Don Williams’ O and S gauge layout

Tourists motor to Horseshoe Curve to watch the cavalcade of trains. When Don was young, the headliners were aluminum cars on the Pennsy’s Broadway Limited. Don and Karen Williams share their layout with visitors, including grandsons Jacob and Zachary. Iron horses in the Korber roundhouse watch a 3rd Rail Pennsy Atlantic 4-4-2 steam locomotive take […]

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Buffalo Creek & Gauley

Name: Buffalo Creek & Gauley Scale: S (1:64) Size: 25 x 44 feet Prototype: Buffalo Creek & Gauley Locale: West Virginia Period: 1957 Style: linear walkaround Mainline run: 110 feet Minimum radius: 32″ (visible track), 24″ (hidden track) Minimum turnout: no. 6 Maximum grade: 11/2 percent (BC&G), 2 percent (ERC&L) Originally appeared in the December […]

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Locomotive lubrication

Q: I know that this sounds silly, but I get confused about what you are supposed to lubricate, especially the difference between the old postwar Lionel steamers and modern engines with can motors. Can you explain just what gets lubricated? – Erik via internet A: One similarity between postwar steamers and modern steam locomotives is […]

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Getting power to your toy trains

Q: I live in a large space and have an 80-foot loop of Lionel O-27 track running through it. I’m having trouble getting enough power to the train. I need information on wiring methods and wire types and suggestions on how large a transformer I am going to need to get it working properly. – […]

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S-Helper Service S gauge diesel starter set

S-HELPER SERVICE is one of the leaders in producing modern trains that improve upon postwar standards of detail and performance while retaining the ability to operate with vintage S gauge trains. Gone are the cast-in details that may have been pleasing back in a time when guys were building freight cars from cardboard or wood […]

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Pandora & San Miguel RR

Track plan at a glance Name: Pandora & San Miguel RR Scale: Sn3 (1:64) Room size: 15 x 19 feet Prototype: Denver & Rio Grande Western and Rio Grande Southern Period: September 1938 Style: walk-in Mainline run: 120 feet Minimum radius: 30″; 28″ n peninsula Minimum turnout: no. 6 Maximum grade: 3 percent Originally appeared […]

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Spiral Hill RR

Track plan at a glance Name: Spiral Hill RR Scale: S (1:64) Size: 19 x 20 feet Theme: free-lance branch line Period: 1950s Style: single-track Minimum radius: 30″ Minimum turnout: no. 4 Maximum grade: 2.5 percent Originally appeared in the 2000 issue of Great Model Railroads. See a PDF version of this track plan by […]

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Denver Rio Grande & Southern RR

Track plan at a glance Name: Denver Rio Grande & Southern RR Scale: Sn3 Size: 11 x 14 feet Prototype: narrow gauge mountain railroading Period: 1930s through 1950s Style: around the walls Mainline run: 70 feet Minimum radius: 30″ Minimum turnout: no. 6 Maximum grade: none Originally appeared in the 2001 issue of Great Model […]

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Silverton Central RR

Track plan at a glance Name: Silverton Central Scale: Sn3 (1:64) Size: 6 x 24 feet Era: 1928-1935 Style: sectional Mainline run: 60 feet Minimum radius: 31″ Minimum turnout: no. 6 Maximum grade: level Originally appeared in the April 2007 issue of Model Railroader. See a PDF version of this track plan by clicking here. […]

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New York Central’s Valley Division

Track plan at a glance Name: New York Central Valley Division Scale: S (1:64) Size: 20 x 30 feet Prototype: New York Central Era: 1948 to 1952 Style: around the walls with operating aisles Mainline run: 305 feet Minimum radius: main line 48″ (hidden), 54″ (visible), 24″ industrial Minimum turnout: main line, no. 6, industrial […]

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