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Small O and S gauge layouts are how the hobby began. To demonstrate the wonders of layouts designed to fit into small spaces, let’s travel back to when most current enthusiasts were youngsters. This most likely means we’re talking about the 25 years immediately following World War II. These men and women can trace their […]
Meeting the Electro-Motive Division SW1 The time-tested Electro-Motive Division SW1 has long been one of my favorite diesel locomotives. My fascination with the 600hp end-cab switcher didn’t start when the locomotives were earning their keep on the big railroads. Instead, my introduction came at the Crookston (Minn.) Farmers Co-op Elevator, less than a block from […]
A northwest mountain garden railroad: The Pacific Northern Railway was formed when the Northern Pacific and Great Northern Railroads merged in the early 1960s. I chose the name “Pacific Northern” because it included parts of the names of both of the original railroads. The two-tone green passenger-train colors were used because famous designer Raymond Loewy […]
Cheap lighting for passenger cars: I had kitbashed an LGB No. 3080 passenger car into an observation car and wanted to add interior lighting. Instead of track-powered lighting, I opted to install battery-powered light emitting diodes (LEDs). For around $20 in supplies, you can have flicker-free lighting in your car too. I cut the roof […]
In this episode, Host Gerry Leone departs from work directly on the layout itself. Instead, he shares his techniques for customizing an HO scale Walthers grain elevator kit into much larger structure for a specific space. Getting to know Gerry Leone Back on Track host Gerry Leone is just as clever as he is comedic! […]
Looking for dirt cheap ground cover? While there are plenty of companies selling real dirt products graded and colored to match specific terrains and locales, if you’re on a budget, you might find some suitable ground cover closer to home. Specifically, in your own back yard. But you can’t just scoop up a shovel full […]
Exploring the Illinois Central Gulf Sioux Falls District. In the August 2022 issue of Model Railroader, I shared how I built an American Model Builders HO scale Illinois Central Type A depot kit. In the story, I noted that the Illinois Central Gulf (ICG) Sioux Falls District is my latest modeling interest. The 96-mile line […]
Church garden railroad display: During the Kansas City Garden Railway Society tour, I met the pastor of the Heartland Community Church in Olathe, Kansas, Dan, and his father, Mike who was from California and had his own railroad garden. Dan told me his church had an enclosed area in the lobby called a “light box” […]
Q: I’m planning a reversing loop on my layout. Must isolated sidings inside a reversing loop be part of the reversing section? Or can they be part of the main power bus? – R. John Kohlbrand A: There are three potential ways to wire up separate sidings and spurs that connect to a reversing section […]
Common name: Trost’s Dwarf cutleaf birch, Dwarf European birch Latin name: Betula pendula ‘Trost’s Dwarf’, synonym: Betula platyphylla Plant type: Shrubs & small trees Plant size: 3-4′ high by 3′ wide before pruning USDA Hardiness Zones: 3-9 (10, given moisture) Cultural needs: Sun; moist, drained, slightly acidic One day a horticulturist noticed a finely divided […]
Q: I would like to add a speaker to a decoder in my Atlas locomotive. But I plan to run it on a DC analog system. Can I still put the speaker on or can I not? – Zachary Chevalier A: There are such things as motor-only and function-only DCC decoders, so to know if yours […]
Facts & features Name: Ottawa Junction Ry. Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 28 x 30 feet Prototype: Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Locale: Kansas Era: 1952 Style: walk-in Mainline run: 24 feet on Second District, 24 feet on main line through Ottawa Minimum radius: 30″ Minimum turnout: no. 6 Maximum grade: none Benchwork: 3/4″ plywood on […]
