Doug Tagsold’s Colorado & Southern in 1:72 scale | Model Railroader Editor Eric White stops to visit with frequent MR contributor Doug Tagsold and his unique 40 x 52-foot 1:72 scale narrow gauge layout. The C&S Clear Creek District is a double-deck model railroad, set between Denver, Colo., and the Rocky Mountains during the 1920s. […]
I’m trying to troubleshoot a Lionel No. 624 Chesapeake & Ohio NW2 diesel switcher from the 1950s. The motor seems to short out, even after I spent time cleaning out the dried grease from long ago. All I get now is a grinding noise, and the locomotive barely moves. What do you think is the […]
The following is a series of edited excerpts from an interview conducted by David Popp with Jason Shron, owner and CEO of Rapido Trains Inc. on May 20, 2025 on the subject of United States tariffs in relation to the model train industry. You can find the complete interview on Trains.com Video by clicking here. […]
In this episode, Gerry Leone tackles another forgotten structure that will now fit right into his efforts to complete the classification yard and locomotive servicing area on his HO scale (1:87.1) Bona Vista model railroad. The focus of his attention is a previously assembled three-stall roundhouse that’s ripe for interior illumination and additional details. As […]
I began collecting O and 027 gauge trains in middle school. Like many toy train enthusiasts, the trains were eventually packed away for various reasons. Years later, I unpacked my Lionel and Marx collection. It had been a long time since I had seen these trains. I unpacked mostly postwar and modern 2-4-2 outline steam […]
I recently took out my old toy trains that have been packed away for about 25 years. The tubular track sections that were brand new back then now have black marks on them. How do I clean them and get them usable again? — Joe Rampe If it’s just dry corrosion, a Scotch-Brite pad will […]
Are you aware of any kind of commercial device that can prevent Lionel and MTH trains from running in reverse? Whenever any of my young grandchildren try to run a freight train in reverse, the cars inevitably derail and ruin our fun. This is an interesting problem to have! I can’t think of any device […]
Once we had the L-girders built, it was time to turn our attention to adding the legs and support bracing for the layout. We constructed the legs as simple subassemblies with their own cross bracing. It all bolts to the L-girder frames using ¼” carriage bolts, wing nuts, and washers. We used more dimensional lumber […]
Over the first dozen or so years of of its existence, the original HO scale Milwaukee, Racine & Troy underwent many changes. Among these was the installation of a freestanding backdrop on the downtown Milwaukee section, which resulted in the scenic challenge shown below. Already in place was the Port Marquette Yard, the MR&T’s eastern […]
For many model railroad clubs, the word “move” can trigger stress and uncertainty. When you don’t own the space you reside in, the possibility of having to pack up and relocate is always present. The Waukesha County Gandy Dancers Model Railroad Club (WCGD), located in Waukesha, Wis., knows this feeling all too well. “No power!” […]
Facts and features Name: Buffalo & PittsburghScale: N (1:160)Size: 27 x 31 feet plus 14 x 14 feetPrototype: Buffalo & PittsburghLocale: western New York and PennsylvaniaEra: 1988Style: multi-deck walk-inMainline run: 187 feetMinimum radius: 16″Minimum turnout: No. 5Maximum grade: 2.5%Benchwork: open grid and modularHeight: 44″ to 62″Roadbed: cork over plywood and extruded-foam insulation boardTrack: Atlas code […]
Facts and features Name: NorthbrookScale: O gaugeSize: 29 x 36 feetPrototype: freelanceLocale: Northeast and Midwest U.S.Era: 1956Style: donutMainline run: 155 feetMinimum radius: 45″Minimum turnout: No. 5Maximum grade: noneBenchwork: open gridHeight: 42″Roadbed: corkTrack: Atlas O three-railScenery: painted extruded-foam insulation boardBackdrop: painted 1∕8” tempered hardboardControl: Lionel TMCC and Legacy; Sound Traxx Blunami Click the link to download […]
