We pick up where we left off in part one. Having recently completed the roadbed, track, and wiring on our East Troy Industrial Park project layout, we advance now to… Digital Command Control Digital Command Control (DCC) is the best way to power and operate a brand-new model railroad. The biggest advantage of DCC is […]
The concrete west portal of Erie’s Otisville (N.Y.) tunnel — from which a Berkshire-powered freight emerges — is fairly simple, but with pilasters and the inscription “19–OTISVILLE–08” in embossed lettering overhead. Note the early installation of welded rail on the eastward track. Wayne Brumbaugh photo […]
Welcome back to the East Troy Industrial Park Project – This episode is a scenic smorgasbord! Starting with the final touches on the weathered HO scale (1:87.1) bridge, you’ll learn the technique for affixing Monroe Models pastel weathering. Then, see how to populate the farm scene with cast-off details, like rusty barrels and a truck, […]
Former Editor Neil Besougloff purchased this manuscript in 2002, and wondered why it hadn’t been used. I found the answer while scanning the slides–the photo quality is not great. While the photos are not usable in print, I hope they find some value in this online version. I’ve also learned that author Peter J. Corrigan […]
Join Cody Grivno for the latest Sidetrack Series departure, as he dives into the detail work on his HO scale (1:87.1) depot structure roof and chimney! See how he uses paints to create realistic shingle highlights and weathering streaks. Then learn a handy trick for filling the gap between plastic parts. Cody also shares the […]
There’s nothing quite like that feeling of running a “first train” on a new model railroad. Although the scenery is still bare benchwork, the look and sound of those first wheels rolling under their own power along nickel-silver rails produces a thrill that never gets old. By the time we reach the conclusion of this […]
Let’s be frank, not all of us have the luxury of immense space for a massive model railroad empire. But that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the hobby, even in the most cramped room. By turning the pages of past issues and books by the Model Railroader staff, here are five recommendations for compact track […]
The idea of a custom run product — a manufacturer creating a special item for a retailer not sold in its catalog — is nothing new. Custom toy train products have existed for more than 100 years. “Custom run cars filled a gap in the market,” said Contributing Editor Bob Keller. “Manufacturers generally [produced products […]
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It’s a cliché to refer to a decade as a “decade of change.” In the summation of our nation’s history, what decade wasn’t a decade of change? Change is perhaps the great constant of American history, and in many ways it is that forward-looking dynamism that keeps America at the vanguard of the international community. […]
If we are fortunate enough to have good genes, avoid fatal accidents, and escape catastrophic illness, it will come to all of us: old age. Model railroaders with huge layouts face a unique set of problems as the years pass by. There are several signs that may tell you it’s time to downsize: Half of […]
Painting is one of my favorite aspects of the hobby, though I guess that shouldn’t come as a big surprise. My father and grandfather were auto body repairmen, so painting (albeit on vehicles, not model trains) has been a part of my life from an early age. I started airbrushing model trains in my early […]
