Get copies of the 24-page booklet (left) or tri-fold pamphlet (right) for your next model train show or event. The World’s Greatest Hobby, Inc. (WGH) is a non-profit educational program to promote the enjoyment and benefits of model railroading. As part of that initiative the group developed a 24-page booklet Getting Started in Model Trains, […]
Garden railroad electrical/electricity questions and answers Is it safe to power your trains outdoors? Will I get electrocuted? It’s completely safe to run track power outdoors! Our trains, like those in the smaller scales, run on low-voltage DC, usually 18-24V. Thus, it is perfectly safe to run your trains outdoors, even in the rain or […]
What grade can an engine climb? Different engines will climb different grades. If you are trying to stay within full-size railroad practice, your grades should be no more than about 3 percent for mainline traffic (3″ of rise in 100″ of travel) or 5 percent to 6 percent for logging, mining, or industrial lines. I […]
Download this free 24-page PDF for a brief overview of track-planning terms, tips, and techniques as well as a handful of Lionel FasTrack plans of all sizes. […]
When you have more than a bedroom for your railroad, you have some choices to make regarding what to fill the space with. Download this free 15-page PDF for 28 inspiring N, Nn3, HO, HOn 2 ½, Sn3, and On 2 ½ layout plans. […]
Sometimes finding the space to build model railroads can be difficult. To help combat this problem, we have compiled six railroads that you can model in an apartment-sized room. Download this free 15-page PDF to gain access to detailed information on room-sized plans for both HO and N scale layouts. […]
Click on the links at left to download this trackside photo. Paul Dolkos Baltimore & Ohio class E-24 Consolidation arrives to switch the industries at Winchester, Va., on John King’s HO scale B&O Shenandoah Valley Branch model railroad. Frequent Model Railroader contributor Paul Dolkos shot the photo. Click on the links below to download the […]
Staging, major industries, interchanges between railroads, and prototype inspiration are four characteristics that all successful model railroads tend to have. However, incorporating all four of these characteristics into one small space can be challenging. Download this free 12-page PDF download for HO and N scale plans, waterfront railroad layouts, small shelf Union Pacific inspired layouts, […]
Download this free 33-page PDF for a detailed look at how to recreate the town of Red Oak, Iowa. We organized this free PDF into four, easy-to-follow, sections: Part one covers how to utilize a hollow-core household door for a 3 x 7 N scale layout. Part two dives into building benchwork, working on terrain, […]
Download this free 31-page PDF download for an in-depth look at how to build a 4 x 9 N scale modern-era Western layout. This beginner-to-intermediate skill level layout of the Union Pacific Salt Lake Route is broken up into five sections: Part one covers the inspiration behind the layout. Part two gets into how to […]
This free 15-page PDF download is packed with interesting city and country HO and N scale layouts for small to mid-size spaces. Complete with full-color schematics and operational details, all of the track plans featured in this download placed in the top three! […]
Download this free, detailed, 32-page PDF for step-by-step instructions on how to fit plenty of railroad and realistic scenery atop a single sheet of uncut plywood. In this free download, the Classic Toy Trains magazine staff dispel most of the myths about designing and building an enjoyable 4 x 8 toy train layout. […]
