Howard Clark’s HO scale model railroad

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Click on the image to download a PDF of the track plan. Name: Howard Clark’s model railroad Layout owner: Howard Clark Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 10′-8″ x 20′-0″ Theme: freelanced urban railroad, inspired by Baltimore & Ohio, New York Central, and Nickel Plate Road Locale: eastern United States Era: 1950s Style: multi-level walk-in Mainline run: […]

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What’s in a photograph?: Norfolk & Western at Blue Ridge, Va.

View from the cab of a Norfolk & Western 2-6-6-4 steam locomotive on an eastbound freight in 1953 at Blue Ridge, West Virginia. The photograph is black and white with 12 numbered callouts.

1 Split-point derail device. Considered more effective than a lifting-block derail when there is extra risk of cars rolling out onto the main line from a “house track” or “back track” (terms for station trackage other than a passing siding), or from an industry track, especially when there is a descending grade toward the switch, […]

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New model trains for the week of March 21, 2019

InterMountain Railway Co. HO scale Trinity Aluminator coal gondola

HO scale locomotives Electro-Motive Division F59PHI diesel locomotive. Amtrak (“Stay off the tracks. I pack a punch.” slogan [one road number], “Stay off! Stay Away! Stay Alive!” slogan [one number], blue-and-silver scheme, and Cascades scheme), Metra (Cascades patchout in one number and blue-and-silver patchout), Metropolitan Transport Agency (Montreal), Utah Front Runner, and fantasy paint schemes […]

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How-to Library: Turning Spaces into Places, Part 3

Gerry Leone in front of his multi-level layout.

Having trouble viewing this video?   Please visit our Video FAQ page   In Part 3 of this mini-series, Gerry Leone struggles to figure out the best way to build his undulating roadway. Follow along to see how he works out a solution that incorporates stacked foam insulation board, Sculptamold, and plaster cloth. […]

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Turning Big Boys in 2 x 5 feet

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Flemming Ørneholm’s HO scale Eaglecreek & Northern, which was featured in the February 2012 Model Railroader, is a testament to his ingenious use of space. In less than 7 x 12 feet, Flemming’s HO scale layout captures the sprawling vistas of the west along the Union Pacific. With massive UP 4-8-8-4 Big Boys regularly hauling […]

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Fleischmann/Roco Z21 Digital Control Center

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Fleischmann/Roco Z21 Digital Control Center Dana used the Z21 app on his Android Smartphone to control MR&T diesel no. 1175. The app includes several driver’s cab screens that can be used when the app is run on a tablet. The Z21 offers both train and layout control via a touch screen. Once only available in […]

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Broadway Limited Imports EMD SD402 in N scale

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The N scale SD40-2 packs a lot under the shell, including a lighted cab interior and working ditch lights. We disassembled a Union Pacific version for the photo above. Broadway Limited Imports continues to roll out N scale locomotives equipped with its Paragon3 Digital Command Control (DCC) sound decoder with Rolling Thunder. The latest addition […]

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Bachmann HO scale PRR streamlined K4s

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While the Pennsylvania RR rostered thousands of steam locomotives, only a few of them, other than the duplex-drive T1s, ever got the streamlined treatment. Bachmann Trains is now offering the first HO scale plastic model of a K4s Pacific in the 1940 streamlining the Pennsy applied to four locomotives, complete with a Train Control Systems […]

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WalthersProto HO scale 70-foot heavyweight RPO-baggage car

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WalthersProto HO scale 70-foot heavyweight RPO-baggage car Price: $84.98 Manufacturer Wm. K. Walthers Inc. 5601 W. Florist Ave. Milwaukee, WI 53218 www.walthers.com Era: 1914 to 1971 Road names: Clerestory roof: Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe; Great Northern; Milwaukee Road; New York Central; and Soo Line. Round roof: Illinois Central, Denver & Rio Grande Western, Southern […]

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