Model Railroader 2014-09

Room-size plan for a shortline railroad
p. 33
New GenSet
diesel tested p. 64
September 2014
www.ModelRailroader.com
Tried and true

Learn how this layout was built using
plenty of traditional techniques p. 44
12 tips to
build more
layout in
less time
p. 36
One of two turntables

on Dave MacPhersons
HO layout. See p. 44.
HOW TO
Make trees from goldenrod p. 57

Put DCC in an old Athearn diesel p. 60
Kitbash structures for our brewery plant p. 24
BONUS
ONLINE
CONTENT
CODE PG. 4
Get on board with the latest WalthersProto releases sign up for Walthers e-newsletters at walthers.com/signup,
or visit your local hobby shop. To nd a shop near you, call 1-800-487-2467 or visit walthers.com.
Prices and delivery dates shown were accurate at press time, for updates please visit walthers.com. Photos and icons show preproduction models for illustration purposes only, some colors and details may vary.
CSX Proprietary marks used by permission of CSX Transportation, Inc. 2014 Wm. K. Walthers, Inc.
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SEPTEMBER2014
Online Content Code: MRR1409

Enter this code at: www.ModelRailroader.com/code
to gain access to web-exclusive content
Volume 81, Number 9
IN THIS ISSUE
Room-size plan for a shortline railroad
33
p. 33
New GenSet
diesel tested p. 64
September 2014
Dream
it. Plan it. Build it.
36
Tried and true
44
Learn how this layout was built using

plenty of traditional techniques p. 44
12 tips to
build more
layout in
less time
p. 36
28 Freelancing the Southern in N scale

Removable scenery and hidden track enhance this compact
11 x 12-foot model railroad
by Alastair Reynolds Online bonus ModelRailroader.com
33 A double-deck plan for a modern short line

The Cascade & Columbia River RR features Pacic
Northwest scenery
by Bob Sprague
HOW TO
57
60
24
On the cover: A 4-8-2 Mountain takes a spin

on the Bradford turntable before picking up
its freight on Dave MacPhersons HO scale
Clinch Mountain Ry. Lou Sassi photo
36 12 tips to build more layout faster

Advice from hobby veterans on how to speed up model
railroad construction
by Tony Koester
42 Add straps to a center-beam atcar

Give these empty cars more detail with hooks and
elastic thread
by Pelle Seborg
44 Tried and true
MREXTRA
The HO scale Clinch Mountain Ry. was built using

traditional methods
by Lou Sassi
51 How to build a gantlet track
Make trees from goldenrod p. 57

Put DCC in an old Athearn diesel p. 60
Kitbash structures for our brewery plant p. 24
IN EVERY ISSUE
6 Digital MR
60 DCC Corner
by Dana Kawala
Modern sound for an

old locomotive
by Mike Polsgrove
8 From the Editor

Time can be on your side
by Neil Besougloff
10 News & Products

by Cody Grivno
Online bonus
ModelRailroader.com
Part 1: This prototype track arrangement can enhance

operation
by Larry Puckett
18 Information Desk
57 Clip and dip goldenrod trees
All about the REA

by Jim Hediger
These tips will ll your layout with believable forests without

spending much time or money
by Ron Stacy
74 Trackside Photos
by Steven Otte
20 N Scale Insight MRVP
HO scale NRE GenSet II from

Atlas Trainman Plus line,
Broadway Limiteds Chesapeake & Ohio 2-10-4 class T-1
in HO scale, and more
by Dana Kawala
Lessons learned on the helix

by Jim Kelly
72 Trains of Thought
22 Workshop Tips
Real-time repairs or
RIP tracks
by Tony Koester
How to solder power feeders

by Jim Hediger
NEXT ISSUE
Like coal hauling? Youll
love Octobers issue, with
visits to HOn3 East Broad
Top and HO Tennessee
Midland layouts, tips on
building an abandoned
mine, and more!
64 Product Reviews MREXTRA
24 Step by Step
85 Index of Advertisers and

Cartoon
Kitbash a brewery, part 2

by Cody Grivno
Online bonus
ModelRailroader.com
Operating small layouts

by Andy Sperandeo
86 The Operators
MREXTRA www.ModelRailroader.com subscriber extra

MRVP
Video on www.MRVideoPlus.com
Model Railroader (USPS 529-810, ISSN 0026-7341) is published monthly by Kalmbach Publishing Co., 21027 Crossroads Circle, P.O. Box 1612, Waukesha, WI 53187-1612. Periodicals postage paid at Waukesha, Wis., and additional ofces.
POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to Model Railroader, Kalmbach Publishing Co., 21027 Crossroads Circle, P.O. Box 1612, Waukesha, WI 53187-1612. Printed in USA. Canada Publication Mail Agreement # 40010760.
64
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Send $3 to Atlas address listed below to receive the latest 2014 Atlas Product Catalog
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"]
UniVii]`i] xU>>VU>>V
DIGITALMR
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Visit us online for more
Dana Kawala
Subscriber Extras How To Videos

News & Reviews Community Shop
MREXTRA
Track Plans
MREXTRA
Find your next model

railroad
Camera
49"
Chasing trains on the Clinch Mountain Ry.

Dont miss Dave McPhersons HO scale Clinch Mountain Ry. on page 44.
Inspired by the fallen ag railroads of New England in the 1950s, this layout
features spectacular scenery along its 110-foot main line. Subscribers can
watch the video under Online Extras at www.ModelRailroader.com.
New product reviews and videos
MREXTRA
See the latest locomotive models in action

At ModelRailroader.com, subscribers will nd an online database of more
than 1,000 product reviews, including hundreds of locomotive demonstrations. The latest demos include an Atlas GenSet II equipped with a
SoundTraxx Digital Command Control sound decoder and a Broadway
Limited Imports Paragon2 C&O 2-10-4. See and hear these new models as
they haul freight on our staff layout, the Milwaukee, Racine & Troy.
Free desktop wallpaper

Get inspired by our
featured layout
The Southern Ry. through Georgia
inspired Alastair Reynolds N scale
Gulf, Atlanta & Eastern on page 28.
This month you can download this
image of Southern FT diesels on
the GA&E to use as a background
on your computer screen.
6
Model Railroader www.ModelRailroader.com
There are more

than 500 track
plans in the Model
Railroader Track
Plan Database.
You can search for
plans by scale,
size, and type.
Subscribers can
download a
printable copy of
any plan for free.
Find the link to the
track plan
database on the
Model Railroader
home page.
Woods Camera
Furniture monitor
Hawthorn
4 percent
grade down Glue
Ridgeway
Paint Co.
Interstate Fuel & Oil
3 percent
grade up
Paceline
Manufacturing
Atlanta
Tool & Die
Removable
scenery sections
48 "
Removable scenery section
Gulf, Atlanta & Eastern
Peco medium-radius turnout
To future
peninsula
50"
N scale (1:160)
Layout size: 11 x 12 feet
Scale of plan: " = 1'-0", 24" grid
Numbered arrows indicate photo locations
Illustration by Rick Johnson
Find more plans online in the
ModelRailroader.com Track Plan Database.
48"
48"
Turntable
Engine
terminal
Roundhouse
Under development
48"
Camera
2.5 percent
down
39 "
A
35 "
Workbench
Helix up to upper
level, 3.5 turns
BNSF west
to Seattle
Columbia River
Cascade &
Columbia River
42"
Helix down to
staging, 1 turn
39 "
2.5 percent up
42"
Seventh Street North
U.S.
Aluminum
Casting
34"
HO scale (1:87.1)
Scale of plan: " = 1'-0", 24" grid
Illustration by Rick Johnson and Bob Sprague
Magi Apple Packing

& Cold Storage
20" radius
Entiat
No. 6 on 12
degree angle
2.5 percent up
Wenatchee
Brewster
west
east
No. 7
Road P
Northwest
24" radius
20" radius
No. 7
Quincy Farm
Chemicals
No. 6 on 12
degree angle
18" radius
Quincy
Columbia River
Celite Corp.
Kenite
Starrs
Ranch
Lower level
34"
2.5
percent
up
Columbia River
MRVP
Weekly e-newsletter
Join our online
community
Make sure youre
getting the latest
online extras by
registering on the MR
home page. Sign up for
free and youll also get
a weekly e-newsletter.
MRVP
42"
36"
so
uth
Scale of staging:
" = 1'-0"
BNSF east to
Spokane
Columbia
Colstor Inc.
no
rth
Grain
elevator
BNSF
staging
Theres quite an
array of spray paints
that can be used for
model railroading
applications. Follow
associate editor
Cody Grivno as he shows you how
to get great results using good ol
rattle cans instead of an airbrush.
MREXTRA
Helix down to
staging, 1 turn
Canal
2.5 percent down
Bonus how-to video

