East Troy Industrial Park, Ep. 18 | Shaping the roadway right-of-way

Host David Popp continues to make progress on the roadway scenery he started in Episode 17 of the HO scale (1:87.1) East Troy Industrial Park project layout series. In this episode, David shares techniques for working with the foam material he selected to create sloped landforms along the inclined roadway. Then it’s back to the […]

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Cody’s Office | August 2025

Image of man with brown hair, glasses, and gray shirt holding a book with two model trains in foreground and HO scale layout in background.

Welcome to the August 2025 Cody’s Office! Perhaps we should have called this the Consolidation episode, as we’re on program number 2-8-0. This month the show starts with an exciting lineup of products. First up is the HO scale Fairbanks-Morse H16-44 from Rapido Trains. Features on the four-axle road unit include an injection-molded plastic body, […]

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Cody’s Office | August 2025

Image of man with brown hair, glasses, and gray shirt holding a book with two model trains in foreground and HO scale layout in background.

Welcome to the August 2025 Cody’s Office! Perhaps we should have called this the Consolidation episode as we’re on program number 2-8-0. This month the show starts with an exciting lineup of products. First up is the HO scale Fairbanks-Morse H16-44 from Rapido Trains. Features on the four-axle road unit include an injection-molded plastic body, […]

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East Troy Industrial Park, Ep. 17 | Working with switches, bridges, and roads

While David and Bryson allow the previously painted rail (Episode 16) to dry, they take a moment to focus on installing a switch motor…and they made an electrifying discovery! Follow along as they reveal the issue and the simple remedy that kept the project on the rails. Of course, other efforts must continue as the […]

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Spaces to Places VII | Scenery behind the roundhouse

In this Spaces to Places episode, host Gerry Leone tackles the final touches around the lower deck roundhouse area of his HO scale (1:87.1) Bona Vista model railroad. Gerry first focuses on adapting background buildings, before transforming an empty space behind the roundhouse into an authentic place, including static grass and gravel roads. Want to […]

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Midday Modeler – July 31st, 2025

Midday Modeler – July 31st, 2025 | In this replayed Midday Modeler livestream event, you’ll get a behind-the-scenes look how our all-new model railroad project is coming together. Plus, the crew also fields a number of burning questions you and other modelers want to know about the ongoing effort. Watch here, and then tune into […]

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East Troy Industrial Park Sidetrack | Building a glass plant, Part 3

Eric White, Editor of Model Railroader magazine, continues his HO scale glass plant project for the East Troy Industrial Park Project Railroad, now focusing on building chimneys with intricate brass details. Discover the secrets to flawless metalwork as he shares tips and tricks for soldering metal parts in a manner that yields a seamless finish…and […]

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East Troy Industrial Park, Ep. 16 | Painting Track

Watch as Cody Grivno, Model Railroader Senior Editor, sets out to paint the rails on the HO scale (1:87.1) East Troy Industrial Park project layout. Learn how to prepare the layout, clean the tracks, and apply paint for a realistic, rusty appearance. Be sure to keep up with the construction progress by linking into the Trains.com […]

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Trains.com Insider | 2025 NMRA National Convention, Train Show Highlights

2025 NMRA National Convention, Train Show Highlights | Tour with Model Railroader Editor Eric White, as he makes the rounds to visit with small vendors and major manufacturers at the 2025 National Model Railroad Association (NMRA) Convention and Train Show recently held in Novi, Michigan. From new model announcements and releases to helpful modeling products […]

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Trains.com Insider Exclusive | Model Railroad Club of Milwaukee

Join the Trains.com staff visiting the Model Railroad Club of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The club, established in 1934, boasts the country’s longest-running model railroad in the same location. Housed in a former train station built around 1917, the club’s O scale (1:48) layout, largely unchanged since 1950, operates as a “living museum”. Members once included a […]

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Chicago Union Station 100th Anniversary Celebration

On July 22, 2025, Chicago Union Station in Downtown, Chicago, Ill., hosted a centennial celebration of the site’s official dedication in 1925. As referenced in the companion Trains.com article, notable city, regional, state, and federal officials staged near the Great Hall to recognize the station’s quintessential role, longevity, and impactful renovations aimed to keep it […]

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Trains.com Insider | 2025 NMRA National Convention, Layout Visits

2025 NMRA National Convention, Layout Visits | Tour with Model Railroader Editor Eric White, as he discovers a diverse collection of model railroads from the 2025 National Model Railroad Association (NMRA) National Convention recently held in Novi, Michigan! Explore Steve Smith’s HO scale freelanced Sierra Valley & Harbor Junction; Dan Lewis’s nostalgic N scale Milwaukee […]

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