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The Lionel No. 3474 Western Pacific Operating Boxcar upgrades any collection of postwar trains. It was another great model introduced in the outstanding year of 1952, which is covered in detail in Lionel Trains of the 1950s, a special interest publication from Classic Toy Trains. Over the past few years on Trains.com, I’ve been suggesting […]
I have always liked narrow gauge. In my early 20s I tried my hand at modeling a bit of the South Pacific Coast RR in HOn3. But truthfully, I didn’t have the skills or the time. Frankly, my first love was the 2-foot gauge Sandy River and Rangeley Lakes. I remember talking to Bob Brown, […]
In 2023, I wrote an article about four young men under the age of 40 that were either modelers or worked in the model railroad industry. I had noticed a lot of young people working for various manufacturers at the National Train Show in Grapevine, Texas. Since then, I had the opportunity to attend the […]
There’s never been a shortage of large industrial structures for three-rail layouts. Many of them could have been coal-powered. You need not go broke buying high-dollar hoppers or high-side gondolas to carry the rivers of black diamonds needed to keep commerce humming. Back in the postwar days Lionel made a wide variety of scale and […]
Common name: Maidenhair spleenwort Latin name: Asplenium trichomanes Plant type: Perennial Plant size: 3-12″ high x 3-12″ wide USDA Hardiness Zones: 2-11 Cultural needs: Moist, rich, well-drained soil or rock crevices; partial to full shade In the wilds of the Pacific Northwest, maidenhair spleenwort grows under overhanging rock ledges, in moist crevices at high elevations. […]
Some questions we get frequently are: “How do I lubricate my locomotives?” followed by “What type of lubrication should I use on them?” Here are some answers. And remember, when it comes to oil and grease on locomotives or other rolling stock, less is more. Fortunately, there’s a quick and easy answer for what to […]
A version of this article appeared in the December 2017 issue of Classic Toy Trains. Whenever Classic Toy Trains features a layout distinguished by snowy scenes and Santa Claus plus his reindeer, readers naturally assume whoever built it did so while a blizzard raged and icicles formed on eaves and downspouts. They can’t help envisioning […]
I recently bought a Weaver O gauge E8 A-A pair online. Eagerly, I waited for its delivery. Once it arrived, I quickly put it on my layout. Sadly, it was “Dead as a brick.” The pair was sold as “functional.” Contacting the seller, I was told, “We didn’t have any reason to think they didn’t […]
Q: I’m experiencing a problem with trains that stop between wiring blocks on my N scale train layout. I have two identical direct current (DC) power packs and am using Kato Unitrack throughout the layout. One power pack runs the main line while the other operates the yards. The problem is that whenever I attempt […]
Over nearly 40 years I’ve built seven train layouts. I started out with N scale, then discovered large scale trains. I’ve built both indoor and outdoor large scale layouts over the years. I loved my backyard garden railroad but had to give it up due to structural issues and age. So I returned to my […]
Facts & features Name: Ashville Lumber Co.Scale: HO (1:87.1)Size: 6 x 8 feet (three 2 x 4-foot sections)Prototype: freelancedLocale: southeastern United StatesEra: 1940sStyle: shelfMainline run: 20 feetMinimum radius: 18″Minimum turnout: Atlas No. 4Maximum grade: 3.5%Benchwork: open grid Height: 45″ to 49″Roadbed: Studio Décor mat board Track: code 83 flextrackScenery: extruded-foam insulation board and papier-mâché Backdrop: […]
Facts & features Name: Albuquerque Division Third DistrictScale: HO (1:87.1)Size: 50 x 50 feetPrototype: Santa FeLocale: ArizonaEra: 1953Style: double deckMainline run: 600 feetMinimum radius: 48″Minimum turnout: No. 6Maximum grade: 1%Benchwork: tabletop on wall bracketsHeight: 40″ to 56″Roadbed: plywood spline and 3⁄4″ plywood plus HomasoteTrack: code 83 flextrack (main), code 55 and 70 (elsewhere)Scenery: HydrocalBackdrop: tempered […]