Working with
spray paint
48 "
Six-track staging yard
subscriber extra
Video on www.MRVideoPlus.com
34"
Neil Besougloff
FROMTHEEDITOR
Time can be on your side
When a visitor whos not a model
railroader sees your layout for the first

time, there are always two questions:
How long did it take you to build this?
And How much does it cost?
The wise-guy answer to the money
question is, Everything Ive got.
As for the question about time, a
smart model railroader should turn the
question around and ask, How much
time do I want to take?
In this months issue are three very
different stories about the use of time
and model railroading.
On page 36, contributing editor
Tony Koester shares advice from fellow
model railroaders who have the knack of
building an awful lot of railroad in a
surprisingly short amount of time.
Tony writes they achieve this by
planning, staying organized and
focused, being motivated, making
checklists, and showing discipline.
Its no accident that I didnt have
cable TV until after the layout was operational and I had retired, quips Tonys
buddy Bill Darnaby.
Model Railroader author Lance
Mindheim puts it another way. Be constantly aware of the relationship between
time spent on a project and its visual
contribution to your overall objectives.
Lance is saying that if your goal is to
finish a model railroad, then dont
weather each and every tie on your layout individually.

In a different way, time is part of
Larry Pucketts story on page 51.
Larry has modeled a gantlet track on
his HO scale layout because, with only
about 200 feet of main line, he wanted to
add time to his operations.
A gantlet track squeezes parallel
tracks through a narrow passage, such as
a tunnel or over a bridge. Although rails
overlap, a train does not move from one
track to an adjacent track as it would
entering a siding.
On Larrys Southern Ry. layout, that
means only one train at a time can cross
his Rockfish River bridge, even though
he has a two-track mainline.
His intentional bottleneck enhances
operations on his layout because it
creates a challenge that adds time.
The third story dealing with time is
senior editor Jim Hedigers column
about the Railway Express Agency. Jims
story starts on page 18.
Long gone now, REA was the FedEx
of its day. Jim explains that when parcels
and freight had to get from one place to
another in the least amount of time, they
rode in REA cars on even the most prestigious trains, such as the Pennsylvania
RRs Broadway Limited.
For modelers, Jim explains how REA
cars were placed in prototype trains and
where they should be used on your
model railroad (hint: not at the start of
Larry Pucketts gantlet track).
Be sure to make time to read these
three stories, and of course the rest of
this issue of Model Railroader.
Contributing to Model Railroader

We welcome contributions from our readers, including articles, photographs,
and prototype drawings. For detailed information on submitting material to
MR, contact our editorial associate Eric Stelpug at 262-796-8776, ext. 583, or
mrmag@mrmag.com. Model Railroader assumes no responsibility for the
safe return of unsolicited material. We assume unsolicited material is
intended for publication by Kalmbach Publishing Co. unless otherwise noted.
We assume letters, questions, news releases, and club news items are
contributed gratis.
8
Model railroading is fun!

Founder
A.C. Kalmbach 1910-1981
Editor
Managing Editor
Senior Editors
Associate Editors
Neil Besougloff
Hal Miller
Jim Hediger, Dana Kawala
Cody Grivno, Steven Otte,
Eric White
Editorial Associate
Eric Stelpug
Contributing Editors
Andy Sperandeo,
Tony Koester, Pelle Seborg
Phone
E-mail
Fax
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mrmag@mrmag.com
262-796-1142
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Graphic Designer
Production Coordinator
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Scott Krall
Drew Halverson
Cindy Barder
Model Railroader Video Plus

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Assistant Editor
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A. David Popp
Kent Johnson
Ben Lake
Jenny Maaske
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VISIT
Your Local Retailer
CLICK
Athearn.com
CALL
1.800.338.4639
SERIOUS FUN.
2014 Horizon Hobby, LLC. Athearn and Genesis are registered trademarks of Horizon Hobby, Inc. The Union Pacific mark and other marks owned by Union Pacific are made under trademark license from Union Pacific Railroad Company. All other trademarks, service marks and logos are
property of their respective owners. Final models may vary slightly from photos shown. 45494
NEWS&PRODUCTS
N scale Electro-Motive Division F2 and F3 diesel

locomotives. Kato is offering its hood units in new paint
schemes. The F2 is decorated for Atlantic Coast Line (A-B
set); Chicago, Burlington & Quincy (A-A set); and Rock
Island (A-A set). The F3 is painted for Chicago & North
Industry news
MRC and Model Power enter
licensing agreement. Model Rectifier
Corp. (MRC) announced on June 30 that

it will produce and market Model Powers
railroad products under the Model Power
brand. Model Power and Mantua railroad
and accessory products will now be
available worldwide from MRC.
Frank Ritota, president of MRC,
explained that the plan is to use the
obvious synergy from the melding of
the product lines to create new, profitable opportunities for our dealers and
distributors, as well as innovative
product experiences for railroaders
and other hobbyists.
Adam Tager, formerly vice president
of Model Power, will fill MRCs newly
created post of director of product
development. Tager described Model
Powers train sets, locomotives, rolling
stock, structures, and accessories as
the ideal complement to MRCs DCC
and DC train controls, sound and
accessory decoders, and JTT scale
landscaping products.
HO scale locomotives
Electro-Motive Division GP40-2
diesel locomotive. Canadian National
(GP40-2L, GP40-2W in three road

numbers, and ex-GO Transit GP40-2W
10
New product announcements are posted

on ModelRailroader.com every week
Western (A-A set). Both versions feature a ve-pole motor

with ywheels, a DCC-friendly mechanism, and knuckle
couplers. The ready-to-run F2s and F3s retail for $175
(Atlantic Coat Line, $170). Kato USA Inc., 847-781-9500,
www.katousa.com
in one number), Chessie System

(General Motors 50th anniversary solid
gold scheme in one number, Baltimore
& Ohio reporting marks in two numbers,
or Chesapeake & Ohio marks in two
numbers), GO Transit (GP40-2W),
Seaboard Coast Line (with or without
Pulling for You slogan), and Western
Pacific. All schemes available in four
road numbers unless noted. Operating
lights, prototype-specific details, and
knuckle couplers. Direct-current,
$169.98; with SoundTraxx Digital
Command Control sound decoder,
$269.98. Genesis series. Athearn Trains,
310-763-7140, www.athearn.com
Command Control decoder, and

all-wheel electrical pickup. $119.98. January 2015. Ready-to-Roll. Athearn Trains,
General Electric Dash 9-44CW

diesel locomotive. Atchison, Topeka
Trackmobile 4850TM bi-modal

industrial switcher. New paint
& Santa Fe; British Columbia Ry. (dark

blue); Chicago & North Western (one
number in standard scheme, two with
Operation Lifesaver lettering); BNSF Ry.
(Heritage I, one number with red
walkways, two with orange); Norfolk
Southern (Operation Lifesaver 25th
anniversary); and Union Pacific
(two numbers with high-mounted
number boards, one with low-mounted
boards). Three road numbers per paint
scheme; also available undecorated (low
number boards). Five-pole skew-wound
motor with flywheels, Quick Plug
(8- and 9-pin connectors) for Digital
schemes: Allied Chemical Co., American

Forest Products, Atlantic Marine &
Drydocks, Consolidated Coal Co.,
Florida East Coast, Lone Star Brewery,
Midwest Grain & Feed, National Steel
Corp., Pittsburgh Power & Light, United
States Army, United States Navy,
Trackmobile factory paint scheme, and
Union Pacific; also available painted
yellow but unlettered. One road number
per scheme. Die-cast metal construction,
factory-installed driver figure, and
separately applied details. Directcurrent models, $89.99; with dual-mode
motor decoder, $119.99. Ready-to-run.
Pennsylvania RR class S2 6-8-6

turbine steam locomotive. Number
6200 (as-delivered scheme or with

large or small smoke deflectors); also
available in varnished brass with large
smoke deflectors. Brass body with
die-cast metal chassis, dual-mode
Paragon2 sound decoder, and
operating smoke unit. $749.99. Readyto-run. BrassHybrid series. Broadway
Limited Imports, 386-673-8900,
www.broadway-limited.com
Mobile Updates
Scan the code to
access Model
Railroaders
website for weekly
News & Products
updates.
HO scale freight cars

