I found this manuscript from the late John Grams in our manuscript files. There was no date on the envelope but it’s likely from the early 1990s. The article discusses 12 Lionel products that, while great inventions, were fraught with problems or didn’t work exactly as advertised. He included the following disclaimer: Lionel trains were […]
Facts and features Name: Brush Creek & Western Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 21 x 45 feet Prototype: freelance Locale: St. Louis, Mo., to Oklahoma City, Okla. Era: 1935 to 1975 Style: peninsula Mainline run: 300 feet Minimum radius: 28″ Minimum turnout: No. 5 Maximum grade: 2% Benchwork: open grid Height: 16″ to 72″ Roadbed: lauan […]
Q: What was the western terminus of the MR&T, your HO scale staff layout? — Phil Stead A: Jim Kelly explained the concept behind the Milwaukee, Racine & Troy in “Meet the MR&T” in the December 1989 Model Railroader. “You may have already guessed that the initials in MR&T stand for Model Railroader and Trains, […]
Facts and features Name: Boston & Maine Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 13′-0″ x 34′-9″ Prototype: Boston & Maine Locale: Five villages of Wakefield, N.H. Era: 1909 Style: around-the-walls Mainline run: approximately 90 feet Minimum radius: 18″ Minimum turnout: No. 4 Maximum grade: Less than 1% Benchwork: manufactured truss joists with 1 x 4 L-girders and […]
For well over a century, copper mines and their structures dotted the landscape in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. I was born there and several generations of my family worked in the mines. The last one closed in the late 1960s, marking the end of an era for thousands of people. Most of the facilities were removed […]
While David and Bryson allow the previously painted rail (Episode 16) to dry, they take a moment to focus on installing a switch motor…and they made an electrifying discovery! Follow along as they reveal the issue and the simple remedy that kept the project on the rails. Of course, other efforts must continue as the […]
In this Spaces to Places episode, host Gerry Leone tackles the final touches around the lower deck roundhouse area of his HO scale (1:87.1) Bona Vista model railroad. Gerry first focuses on adapting background buildings, before transforming an empty space behind the roundhouse into an authentic place, including static grass and gravel roads. Want to […]
Price: $49.99 Manufacturer Menards 5106 Menard Dr. Eau Claire, WI 54703 menards.com/trains Era: 1930s to present Comments: Kids on the porch swing, a dog in the front yard, and a neatly manicured yard. Those are just some of the highlights of Grandma’s House, a new HO scale structure from Menards. The two-story house has laser-cut […]
Pittsburgh & West Virginia’s Connellsville, Pa., line was rife with major bridges. Biggest of all was this colossal crossing of the Monongahela River, seen in March 1950 supporting a 2-6-6-4 and freight 99. The three main spans had a lower level for the Monessen Southwestern, but it never used them. Ralph E. Hallock photo […]
Eric White, Editor of Model Railroader magazine, continues his HO scale glass plant project for the East Troy Industrial Park Project Railroad, now focusing on building chimneys with intricate brass details. Discover the secrets to flawless metalwork as he shares tips and tricks for soldering metal parts in a manner that yields a seamless finish…and […]
Q: I’m researching methods to power turnout frogs on my N scale layout. I’m using Atlas code 55 flextrack and Digital Command Control. The majority of turnouts will have manual throws. I’ve read that electronic frog juicers should be used judiciously as they place a continuous load on the power supply. I think single-pole double-throw […]
2025 NMRA National Convention, Train Show Highlights | Tour with Model Railroader Editor Eric White, as he makes the rounds to visit with small vendors and major manufacturers at the 2025 National Model Railroad Association (NMRA) Convention and Train Show recently held in Novi, Michigan. From new model announcements and releases to helpful modeling products […]
