A sample of the Rapido HO General Electric C30-7 diesel locomotive recently arrived at our offices. In this product review video, Model Railroader Senior Editor Cody Grivno shares a brief history of the six-axle road unit and Union Pacific 2415; highlights the various factory-applied detail parts; and demonstrates some of the sound and light effects […]
Q: The historic cars for the Milwaukee, Racine & Troy featured in the January 2025 episode of Ask Trains were very interesting (I grew up in Spokane, Portland & Seattle territory and am modeling some of that). What sort of steam and early diesel power would have been used to go with the cars of […]
Also in this issue: ON TRAINS.COM, pg. 6 The latest features on our website FROM THE EDITOR, pg. 8 What is the ‘play value’ in model railroading? NEWS AND REVIEWS, pg. 10 Hobby industry news ASK MR, pg. 16 MR&T paint scheme history STEP BY STEP, pg. 19 Do-it-yourself photo backdrops ON OPERATION, pg. 60 […]
News & Products for the week of March 3rd 2025 Model railroad operators and builders can get the latest information about locomotives, freight cars, passenger cars, tools, track, and more by reading Model Railroader’s frequent product updates. The following are the products Model Railroader editors have news on for the week of March 3rd, […]
Building L-girders| Watch and learn as David Popp demonstrates how to assemble one of the most essential and versatile components of a model railroad! You can learn more about benchwork construction in the East Troy Industrial Park project layout video, “Building a frame”. Plus, you’ll want to be sure to find other helpful videos like […]
Today, model railroaders are blessed with a wide variety of commercial track in most popular scales. It wasn’t all that long ago that off-the-shelf track was largely one-size-fits all, with oversized rail, bulky ties, and little detail. Now, mass-produced track is available in different rail heights (called codes) with simulated wood or concrete ties, prototypical […]
HO scale model trains are a significant part of model railroading history, and we can partially credit the overall popularity of model trains with the rise of a convenient, tabletop scale like HO. With origins dating back a century, HO scale trains have grown into the most popular model train scale in the world. Model […]
By the time they’ve built the benchwork and installed and wired that track, the typical new layout builder starts asking a very important question: “What comes next?” The answer, of course, is scenery. Trains, track, or a command control system can be used more or less straight from the box. Even benchwork, which starts its […]
An Electro-Motive Division GP38 diesel locomotive is now available in HO scale from Rapido Trains. The four-axle road switcher features plastic and die-cast metal construction, railroad-specific details, and body-mounted metal couplers. Prototype history Electro-Motive Division produced the GP38 from January 1966 through December 1971. During the course of the production run, 733 units were built […]
Q: I’ve seen a few Model Railroader articles on painting and weathering that reference liquid mask. How does the product work, and where can I find it? — Michael M. A: Liquid mask is a product that’s applied with a brush to keep paint off of areas that would be hard to cover using traditional masking […]
News & Products for the week of February 24th 2025 Model railroad operators and builders can get the latest information about locomotives, freight cars, passenger cars, tools, track, and more by reading Model Railroader’s frequent product updates. The following are the products Model Railroader editors have news on for the week of February 24th, […]
Host David Popp and Bryson Sleppy work to raise the wood framework of their East Troy Industrial Park (ETIP) model railroad off the ground. Watch as they share how to plan, construct, and install the legs for a nearly any layout. And don’t miss the simple, yet extraordinarily helpful insights the crew shares in Model […]