Assorted freight cars. Cleveland,
Cincinnati, Chicago & St. Louis Ry.
or Virginian Ry. United States Railroad
Administration 55-ton hopper ($15.98
each, Virginian three-pack $46.98);
Chicago, Burlington & Quincy 40-foot
combination-door boxcar; Great Northern 40-foot double-sheathed refrigerator
car ($17.98, three-pack $52.98); and
Northern Pacific 40-foot PS-1 boxcar.
$16.98 each unless noted. Plastic kits
with plastic wheelsets, metal weights,
and Accumate couplers. Accurail,
630-365-6400, www.accurail.com
Broadway Limited Imports, 386-6738900, www.broadway-limited.com
Pullman-Standard 4,750-cubicfoot-capacity three-bay covered

hopper. CSX (single car or three-pack)
and painted white, gray, or mineral

red with data only. Injection-molded
plastic kit with plastic wheelsets, metal
weight, and Accumate couplers. $18.98
each, three-pack $55.98. Accurail,
630-365-6400, www.accurail.com
Electro-Motive Division
SD80MAC diesel locomotive.
New road numbers: CSX and Norfolk

Southern (horsehead silhouette herald).
Two road numbers per paint scheme.
Eight-pin plug for Digital Command
Control decoder, prototype-specific
headlight placement, and modelerinstalled detail parts. $195. Kato USA
Inc., 847-781-9500, www.katousa.com
General Motors Diesel Division

FP9 and F9B diesel locomotives.
CP Rail (Action Red with 5" or 8"

stripes), Canadian Pacific (block or script
lettering), and VIA Rail Canada (19791990 scheme); also available undecorated.
Railroad-specific details, etched-metal
grills, and Macdonald-Cartier metal
couplers. Direct-current models: FP9,
$224.95; F9B, $199.95. With ESU LokSound dual-mode sound decoder:
FP9, $324.95; F9B, $299.95. Rapido Trains,
855-572-6917, www.rapidotrains.com
40-foot ballast hopper. Western

Pacific, Ferromex, Norfolk Southern, and
Pennsylvania RR. Prototype-specific
trucks, removable plastic ballast load, and
McHenry scale couplers. Single car,
$26.98; four-pack (two sets per paint
scheme), $107.98. Ready-to-run.
Athearn Trains, 310-763-7140,
www.athearn.com
Cody Grivno
In Memoriam
D. Keith
Thompson,
1959-2014
Former Model
Railroader
associate editor
Keith Thompson
died June 16
after battling pancreatic cancer for
more than a year. He was 54.
Keith was a member of the
magazines editorial staff from
1992 through 1996 and wrote
dozens of stories and reviews. His
cheerful demeanor made him a
favorite among the staff members,
and he continued to write for
Model Railroader into the 2000s
after moving back to his home
state of Washington.
Paul B. Scoles
III, 1943-2014
Well-known
model railroader
Paul Scoles, of
Shoreline, Wash.,
died May 9 from
cardiac arrest
after surgery. He
was 71.
Paul was a
well-known Sn3 hobbyist who had
written nearly 100 articles for
various model railroad publications
since the 1970s and was featured in
DVDs explaining scenery construction and operation. Pauls Pelican
Bay & Navigation Co. layout was in
Great Model Railroads 2010, and he
was a National Model Railroad
Association Master Model Railroader. He also established and
operated a recording studio, was a
highly decorated Vietnam War
veteran, and an avid baseball fan.
General American Transportation Corp. 23,000-gallon tank car.
TankTrain (early large lettering or late

small lettering). Detailed underframe
including air brake reservoir, control
valve, and brake cylinder with
plumbing and brake rod details;
separately applied grab irons and
etched-metal coupler platforms; and
McHenry body-mounted scale couplers.
Intermediate car (10 road numbers per
scheme plus painted but unnumbered),
$49.98; A-B set (one numbered and

unnumbered set per scheme), $99.98.
Genesis series. Athearn Trains, 310-7637140, www.athearn.com
Pullman-Standard 50-foot
exterior-post boxcar. CSX, Green
Mountain, Guilford/Boston & Maine

(white), Hartford & Slocomb (New
Orleans Public Belt RR patchout),
Milwaukee Road, and Union Pacific (with
SEPTEMBER 2014 Model Railroader
11
NEWS&PRODUCTS
walkways and end platforms, metal
wheelsets, and Proto-Max metal couplers.
$39.98. Ready-to-run. WalthersProto.
Wm. K. Walthers Inc., 414-527-0770,
www.walthers.com
United States Railroad Administration 40-foot steel boxcar. Boston
HO scale Electro-Motive Division SD40-2 diesel locomotive. The

latest release from Athearn is this six-axle road unit decorated for Burlington
Northern. The Ready-to-Roll model has prototype-specic details, a Quick
Plug for a Digital Command Control decoder, wire grab irons, plastic
handrails, and McHenry knuckle couplers. The model sells for $134.98.
Athearn Trains, 310-763-7140, www.athearn.com
Chicago & North Western reporting

marks). Three road numbers per paint
scheme. Separately applied grab irons,
brake wheel, and underbody details;
McHenry couplers; and 33" metal
wheelsets. $19.98. January 2015. Ready-toRoll. Athearn Trains, 310-763-7140,
www.athearn.com
Pulpwood atcar. New paint
schemes: Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe;
Delaware & Hudson; Louisville &
Nashville; Maine Central; Seaboard
Coast Line; and St. Louis-San Francisco.
Two road numbers per scheme. Prototypespecific bulkheads, pulpwood load, and
Accumate couplers. $34.95. Ready-to-run.
Master Line. Atlas Model Railroad Co.,
908-687-0880, www.atlasrr.com
100-ton hoppers. American
Electric Power Service, Canadian
National (black or brown), Conrail
(Conrail reporting marks or New York
Central marks, latter with or without
Conrail Quality herald), Norfolk &
Western (heavy herald, hamburger
herald, or class H11a), and Penn Central
(class H43a or H43d). Three road
numbers per paint scheme. One-piece
injection-molded plastic body,
separately applied brake appliances,
metal wheelsets, and knuckle couplers.
$25.95. February 2015. Ready-to-run.
Executive Line. Bowser, 570-368-2379,
www.bowser-trains.com
American Railroad Association
70-ton, 4-bay open hopper. Balti-
more & Ohio class W2b (three four-packs

available), Boston & Maine, Chesapeake &
Ohio class H7-13 (three four-packs), Erie
12
RR, Milwaukee Road (three four-packs),

Missouri-Kansas-Texas, and Missouri
Pacific; also available painted black but
unlettered. Two four-packs per scheme
unless noted. Plastic and die-cast metal
construction, separately applied details,
removable coal load, and detailed bay
interiors. Four-pack, $149.99. Ready-torun. Broadway Limited Imports, 386-6738900, www.broadway-limited.com
Baltimore & Ohio class M-53

wagontop boxcar. Allegheny Mid-
land, Baltimore & Ohio (1939 Worlds

Fair car in one car number, 1955-1962
scheme in three numbers, and class C-16
express boxcar in three numbers),
Cumberland Valley System, and Virginian & Ohio. Two road numbers per
scheme unless noted. Flat or Youngstown
doors as appropriate, wire grab irons,
metal wheelsets, and Kadee couplers.
$30.95. Ready-to-run. Fox Valley Models,
847-768-2344, www.foxvalleymodels.com
Union Tank Car Co. 54-foot
23,000-gallon-capacity FunnelFlow tank car. New road numbers:
Sunoco, Terra, Archer Daniels Midland

(molecule logo), Corn Products, Procor
(green), and Union Tank Car Co. Two
road numbers per scheme. Etched-metal
& Albany; Cincinnati Northern; Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago & St. Louis;
Hannibal Connecting; Michigan Central;
New York Central (1921-1961 or 1927-1953
with Dreadnaught ends); Northampton &
Bath; Peoria & Eastern. Resin kits with
one-piece body, Murphy 7/8 ends unless
noted, and decals, but no trucks or
couplers. $39. Westerfield, 303-658-9343,
www.westerfieldmodels.com
HO scale passenger equipment
72-foot heavyweight coach or

combine. Pennsylvania RR (Tuscan
Red); Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe

