Mini-mills provided half of U.S. and Canadian steel-making capacity in 2001. Their decentralized geographic distribution mirrored U.S. population density (with the notable exception of California), and did not work to the benefit of railroads. The remaining integrated mills primarily sold high-quality sheet steel to auto and appliance factories. Railroads included in this map: BNSF Railway; […]
I think every model railroad should have a valance. What is a valance, you may ask? A valance is a view block suspended from the ceiling that follows the edge of the benchwork and frames the layout for viewing. If you think of a model railroad as a stage, then a valance serves the purpose […]
Norfolk Southern intermodal train No. 215 passes a stopped freight with Canadian Pacific power at Faulconer, Ky., on the CNO&TP First District on Feb. 29, 2016. Photo by Jeff Wagoner […]
Building a small diorama for some of my N scale models allowed me to combine my two favorite hobbies: model railroading and photography. The idea for this project was formulated while I was building a number of N scale wood kits from Hunterline. In fact, I was having so much fun that I kept building […]
Santa Fe’s Chief approaches the Lamanda Park siding on May 17, 1946. The fireman on the helper is ready to jump off and uncouple his 4-8-2 so it can move into the clear and let 4-8-4 No. 2921 continue east with train 20. Stan Kistler In early 1946, my family moved into a small house […]
FULL SCREEN Jack Delano, courtesy of the Library of Congress Santa Fe conductor George Burton tends the fire in the stove of his freight train’s caboose in March 1943. Burton lived in Chillicothe, Illinois, and worked the run between there and Corwith Yard in Chicago. FULL SCREEN Jack Delano, courtesy of the Library of Congress […]
As the prototype photo depicts (below), even urban roads like this CSX route through Miami aren’t immune to weeds sprouting up along the rails. To model these scruffy patches on his HO scale layout, Thomas Klimoski used Heki Wild Grass Fiber. When adding scenery to a model railroad, many layout builders tend to overlook the […]
Head-end traffic helped cover some of the costs of America’s passenger trains for many years. Contracts with the United States Postal Service covered the transportation of mail, while the Railway Express Agency (REA) provided a nation- wide package delivery service. Small-to-medium-sized railroads forwarded most of the mail in Railway Post Office (RPO) cars and packages […]
Having trouble viewing this video? Please visit our Video FAQ page Even if spring hasn’t arrived quite yet, that’s just fine by us. Chilly temps in this long month should give you plenty of time to continue enjoying this great hobby and Jenny Maaske’s preview of model railroad related videos coming to Model Railroader […]
Check out these plans for a Copper Range RR caboose from Model Railroader magazine. When I scratchbuild rolling stock, I do my best to follow a prototype. I typically select a subject from one of my favorite railroads, which happen to be the Soo Line, Chicago & North Western, and neighboring roads. The Russell Car & Snow-Plow Co. […]
Learn how to build structures for your model railroad from a variety of materials including styrene, wood, cast plaster, and other materials. Includes 5 complete construction projects and tips for adding detail to stone, brick, roofs, and more. ($5.95, 35 pages, 2.7 KB) Download this article collection today! […]
1930s-era freight cars and locomotive on Model Railroader‘s Rice Harbor project layout. Accurail No. 2500 series Norfolk & Western USRA twin hoppers (2) No. 4111 Virginian 40-foot outside braced-boxcar with wood doors and wood ends No. 4311 New York Central 40-foot outside-braced boxcar with wood doors and metal ends No. 43041 Pennsylvania 40-foot outside-braced boxcar […]
