Watch Southern Railway 2-8-0 Consolidation No. 630 operating in main line excursion service out of Spencer, N.C., in June 2012. This locomotive’s sister, Southern Mikado 2-8-2 No. 4501, is the focus of a feature in the May 2014 issue of Trains. […]
Zone & Region: Appalachia
Main line steaming with Southern No. 630
Watch Southern Railway 2-8-0 Consolidation No. 630 operating in main line excursion service out of Spencer, N.C., in June 2012. This locomotive’s sister, Southern Mikado 2-8-2 No. 4501, is the focus of a feature in the May 2014 issue of Trains. […]
The cat’s out of the bag
Anything in the path of fast-moving N&W class J was sure to sustain significant damage. W. A. Akin Jr. Back in the glory days, the speed limit for passenger trains on Norfolk & Western’s Bristol Line was 65 mph. Several of the trains, including 45 and 46, the streamlined Tennessean, did considerable station work en […]
Book Review: Norfolk & Western’s Clinch Valley Line
Norfolk & Western’s Clinch Valley Line by Ed Wolfe, Charles Wilson, Jr., and Paul Mandelkern HEW Enterprises, 116 Oakview Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 1521; 432 pages, 384 b/w and 48 color photos; hardcover, 8.5 x 11 in.; $65.00 Ed Wolfe has established himself as an outstanding researcher and writer in Appalachian railroad history with five different […]
Video: Building a 5 x 8 harbor railroad part 4
Having trouble viewing this video? Please visit our Video FAQ page Structures and trackwork dominate this episode of the Model Railroader staff’s Rice Harbor video journal. Associate editor Steve Otte describes the lighthouse for Rice Harbor. Steve built the structure from a Branchline Trains kit, and the model also features a working beacon. Editor […]
Building a 5 x 8 Harbor Railroad part 3
Having trouble viewing this video? Please visit our Video FAQ page Layout designer David Popp describes his strategy for using various turnouts on the Rice Harbor project layout. The turnouts are controlled by New Rail Models Blue Point controllers. You’ll also get a look at the benchwork for the folding staging track and see […]
The envy of all
Visitors to the Cass Scenic Railroad in the early 1970s watch Shay No. 5 switch in the yard. Check out more Cass and West Virginia coverage in the August 2013 issue of Trains magazine. Photo by J.J. Young Jr. […]
Thin Branch Series: Backdrops part 4 – Clouds
Having trouble viewing this video? Please visit our Video FAQ page In our final backdrop painting installment, artist Jay Smith shows you how to add clouds to the sky of your model railroad. To complete the scene, he also provides tips for painting simple birds. Look for Jay’s other backdrop-painting videos on MR Video […]
Thin Branch Series: Backdrops part 4 – Clouds
Having trouble viewing this video? Please visit our Video FAQ page In our final backdrop painting installment, artist Jay Smith shows you how to add clouds to the sky of your model railroad. To complete the scene, he also provides tips for painting simple birds. Look for Jay’s other backdrop-painting videos on MR Video […]
Thin Branch Series: Foam scenery part 1 – build a tunnel
Having trouble viewing this video? Please visit our Video FAQ page For our Thin Branch project railroad, David used foam insulation board as a base for much of the scenery. In this video installment, he shows how he used the foam to build a simple tunnel liner. […]
Thin Branch Series: Foam scenery part 1 – build a tunnel
Having trouble viewing this video? Please visit our Video FAQ page For our Thin Branch project railroad, David used foam insulation board as a base for much of the scenery. In this video installment, he shows how he used the foam to build a simple tunnel liner. […]
Thin Branch Series: Foam scenery part 2 – making hills
Having trouble viewing this video? Please visit our Video FAQ page In our second foam scenery installment, David shows how he built a variety of hills by stacking strips of foam insulation board. He also covers some basic shaping and finishing techniques in this video. […]
