How to add coupler box screws to an Athearn freight car

Adding a coupler screw

Having trouble viewing this video?   Please visit our Video FAQ page Press-fit coupler boxes can cause couplers to droop or even fall off. In this Expert Tip video, Model Railroader associate editor Cody Grivno shows you how to secure the coupler boxes on Athearn Trains freight car models with screws. For this project Cody […]

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Demonstration of Sergent HO scale operating couplers

Hand uncoupling two pieces of rolling stock with tool

Having trouble viewing this video?   Please visit our Video FAQ page Check out this demo of Sergent HO scale operating couplers. Expert model railroader Pelle Søeborg uses operating couplers made by Sergent Engineering. To uncouple cars, an operator holds a magnetic wand over the coupler. Pelle demonstrates the Sergent couplers installed on a freight […]

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Roundhouse episode 9 with Steve Haynes

Steve Haynes and Neil Besougloff

Having trouble viewing this video?   Please visit our Video FAQ page Steve Haynes, sales manager for Peco is Hal’s guest in the studio for this installment of The Roundhouse. Topics for discussion include the health of model railroading as a hobby, the wild west, and much more! […]

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Thin Branch Series: Ballasting turnouts

Cody Grivno ballasting turnouts.

Having trouble viewing this video?   Please visit our Video FAQ page Ballasting turnouts can be tricky because there’s a lot of potential for the little stones and glue to interfere with the proper operation of the points. Cody Grivno shows you an easy technique for ballasting turnouts that keeps the points working just like […]

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Thin Branch Series: Powering turnout frogs

David installing turnouts.

Having trouble viewing this video?   Please visit our Video FAQ page You can improve the operation on most any railroad by installing turnouts with powered frogs. David shows you how we set up the Thin Branch project railroad with turnout frogs powered through switch motor contacts. […]

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Bachmann HO scale F7A-B diesel locomotive

BachmannHOscaleF7ABdiesellocomotive

Bachmann HO scale F7A-B diesel locomotive The F7 diesel-electric locomotive has been a popular subject for scale modelers since it rolled out of General Motors’ Electro-Motive Division shops more than 60 years ago. Now Bachmann Trains is expanding its Sound Value line with F7A and F7B locomotives, each with ­dual-mode SoundTraxx Digital Command Control sound […]

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Walthers HO scale bi level commuter cars

WalthersHOscalebilevelcommutercars

Walthers HO scale bi-level commuter cars Initially offered about a decade ago, these HO scale bi-level cars have been retooled and upgraded to match Walthers’ other current passenger car models in every respect. They feature accurate molded and separate details as well as factory-installed lighting and an interior. The prototype. Bi-level commuter trains came to […]

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ExactRail HO scale center-beam flatcar

ExactRailHOscalecenterbeamflatcar

ExactRail HO scale center-beam flatcar An HO scale center-beam bulkhead flatcar with injection-molded plastic, etched brass, and formed wire construction is the latest offering from ExactRail.   The Platinum Series model is based on a Thrall Car Manufacturing Co. prototype built in 1977. The center-beam bulkhead design proved popular with railroads, lumber companies, and receivers […]

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Great Model Railroads 2014 desktop wallpaper

GMR2014

Great Model Railroads 2014 features 10 outstanding railroads in N, HO, and O scales. Use these images from this Model Railroader special issue as backgrounds on your computer screen. Click on the image size appropriate for your monitor and drag the image onto your desktop. Click to order Great Model Railroads 2014! Gerry Alber’s HO […]

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Athearn N scale Challenger and Big Boy with SoundTraxx DCC

AthearnNscaleChallengerandBigBoysteamlocomotives

Athearn N scale Challenger and Big Boy steam locomotives Back on N scale rails, the Athearn Genesis 4-6-6-4 Challenger and 4-8-8-4 Big Boy each feature a revised sound system that includes a SoundTraxx Digital Command Control (DCC) decoder with a new array of realistic sound effects. The models use the same tooling as the MRC-DCC-equipped […]

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