Operating the layout — State Line Route in N scale, Episode 26

Operating the layout | In the previous Episode 25 (Car routing with JMRI OperationsPro), you saw the crew prepare the State Line Route N scale model railroad for an operating session. Now, host David Popp walks you through the prototypical actions as they transpire over the simple, yet engaging layout! Enjoying this coverage of our […]

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Fleet fillers: The inexpensive and versatile Lionel 6424 flatcar

Lionel 6424 postwar O gauge flatcar

Consider how many things need to be moved on a railroad. Now think about how many of them are transported (or could be) on flatcars. Lionel’s postwar No. 6424 is really a no-brainer for Fleet Filler status. It comes in a number of iterations, plain or with racks affixed for the lading of various items. […]

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How to switch model railroad freight cars

Illustration of switching basics for model trains

Do you know how to switch model railroad freight cars? Operations, once considered a quirky art practiced by few, has become commonplace on today’s model railroads. As interest in operations increases the need for “boomers” – operators, in other words – has also increased. Therefore you may find yourself pressed into service on a new […]

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Basics of car cards and waybills for model railroad operation part 2

Basics of car cards and waybills for model railroad operation

To apply the car-card-and-waybill freight-car routing system I described in part 1 takes more than just the two basic forms. The first form is the car card identifying each freight car with a pocket to hold the other form, a 4-step waybill. The pocket and waybill are sized so that only one of the waybill’s […]

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