Sketching with Steve: Staging cassettes

A group of isometric and orthogonal sketches show a design for a staging cassette that can slide into a socket on a model railroad layout

Staging yards are how we represent the rest of the world beyond the unavoidably finite portion modeled on our layouts. Trains that come and go from staging can be arriving from the next town down the line, the next division point, or the other side of the continent. Staging is invaluable to creating the illusion […]

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Back on Track: Planning a switching area, Episode 9

Back on Track gets back to the track! In this episode, host Gerry Leone shares his plans and process for adding a staging yard and switching area, including where and how to place key track switches to save valuable layout space. […]

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Back on Track: Planning a switching area, Episode 9

Back on Track gets back to the track! In this episode, host Gerry Leone shares his plans and process for adding a staging yard and switching area, including where and how to place key track switches to save valuable layout space. […]

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Back on Track: Fixing a few helix flaws, Episode 7

Series host Gerry Leone is definitely playing catch up in this episode, as he works to patch up a minor oversight. Watch to see how he corrects and simplifies the helix construction, and then presents a clever suggestion for looking back in time when building a new home or layout. […]

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Back on Track: Painting & installing a backdrop, Episode 8

Bound and determined to build it better than his previous layout, Gerry walks through his evolved process for handling the installation of a hardboard backdrop. Plenty of neat tips and trick can be found in this and other episodes of Back on Track, an exclusive Trains.com series! […]

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Back on Track: Fixing a few helix flaws, Episode 7

Series host Gerry Leone is definitely playing catch up in this episode, as he works to patch up a minor oversight. Watch to see how he corrects and simplifies the helix construction, and then presents a clever suggestion for looking back in time when building a new home or layout. […]

Read More…

Back on Track: Painting & installing a backdrop, Episode 8

Bound and determined to build it better than his previous layout, Gerry walks through his evolved process for handling the installation of a hardboard backdrop. Plenty of neat tips and trick can be found in this and other episodes of Back on Track, an exclusive Trains.com series! […]

Read More…

Uncle Dave’s N scale Indoor Garden Ry. (UDIG) and East & Beyond (E&B)

Overhead of a track plan

Facts & features Name: Uncle Dave’s Indoor Garden Ry. (UDIG) and East & Beyond (E&B) Scale: N (1:160) Size: 28 x 40 feet Theme: Route of the California Zephyr Locale: California to Chicago and points east Era: 1960-1999 Style: walk-in Mainline run: 380 feet Minimum radius: 21” (UDIG), 15” (E&B) Minimum turnout: no. 8 Maximum […]

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