283-car Union Pacific Coal Train at the Colorado Model Railroad Museum

Yellow Union Pacific-style model locomotives lead a coal train on a Western US-themed layout.

Watch a 283-car Union Pacific coal train climb the 2.5 percent grade to the Quartz Mountain summit. Powered by 11 locomotives — two on the head end, with five more sets distributed through the train. The train is three scale miles long (200 actual feet) and weighs 30,000 prototype tons. Engineers Luke Brendsel and Scott Warren […]

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How-to Library: Designing a layout, Part 4 Sharing the project with others

David Popp and Tony Koester take a closer look at the collection of historic photos and maps.

Having trouble viewing this video?   Please visit our Video FAQ page Host David Popp invites MR Contributing Editor Tony Koester to take a closer look at the collection of historic photos and maps. The two consider how to select and shape these references into Layout Design Elements (LDEs), which can be used to form […]

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How-to Library: Designing a layout, Part 5 The Doodle Phase

David turns maps into a railroad sketch.

Having trouble viewing this video?   Please visit our Video FAQ page David begins the process of transforming maps and other references into a preliminary model railroad sketch. While a pencil sketch isn’t intended to be final track plan, David shows how it can be used to reveal critical design and/or construction issues at an […]

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Olympia 2, The Log Blog: Part 21

Structures on the Olympia layout

Having trouble viewing this video?   Please visit our Video FAQ page This time it’s all about the details that David is adding to the Olympia Logging Co. On30 layout extension! Follow along as he share insights for installing fascia-mounted throttle panels and small fixtures/furniture for his structures, plus tips on painting figures. […]

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Modeler’s Spotlight Video — Inside Cody’s Office for November 2018

Cody Grivno in his office

Having trouble viewing this video?   Please visit our Video FAQ page An O scale structure from Menards, an HO dome car from Rapido Trains, and an N scale Alco diesel from Atlas Model Railroad Co. are among the new products to arrive this month in Cody’s Office. Group technical editor Cody Grivno shows you […]

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Cody’s Workshop: Episode 32 – Factory Fresh Locomotive

Cody Grivno’s Workshop Part 32

Having trouble viewing this video?   Please visit our Video FAQ page Weathering effects can make a model appear as though it’s ridden the rails for a million miles or more. But what if you want to model a locomotive that’s relatively fresh from the shop? Let Cody show you quick and easy techniques that’ll […]

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Off The Rails: Episode 32

Off the Rails with Gerry Leone Episode 32

Having trouble viewing this video?   Please visit our Video FAQ page Host Gerry Leone has more “Construction Kinks” to work out in this episode of OTR. Never mind that the basis for some of the tips are more than 60 years old, they’re still very applicable to the modeling tasks we perform today! […]

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MRVP Tech: Digikeijs DR5000 Command Station Demo

MRVPTech Digicentral Command Station

Having trouble viewing this video?   Please visit our Video FAQ page Senior Editor Dana Kawala hosts this insightful demo of the Digikeijs DR5000 Digital Command Control (DCC) station. In this video, you’ll see how easy it is to interface the component with your PC. Dana  also shows how the DR5000 is readily compatible with […]

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How-to Library: TCS WOWSound Diesel Decoder Installation

Train Control System (TCS) WOWSound DCC sound decoder.

Having trouble viewing this video?   Please visit our Video FAQ page In this episode of MRVP Tech, David Popp and Ben Lake team up to install a Train Control System (TCS) WOWSound DCC sound decoder into an HO scale diesel locomotive used on a familiar MRVP project railroad. You’ll also get to see how […]

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