Hypertufa recipe and techniques How have you made structures and walls with hypertufa or similar cement products? Two reports show four different applications for hypertufa. Ray Turner shows a picture of his helix mountain still unpainted for us to study; the final photo shows a magnificently finished set of bridges spanning the cement-product valley backdropped […]
In my last column for Garden Railways (Tunneling through tough times), I mentioned learning more about making handmade hardscape using hypertufa “in the next issue.” Little did I know how much would change in the next couple of years—the print GR is no longer produced and Trains.com has been revamped. I’m finally ready to showcase […]
Passenger car lighting with a decoder: People have been installing light-emitting diodes (LEDs) inside passenger cars for years. It’s nothing new. There are plenty of articles written about it, but I wanted to go further. When operating my trains in the yard, I want the lights in my passenger car to be off, but when […]
Airbrushing is a facet of the hobby I really enjoy. I’m sure some of my interest in painting is because my father and grandfather were auto body repairmen. I grew up around paint and paint equipment. One of the many lessons I learned from them was to take care of your tools. That’s true whether […]
In this episode, our host intentionally works his way between a rock and a hard place! The tough stuff starts when he discovers a flaw in his operating scheme. With a remedy in place, David starts into the scenery. As he shares here, installing the foreground rock wall scenery is an easy lift when using […]
Gauge: ODimensions: 20 x 32 feetTrack: GarGravesSwitches: Ross Custom SwitchesMotive power: K-Line, Lionel, MTH, 3rd Rail, Weaver, WilliamsRolling stock: K-Line, Lionel, MTH, 3rd Rail, WeaverControls: Lionel type-ZW and MTH No. Z-4000 (4) transformers, with MTH Digital Command System and Lionel LegacyStructures: Ameri-Towne, Downtown Deco, MTH, scratchbuiltVehicles: Corgi, Diecast Direct, Ertl, SolidoFigures: Arttista, Homies, Model Power, […]
Sometimes a discussion about prototype railroading can lead to a modeling project. A few years back I was talking with my longtime friend William Phalen in Crookston, Minn. During our conversation, I mentioned seeing a photo of a pile of grain doors by the Crookston Farmers Co-op Elevator. He said the doors were stored on […]
I love Lego, and I love trains. When I first saw the SoundTraxx Blunami decoder being demonstrated inside a Lego locomotive at Trainfest, I knew that I had to install my own decoder in a Lego locomotive. What you’ll need Obviously, you will need a locomotive. Trains.com producer Ben Lake donated his Lego Creator No. […]
Model railroad layout photography tips: Taking great shots of your layout has never been easier. Digital single lens reflex cameras or even the camera in your cell phone take a lot of the guesswork out of photography, if you know what you’re doing. This article will focus on the basics of photography, so that you […]
Host David Popp promises to show you the easiest way you’ll ever see to install a Tortoise by Circuitron Switch Motor! Plus, you’ll also see simple techniques for attaching feeder wires, soldering rail joints, and even painting the track for a more realistic appearance. Let’s get started! Curious about alternative installation solutions? Be sure to […]
Malcolm Furlow’s waterfall modeling technique: Malcolm Furlow’s article presented here originally ran in the August 1980 issue of Model Railroader magazine. While many of the brands Malcolm used in the article are no longer available, most all the products have modern substitutes, allowing a modeler to still complete similar projects. As a case in point, […]
After host David Popp cleans up a few foibles around the cork roadbed, he turns to the task of modifying turnouts to accommodate Tortoise switch motors. And then his full focus goes to laying down the trackwork! Follow his fastidious process for aligning the main line and gluing into place…to perfection! And be sure to […]