(Pullman Green); Baltimore & Ohio
(blue, gray, and black); New York Central
(green and yellow); and Union Pacific
(Armour Yellow and Harbor Mist Gray).
Models feature new and existing tooling
with railroad-specific die-cast metal
trucks, low-friction eight-wheel pickup,
and constant light-emitting diode interior
lighting. Combines have prototypespecific doors. $89 each. Ready-torun. Bachmann, 215-533-1600,
www.bachmanntrains.com
Great Northern 82-foot rebuilt
baggage-express-mail storage car
sides. Photo-etched brass with separate
doors and grab-iron holes. Designed for

use with Brass Car Sides basic body kit;
also fits on Walthers heavyweight
sleepers. Based on GN series 308-313,
200-207, and others. $40.75 (add $4.50 for
direct orders). Additional eight-foot doors
available separately (two-pack, $6.50).
Brass Car Sides, 507-931-2784,
www.brasscarsides.com
Pennsylvania RR class MP54
coach and combine passenger
cars. Long Island Rail Road (Dashing
Dan herald): powered coach (three

road numbers), unpowered coach (four
numbers), and unpowered combine
(three numbers). Penn Central (two paint
schemes available): powered or unpowered coach and unpowered combine (two
numbers each per scheme). Pennsylvania
RR (postwar or keystone schemes):

powered or unpowered coach (three
numbers per scheme) and unpowered
combine (two numbers per scheme). New
window frames, working brass pantographs, detailed underbody, and metal
grab irons. Powered coach with plug for
Digital Command Control decoder,
$239.98; unpowered or combine, $139.98
each. Ready-to-run. Con-Cor International, 520-721-8939, www.con-cor.com
Hotevilla-series 4-double bedroom, 4-compartment, 2-drawing
room sleeper. Simulated stainless steel
finish, factory-installed grab irons,

detailed interior, car name and number
decals, and Proto-Max metal couplers.
$79.98. Ready-to-run. WalthersProto.
Wm. K. Walthers Inc., 414-527-0770,
www.walthers.com
baggage car. Factory-installed grab
irons, car name and number decals, and

Proto-Max metal couplers. $69.98.
Ready-to-run. WalthersProto. Wm.
K. Walthers Inc., 414-527-0770,
www.walthers.com
HO scale structures
HO scale Electro-Motive Division GP7 locomotive. Bachmann offers

this Geep lettered for Pennsylvania RR, Atlantic Coast Line, Boston & Maine,
Electro-Motive Division demonstrator, and Rock Island. The GP7 features
all-wheel drive, a can motor, E-Z Mate Mark II couplers, and SoundTraxx
Sound Value diesel sound package with prime mover, three air horns, and
bell. The ready-to-run model has a manufacturers suggested retail price of
$199. Bachmann, 215-533-1600, www.bachmanntrains.com
Diamond Coal Corp. Injectionmolded plastic kit with separate windows,

walkway, and stairs; printed signs; and
separate slack bin. Serves two loading
tracks. Footprint is 133 16" x 193 8". $49.98.
Cornerstone Series. Wm. K. Walthers
Inc., 414-527-0770, www.walthers.com
HO scale details and accessories

Mining gures. Hand-painted.
Six-pack, $17.98. SceneMaster. Wm.
K. Walthers Inc., 414-527-0770,
www.walthers.com
Union Switch & Signal H2 dwarf
searchlight signals. Operating signal
heads with three light-emitting diodes

(red, yellow, and green). Brass and plastic
construction. Factory painted. Two-pack,
$24.95. BLMA Models, 562-712-7085,
www.blmamodels.com
Barrel rack. Injection-molded
plastic kit. Includes 24 barrels. $19.99.
N.J. International, 480-219-4135,
www.njinternational.com
N scale locomotives
F. Wyneken Drayage. Laser-cut

wood walls, stripwood trim and bracing,
detail castings, and signs. Dock legs and
cross supports cut to size. Main building
footprint is 51 4" x 113 4", main dock
3" x 63 4", separate dock 21 4" x 11", and
outbuilding 3" x 41 2". Limited
production. $154. The Train Master,
www.thetrainmaster.com
Control-ready low-friction drive,

directional lighting, and body-mounted
couplers. $119. Ready-to-run. Customproduced by Atlas Model Railroad Co. for
The Hobby Smith, 503-284-1912,
www.hobbysmith.com
General Electric ES44AC diesel

locomotive. Union Pacific, BNSF Ry.
(post-2005 scheme), Canadian National,

Canadian Pacific, and CSX (dark blue
and yellow). Two road numbers per paint
scheme. Five-pole motor with dual brass
flywheels, illuminated ditch lights, and
factory-printed number boards. Compatible with Train Control Systems K1D4
Digital Command Control decoder. $120.
Ready-to-run. Kato USA Inc., 847-7819500, www.katousa.com
N scale freight cars

Gunderson Husky-Stack 48-foot
well car. New road numbers: BNSF Ry.
(circle-cross herald), CSX Intermodal,

Trailer Train, and TTX (old and new
logos). Three road numbers per paint
scheme. Separately applied brake rigging
and brake wheel, metal wheelsets, and
screw-mounted trucks. $19.98. January
2015. Ready-to-Roll. Athearn Trains,
Alco RS-3 diesel locomotive.
Spokane, Portland & Seattle (tiger stripe

scheme). Two road numbers plus
unnumbered. Digital Command
Pullman-Standard 40-foot PS-1

boxcar with 8-foot door. New paint
schemes: Ann Arbor RR, Atlanta & West

Point, Central of Georgia, Great Northern,
13
NEWS&PRODUCTS
HO scale Gunderson
60-foot boxcar. New paint
schemes on this WalthersProto model include
Amtrak (phase 4b with or without stripes and silver) and
International Bridge & Terminal. The ready-to-run boxcar ($34.98)
has separately applied details, metal wheelsets, and Proto-Max couplers.
Wm. K. Walthers Inc., 414-527-0770, www.walthers.com
Berkeley Heights, New Jersey 07922
Thousands
of mini tools, model
building supplies, trains,
kits and more NOW ON SALE!
MicroLux Fold-Up Spray Booth
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OVER 3,000 ITEMS IN OUR

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Red Tag Sale ends September 5, 2014. S&H extra.
14
Louisville & Nashville, Rock Island, and

Virginian Ry. Two road numbers per
scheme. Etched-metal running boards,
separately applied ladders, and Accumate
couplers. $27.95. Fourth quarter 2014.
Ready-to-run. Atlas Model Railroad Co.,
90-ton hopper. New road numbers:
BNSF Ry. (post-2005 herald), Burlington
Northern, Clinchfield, Conrail (Quality
scheme), Denver & Rio Grande Western,
and Norfolk & Western. Three numbers
each. Coal load, plastic wheelsets, and
Accumate couplers. $18.95. Fourth
quarter 2014. Ready-to-run. Trainman
series. Atlas Model Railroad Co.,
Norfolk & Western class H2a
three-bay open-top hopper.
Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe; Baltimore

& Ohio (three six-packs); Canadian
Pacific; Chicago & North Western; CSX;
Denver & Rio Grande; Great Northern;
Illinois Central; New York Central;
Norfolk Southern; Norfolk & Western
(17- or 24-inch lettering, three six-packs
per scheme); Pennsylvania RR (three
6-packs); Union Pacific; and Wabash.
Also available painted black but unlettered. Plastic construction with
separately applied details, removable
coal load, and detailed bay interiors.
Six-pack, $139.99. Ready-to-run. Broadway Limited Imports, 386-673-8900,
Baltimore & Ohio class M-53
wagontop boxcar. Allegheny Mid-
land, Baltimore & Ohio (1939 Worlds

Fair car in one car number, 1955-1962
scheme in three numbers, and class C-16
express boxcar in three numbers),
Cumberland Valley System, and Virginian & Ohio. Two road numbers per
scheme unless noted. Flat or Youngstown
doors as appropriate, metal wheelsets,
and Magne-Matic couplers. $19.95.
Ready-to-run. Fox Valley Models,
847-768-2344, www.foxvalleymodels.com
40-foot drop-bottom gondola
with side extensions. Southern
Pacific. Injection-molded plastic body,

sugar beet load, and Magne-Matic
couplers. Four-pack, $89.95. Ready-torun. Micro-Trains Line Co., 541-535-1755,
www.micro-trains.com
50-foot atcar. Union Pacific
(yellow). Injection-molded plastic body,
cast-resin boat load, and plastic wheelsets.
Eight-pack, $139.95. Ready-to-run.
Micro-Trains Line Co., 541-535-1755,
www.micro-trains.com
N scale structures
Assorted structure kits. Fire
Station no. 3: curved window caps, ornate
cupola, rooftop ductwork and drainage,
hinged engine bay doors, and interior
molding to allow lighting installation
(light not included). Rustic barn: fieldstone foundation, shake shingled roof,
hayloft door with pulley and rope,
concrete grain silo, implement shed,
paned windows, and barn doors. $49.99
each. Built & Ready Landmark Structures
building kits. Woodland Scenics, 573-3465555, www.woodlandscenics.com
O scale locomotives
Electro-Motive Division SWseries diesel locomotives. New paint
schemes. SW8: Boston & Maine, Canadian

