Winston-Salem Southbound Series: Attaching subroadbed

Having trouble viewing this video?   Please visit our Video FAQ page Every layout, including MRVP’s HO scale Winston-Salem Southbound Railway, needs a foundation or “subroadbed” for attaching trackwork. In this video, David Popp shows how to install plywood subroadbed over L-girder benchwork. Along the way, he pauses to share helpful tips for making minor […]

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Winston-Salem Southbound Series: Transfer a track plan

Having trouble viewing this video?   Please visit our Video FAQ page The L-girder benchwork for MRVP’s HO scale project layout, the Winston-Salem Southbound Railway, is now ready to go! In this video, David Popp shares his technique for accurately transferring the pencil-sketched track plan from paper to the plywood tabletop. Even if you aren’t […]

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Model Railroad Operations: Trailing and facing point moves

Andy Sperandeo standing at the MR&T HO scale model railroad layout

Having trouble viewing this video?   Please visit our Video FAQ page Model Railroader magazine’s contributing editor Andy Sperandeo shows how to make trailing and facing point switching maneuvers on a layout of any size or scale. Viewers get to see and hear Andy talking through the steps, as he operates a diesel locomotive on […]

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HO scale Carol Valley RR

HOscaleCarolValleyRR

Name: Carol Valley RR Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 12′-9″ x 18′-6″ Prototype: freelanced subsidiary of Baltimore & Ohio Locale: West Virginia Era: early 1950s Style: around the walls with dropdown Mainline run: 70 feet point-to-point, 98 feet with continuous run Minimum radius: 20″ Minimum turnout: no. 4 Maximum grade: 2 percent Benchwork: open grid, L-girder, […]

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HO scale Cornbelt Northern RR

HOscaleCornbeltNorthernRR

Name: Cornbelt Northern RR Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 30 x 54 feet Prototype: freelanced, inspired by Chicago & North Western, Great Northern, and Milwaukee Road Locale: upper Midwest Era: early 1950s Style: around the walls Mainline run: 215 feet Minimum radius: 36″ Minimum turnout: no. 6 Maximum grade: 2 percent Height: 51″ to 57″ Roadbed: […]

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Red Oak Series: Modeling a farm field

David Popp installing commercial grass mats.

Having trouble viewing this video?   Please visit our Video FAQ page   The farm scene on Model Railroader magazine’s 3 x 7-foot N scale Red Oak layout needed a cornfield. MRVP’s David Popp shows you how he made quick work of this modeling task by installing commercial grass mats using white glue. […]

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Arnold N scale U25C diesel locomotive

Hornby America N scale Arnold U25C

Arnold provides a six-pin socket for installing an NEM-style Digital Command Control decoder. Digitrax and Train Control Systems sell decoders that fit. The Louisville & Nashville locomotive has a peaked pilot, different horn, and a different location for the firecracker antenna from the CB&Q sample. An old name has returned to N scale with a […]

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MTH HO scale GE ES44AC diesel locomotive

MTH HO scale GE ES44AC diesel locomotive

For the last decade General Electric Evolution Series (GEVO) diesel locomotives have been a dominant force on Class 1 main lines, and increasingly in HO scale product lines. This latest HO GE ES44AC from MTH comes with a variety of user-controlled effects. Equipped with the firm’s Digital Command System, the model operates reliably on direct-current, […]

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Quick Look: Walthers HO scale drive-in theater structure kit

Walthers HO scale drive-in theater structure kit

Walthers HO scale drive-in theater structure kit Price: $49.98 Manufacturer Wm. K. Walthers, Inc. 5601 W. Florist Ave. Milwaukee, WI 53218 www.walthers.com Comments: A drive-in theater can be an eye-catching feature on a model train layout. Now Walthers is rolling out its Skyview Drive-In, a styrene structure kit that lets you use a tablet computer […]

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