Winter Hill on the Milwaukee Racine Troy

Winter Hill branch

Name: Winter Hill branch Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 2′-10″ x 12′-7″ Prototype: freelance Locale: southeastern Wisconsin Era: modern Style: walkaround Mainline run: N/A Minimum radius: 24″ Minimum turnout: no. 5 Maximum grade: 2.75 percent Originally appeared in the January 2013 Model Railroader. There are also two additional track plans that show how you could build […]

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Bachmann HO scale Alco S-2 diesel locomotive

Bachmann HO scale Alco S-2 diesel locomotive

Bachmann HO scale Alco S-2 diesel locomotive From the growl of the turbocharged 539 diesel engine to the bleat of the single-chime air horn, this HO scale Alco S-2 captures the sounds of its prototype. This Bachmann SoundValue model has a simplified version of a SoundTraxx Digital Command Control (DCC) decoder. The accurately detailed and […]

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Fox Valley Models HO and N scale wagontop boxcars

Fox Valley Models HO scale and N scale wagontop boxcars

Fox Valley Models HO scale and N scale wagontop boxcars With its distinctive semi-streamlined form, a Baltimore & Ohio RR wagontop boxcar is hard to miss in either a prototype or model freight train. Fox Valley Models makes a well-detailed B&O class M-53 wagontop boxcar in HO or N scale that’s available in four different […]

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HO scale Chicago, Burlington & Quincy – LaCrosse Division

Name: Chicago, Burlington & Quincy LaCrosse Division Layout designer: Pat Lyons Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 15 x 40 feet Prototype: CB&Q Locale: Upper Mississippi Valley Era: 1950s to late 1960s Style: freestanding walkaround island Mainline run: 141 feet Minimum radius: 30″ Minimum turnout: Peco small radius Maximum grade: none Originally appeared in the December 2012 […]

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HO scale Louisville & Wadley RR and Wadley Southern Ry.

Name: Louisville & Wadley RR and Wadley Southern Ry. Layout designer: Steve Flanigan Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 13′-2″ x 15′-1″ Prototype: L&W, WS, and Central of Georgia Locale: East-central Georgia Era: 1930s to 1950s Style: walk-in Mainline run: 59 feet Minimum radius: 20″ Minimum turnout: no. 4 Maximum grade: none Originally appeared in the December […]

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Building Model Railroader’s HO scale Virginian Ry. part 6

David Popp next to unfinished layout

With the HO scale Virginian Ry. benchwork in the Model Railroader workshop, managing editor David Popp begins laying down track and cork roadbed. He describes some of the changes that he had to make to the track arrangement for this model train layout. You’ll also learn how David saved space on the Virginian by using […]

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Kato USA HO scale Metra equipment

Kato HO scale Metra equipment

Kato HO scale Metra equipment Instantly recognizable to Chicago-area railfans and commuters, the Metra paint scheme now adorns Kato’s HO scale Electro-Motive Division F40PH diesel-electric locomotive and Pullman-Standard bi-level coaches. The diesel is newly detailed to match the Metra prototype as it appeared in the 2000s. Model Railroader first reviewed the F40PH and Pullman bi-level […]

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Walthers HO scale SD9 diesel locomotive

Walthers HO scale SD9 diesel locomotive

Walthers HO scale SD9 diesel locomotive A classic six-axle road switcher has returned to the WalthersProto line. The HO scale Electro-Motive Division SD9 features a dual-mode QSI Quantum sound system, railroad-specific details, and wire grab irons. Electro-Motive Division produced the SD9 from January 1954 through June 1959. During that time, 471 units were built. The […]

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