National, and Rock Island. SW9: Indiana
Harbor Belt and Maryland & Pennsylvania. SW900: Reading Co. and Raritan
River (limited edition). Two road numbers
per paint scheme. DCC sound decoder;
die-cast metal chassis, truck sideframes,
and hood; see-through steps and footboards; and detailed cab interior. $469.95.
First quarter 2015. Ready-to-run. Atlas O,
908-687-9590, www.atlaso.com
Galloping Goose railbus. On30.
Freight body: Bear Harbor & Eel River RR,
Canadian National, Northern Pacific, Rio
Grande Southern (three road numbers),
and U.S. Mail. Passenger body: East Broad
Top, Rio Grande Southern (three numbers), school bus, and White Pass &
Yukon. Plastic and die-cast metal construction, dual-mode Paragon2 sound
decoder, and factory-installed crew figures.
$299.99. Ready-to-run. Paragon2 series.
Broadway Limited Imports, 386-673-8900,
O scale freight cars

Pullman-Standard 50-foot PS-1
plug-door boxcar. Chessie System
(with Chesapeake & Ohio reporting

marks), Chicago & North Western
(with Chicago Great Western marks),
Missouri Pacific (Texas & Pacific marks),
Southern Ry., and Union Pacific. Two car
numbers each; also available undecorated.
Injection-molded plastic body, prototypespecific die-cast metal trucks, and
Kadee-compatible couplers. $79.95.
Fourth quarter 2014. Ready-to-run. Atlas
O, 908-687-9590, www.atlaso.com
HO Pullman-Standard 4,750-cubic-foot-capacity covered hopper.

New schemes on this car from Tangent Scale Models include Chicago Freight
Car Leasing with Manitoba placard (three road numbers); Atchison, Topeka &
Santa Fe (1975 red scheme, 12 numbers); Chicago & North Western (1974 dark
green scheme in six numbers or faded blue in three); Soo Line (12 numbers);
and Percival, Iowa, Grain (three numbers). The hopper, $44.95, has prototypespecic details, etched-metal running boards, and Kadee scale couplers.
Tangent Scale Models, 828-279-6106, www.tangentscalemodels.com
numbers per road name on coaches

unless noted; two numbers per name on
other cars. Sprung die-cast metal trucks,
separately applied grab irons, and interior
lighting. $104.95. Ready-to-run. Atlas O,
O scale details and accessories

Assorted lights. Lighted clock,
$35.95; park light (globe or lantern, $33.95
each; modern, $21.95; modern single arch
two versions, $21.95 or $29.95; traditional single arch, $36.95; or traditional
50-foot single-sheathed doubledoor automobile boxcar. New paint
schemes: Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe;

Northern Pacific; Rock Island; and
Western Pacific. Weighted fish-belly
underframe, separately applied details,
and body-mounted couplers. $64.95.
Fourth quarter 2014. Ready-to-run.
Trainman series. Atlas O, 908-687-9590,
www.atlaso.com
O scale passenger cars

60-foot heavyweight passenger
coach, Railway Post Ofce,
baggage car, and combine. New
paint schemes: Chicago, Burlington &

Quincy (coach only, green, brown, and
yellow, eight road numbers); Chesapeake
& Ohio (blue and yellow); Milwaukee
Road (orange and maroon); and New
York Central (two-tone gray). New road
numbers (coach only): Central of New
Jersey/New Jersey Department of
Transportation (eight numbers). Four
15
Worlds Leading Fine Scale Custom Layout Builders since 1995
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Quality built layouts since 1991
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email: info@scaleartmodels.com
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Photos: Chris Comport
16
Serving the Model Railroading Community Since 1988
For more information, contact:

info@raildreams.com
4915 Rattlesnake Hammock Rd Ste 164
Naples, FL 34113
RailDreams is the servicemark
Ph: 239-431-7938
of RailWorld, Inc.
NEWS&PRODUCTS
double arch, $53.95); street/parking lot
light (single extension, $44.95; double
extension, $69.95; centered extension,
$44.95; single, $29.95; or double, $46.95);
street light (dome, $50.95; modern circle,
$42.95; or upright angle, $21.95); and
lighted building accents (wall clock,
$18.95; wall light two versions, $14.95 or
$15.95; neon-quality wall light, $22.95; or
hanging light two versions, $12.95
each). Light-emitting diode, brass
construction, and quick fit base. Atlas O,
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16-foot log bronc waterline hull.
Cast-resin hull, motor steering/drive unit,

and laser-cut steering wheel. Footprint is
approximately 15 32" x 37 8". $24. Frenchman River Model Works, 308-276-2174,
www.frenchmanriver.com
]]]SUJKRYIKTKX_GTJYZX[IZ[XKIUS

FDOODQ\WLPH
WINSTON SALEM, NC
Electro-Motive Division SD70

diesel locomotive. New paint scheme:
60223196-04
+
15
New Videos
EVERY
MONTH
Benchwork basics
Track tips & techniques
Finishing & detailing
Hobby news
And much more!
Conrail (Quality scheme). Four road

numbers. Can motor with dual flywheels,
brass handrails and side panels, and
AutoLatch couplers. Can be upgraded to
Digital Command Control with Digitrax
DZ123Z0 decoder. $189. Ready-to-run.
American Z Line, 614-764-1703,
www.americanzline.com
Electro-Motive Division GP7 diesel locomotive. Chicago, Burlington &
Quincy. Can motor with dual flywheels,

directional light-emitting diode headlights, and prototype-specific details.
$169. Ready-to-run. American Z Line,
614-764-1703, www.americanzline.com
Electro-Motive Division F7A and
F7B diesel locomotives. Union
Micro-Scale HO scale laser-cut wood

kit offered by the Maryland &
Pennsylvania Railroad Historical
Society Inc. Laser-cut walls, floor, and
details; cast-stone foundation; and
peel-and-stick roofing material. $280
plus $25 insured shipping. Send check
or money order to MD&PA RR
Historical Society, 445 Richardson
Rd., York, PA 17408-5034;
www.maparailroadhist.org
Norfolk & Western 2015
classic edition wall calendar.
Black and white photographs of

subjects along the Norfolk & Western
and Virginian Ry. $12.95. Shipping is
$5.85 for up to three calendars. $1
charge for each additional copy over
the three. Virginia residents must add
5 percent sales tax. Norfolk &
Western Historical Society, P.O. Box
13908, Roanoke, VA 24038-3908;
www.nwhs.org
tank car. New paint scheme: Royster.
Two car numbers available. Metal
wheelsets and AutoLatch couplers. $41.
Ready-to-run. American Z Line, 614-7641703, www.americanzline.com
Z scale freight cars
Correction
33,000-gallon-capacity whale
belly liqueed petroleum gas
We listed the wrong ZIP code with the

announcement for the HO scale Virginian & Ohio United States Railroad
Administration two-bay hoppers offered
by Cincinnati Division 7, Mid-Central
Region, NMRA (page 14, August 2014
issue). The correct address is Division 7,
MCR, NMRA, P.O. Box 62501, Cincinnati, OH 45262.
P22035
Subscribe today! Go to
and choose your option!
custom-decorated for the Illini

Chapter of the Professional Car
Society. Two car numbers available.
Plastic wheelsets and Accumate
couplers. $19.98 each plus $5.25
shipping for one car ($6.50 for two
or more). Illini Chapter PCS, 918
W. Colfax St., Palatine, IL 60067
Pacific. Blomberg trucks and MagneMatic couplers. F7A, $129.95; F7B, $99.95.
Ready-to-run. Micro-Trains Line Co.,
541-535-1755, www.micro-trains.com
More new videos each

month than any other site!
MRVideoPlus.com/Intro
Northwestern Casket Co.

50-foot riveted-side doubledoor boxcar. Accurail HO scale car
Muddy Creek Forks Station.
Z scale locomotives
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Model Scenery

Club offerings
17
INFORMATIONDESK
Railway Express Agency provided

nationwide service via 86 railroads
Express refrigerator cars
West Polk Street
Express cars
Burlington coach yard
Pennsylvanias train no. 28, the Broadway Limited, has a pair of Railway Express
Agency refrigerator cars on the head end as it departs Chicago on Sept. 10, 1962.
Note all the empty REA cars in the adjacent PRR coachyard. Jim Hediger photos
I recently obtained some HO scale
Railway Express Agency 50-foot
steel refrigerator cars. Im curious
about the history of this company,
what perishable loads these cars
carried, and where they operated.
Tom Schwartz, St. Joseph, Mo.

