Thin Branch Series: Foam scenery part 2 – making hills

David carving foam scenery.

Having trouble viewing this video?   Please visit our Video FAQ page In our second foam scenery installment, David shows how he built a variety of hills by stacking strips of foam insulation board. He also covers some basic shaping and finishing techniques in this video. […]

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Building a 5 x 8 harbor railroad part 4

Steve Otte working on a model house.

Structures and trackwork dominate this episode of the Model Railroader staff’s Rice Harbor video journal. Associate editor Steve Otte describes the lighthouse for Rice Harbor. Steve built the structure from a Branchline Trains kit, and the model also features a working beacon. Editor Neil Besougloff is also at the workbench finishing up a depot, coal […]

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Southern Railway No. 630 to pull last Norfolk Southern main line excursions for 2013 in November (with video) NEWSWIRE

Southern 630 Myers

Southern No. 630 on an excursion at Barber Junction, N.C., on June 16, 2012. Jonathan Myers CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum’s Southern Railway 2-8-0, No. 630, will take to the main line again in November with excursions on Norfolk Southern track in eastern Tennessee and western North Carolina. Tickets go on sale next […]

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Thin Branch Series: Backdrops part 2 – Hill highlights

Jay Smith painting a backdrop.

Having trouble viewing this video?   Please visit our Video FAQ page In part 2 of our backdrop series, painter Jay Smith starts filling in the background details. In this installment he adds mist to the valleys and small treetops and sun highlights to the mid-ground hills. […]

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Thin Branch Series: Backdrops part 2B – The river

Jay Smith painting a river.

Having trouble viewing this video?   Please visit our Video FAQ page Painting backdrops involves trial and error, even for professional artists. In part 2B of our backdrop series, Jay Smith shows you how he painted the river from start to finish, including changing colors “midstream” several times to get the right look. […]

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Thin Branch Series: Backdrops part 2 – Hill highlights

Jay Smith painting a backdrop.

Having trouble viewing this video?   Please visit our Video FAQ page In part 2 of our backdrop series, painter Jay Smith starts filling in the background details. In this installment he adds mist to the valleys and small treetops and sun highlights to the mid-ground hills. […]

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Thin Branch Series: Backdrops part 2B – The river

Jay Smith painting a river.

Having trouble viewing this video?   Please visit our Video FAQ page Painting backdrops involves trial and error, even for professional artists. In part 2B of our backdrop series, Jay Smith shows you how he painted the river from start to finish, including changing colors “midstream” several times to get the right look. […]

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Thin Branch Series: Backdrops part 1 – basic hills

Jay painting hills.

Having trouble viewing this video?   Please visit our Video FAQ page Need a painted backdrop for your model railroad? Learn the basics of painting with artist Jay Smith as he adds a backdrop to our Thin Branch project railroad. In part 1 of our series, Jay shows you how to work from photos to […]

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Thin Branch Series: Backdrops part 1 – basic hills

Jay painting hills.

Having trouble viewing this video?   Please visit our Video FAQ page Need a painted backdrop for your model railroad? Learn the basics of painting with artist Jay Smith as he adds a backdrop to our Thin Branch project railroad. In part 1 of our series, Jay shows you how to work from photos to […]

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Thin Branch Series: Backdrops part 3 – Foreground trees

Jay Smith holding a paint palette.

Having trouble viewing this video?   Please visit our Video FAQ page In this third installment of painting backdrops, Jay Smith tackles the treetops and sun highlights in the foreground. He also shows you how to paint simple “hero” trees, those that have trunks and branches as well as leaves. […]

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Thin Branch Series: Backdrops part 3 – Foreground trees

Jay Smith holding a paint palette.

Having trouble viewing this video?   Please visit our Video FAQ page In this third installment of painting backdrops, Jay Smith tackles the treetops and sun highlights in the foreground. He also shows you how to paint simple “hero” trees, those that have trunks and branches as well as leaves. […]

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NS train derails after collision with truck in Pennsylvania NEWSWIRE

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HARRISBURG, Pa. – A Norfolk Southern double-stack train derailed near Dillsburg, about 15 miles southwest of Harrisburg, on Thursday afternoon when it collided with a tractor-trailer rig carrying a reinforced concrete bridge beam. According to local news reports, the 1:40 p.m. incident occurred when the truck, carrying a 131-foot, 73-ton bridge beam, was trying to […]

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