Large scale freight cars Tank car on flatcar base. Sunoco. Factory-applied handrails, plastic wheelsets, turnbuckles on tank bands, and hook-and-loop couplers. $122.99. August 2021. PIKO America, 619-280-2800, piko-america.com […]
It’s been common practice for railroads to modify antiquated rolling stock to suit a particular need for Maintenance of Way (MOW) equipment. An old flatcar no longer of use for main line service often became an asset for work trains. The flatcar could be repaired, lightly modified, and put into service looking much like it […]
For many years I have been a volunteer at our local nature center (Sandy Creek Nature Center of Athens-Clarke Co., GA). It occurred to me that their circular flower and nature gardens would be a perfect setting for a garden railroad. I approached personnel at the center, and they were enthusiastic, as it would create […]
Tools Pull saw blade. 1.5” blade depth. 30 teeth per inch. Hardened serrated steel blade with soft metal backer. Use with wood, plastic, metal, resin, plaster, and foam. For use with Excel K2, K5, and K6 handles; will fit Xacto saw handles. $6.99. Produced by Excel Blades, available from Kalmbach Hobby Store, KalmbachHobbyStore.com Pliers. Wire […]
Part of the nature of our great hobby is to collect. Often we collect items not necessarily train related, like old toys, knickknacks, or scraps from a recent project. An easy way to incorporate them into your railroad is to turn them into loads for freight cars or loading docks. Here’s a sampling of castoffs […]
Large scale freight cars Flatcars with removable stakes. Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe (red and brown schemes), and Union Pacific (yellow and brown schemes). Hook-and-loop couplers; plastic wheelsets; and factory-applied brake wheel, brake cylinder, grab irons, and stirrup steps. Two-pack, $137.99. July 2021. PIKO America, 619-280-2800, piko-america.com Two-bay hopper with exterior posts. Denver & Rio […]
Common name: Thimble cactus Latin name: Mammillaria gracilis fragilis Plant type: Perennial USDA Hardiness Zones: 9-11 Cultural needs: Gravelly or sandy well-drained, neutral or slightly acidic soil; full sun Plant size: 1″ high, spreading to 6-12″ As might be expected, this miniature mammillaria cactus hails from south of the border in Central or Eastern Mexico, […]
Some good news for toy train hobbyists: Mike Wolf might be retiring, but his former company isn’t. A year after M.T.H. Electric Trains’ owner announced his plan to depart the industry, a significant portion of the company is relocating from its Columbia, Md. facility to a new one in Elkridge, Md., while another part […]
Large scale locomotives 2-6-0 Mogul steam locomotive. Union Pacific. One road number. Five-pole can-type ball-bearing motor, hook-and-loop couplers, and cab interior with engineer figure. $689.99. July 2021. PIKO America, 619-280-2800, piko-america.com Large scale passenger cars Union Pacific wood passenger coaches. Two road numbers. Factory applied brake wheels, hook-and-loop couplers, and plastic wheelsets. $132.99 each. July […]
Always looking for new ways to make the farm scene on my garden railroad layout look more realistic, I decided to add a field of crops. With my limited knowledge of gardening, creating long rows of perfectly aligned tiny plants just wasn’t possible. I pondered several ideas but discovered the best one as I strolled […]
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While visiting a local nursery in February 2020, I bought a starter bonsai tree (Juniperus procumbens ‘Nana’). It was beautiful, but how do I care for it? My search for printed resources began. The book I found was so helpful that I wanted to share it with GR readers. The author trained with bonsai master […]
