Industrial scenes, a restored steam locomotive, aged diesels, and other model railroad photos

A man on a small industrial shifter moving a tank car on narrow gauge tracks is dwarfed by surrounding industrial buildings

  Trackside Photos is a showcase for the work of Model Railroader readers. Send your photos (digital images 5 megapixels or larger) to: Model Railroader, Trackside Photos, P.O. Box 1612, Waukesha, WI 53187-1612; or upload them to http://fileupload.kalmbach.com/contribute. For our photo submission guidelines, contact associate editor Steven Otte at sotte@mrmag.com. […]

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10 tips for using MTH Trains’ RealTrax

RealTrax switch with bottom cover removed

Here are a few tips and tricks when working with MTH RealTrax:   The two ground rails are not tied together. This is true for other track systems using non-metallic ties, including those from Atlas O and GarGraves. If you add a switch, you need to add a lockon and make sure it’s on the […]

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Cut door and window openings

HO scale liquefied petroleum gas dealer at Hales Corners on Milwaukee, Racine & Troy.

I enjoy scratchbuilding structures from styrene because it’s easy to cut, it takes glue well, and it’s readily available, 1. Though cutting wall sections is easy, making door and window openings can be tedious. However, with the Nibbler cutting tool, you can cut openings quickly and accurately. The Nibbler is a hand-operated punch-and-die tool that […]

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Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum photo gallery

Steam locomotive exhausts steam near the ground

Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum, one of the sacred places of American railway preservation, recently celebrated its 60th anniversary with special operations of legendary Southern Railway steam locomotives Nos. 4501 and 630 and night photo sessions. Sol S. Tucker photographed the activities for Trains the weekend of Oct. 23 and 24, 2021. Nos. 4501 and 630 […]

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Remembering Newfoundland Railway trains

Caboose at rear of freight train in open country

All through February 2021, Classic Trains editors are celebrating the heritage and quaint perseverance of the Newfoundland Railway. This week, we are exploring Newfie trains in black and white images in this photo gallery. We hope you enjoy! […]

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Motorcycle special recalls Amtrak’s era of experiments

Motorcycle rider waiving while driving.

  In the 1990s Amtrak managers sought to use mail and express business to bolster revenue. A byproduct of that initiative, which involved beefing up baggage handling facilities and acquisition of boxcars, was aggressively seeking ways to use equipment. New Hampshire-based motorcycle event promoter Charlie St. Clair was a member of Amtrak’s Customer Advisory Committee […]

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Efficient and well-stocked workshop for the garden railroader

A well-stocked workshop for modeling

Garden railroad workshops come in all shapes and sizes. What is important about the workshop is that the work surface be large enough to accommodate whatever it is you want to work on without knocking into your stash of tools, paint and glue bottles, or anything else. Make sure your workbench is sturdy. The height […]

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