Express service began in the late
1830s as individual messengers began

transporting cash, small parcels, and
other valuables on passenger trains in
the eastern part of the country. This new
enterprise flourished and expanded
westward, with the many small companies eventually consolidating into four
major competitors: the Adams Express
Co., American Express Co., Southern
Express Co., and Wells Fargo & Co.
During World War I, the United
States Railroad Administration (USRA)
took over Americas railroads and the
express companies, which were all
merged into the American Railway
Express Inc. Only the parts of the
Southern Express Co. that operated on
the Southern Ry. and the Mobile & Ohio
remained independent.
In March 1929, the assets of American Railway Express Inc. were transferred to the Railway Express Agency
(REA) and ownership of the combined
18
company was spread over 86 railroads in

proportion to their express traffic. The
Railway Express Agency also bought a
refrigerator car line to handle perishables.
Each participating railroad provided
terminal space and cars and handled the
REA cars on passenger trains at its own
expense. Railroad baggage cars also carried sack mail and shared space with
REA parcels. Live tropical fish, race
horses, and expensive livestock traveled
in specially equipped REA baggage cars;
end-door baggage cars even hauled automobiles for well-to-do vacationers.
A large fleet of green 50-foot express
refrigerator cars moved everything from
early season fruit to fresh flowers and
Baltimore & Ohios southbound no. 53,

The Cincinnatian, has an REA Express
refrigerator car on the head end as it
leaves Toledo, Ohio, in October 1963.
seafood. Most perishable traffic moved to

the north and east, so REA hauled printed magazines west to balance its loads.
The Railway Express Agency split its
profits among its owners in proportion
to their traffic. Some REA service extended into Canada on the New York
Central and Wabash through trains.
Starting in the postwar period, REA
expanded its fleet of 50-foot express reefers, began concentrating on its perishable service, and increased its rates to
remain profitable. But, by the late 1950s,
truck competition and fewer passenger
trains caused a serious loss of traffic.
In the early 1960s, Railway Express
Agency was renamed REA Express. In
response to its falling revenues, REA
began selling off its surplus cars in 1965.
Many reefers were scrapped, but their
4-wheel high-speed trucks were recycled
for Amtraks material handling cars.
The Railway Express Agencys business continued to decline, and extensive
litigation didnt help. The company terminated operations and filed for bankruptcy protection in November 1975.
V. S. Rosemans book Model Railroadings Guide to Railway Express
Agency offers considerable useful information for anyone who wants to model
the REA Express system. It was published in 1992 and is now out of print,
but copies are readily available from used
bookstores, eBay, and swap meets.
REA Express rolling stock has been
offered as kits and ready-to-run models

that range from wood-sided express reefers of the 1920s to all-steel postwar cars.
On another day, northbound no. 54

rolls into Toledo with a pair of B&O
(Railway Express) through baggage
cars coupled on the rear of the train.
Jim Hediger
Railway Express Agency car 7781 is

one of 986 all-steel refrigerator cars
built by General American in 1958.
These cars saw service nationwide.
According to Rosemans book, By

contract, Railway Express Agency was
the only entity permitted to ship express
shipments on passenger trains. And, the
REA-owned baggage and 50-foot express
refrigerator cars could only operate on
passenger trains.
Railway Express shipping was much
more expensive than ordinary railroad
rates, but REA delivered days or even
weeks faster. However, many REA shipments rode in thousands of railroadowned express refrigerator cars and
baggage cars under single-trip leases.
These cars usually had their owners
reporting marks and paint scheme with
Railway Express Agency lettering added
on the lower sides.
When not in REA service, the owner
could use its cars in freight service. This
explains photos showing cars with Railway Express Agency lettering and railroad reporting marks in freight trains.
The REA service contract notes if a
shipment was consigned to a town which
had no passenger service, it could be sent
on a freight train, but this was unusual.
Carload REA shipments normally
traveled on the head-end of most passenger trains. If a baggage car had an armed
REA messenger to protect and handle
shipments enroute, it would normally be
placed between the Railway Post Office
car and the trains working baggage car.
This gave the conductor access to discuss
the timing of upcoming stops with his
baggageman and the messenger. Occasionally, sealed REA cars were handled
on the tail end of the train for easier
switching. Jim Hediger, senior editor
Send your questions about prototype
railroading to Information Desk,
Model Railroader magazine, P.O. Box
1612, Waukesha, WI 53187, or e-mail
proto@mrmag.com. We regret we cant
answer all the questions we receive.
UP-C&NW
1946 LOS ANGELES LIMITED
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19
Jim Kelly
NSCALEINSIGHT
Lessons learned on the helix

Backdrop opening to helix
An unexpected uncoupling inside the helix on Jims N scale Tehachapi Pass

layout resulted in a pileup much like this one. Now, thanks to body-mounted
couplers, theres never been another runaway on the helix. Jim Kelly photo
Whether were talking about a
model railroad or the real thing, its a lot
harder to run trains in the mountains
than on the flatlands. Every mechanical
aspect of operation becomes far more
critical. It may prove embarrassing when
a car derails on a flat railroad, but usually no harm comes to the equipment. A
false uncoupling is even more likely to
go unpunished. We just push the cars
back together and keep going. (Sometimes doing this can become so habitual
that we dont even realize were doing it.)
A false uncoupling on a hill can be a far
different story. A runaway string of cars
can wreak havoc.
By way of illustration, let me
describe the last accident I had on my
N scale Tehachapi Pass layouts helix,
which thank goodness occurred a couple
of years ago. The 20-car train was being
pulled by two Athearn FP45s. About
halfway up the 51 2-turn helix, the train
separated behind the locomotive and
started rolling back down, gathering
speed quickly on the 2.5 percent grade.
Ive had runaways on the open layout
before, where I had a fighting chance of
grabbing a car before the train has
picked up too much speed. On the helix,
though, there was a hardboard fascia
between me and the train. All I could do
was grit my teeth and pray. I expected to
hear a rain of N scale cars hitting the
concrete floor any second.
20
To my surprise, the cars stayed on the

track all the way down, helped by the
fact they were in a constant left turn.
Once they roared through the portal in
the backdrop, though, theyd be turning
back to the right, and Newtons laws and
angular momentum being what they are,
the train was doomed. I had some luck
in controlling the pileup, but four cars
left the railroad and hit the floor.
Three of them got off unscathed, but
one was damaged beyond repair. Naturally it was one of my prized new Santa
Fe covered hoppers from BLMA.
Dont blame the helix. Those of you
whove been reading these accounts of
my adventures may recall my discussion
of the helix and my initial problems with
it. But those problems are now behind
me. Trains now routinely glide up and
down the helix without a hitch. Though
the engineering issues are gone, a psychological problem remains.
The run in the helix is about 1.5 scale
miles long, and takes about 4.5 minutes
traveling at 20 scale mph. Engineers go
mad wondering if the train is still moving, and when, if ever, it will reappear.
I have a solution in mind for that, a vertical slot in the fascia so the operators
can see their trains as they pass.
The coupler was the culprit. Ive
learned that the Achilles heel of long

N scale trains is usually the connection
between the locomotive and the first car.

The problem is that the couplers on the
locomotives are body-mounted, while
those on the cars are usually truckmounted. When a heavy train hits a
curve like in my helix, the side force
pulls the cars truck off the track.
At the time of this accident, I had a
hard-and-fast rule: The car immediately
behind the locomotive had to have bodymounts. Unfortunately, I hadnt checked,
and sure enough, the lead car on this
train had truck-mounted couplers. The
problem was compounded by the fact
that the locomotive didnt have MicroTrains couplers. Since that time Ive converted all the couplers on that train, and
its since run dozens of times up the helix
with nary a problem. Over the last few
years, weve seen some new cars come
with body-mounted couplers, and I hope
this is the beginning of a trend.
I also believe youre better off to equip
all your locomotives and cars with the
same brand of couplers. This is especially
important for locomotives. My personal
choice is Micro-Trains Magne-Matic
couplers. Any of my locomotives that
will be going up the hill and helix with
long trains get converted to M-T couplers
before they even attempt the journey.
When we tried running mid-train
helpers, we quickly learned that truckmounted couplers wont get it done. Now
theyre banned from my layout, but they
sometimes manage to sneak back on.
Recently the video crew from MR
Video Plus came to shoot the layout.
(The video should be available on the
MRVP site by the time you read this.)
Model Railroader contributing editor
Andy Sperandeo was backing a long
train in the yard when a beautiful orange
Illinois Central hopper derailed. He held
the car up by one end like a dead fish.
Sure enough, he said, Its got truckmounted couplers.
Model Railroader Video Plus subscribers can watch a video tour of Jim
Kellys N scale Tehachapi Pass layout.
Log in at www.MRVideoPlus.com.
WORKSHOPTIPS
How to solder and conceal power feeders

