MRVP Video Vault – Weathering Railroad Models with Malcolm Furlow: Metals and masonry

Malcolm Furlow demonstrates techniques for simulating metal oxidation and corrosion on styrene parts

Having trouble viewing this video?   Please visit our Video FAQ page   Multi-talented artist and model railroader Malcolm Furlow demonstrates techniques for simulating metal oxidation and corrosion on styrene parts. He then turns to aging plaster and plastic components used to represent masonry. And if that’s not enough, Malcolm also shares a few additional […]

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MRVP Video Vault – Weathering Railroad Models with Malcolm Furlow: Steam locomotives

Malcolm Furlow holding a steam locomotive.

Having trouble viewing this video?   Please visit our Video FAQ page   Multi-talented model railroader Malcolm Furlow demonstrates techniques for weathering an out-of-the-box steam locomotive. Malcolm adds his artistry using chalks, drybrushing, and an airbrush. […]

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MRVP Video Vault – Building Model Railroad Scenery with the Experts: Frary, Furlow, Hediger, and Olson

Malcolm Furlow

Having trouble viewing this video?   Please visit our Video FAQ page Building Model Railroad Scenery with the Experts: In this 1980s vintage video, multiple Model Railroader masters contribute several techniques for enhancing various scenery situations. You won’t want to miss the timeless tips and tricks from the likes of John Olson, Malcolm Furlow, Dave […]

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MRVP Video Vault – Weathering Railroad Models with Malcolm Furlow: Rolling stock

Malcolm Furlow holding a train car

Having trouble viewing this video?   Please visit our Video FAQ page   Rolling stock accumulates dirt, dust, and grime in a way that’s different than stationary objects. Multi-talented model railroader Malcolm Furlow shows host Allen Keller a number of interesting weathering techniques for rolling stock that were popular in the 1980s, yet still applicable […]

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MRVP Video Vault – Weathering Railroad Models with Malcolm Furlow: Wood

Malcolm Furlow scraping, sanding, and staining wood used in model railroading projects

Having trouble viewing this video?   Please visit our Video FAQ page   Malcolm Furlow, a multi-talented artist and MR mainstay in the 1980s, shares his techniques for distressing, scraping, sanding, and staining wood used in model railroading projects. […]

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Add interior lights to a passenger car

Model Railroader magazine’s associate editor Bryson Sleppy shares his technique for installing an LED kit into a modern, HO scale passenger car that did not come factory-equipped with lights. Even better, Bryson adds an NCE Light-it DCC decoder he’ll use to toggle the interior illumination on/off. Be sure to follow the exclusive In The Workshop […]

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N scale trains on HO curves

N scale trains on HO curves: In 1968 Aurora and Revell gambled that N scale train sets would be a big hit in the toy market. Aurora struck a deal with Minitrix, a German company, to produce its Postage Stamp line, and ­Revell turned to Rapido (also German) to manufacture its offerings. I have no […]

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Better track, wheels, and couplers

Better track wheels and couplers

Better track, wheels, and couplers: Several years ago Atlas introduced its code 55 N scale track, and soon a great wail rose up from some in the N scale community. Beautiful as the track was, the wheels that came standard with Micro-Trains cars bumped against the track’s molded spike heads as the cars rolled along. The […]

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Wheel quality keeps rolling

Wheel quality keeps rolling: An infographic showing different N scale wheelsets

Wheel quality keeps rolling: Over the last five years or so, N scalers have shown increased interest in replacement wheelsets. Maybe it’s just because so many more choices have ­become available. Up until the ’90s, some cars came with less than satisfactory wheels. Often the trucks didn’t roll freely. Sometimes cars would shimmy down the […]

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Sidewinders, squeezers, and crushers

Here are two conventional sidewinder kinks lurking in Jims staging yard. These are the easiest kinks to find and fix

Sidewinders, squeezers, and crushers: In Milwaukee, our winter days can be very cold and dry, our summer days hot and humid. We can control the climate indoors, or at least try to, with heating, air conditioning, humidifying, dehumidifying, and such, but still we sometimes run into problems with track kinking on our model railroads. The […]

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Test twice, solder once

Jims simple test light has been around a long time and paid for itself many times

Test twice, solder once: It’s one of the best lessons I’ve learned in building layouts. In fact, it’s such a good lesson that I relearn it every once in while. My problem is patience. Testing takes a little time and slows my progress, or so I sometimes start to think. Actually, it can (and I […]

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