Olympia Logging Series: Part 8 – installing cork roadbed

David Popp laying cork roadbed.

Installing cork roadbed is the first step to laying reliable trackwork on MRVP’s On30 Olympia Logging Co. display-style layout. In this video, David shows you basic techniques for preparing, cutting, fitting, and securing the HO scale roadbed along the main line, sidings, and on the sector plate. Plus, David also demonstrates how one specific product […]

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Bachmann HO scale Norfolk Southern heritage fleet diesel locomotives

BachmannIndustriesHOsaleNorfolkSouthernfleetdiesels

Bachmann Industries HO sale Norfolk Southern fleet diesel locomotives It seems model railroaders can’t get enough of the Norfolk Southern heritage fleet. Dressed in the paint schemes of fallen flag railroads, newly tooled HO scale General Electric ES44AC and Electro-Motive Diesel SD70ACe locomotives are now available in the Bachmann Trains Sound Value series. The accurately […]

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Simplify operation with train sequence lists

ThehybridsequencelistsJohnPrykeusesonhisHOscaleNewHavenCapeCodbranchspecifytheswitchingworktobedoneandprovideauthorityfortrainstomovebetweenstations

The hybrid sequence lists John Pryke uses on his HO scale New Haven Cape Cod branch specify the switching work to be done and provide authority for trains to move between stations. Here the Boston yard operator is placing outbound waybills and the train’s sequence list into the train pouch. Most modelers build their first […]

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New products for the week of June 12, 2014

KatoUSAHOscaleElectroMotiveDivisionSD80MACdiesellocomotive

HO scale locomotives Electro-Motive Division FP7 diesel locomotive. New paint schemes: Atlantic Coast Line (black and yellow), Penn Central (black with red “P” on single unit, black with white “P” on two-packs), and Rock Island (maroon with yellow nose). Road-number-specific details, Blomberg B trucks, and etched-metal windshield wipers. Single FP7 (one road number): direct-current model, […]

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Adding DCC power districts to a model train layout

ToomanysoundequippedlocomotivesinoneplacelikethoseshownhereontheMRTcanspelltroubleforaDCClayoutPaulDolkostakesyouthroughthestepsheusedtosetuppowerdistrictsonhisHOmodelrailroad

Too many sound-equipped locomotives in one place, like those shown here on the MR&T, can spell trouble for a DCC layout. Paul Dolkos takes you through the steps he used to set up power districts on his HO model railroad. Imagine you’ve just begun running trains on a layout equipped for Digital Command Control (DCC) […]

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How to wire a layout for two-train operation

The initial goal of a new model railroader flush with locomotives, track, and rolling stock is to operate two trains on his layout at the same time, each with independent speed and direction control. This milepost can be reached with cab-control wiring. With two direct- current power packs, single-pole double-throw toggle switches, and hardware-store wire, […]

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HO scale Progressive Rail

ProgressiveRail

Name: Progressive Rail Layout designer: Jim Hediger Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 3 x 16 feet Prototype: Airlake Industrial Park Locale: Minnesota Era: 1970s Style: Island Minimum turnout: no. 5 Originally appeared in the June 2002 Model Railroader. Click on the link to download the PDF of this track plan. […]

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In memoriam: Model railroad author Paul Scoles

PaulScolesobit

Paul Scoles’ Sn3 Pelican Bay & Navigation Co. was featured in Great Model Railroads 2010. Well-known model railroader Paul Scoles, of Shoreline, Wash., died May 9 from cardiac arrest after surgery. He was 71. Paul was a well-known Sn3 hobbyist who had written nearly 100 articles for various model railroad publications since the 1970s and […]

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MR Insider Weekly: May 26, 2014

David Popp

Having trouble viewing this video?   Please visit our Video FAQ page David Popp catches MRVP host Drew Halverson in Kent Johnson’s office stealing a sneak peek at video clips of Union Pacific’s Big Boy no. 4014 steam locomotive on the move from California to Wyoming. Drew shares tales of his travels with fellow Trains […]

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Olympia Logging Series: Part 7 – modifying a turnout

David Popp sitting at workbench in the Model Railroader workshop

Before the trackwork can be added to MRVP’s On30 Olympia Logging Co. display-style layout, David Popp first makes a few modifications to the turnouts. In this video, he guides you through trimming the ties, preparing the connection points, soldering new wires, cutting the rails, and testing the modifications – steps that are intended to make […]

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