Drew’s Trackside Adventures, Episode 9 – Tower A2 in Chicago

A Metra passenger train speeds north with downtown Chicago in the background.

In part 2 of Drew’s trip to Chicago, he visits two towers along Metra’s former Milwaukee Road lines – A5 and A2. In this video, Drew gives you a close-up look inside the towers, and you get to meet the people who run these busy railroad junction points. […]

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History According to Hediger: Modeling the Auto-Train in HO scale

Diesel locomotives with auto carriers

Having trouble viewing this video?   Please visit our Video FAQ page In the 1970s, then editor Linn Westcott asked young associate editor Jim Hediger to build an HO model of the Auto-Train for the cover of the December 1974 issue of MR – all 38 cars of it! Jim shares the models he built […]

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Cody’s Workshop: Episode 9 – Stripping paint

black-and-white photo of Cody Grivno wearing a white jacket and safety goggles on head

Having trouble viewing this video?   Please visit our Video FAQ page Just in time for Halloween, Cody shows you two ways to strip paint from models in his latest visit to the “MR Laboratory.” He also shares some scary tips for preparing resin models, cutting coupler trip pins, and painting locomotive numberboards. And watchout […]

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The Roundhouse: Episode 10

Hal Miller, Dana Kawala, and Neil Besougloff

Having trouble viewing this video?   Please visit our Video FAQ page Steve Haynes, sales manager for track manufacturer Peco, returns as Hal’s guest on The Roundhouse. Youth in the hobby, the National Train Show, and what it takes to produce models are all topics on this episode. And look for the first Unofficial Roundhouse […]

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Drew’s Trackside Adventures, Episode 8 -Western Ave., Chicago

A round-nosed diesel passenger locomotive rounds a corner in a busy freight yard.

Drew’s off to Chicago this time to catch up with Metra, Chicago’s commuter rail system. After doing some railfanning with Steve Sweeney of Trains magazine at the busy Western Avenue Station, Drew and the crew are off to tour Metra’s shops. Is there a Metra-themed project railroad in our future? Time will tell! […]

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History According to Hediger: Riding the Auto-Train

Passenger train models

Having trouble viewing this video?   Please visit our Video FAQ page Planes, trains, automobiles, and even a tornado, this episode has it all! Jim recounts his trip to Florida in the 1970s on the then-new Auto-Train, but half the adventure proved to be just getting to the station! Related Topics: history according to hediger […]

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Cody’s Workshop: Episode 8 – Filling holes in plastic

working on the roof of a caboose

Having trouble viewing this video?   Please visit our Video FAQ page In September’s Workshop, Cody shows you how to plug holes in plastic models left by running boards. He also shows you how to build a coupler-painting jig, as seem in a recent Pelle Søeborg MR article. And he answers some viewer mail questions […]

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Cody’s Workshop: Episode 7 – touching up resin water and painting locomotive step stripes

Cody Grivno holding a locomotive

Having trouble viewing this video?   Please visit our Video FAQ page Want to know how to touchup the surrounding scenery after pouring resin water? That’s just one of the projects Cody tackles this month in the MR Workshop. Cody also shares a great tool for neatening up your layout wiring, and he explains how […]

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Drew’s Trackside Adventures: Episode 7 – Trempealeau Wisconsin

Boat yard in Wisconsin near the Mississippi River.

Drew is off on a summer railfan road trip, this time to Alma and Trempealeau, Wis., along the Mississippi River. In this episode, Drew shares a lot of great shots of BNSF Railway trains, gives you a few camera tips, and looks at a couple of things you may want to add to your model […]

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