Question: I’ve been noticing the term “control points” (CPs) being used in train-watching videos and in your magazine. The article on John Schindler’s amazing St. Louis Junction [March 2020] mentions CPs including West Madison, Gratiot, and Chicago Throat. Canadian Pacific’s Paynesville Sub has CP 115 and CP 70. This tells me CPs can be designated […]
VIA Rail Turbo no. 2 approaches Lyn Road in December 1980 on Jason Shron’s triple-deck HO scale Kingston Sub model railroad. The trackside photo of the Turbo Train is also this month’s featured computer desktop wallpaper. Click on the links below to download the image sized appropriately for your computer screen. Download the 1600 x […]
We’ve kept close to home since quarantine and social distancing guidelines have been issued. Club meetings have been canceled; events and open houses have been put on hold. Our hearts go out to anyone affected by COVID-19. Time at home has spawned creative moments, though. I’ve refurbished structures, maintained locomotives and rolling stock, and looked […]
Question: I model in N scale. I’m having problems uncoupling the cars. Is there a tool out there to assist with this task, or do you have a suggestion on how to make this easier? – William Semanko, Junction City, Kan. Answer: Many N scalers like yourself uncouple their cars by inserting the point of […]
Denver & Rio Grande Western class K-27 2-8-2 Mikado no. 463 starts down the High Line with a string of boxcars in tow on Mike Schwab’s Sn3 scale D&RGW layout. Mike’s trackside photo is also September’s featured computer desktop wallpaper. Click on the links below to download the image sized appropriately for your computer screen. […]
Toy train tables are a must-have for almost anyone looking to operate or display their collection — from Lionel and American Flyer to Thomas. Throughout the years, Classic Toy Trains has promoted building tables and Model Railroader has published fine plans for small layouts. But some toy train enthusiasts just want to buy a table […]
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 […]
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 […]
Question: When I was young, my father collected issues of Model Railroader. Some issues were lost when we moved. One of the lost issues contained scale drawings of the Denver & Rio Grande outside-frame narrow gauge 2-8-2 steam locomotive. I’d be very happy to know if such a scale drawing can still be bought. I’ve […]
It’s before sunrise on April 12, 1863, at the Atlanta Car Shed, and Western & Atlantic 4-4-0 locomotive The General is steaming up for its 4 a.m. run to Chattanooga, Tenn. While the crew eats breakfast at the Lacy Hotel, about 20 Union soldiers disguised as civilians will commandeer the train, leading to the events […]
[…]
Earlier this year, we put out the call for MR readers to send us their best model railroad photos. We published the winners in the July 2020 Model Railroader. Follow the links below to download the images of all eight winning trackside photos sized appropriately for use as computer screen desktops. Click on the links […]
