John Pestana takes over from retiring Chris Clune at Exactrail

Model railroad manufacturer Exactrail has announced a change at the top. Software entrepreneur John Pestana is taking charge of the company’s day-to-day operations as Exactrail’s president and chief executive officer. Previous company head Chris Clune is retiring and “will continue to be a continued source of inspiration and direction for Exactrail’s precision product development team,” […]

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Remembering Civil War rails

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In addition to everything else the American Civil War might have been, it was also the first reliably documented major conflict. A combination of well-kept “Official Records” and preserved photographs give us a unique view into the first modern, industrialized, documented war. These images are only a sample of the rich documentary resources available from […]

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Building Bay Junction 19

Steve Otte next to layout

The final scenery and details are starting to take shape on the Model Railroader Bay Junction project layout. Associate editor Cody Grivno describes some of the scene that he’s been working on around the grain elevator, while associate editor Steve Otte adds the last road signs and other details to Williams Bay. You’ll also see […]

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Building Bay Junction part 11

Tony Koester and Andy Sperandeo next to layout

A special guest stopped by while we were working on the railroad. Tony Koester, a contributing editor to Model Railroader and the editor of Model Railroad Planning, stopped by to check out the progress of Bay Junction on the Milwaukee, Racine & Troy. Executive editor Andy Sperandeo shows how his corn syrup transloading terminal is […]

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Building Bay Junction part 9

David Popp next to layout

Managing editor David Popp continues to work on the cork roadbed for the layout. He uses a surform tool to make a smooth transition from the mainline roadbed to the industrial section of the layout. Model Railroader editor Neil Besougloff describes his plan for adding a fence and streetlights to the train station scene at […]

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Building Bay Junction part 10

David Popp next to layout

David has finished laying all the track for Bay Junction and will show you how to install feeder wires. In the workshop you’ll see how associate editor Cody Grivno is progressing on the United Cooperative grain elevator, while senior editor Dana Kawala gets started on the fertilizer plant. […]

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Video: History according to Hediger 11

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Having trouble viewing this video?   Please visit our Video FAQ page Season 2 of History according to Hediger will feature various items from the historical display cases at the Model Railroader offices. Senior editor Jim Hediger will share the background of these items. In this first episode you’ll learn about the red switcher of […]

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Lucius Beebe and Charles Clegg

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This landscape view of the Colorado & South Eastern is full of railroad and pictorial interest, hallmarks of Charles Clegg’s work. Typically, both Clegg and Beebe asked the fireman to “turn on the smoke.” California State Railroad Museum Lucius Beebe’s “wedge of pie” view of Virginia & Truckee No. 27 at Steamboat, Nevada. No. 27, […]

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Atlas Model Railroad Co. NRE Genset diesel switcher

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Its basic lines may look like just another switcher, but this new Atlas HO scale model is of a 21st century locomotive with a unique, environmentally friendly design. The National Railway Equipment 3GS21B Genset switcher is in service on today’s railroads. The direct-current Atlas Genset has an eight-pin plug for a Digital Command Control (DCC) […]

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Bowser HO scale Baldwin VO1000 diesel locomotive

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Bowser HO scale Baldwin VO1000 diesel locomotive An upgraded HO replica of Baldwin’s VO1000, one of the manufacturer’s first diesel switchers, is available from Bowser. The model is based on Stewart Models tooling, and you’ll find a review of that model in the April 2001 Model Railroader. The HO scale version is available as a […]

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Athearn Trains HO and N high-pressure gas tank cars

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Athearn Trains HO and N high-pressure gas tank cars With a scale length of 64′-6″, these new models from Athearn are typical of the large, insulated, pressure tank cars built to carry 33,900 gallons of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). This hydrocarbon fuel is shipped under pressure to prevent evaporation. These big pressure tank cars also […]

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