HO scale Toledo, Walhonding Valley & Ohio

HO scale Toledo, Walhonding Valley & Ohio

The layout at a glance Name: Toledo, Walhonding Valley & Ohio Layout owner: Associated Model Railroad Engineers of Coshocton Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 40 x 143 feet (layout), 50 x 150 feet (room) Theme: freelanced Locale: southeastern Ohio Era: not specific Style: walk in Mainline run: approximately 967 feet Minimum radius: 42″ (main line) Minimum […]

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New model trains for the week of July 16, 2020

blue caboose with windows

See the latest HO, N, Z, and large scale model railroad products from Broadway Limited Imports, DCCconcepts, ScaleTrains.com, and more! HO scale locomotives Electro-Motive Division F units. F3A: Southern Pacific (orange and black, one road number). F7A and F7B: Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe (F7A, F7B, and F7A-B set in one number each); Great Northern […]

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New model trains for the week of July 9, 2020

Three sheathed boxcars

HO scale locomotives Electro-Motive Division GP38-2 diesel locomotive. Canadian National (red, white, and black with Illinois Central reporting marks); Canadian Pacific (with large herald in two road numbers, small herald in one number); Illinois Central Gulf (orange-and-white and orange-and-gray schemes, two numbers each); Missouri Pacific (1972 as-delivered paint scheme); Soo Line (red “SOO” lettering on […]

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How to transfer a track plan from paper to model railroad benchwork

A drywall T-square with measuring tape on benchwork

This simple method lets you scale up a track plan from a magazine or sketch onto your model train table You’ve managed to find the perfect track plan in a book or magazine, or you’ve spent hours at the drawing table or computer carefully drafting a track plan. The next step is transferring the track […]

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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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How-to Library: Signaling with JMRI, Part 2

A tv screen with JMRI logo

The JMRI signaling series continues with MRVP’s Ben Lake taking a closer look at the Layout Editor tool within PanelPro software. On the Canadian Canyons N scale layout, Ben shares his process and insights for using Layout Editor to link various components (turnouts, track segments, etc.) of a signaling system. […]

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Dow to sell rail operations to Watco: Digest

Still more Monday morning rail news: Dow to sell rail operations to Watco Dow Inc. will sell its rail infrastructure and operations at six sites to Watco for more than $310 million, the chemical giant announced today. The two companies will also enter long-term service agreements to continue to provide service to Dow businesses at […]

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How to make dimensioned drawings using Onshape online solid-modeling software

3-D printed gauge 1 wheel

Last time I 3D printed the wheel made in a solid modeling program called Onshape and I didn’t like the results. I redesigned the wheel to make it more aesthetically pleasing and to better meet my needs. Instead of walking through the steps that I took to create this new, improved wheel, I will show […]

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MRVP Insider: MRVP Underground with David Popp, Episode 22 – Hanging on the ropes

David Popp stringing LED rope lighting to his layout

For this July episode of MRVP Underground, host David Popp is on the task of stringing new LED rope lighting over his Olympia Logging Co. On30 layout. Plus, you’ll also see how simple it is to add a stelllar sound system to complement the layout’s light show! […]

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