East Troy Industrial Park, Ep. 23 | Smoothing Terrain & Adding a Grade Crossing

In this episode covering the HO scale (1:87.1) East Troy Industrial Park project layout, the construction crew dives into adding scenery and details. They first demonstrate techniques for shaping and smoothing scenes representative of rolling Wisconsin terrain. And then you’ll see the process for adding a grade crossing where the road meets the rails.     Be sure […]

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ScaleTrains HO Trinity 7500 high-cube boxcar

Color photo showing B end of modern HO scale boxcar painted yellow, black, and aluminum with black, blue, red, and white graphics on white background

ScaleTrains HO Trinity 7500 high-cube boxcar Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: $54.99 Manufacturer: ScaleTrains, 4901 Old Tasso Road NE Cleveland, TN 37312; 844-987-2467; scaletrains.com ScaleTrains Trinity 7500 high-cube boxcar features: 36” machined metal wheels with .110” wheel tread ASF Motion Control 110-ton trucks with raised foundry data; rotating Timken three-sided bearing caps (blue or black as […]

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Tangent HO PS2-CD 4750 covered hopper

Color photo showing B end of HO scale three-bay covered hopper painted gray with black and yellow graphics on white background

Tangent HO PS2-CD 4750 covered hopper Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: $67.95 (quantity discounts for direct purchases from manufacturer) Era: 1980 to present (Varies depending on paint scheme) Manufacturer: Tangent Scale Models, P.O. Box 6514, Asheville, NC 28816; 828-412-3886; tangentscalemodels.com Tangent HO PS2-CD 4750 covered hopper features: Barber S-2 100-ton roller-bearing trucks or Barber S-2 100-ton […]

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Broadway Limited HO instruction and exhibit cars

Color image of HO scale heavyweight passenger car with red sides and ends, brown underbody, silver roof and trucks, and orange and yellow flames on sides on white background

Broadway Limited HO instruction and exhibit cars Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: $89.99 Era: Varies depending on paint scheme Manufacturer: Broadway Limited Imports, 9 East Tower Circle, Ormond Beach, FL 32174; 386-673-8900; broadway-limited.com Features on Broadway Limited HO instruction and exhibit cars: ABS body and chassis Based on modified coach tooling developed for 1947 American Freedom […]

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Rapido HO EMD GP40 diesel locomotive

A Rapido Trains HO scale  (1:87.1) Electro-Motive Division (EMD) GP40 diesel locomotive arrives in Model Railroader magazine’s workshop for review and testing! With cameras rolling, Senior Editor Cody Grivno takes a close look at the real-life EMD GP40, including the history of Western Pacific no. 3511, built by EMD in April 1967. The model features […]

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Rapido Trains HO EMD GP40

A Rapido Trains HO scale  (1:87.1) Electro-Motive Division (EMD) GP40 diesel locomotive arrives in Model Railroader magazine’s workshop for review and testing! With cameras rolling, Senior Editor Cody Grivno takes a close look at the real-life EMD GP40, including the history of Western Pacific no. 3511, built by EMD in April 1967. The model features […]

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Kadee HO 50-ton flatcar review

Color photo showing B end detail of HO scale flatcar painted black with tan deck on white background.

An Association of American Railroads (AAR) 50-ton flatcar is the latest body style from Kadee Quality Products Co. The newly tooled HO scale model features injection-molded plastic construction, a detailed underbody, and No. 158 whisker couplers. Prototype history The AAR recommended three 50-foot flatcar designs in 1941. In his book Freight Cars of the ’40s […]

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News & Products for the week of September 15th 2025

A 3D model of a steam locomotive

News & Products for the week of September 15th 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 September 15th, […]

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American Flyer’s postwar 0-6-0 steam locomotive

vintage model steam locomotive

In its heyday as “The Standard Railroad of the World,” the Pennsylvania Railroad had thousands of trackside industries systemwide to service. Each needed regular switching, and many were located in industrial complexes with tight clearances and sharp curves. The PRR developed the 0-6-0 switcher, or as they called it, a “shifter.”  The first model B6 […]

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WalthersMainline HO 68-foot Railgon gondola

Color photo showing B end of HO scale modern gondola painted blue with red, white, and yellow graphics on white background

WalthersMainline HO 68-foot Railgon gondola Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: $34.98 Manufacturer: Wm. K. Walthers Inc., 5601 W. Florist Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53218; 414-527-0770; walthers.com WalthersMainline HO 68-foot Railgon gondola features: 36” metal wheels on plastic axles Based on prototypes in service from 2010 to present day Body-mounted Proto-Max metal couplers Detailed brake gear New paint […]

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East Troy Industrial Park, Ep. 22 | Backfilling with foam and plaster

Host David Popp shows viewers how to build realistic scenery around the high embankments of the HO scale (1:87.1) East Troy Industrial Park project layout. In this instructional video, you’ll learn how to use foam board, packing peanuts, and plaster cloth to create a durable base for additional ground cover and fine scenery materials. It […]

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WalthersProto HO heavyweight RPO-baggage car

Color photo showing mail compartment end of HO scale 70-foot heavyweight RPO-baggage car with clerestory roof painted Pullman Green and black on white background

WalthersProto HO heavyweight RPO-baggage car Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: $94.98 Manufacturer: Wm. K. Walthers Inc., 5601 W. Florist Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53218; 414-527-0770; walthers.com WalthersProto HO heavyweight RPO-baggage car features: 30-foot postal apartment with mailbag stanchions, sorting cases, and more Based on prototypes in service from 1914 to 1970s Clear window glazing Detailed underbody with […]

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