Through many years and experiences, I’ve come to appreciate the wide range of interests our hobby has to offer. I’ve repaired and restored vintage Lionel locomotives, custom-painted entire train sets, and even researched the history of Lionel’s Super O trackwork. Although these activities are still exciting, they don’t compare to the thrills I’ve had operating […]
The idea for building this small disappearing O-27 layout came to me after reading an issue of Lionel’s Inside Track magazine from 2009. This track plan brought back for me memories of a similar O-27 layout at a department store during the holidays in the 1950s. – Bob Espenschied Download the track plan for this […]
Name: Art Volz’s O-27 gauge layoutDimensions: 10 x 20 feet Track and switches: Lionel (diameters range from 27″ to 31″)Motive power: Lionel (postwar, modern)Rolling stock: Lionel (postwar, modern), MenardsControls: Lionel Nos. 1033 and 1034, type-ZW transformersAccessories: Lionel, MTHStructures: Atlas O, Lionel, Menards, MTH, scratchbuilt, Woodland ScenicsVehicles: Ertl, Lucky Die Cast Products, MTH, SpecCast CollectiblesFigures: Bachmann […]
Name: Tom Kaiser’s O gauge layoutDimensions: 10½ x 11 feetTrack: Lionel FasTrack (diameters range from 31 to 60 inches)Motive power:Atlas O, K-Line, Lionel, MTH Electric Trains, Ready Made Trains, WilliamsRolling stock: K-Line, Lionel, Menards, MTH, Ready Made Trains, WilliamsControls: MRC transformers (2)Accessories: K-Line, Lionel, MarxStructures: Bachmann, K-Line, Lionel, MTH, Plasticville U.S.A., scratchbuiltVehicles: American Heritage Models, […]
Choosing the right O-gauge, 3-rail track can put you on the right track when building a layout in scale, semi scale, or even a mixture of both. It all starts with three deciding factors: Layout size Types of trains you plan to run Your budget From these determinations come three options for the types of […]
When people think about building a model train layout on a hollow core door, they most often envision an N scale layout, like our Red Oak project (which was published starting in MR’s January 2015 issue). Admittedly, hollow core doors are a convenient size for small N scale layouts, since nested 9.5” and 11” radius […]
Name: Gary Wronkiewicz’s S gauge layoutDimensions: 10 x 16 feet Track: GarGraves flextrack (diameters range from 40 to 80 inches)Switches: Gilbert American FlyerMotive power: Gilbert American Flyer, S-Helper Service Rolling stock: Gilbert American FlyerControls: Gilbert American Flyer No. 12B transformerAccessories: Gilbert American Flyer, MarxStructures: Atlas O, Plasticville U.S.A., Wm. K. Walthers Figures: Barclay, Ertl […]
Name: Charlie Bailey’s O gauge layoutDimensions: 42 x 49 feet Track and switches: Atlas O (maximum diameter 96 inches)Motive power: Lionel, MTHRolling stock: Lionel, MTH, WalthersControls: Lionel transformers with LegacyAccessories: American Flyer, Lionel, Marx, Miller Engineering, Millhouse River StudioStructures: Lionel, Menards, MTH, Plasticville, scratchbuilt, TW TrainWorx, Wm. K. Walthers, Woodland ScenicsVehicles: Diecast Direct, Menards, Woodland […]
Q: I need to calculate the grade on a double deck layout. Though I’ve been interested in model railroading since I was a child, it’s been quite some time since I was active in the hobby. Now that I’m retired, I’m planning a layout. After much deliberation, I’ve settled on a two-level around-the-walls design. My […]
Model railroad track codes Breaking the Code Model railroad track is sold in rail height variations called “codes.” This indicates the height of the rail in thousandths of an inch. Common sizes in HO scale: Code 100 (.100″) Code 83 (.083″) Code 70 (.070″) Common sizes in N scale: Code 80 (.080″) Code 55 (.055″) […]
In 1951, Linn Westcott wrote a story about his ideas for a million-dollar model railroad. It was a thought experiment that looked at everything from the layout space to how he’d control the trains. You can read about it here. A recently republished interview with Linn on Trains.com got some of us thinking about what […]
Name: Greg Bird’s O gauge layoutDimensions: 6 x 16 feet Track and switches: Lionel FasTrack (36-inch diameter) Motive power and rolling stock: Lionel, MTHControls: Lionel 180-watt PowerHouse power supply with Legacy command control Structures: Atlas O, Korber, Lionel, scratchbuiltVehicles: Diecast DirectFigures: Arttista Download the track plan for this layout! Buy the Classic Toy Trains Spring […]
