Rapido HO tie-service flatcar

Rapido HO tie-service flatcar Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: Single car, $64.95; six-pack, $389.70 Era: 1990s to present Manufacturer: Rapido Trains Inc., 500 Alden Rd., Unit 21, Markham, Ontario, Canada L3R 5H5; 905-474-3314, rapidotrains.com Rapido HO tie-service flatcar features: Based on ex-TTX cars purchased by Burlington Northern and converted to crosstie cars Body-mounted metal couplers Two […]

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Broadway Limited Imports N scale EMD F3

Screen capture from product review video with N scale cab unit and text in lower left corner.

The Broadway Limited Imports N scale EMD F3 decorated in Chesapeake & Ohio colors recently powered an excursion train over our Milwaukee, Racine & Troy State Line Route. Join Model Railroader Senior Editor Cody Grivno as he shares a brief history of the Electro-Motive Division cab unit and C&O No. 8016; points out the molded […]

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Legs and bracing for the East Troy Industrial Park

Two white males, one with a full beard and one with a balding head, hold wood furniture legs to a bare wood rectangular frame and attach support boards to keep the legs vertical using black, blue, and yellow bar clamps.

Once we had the L-girders built, it was time to turn our attention to adding the legs and support bracing for the layout. We constructed the legs as simple subassemblies with their own cross bracing. It all bolts to the L-girder frames using ¼” carriage bolts, wing nuts, and washers.  We used more dimensional lumber […]

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A closer look at feed mills

Color photo showing portion of a feed mill with red siding, conveyors, and cyclone vents.

Q: In your special issue Best of Industries, Harold W. Russell wrote about the R.B. Crowell & Son Grain Co. He stated that the rail-served industry received grain in bulk loads, but in the photos and drawings it seems to me that they would ship grain instead of receiving it. What are your thoughts? — […]

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Downtown Milwaukee on the original MR&T

Over the first dozen or so years of of its existence, the original HO scale Milwaukee, Racine & Troy underwent many changes. Among these was the installation of a freestanding backdrop on the downtown Milwaukee section, which resulted in the scenic challenge shown below. Already in place was the Port Marquette Yard, the MR&T’s eastern […]

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Atlas N scale EMD GP60

Color photo of N scale diesel locomotive painted orange and black on white background.

Atlas N scale EMD GP60 Scale: N (1:160) Price: Direct-current model with factory-installed speaker, $144.95; with ESU sound decoder, $254.95. Subtract $10 for undecorated models. Era: October 1985 to present Manufacturer: Atlas Model Railroad Co., 378 Florence Ave., Hillside, NJ 07205; 908-687-0880; shop.atlasrr.com Atlas N scale EMD GP60 features: Body-mounted Accumate couplers Clear window glazing […]

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News & Products for the week of May 12th 2025

A black model freight car

News & Products for the week of May 12th 2025   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 May 12th, […]

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Model Railroader Photo of the Day: West Virginia coal train

West Virginia coal train

The mountains of Virginia and West Virginia provide a picturesque backdrop for trains on Dudley Ross’s freelanced Chesapeake & Ohio layout. In this scene, C&O 2-6-6-2 no. 1530 brings a string of loaded coal hoppers down from the mine. Bernard Kempinski photographed the N scale scene. You can see more photos of Dudley’s layout in […]

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Walthers HO 40-foot single-sheathed boxcar

Color photo of HO scale boxcar painted brown with black and white graphics on white background.

Walthers HO 40-foot single-sheathed boxcar Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: $31.98 Era: 1920s to 1950s Manufacturer: Wm. K. Walthers Inc., 5601 W. Florist Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53218; 414-527-0770; walthers.com Walthers HO 40-foot single-sheathed boxcar features: Newly tooled model 33” turned-metal wheelsets with RP-25 contour Body-mounted Proto-Max metal couplers Factory-applied plastic running boards with molded corner grab […]

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