the kit contents, see a finished model, and learn a bit about the history of the North Western’s fleet of two-bay Center Flow covered hoppers. […]
WAUKESHA, Wis. — The humble train show may be the next institution a global pandemic transforms. One visible sign of that transformation in-progress is the World’s Greatest Hobby Online virtual train show held April 17 — in part because Covid-19 precautions have delayed or cancelled most public events for the past 12 months. Virtual […]
John Feraca’s Stone Canyon HO scale layout is featured in the June 2021 issue of Model Railroader. Set in the transition era, motive power for the SCRR consists of a mix of steam and diesel. Steam engines range in size from 0-6-0 switchers to a 4-8-8-4 Union Pacific Big Boy. Most are first generation […]
Learn about Kalmbach Books’ new Guide to Signals & Interlockings, Bachmann’s updated HO scale CB&Q offset caboose, Kato’s new N scale Gunderson Maxi-I five-unit articulated well car with containers, a modeling tip, and viewer mail in the new episode of Cody’s Office! […]
Q: I’ve given up counting rivets; now I’m into what I call chronological accuracy. My layout is set in 1956. I’m OK with choosing appropriate vehicles and diesels for that era, and I learned that yellow stop signs were replaced by standardized red signs in the late 1950s, but other questions remain. When were roof walks […]
Product news 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. Here are the products Model Railroader editors have news on for the week of April 29, 2021. HO scale freight cars Association of American Railroads 50-ton […]
It’s My Railroad star Steve Brown is hosting a new series on Trains.com focused on keeping model railroading small. N-scale small. Join Steve in Scale it Down, where he takes a classic HO scale layout from the editors and producers at Model Railroader and makes it small enough to fit in with his layout. For […]
Host and star of MRVP’s Off the Rails, Gerry Leone, is returning to Trains.com with a new series on building a new layout for his home in the Pacific Northwest — Back on Track. In recent years, Gerry not only scrapped his old layout, but he moved from his existing home in a brand-new house […]
What’s better than hanging out with Hal Miller and David Popp in the Model Railroader / Classic Toy Trains Workshop? The chance to repeat the experience! Enjoy this full replay of their hour-long trackside/layout-side chat, which was originally presented as a livestream session during the World’s Greatest Hobby Virtual Show on Saturday, April 17, 2021. […]
Everything runs on Bluetooth these days, so why not your locomotives? BlueRailDCC from Tam Valley has a solution (BlueRailDCC). This compact board (.57” x 1.5”) supports up to 2A of current, plenty for most HO scale installations. To connect, you’ll need to download the BlueRail Trains app to your Apple iPhone or iPad. Android support […]
The layout at a glance Name: Ashland & Iron Mountain RR Scale: On30 (1:48 proportion, 30″ gauge) Size: 24′-6″ x 39′-0″ Prototype: freelanced, inspired by Quincy & Torch Lake RR Locale: Keweenaw Peninsula of Upper Michigan Era: late 1930s-1940s Style: walk-in Mainline run: 202 feet Minimum radius: 27″ Minimum turnout: no. 5 Maximum grade: 2.5 […]
The layout at a glance Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 28 x 40 feet Prototype: Freelanced Locale: Western U.S. mountain states Era: 1950s Style: walk in Mainline run: 200 feet Minimum radius: 30″ Minimum turnout: no. 5 Maximum grade: 2 percent Benchwork: L-girder Height: 42″ to 51″ Roadbed: cork on 3⁄4″ plywood Track: code 83 visible, […]