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
wire tight against the rail for the few seconds it takes for the joint to cool.
Modelers who lay their own track
may flatten and shape the end of a feeder
wire to look like a spike head. Figure 2
shows this technique out in the open for
visibility. In practice, the wire should be
concealed by passing it down through a
hole in a wood tie before its soldered to
the rail so the feeder blends in.
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
If the track has plastic ties, I protect them from the heat with wads of wet
paper toweling that I pack around the
soldering location on both sides and behind the rail. A couple of three-point
metal track gauges can also help dissipate the heat.
Some modelers like to use a penciltype iron for this, but if the iron takes
too long to heat the rail, the built-up
heat can distort the plastic ties. In a similar manner, the proximity of high heat
from a large soldering iron or gun may
also cause the tie ends to melt.
Fig. 1. Dog-leg shaped wire soldered to the outside of the rails base and web.
Fig. 2. Flattened wire soldered to the outside of the rail to simulate a spike head.
Fig. 3. Wire bent at a right angle and soldered to the bottom of the rail base.
Fig. 4. Connection soldered into a hole drilled into the underside of the rail.
Camouaging the connections.

Many of your project layouts show
the use of power feeders that are
soldered to the rails. Is there some
special reason for using this technique, and do you use any special
soldering tricks to avoid damage to
the plastic ties?
John Richardson, Willmar, Minn.

Soldering feeders to the rails is a
wiring method modelers have used since

the hobby began. By soldering feeders
directly to the rails instead of using
other types of connectors you can add
power connections exactly where theyre
needed without compromise. It isnt a
difficult process to learn, but soldering
must be done correctly to obtain the best
electrical contact and give the soldered
connection a good appearance.
Soldered feeders make it easy to wire
a layout because they can literally be
installed at any time in any location.
All you need to do is drill a hole through
the roadbed next to the rail to bring the
wire up from below.
A soldered connection can be made
on either the outside or the bottom of
the rail depending upon the desired final
appearance. Neatness counts no matter
where the attachment point is located.
22
Before any soldering is done, the rail

must be clean and free from any weathering or oily contamination. Depending
upon the rails cross-section, I use a halfround or square needle file to clean the
lower corner of the rail down to shiny
bare metal. If the rail feels greasy, I clean
the area using a pipe cleaner dipped in a
little denatured alcohol, which evaporates almost instantly.
I use pieces of no. 22 solid copper
wire about 12" long for my initial track
feeders, bending the stripped end into a
dog-leg shape that fits snugly into the
tight corner where the base and web of
the rail meet. See g. 1. By making this
flat end about 1 8" long, the small soldered joint tends to blend in and nearly
disappears when the track is painted and
ballasted. Then I apply a small amount
of rosin flux and use small-diameter
rosin-core solder and a 140-watt soldering gun to heat the joint.
I squeeze the trigger to heat the
soldering tip before I bring it into contact with the rail and wire. As soon as
the solder flows into the joint, I remove
the heat to keep from damaging the ties.
Avoid applying too much solder, as it
looks sloppy. An aluminum soldering
tool comes in handy to hold the soldered
If youre careful and have the right combination of rail height and flange depth,
you can solder feeders to the inside of
the rail, but this requires great care to
avoid difficulty with the flanges.
Some modelers attach feeders to the
underside of the rail so theyll be hidden
from view, as shown in g. 3. This takes
additional planning, because holes must
be drilled through the roadbed directly
under each feeder wires location before
the rail can be installed.
Great Model Railroads editor Andy
Sperandeo likes to drill a wire-sized hole
into the base and web of his rail so he
can solder the end of the feeder wire into
the hole. See g. 4. The one drawback to
both of these methods is the limited
access to the power feeder if the soldered
connection ever breaks down.
After the track feeder connections
have been soldered, I splice these light
wires into the heavier no. 14 wire I use
for long runs throughout my layout.
No matter which method you use for
soldered power feeders, be careful to test
each one before adding any paint or ballast. Lightly airbrushing the track and
ties with a rusty, brownish-black color
will hide any soldered joints and feeders.
Jim Hediger, senior editor
Jim Hediger
TRAINWORLD.com
1-800-541-7010
e-mail: ORDERS@TRAINWORLD.COM
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MENTION CODE WORD TWAS
EXPIRES 9-30-14
Getting a small diameter drill bit

centered in the chuck of a pin vise is a
lot like threading a needle. Jim Hediger
does it by completely closing the
chuck and then gradually opening the
jaws a little at a time until the tiny bits
shank slips into place. Bill Zuback photo
Loading a pin vise

Ive been trying to mount a no. 79
bit in my pin vise, but Im having
trouble centering the tiny bit. Do you
have any tips on how to get that
small bit centered in the pin vise?
Jeremy Brook, Branford, Ontario, Canada

The really small drill bits are difficult
to mount in a pin vise as they tend to

fall sideways into the slots in the 4-jaw
chuck. If you have a convertible pin vise,
you also need to make sure the right
jaw insert is mounted in the chuck. My
Mascot pin vise has 4 different sizes of
jaw inserts, so the smallest one is made
to hold the tiny drill bits.
Inserting a tiny bit requires a light
touch, as they are easy to bend or break.
The trick I use is to close the empty
chuck all the way down and then gradually open it a little at a time until the
small bit just slides in so its centered
between the four jaws. Once the bit is
centered, I tighten the chuck and drill
the bit into a bar of soap or a chunk of
beeswax to lubricate the bit. J.D.H.
Workshop Tips will pay $25 for published
tips. Send your modeling and layoutbuilding questions and ideas to Workshop,
Model Railroader magazine, P.O. Box 1612,
Waukesha, WI 53187, or e-mail workshop@
mrmag.com. We regret we cant answer
all the questions we receive. There is no
payment for questions; tips are paid for
upon publication.
NEW!
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Our easy-to-use Intelligent Consisting will let you
add and delete cars from your train without tricky
programming. For the ultimate in realism, distribute
several throughout the train - now this is fun!
23
STEPBYSTEP
Brewhouse
Kitbash a brewery,
part 2
Sugar unloading terminal
Corn syrup terminal

Old shipping house
Modern warehouse
With the scenery in place, its now time to add the structures for Keller Beverage Co. This month, Cody Grivno explains
how he modeled the corn syrup terminal and sugar unloading building. Photos by Jim Forbes and Bill Zuback
How to model a corn syrup terminal

With the scenery in place, I was now
ready to start work on the structures for

Keller Beverage Co. I knew the brewhouse, old shipping house, and modern
warehouse would be the centerpieces of
the 20 x 61-inch complex. But I needed a
few more structures to fill out the scene.
After researching modern breweries,
I learned typical inbound traffic consists
of malt, barley, corn grits, and rice in
covered hoppers; baled hops in mechanical refrigerator cars or pelletized hops in
insulated boxcars; and corn syrup in
tank cars. Outbound traffic includes
packaged beer in insulated boxcars,
crushed aluminum cans in gondolas,
and glass cullet in hoppers.
With this information in hand,
I narrowed down my structure options.
Since we already have three grain elevators
on the staffs Milwaukee, Racine & Troy
layout, I scratched that from the list. Hops
sounded neat, but theyd be unloaded in a
structure similar to the warehouse used
24
for outbound beer, so that was out. Cullet

and crushed cans would be loaded outside,
but neither required their own structure.
This left corn syrup unloading and
storage, which would fill up some of
the available space. Yes, we have a corn
syrup terminal at Williams Bay, but this
one would be compact and feature a
raised platform for workers.
With most of the space occupied,
I needed something at the far end of the
complex. Then I thought that a beverage
company that makes beer and soda would
also need sugar (most soda is sweetened
with corn syrup, but some companies use
sugar). The transfer building and silos
from Walthers Magic Pan Bakery fit the
space nicely and provided a place to deliver
Airslides and other covered hoppers.
With a plan in place, it was time to
start building. In this and the next installment, Ill show you how I constructed and
painted the buildings that make up the
Keller Beverage Co. complex.
The corn syrup terminal at Keller

