Sign up for your FREE download and Model Railroader’s FREE weekly e-newsletter. Steam locomotives were usually serviced every 100 – 150 miles, making engine terminals as much a part of the railroad scene as crossties and creosote. These terminals offer a variety of structures and operations and they can be modeled in a compact space. Download […]
Having trouble viewing this video? Please visit our Video FAQ page More helpful lessons from MRVP’s Gerry Leone in this model railroad photography how-to mini-series. This time, you’ll learn how to talk the talk so you can walk the walk with ease! […]
Use prototypical railroads to design more realistic layouts, build accurate track arrangements, and plan for the future. […]
When I learned our 4-year-old granddaughter was visiting my wife Diana and me for Christmas, I was determined to make the holiday extra special by building an O gauge Christmas tree train layout – and I knew where to turn for help. My brother Norman has been a model railroader for as long as I […]
Download this free 14-page PDF to learn what makes one model railroad track plan better for operation than another. Inside this eBook, the editors of Model Railroader magazine discuss how to add realistic operation to freight yards, engine terminals, staging yards, loading zones, and more! […]
When creating model railroads, it’s important to give your model cities and scenery the same realistic treatment you give your trains. A well-detailed and realistic downtown scene and scenery can add as much to a model railroad as any lineside industry. Download this free 15-page PDF for layout planning ideas that will bring your layout […]
When it comes to designing your own model railroad layout, getting your ideas down on paper is the first and most important step. Drawing your plan to scale with a reasonable degree of accuracy will ensure you that your plan will fit your space. Download this free 15-page PDF to learn how to draw accurate […]
So long as your rails are clean and your rolling stock is fine-tuned, it’s time to inspect your right-of-way for problems. This is the first of five quick articles on how to check for and fix common mechanical and electrical track problems with model railroad track. First, you’ll need to run a test train over […]
Theo Cobb illustration Theo Cobb illustration For each turnout, make sure that the check gauge — spacing between the guardrail and the frog — is correct. Paul J. Dolkos So long as your rails are clean and your rolling stock is fine-tuned, it’s time to inspect your right-of-way for problems. This is the second of […]
Check the track voltage using a multimeter. The voltage reading should be the same along each powered track section. Paul J. Dolkos So long as your rails are clean and your rolling stock is fine-tuned, it’s time to inspect your right-of-way for problems. This is the third of five quick articles on how to check […]
A locomotive leaning into a superelevated curve is a dramatic scene on a prototype and model railroad. Follow the simple method above for making superelevated curves on your model train layout using layers of cardstock shims I think the most exciting railroad photos are of a locomotive at speed leaning into a curve. This “lean” […]
Download this free 24-page PDF for a brief overview of track-planning terms, tips, and techniques as well as a handful of Lionel FasTrack plans of all sizes. […]
