Facts and features Name: Nickel Plate Road, St. Louis Division, Third Sub. Scale: HO (1:87) Size: 24′-6″ x 60′-6″ Prototype: Nickel Plate Road Locale: west-central Indiana, east-central Illinois Era: fall 1954 Style: multi-deck Mainline run: 500 feet Minimum radius: 42″ Minimum turnout: No. 6 (yard), No. 8 (main) Maximum grade: 1.5 percent Benchwork: open grid; […]
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Walthers HO tanker trailers Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: $39.98 Manufacturer: Wm. K. Walthers Inc., 5601 W. Florist Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53218; 414-527-0770; walthers.com Features on Walthers HO tanker trailers: Company names matched to Walthers Cornerstone industries Factory-installed lowered landing gear and toolbox Freestanding ladder on side or back as appropriate Injection-molded plastic construction Modeler-installed raised […]
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Q: I’m excited by all the new 3D-printed figures and details that have become available. Lately, however, I’ve received some figures that are still attached to the support structure. I work in HO scale, and I’m not sure how to safely remove all this material without damaging the details or figures. Do you have any […]
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In this Sidetrack Series departure from the HO scale (1:87.1) East Troy Industrial Park Project Railroad, you’ll learn how to use brass wire and flat bar to create durable, small-diameter brackets and tension wires for the scratchbuilt generator structures. Throughout the demo, Eric shows viewers how to use specialized tools, including wire nippers and metal-bending […]
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Walthers HO 40-foot double-sheathed boxcar Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: $34.98 Manufacturer: Wm. K. Walthers Inc., 5601 W. Florist Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53218; 414-527-0770; walthers.com Walthers HO 40-foot double-sheathed boxcar features: 5-5-5 Murphy steel ends 33” turned-metal wheels on plastic axles Detailed AB brake gear Andrews trucks Based on later rebuilds and upgrades of older, wood […]
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In this product review video, Model Railroader Senior Editor Cody Grivno takes a deep dive into the WalthersProto HO scale (1:87.1) EMD NW2 diesel locomotive. Cody starts with the prototype history of the NW2, which was produced by the Electro-Motive Division from February 1939 through December 1949. The review sample is decorated as Union Pacific […]
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In this product review video, Model Railroader Senior Editor Cody Grivno takes a deep dive into the WalthersProto HO scale (1:87.1) EMD NW2 diesel locomotive. Cody starts with the prototype history of the NW2, which was produced by the Electro-Motive Division from February 1939 through December 1949. The review sample is decorated as Union Pacific […]
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News & Products for the week of September 29th 2025 Model railroad operators and builders can get the latest information about locomotives, freight cars, passenger cars, tools, track, and more by reading Model Railroader’s frequent product updates. The following are the products Model Railroader editors have news on for the week of September 29th, […]
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WalthersProto HO EMD NW2 Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: Direct current with factory-installed speaker, $219.98; with ESU LokSound V5 sound decoder, $319.98 Manufacturer: Wm. K. Walthers Inc., 5601 W. Florist Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53218; 414-527-0770; walthers.com WalthersProto HO EMD NW2 features: All-new tooling Association of American Railroads Type A sideframes Cab interior with seats and crew […]
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The initial segment of the HO scale (1:87.1) East Troy Industrial Park project layout edges closer to completion! In this episode, you’ll see how Cody Grivno and David Popp refine roadway detail and paint a touch of earth-tone color over the plaster covered terrain. Be sure to keep up with the construction progress by linking […]
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Freight Car Class: Lesson 1, Kit Building Basics| Building, operating, and weathering freight cars are essential skills for any modeler to acquire, regardless of experience level. This five-part video series is designed to help you create better freight cars! In the first lesson, expert instructor David Popp gets things rolling with the basics of kit […]
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Rapido HO Southern Pacific ¾ dome lounge Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: $159.95 Manufacturer: Rapido Trains, 382 High St, Buffalo, NY 14204; 905-474-3314; rapidotrains.com Rapido HO Southern Pacific ¾ dome lounge features: Designed from original blueprints and field measurements Flicker-free, track-powered interior lighting Free-rolling trucks Lighting in dome roof Metal magnetic knuckle couplers Multi-color interior decoration […]
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