I’ve seen many well-weathered models, but too often the effect is ruined by shiny black couplers with bright metal centering springs. But in three easy steps, you can weather your couplers to look more prototypical, 1. On my Dakota, Minnesota & Eastern GP40, I wanted the couplers to look older, so I sprayed them with […]
I have a crossing where trains automatically stop and thought it would be nice to add a diesel fueling facility there, but I have a very limited space. First, I attached a walkway and tank/equipment pad using tile scraps to the main station pad with Plumbers Goop, and brass strips to keep everything in alignment. […]
Structures are the easiest way to bring a scene to life. As with anything on the railroad, scale is the primary concern. You’ll want to find structures that match the scale of your trains. That’s not always as easy as just looking on the box. Even in commercial kits where a scale is designated, architectural […]
The layout at a glance Name: Western Maryland Ry., East Division Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 26′-6″ x 30′-0″ Prototype: Western Maryland Locale: Baltimore, central Maryland, and south central Pennsylvania Era: late spring/summer 1965-1973 Style: around-the-walls shelf with peninsula, four helixes Mainline run: 342 feet (including mainline helixes, excluding staging and staging helixes) Minimum radius: 22″ (main), […]
Many modelers build their layouts with commercial turnouts with the expectation that these components are ready to install. However, building my HO Ohio Southern has convinced me that most commercial turnouts are really “ready to finish.” They may need a little tune-up to ensure smooth performance and reliable operation. Gauge (the proper spacing of the […]
When I asked my wife if we could walk through the cosmetic department at the local drugstore, she gave me a somewhat puzzled look. This part of the store is home to some fantastic weathering tools, including foam-tipped cosmetic applicators. I used these applicators to simulate rust and paint wear on this Athearn HO scale […]
Central Valley’s HO scale injection-molded plastic fence is a close match for the fence used by the Burlington Northern near buildings in the area of Minnesota that I model, 1. Though the fence looks good, it’s difficult to attach as-is to an extruded-foam insulation scenery base. However, with brass mounting pins, the fence can easily […]
Slippery engineering plastic requires specially formulated paint that’s flexible and won’t flake off. Fortunately, the paint is most likely available at the same hobby shop where you purchase your trains. Flexible paint designed for remote-control (RC) car bodies is the perfect solution for locomotive handrails. RC paint is offered in a limited number of colors […]
I’ve had a degenerative muscle condition for 20 years. Because it has been a gradual degeneration, I’ve been able to adjust my modeling over that period. I can still scratchbuild and kitbash buildings. I can also paint and decal locomotives and cars; it just takes longer. At times, modeling has become frustrating. However, I’ve been […]
N scale model railroads are often small layouts based on 4 x 8-foot sheets of plywood, for obvious reasons. A flat tabletop is a lot easier to build than L-girder benchwork, and almost any home has room for a 4 x 8 table at one side of a bedroom or basement. Great things have been […]
Shall we play a game? Host James McNab is up for a round of Operations on his HO scale Hills Line layout! In this episode, he works from a perspective inside the cab of a locomotive to explain some of the prototype procedures crews follow to make running his small model railroad so interesting. […]
From his Off The Rails series, we’ve discovered that Master Model Railroader Gerry Leone is quite prone to getting derailed. And ever since he’s torn down his model railroad, we’ve had even more reason to wonder about him. But no need to worry, he’s right Back On Track constructing a new home…and a new layout […]
