Thanks for the list of sources for parts in the Fall 2025 issue of CTT. I have nine prewar and postwar engines awaiting attention; I’ll need parts for some of them, and your list will be invaluable. But some sources don’t do searches for parts, which raises the question: Where do we find part numbers? […]
Q: I’m excited by all the new 3D-printed figures and details that have become available. Lately, however, I’ve received some figures that are still attached to the support structure. I work in HO scale, and I’m not sure how to safely remove all this material without damaging the details or figures. Do you have any […]
Frank Cerauli built the magnificent 15 x 30-foot O gauge layout that fills part of his home on dreams. In that important respect, he hardly differs from so many of the creative and hard-working men and women who derive great satisfaction and pleasure from operating miniature trains, whether they be toys or scale replicas. To […]
In this Sidetrack Series departure from the HO scale (1:87.1) East Troy Industrial Park Project Railroad, you’ll learn how to use brass wire and flat bar to create durable, small-diameter brackets and tension wires for the scratchbuilt generator structures. Throughout the demo, Eric shows viewers how to use specialized tools, including wire nippers and metal-bending […]
Join Classic Toy Trains Editor Rene Schweitzer and Model Railroader Senior Editor Cody Grivno as they share essential tips for restoring a vintage toy train. They address a viewer’s request for help with his father’s old Ives train set, which is in poor condition with bent metal, rust, and poor paint. Their discussion covers key […]
The initial segment of the HO scale (1:87.1) East Troy Industrial Park project layout edges closer to completion! In this episode, you’ll see how Cody Grivno and David Popp refine roadway detail and paint a touch of earth-tone color over the plaster covered terrain. Be sure to keep up with the construction progress by linking […]
My son was quite proud of the Lionel FT diesel (No. 2334110) he purchased for me as a birthday gift. Unfortunately, the newer locomotive is LionChief, which needs a constant 18 volts of DC (Direct Current), with the center rail being positive. My layout was exclusively AC (Alternating Current). Here’s what I did to be […]
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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Open houses, whether at model railroad clubs or private home layouts, offer fantastic opportunities to connect with fellow modelers and share the hobby. It’s also a joy to see what makes a layout tick and how one differs from another. While hosting an open house requires careful planning — as Arlan Tietel thoroughly explains in […]
Len Carparelli knew The Lionel Story very well. This talented artist, who made a career from restoring trains, primarily locomotives, built by Lionel during the post-World War II era of production, understood deeply the heritage that had shaped him. Len respected greatly the painters and designers who had come before him, and he aimed with […]
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 […]
