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Tag: How To
How to make drawings for a large-scale structure
Once you have decided on a building to model, a plan of it on paper will be a great help. If the building you are contemplating is small enough, a full-size drawing is a good idea. This will allow you to see the actual size of the structure in advance. This article will be usedful […]
Build a 1:22.5-scale combine
Download the PDF of this project here. This PDF is formatted to print on your home printer. Most pieces are formatted to fit on a 8.5″ x 11″ piece of paper. For larger parts of the plan, you will see “break lines.” Line up the break lines to create the larger piece. Despite our best […]
Bob Porge’s O gauge layout
Bob Porges has a rudimentary case of nostalgia backwards. Bob’s layout isn’t a reflection of the toy trains of his childhood – rather, it is a reflection of his life. In virtually every corner of his O gauge layout, you’ll find vignettes of Bob’s childhood, his family, his career, and even his financial portfolio, all […]
Cal-State Railroad Museum O and Standard gauge layout
What’s that? This is the summer when you visit every NASCAR track and Elvis memorial in Dixie? Forget it. Your passports are ready so you can take the kids to Six Flags over Cambodia? Put ’em away. There’s a family reunion in Wisconsin and you promised to bring the cheese curds and bratwurst? Let the […]
Denver, Front Range & Western
See these two articles on Doug Tagsold’s Denver, Front Range & Western. Doug Tagsold’s Denver, Front Range & Western Railfanning in Colorado […]
Saving an American Flyer Royal Blue engine from a landfill
While I have been a part of the toy train hobby, I have attended many train shows and met other train lovers. And I’ve come to realize that there are hundreds of us that don’t know enough about the value and rarity of different O and S gauge trains. We may not even be aware […]
Compact coved backdrop corners
Good lighting helps Flemming Örneholm hide the compact covered corner in his background. Coved corners help to reinforce the feeling of great distance that’s produced by a good backdrop. Large layouts with plenty of real estate often use wide, gently curved panels to make these inside corners disappear. But modelers with small layouts can’t afford […]
Layout construction
Open-grid benchworkStarter layouts are often flat and built on a 4 x 8 sheet of plywood. However, the majority of layouts have tracks at varying heights separated by grades. The easiest way to add elevation to a layout is to use open-grid benchwork. For this type of construction you place a plywood subroadbed under the […]
Model locomotive and rolling stock terminology explained
In any hobby, or indeed in any field, there is terminology used as shorthand by those with experience in the hobby or field, to refer to things specific to that hobby. That terminology, though, can be a barrier to entry for the uninitiated. This article is intended to serve as a brief introduction to model […]
Prototypes and modeling terminology explained
It can be difficult to get started in the hobby of model railroading. The terminology a beginner needs to learn is daunting for some, particularly for those without experience with or knowledge of prototype railroading. This article explains prototypes and modeling terminology for beginner model railroaders, or those looking to brush up on their model […]
Control systems and operation
Dispatcher control (cab control)To operate more than one train using direct current (DC) train control, a model railroad can be divided into a series of isolated electrical blocks. A dispatcher then assigns one or more blocks to an operator’s cab, allowing him to run his train in these areas. Memory throttleA memory throttle allows an […]
