Canadian Canyons Series: Part 15 – Building the panel

Ban Lake holding a piece of paper next to a layout

For part two of this mini-series, MRVP’s Ben Lake moves forward with the staging yard turnout control installation on our Canadian Canyons N scale project layout. Now that the switch motors are installed, wired, and programmed, Ben shows how to make a stylized, fascia-mounted control panel to house the associated pushbuttons and LED indicators. […]

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Trains Presents: Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum steam double header

Watch a steam doubleheader with former Southern Railway 2-8-0 No. 630 and 2-8-2 No. 4501 in fall 2016. You’ll see the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum excursion run on former Central of Georgia trackage out of Chattanooga with both locomotives under steam. Be sure to look for our special issue, Big Steam is Back, available now, […]

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How-to Library: Modeling asphalt streets – Part 2

Asphalt road on a model layout.

Having trouble viewing this video?   Please visit our Video FAQ page   MRVP Contributing Editor Gerry Leone continues working to give his asphalt street section even more visual interest. In this video, you’ll see Gerry’s techniques for drybrushing highlights, painting lane markings, adding pavement cracks and patches, and finally, blending the various effects using […]

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How-to Library: Modeling asphalt streets – Part 1

Modeling asphalt streets.

Having trouble viewing this video?   Please visit our Video FAQ page   Looking for a technique to use when making asphalt streets with a realistic appearance? That’s just what you’ll find in this two-part video series from MRVP Contributing Editor Gerry Leone! Gerry’s step-by-step instructions walk and talk you through the common products and […]

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Trains Presents: Train Festival 2009

three steam locomotives

Train Festival 2009 brought together some of the best U.S. steam in central Michigan for an unforgettable weekend of railroading. You’ll see locomotives big and small, from saddletank switchers all the way up to the famed Daylight 4-8-4 No. 4449. Be sure to look for our special issue, Big Steam is Back, available now, along […]

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The Salt Lake Route, Part 6 – Industry and yard scenery

MRRC0610_100a

In the final installment of our N scale project layout series, Dick Christianson explains how he modeled the industries and yard in Caliente, Nev. Fig. 1 Backdrop. Lacking enough sky to cover the tempered hardboard, Dick cut the sky and clouds from the photo and let the blue backdrop suffice. Fig. 2 Protective covering. Dick […]

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Video: Athearn Genesis HO scale class Z-8 Challenger

Athearn Genesis HO scale class Z-8 Challenger

Check out a superdetailed Northern Pacific class Z-8 Challenger as it makes a run on the Model Railroader staff’s HO scale Milwaukee, Racine & Troy layout. This Athearn Genesis steam locomotive model features a SoundTraxx Tsunami Digital Command Control (DCC) decoder. […]

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Video: HO scale Hoosac Valley RR

a scene on a model railroad layout

Having trouble viewing this video?   Please visit our Video FAQ page In this short video watch trains run through some of the new scenes on Dick Elwell’s HO scale Hoosac Valley RR. You’ll also find an updated track plan and exclusive photos of the layout in the August 2017 Model Railroader. […]

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