Beverage Co. has spots for unloading
two tank cars at a time. Cody used
structures and detail kits from
Walthers and Pikestuff, solid wire,
and styrene to complete this part of
the complex.
Now on ModelRailroader.com
Associate editor Cody Grivno shares
more about painting models with
spray paint in a new Basic Training video. Watch it at our website,
www.ModelRailroader.com.
Cody Grivno
Step 1 Tank car platform
.020" x .080"
styrene strip
Remove uprights on
non-rail-served side
of platform
Flat Black, Rust-Oleum

Painters Touch 2X no. 249127
Fill opening
in railings
with plastic
from removed
uprights
.040" x .060"
styrene strip
Concrete, Model Master no. 4876
With the platform modied, I washed it in warm water

with a few drops of liquid dish detergent added to
remove dust and any other impurities that might affect
paint adhesion.
Then I spray-painted the structure with Rust-Oleum
Painters Touch 2X Flat Black (no. 249127). I let the
plastic-compatible spray paint dry for 24 hours and then
brush-painted the bases with Model Master Concrete
(no. 4876).
Satellite photos of the Miller-Coors plant in Milwaukee

show a large tank car platform to handle approximately
six cars. I didnt have room for that many here, so I used
one Walthers tank car loading platform (no. 933-3104).
Though the kit is designed to serve two tracks, theres
only one here. I removed the uprights on the non-railserved side of the platform with sprue cutters. I saved the
plastic to ll in the gaps in the railings. Then I patched the
platform with .020" x .080" and .040" x .060" styrene strip.
Step 2 Main building
.250" x .250" styrene strip
Floor, .040"
styrene sheet
Styrene splice from kit
Following contributing editor Andy Sperandeos April

2011 article, I used a Pikestuff structure for the main
building. However, because of space constraints,
I selected the modern yard ofce kit (no. 16).
After I cut the door and window openings, I assembled
the walls. To give the structure extra strength, I added
.250" x .250" styrene strip corner braces, a .040" styrene
sheet oor, and the supplied styrene splices.
Since the walls and roof will be painted light colors,
I rst spray-painted them with Floquil Bright Silver
(no. 130101), as shown in the bottom photo. The Floquil
line of spray paint has been discontinued, but any light
silver or aluminum color will work. The base coat makes
it easier to apply the nal colors in two or three light
coats. This reduces the risk for runs, ponding, and crazing
and preserves the structures ne details.
"
12
"
11 16
"
5 16
"
7 16
"
5 16
212"
"
7 16
Bright Silver, Floquil no. 130101
"
38
Holes for piping
138"
"
14
118"
25
STEPBYSTEP
Step 2 Main building (contd)
Roof and walls weathered
with thinned Model Master
Railroad Tie Brown and
Reefer Gray
Flat White, Rust-Oleum

Chestnut Brown,
Rust-Oleum Satin
no. 7774
I let the Bright Silver dry overnight before I spraypainted the walls Model Master Light Ivory (no. 2909),
doors and windows Rust-Oleum Chestnut Brown
(no. 7774), and roof Rust-Oleum Painters Touch 2X Flat
White (no. 249126).
After the paint was thoroughly dry (no discernible
paint odor), I used an airbrush to weather the roof with
thinned Model Master Railroad Tie Brown (no. 4885) and
Reefer Gray (no. 4886). I thinned both colors 9 parts 70
percent isopropyl alcohol to 1 part paint. I built up the
weathering in light layers. After attaching the roof with
Plastruct Bondene, I sprayed the building with Model
Master Lusterless Flat (no. 1960) and installed the
window glazing.
Light Ivory,
Model Master
no. 2909
Step 3 Storage tanks and piping
Tanks from
McGraw Oil Co.,
Walthers kit no.
933-2913
Base
cut from
McGraw Oil
Co. kit
Tanks painted Flat White (RustOleum Painters Touch 2X no.

249126), weathered with thinned
Model Master Railroad Tie Brown
and Reefer Gray, and sprayed with
Model Master Lusterless Flat
Piping kit, Walthers
no. 933-3105
Again following Andys article, I used the tanks and

bases from the Walthers McGraw Oil Co. kit (no. 9332913). First, I cut the molded berm from the base with a
hobby knife and no. 11 blade. Then I cut the remaining
base in half, as I only had room for two tanks. I built the
tanks per the kits instructions. The subassembly is
shown in the upper left photo.
Jim Lincolns article on a corn syrup transloading
terminal in Model Railroad Planning 2010 showed some
interesting pipes going from the tanks to the main
building. I used the Walthers piping kit (no. 933-3105) to
capture that look. The kit includes all the tees, couplings,
and elbows, among other items, necessary to make
plausible-looking pipe runs for a corn syrup terminal.
The last step was to model the pipes that carry the
corn syrup from the tank cars to the storage tanks.
Following Andys article, I used Walthers kit no. 933-3105
for the pipes and pipe brackets, 14AWG insulated wire for
the unloading hoses, and 1 8" styrene tube for the couplings. I modeled the catch basins using BLMA rubber
grade crossings (no. 4106). I spray-painted the piping
Floquil Bright Silver and brush-painted the hoses Model
Master Reefer Gray.
Vents from
McGraw Oil
Co. kit
Pipe brackets,
Walthers
no. 933-3105
Piping, Walthers
no. 933-3105
Couplings,
" styrene
tube
18
Catch basins, BLMA

rubber grade crossings (no. 4106)
26
Unloading
hose, 14AWG
insulated
solid wire
An easy sugar unloading terminal

When I initially planned Keller Bev-
erage Co., I wanted to use the main

plant, transfer building, and silos from
the Walthers Magic Pan Bakery kit.
However, when I started placing the
buildings, it was clear the main plant
would overwhelm the scene. So I set the
main plant aside for future use and repo-
Step 1 Transfer building
Unloading pipes
sitioned the transfer building and silos.

This provided more room for vehicle and
employee access.
With the exception of repositioning
the stairs, this was a build-the-kit project. A bit of painting and weathering was
all it took to give the sugar unloading
terminal a realistic appearance.
Pin vise
Index card
No. 56 bit
New holes
Blue painters
tape
Original holes
As I was assembling the transfer building, Model

Railroader Video Plus producer David Popp stopped by
the workshop. We started talking about the project, and
he suggested moving the stairways to the opposite side
of the building for greater visual impact.
While rotating the building wasnt a big deal, I needed
to make new holes for the piping. To do that, I carefully
aligned an index card on the building and used a pushpin
to mark the hole locations.
Then I ipped the building 180 degrees, positioned the
index card template, secured it with tape, and used a pin
Step 2 Painting and weathering

I assembled the silos, piping, and safety cage per the
kits instructions. I spray-painted the structures and
details using the colors noted at right.
After giving the paint sufcient drying time, I used
thinned Model Master Railroad Tie Brown and Reefer
Gray to weather the structures. After I attached the
stairways, piping, and safety cage with Plastruct Bondene, I sprayed the buildings with Lusterless Flat.
I built the two trackside unloading pipes per the
instructions. Since there are two car spots, I assembled
right- and left-hand versions. After painting the base with
Floquil Concrete and the pipes, supports, and anges
with Floquil Bright Silver, I attached the base to the
supports with Plastruct Bondene. I attached the bases to
the styrene lot with clear DAP Dynaex 230 sealant.
That concludes part two of the brewery project. Ill
wrap things up next month by writing about the brewhouse, old shipping house, and modern warehouse.
vise with a no. 56 bit to drill the new holes, as shown in

the photo at left. There are a total of eight holes (four
in the lower left, four in the upper right). I used a reamer
to enlarge the holes slightly when I installed the pipes,
as the paint added some thickness to the injectionmolded plastic.
In the photo at right, you can see how having the stairs
to the outside adds visual interest to the transfer building.
If I hadnt done this, it would have been a boring block
wall with one door at the bottom. A gure or two climbing the stairs will further enhance the scene.
Flat Gray Primer, Rust-Oleum

Gloss Smoke Infusion,

Valspar no. 85039
Bright
Yellow,
Model
Master
no. 2917
Khaki, Rust-Oleum
Camouage no. 1917
Concrete, Floquil
no. 130082
27
Freelancing
the Southern
IN N SCALE
Removable scenery and hidden track enhance
this compact 11 x 12-foot model railroad
By Alastair Reynolds Photos by the author
rom my British perspective, its

hard not to be impressed by North
American railroads. Varied scenery, massive locomotives, and
colorful paint schemes make these railroads appealing modeling subjects. Its
a blessing and a curse, though, as there
are so many interesting locations and
prototypes to choose from. If I was going
to build a North American-themed
model railroad, Id have to narrow down
my options.
I finally found my inspiration in the
May 2000 issue of Model Railroader
magazine. In that issue I read about
Herb Gildens HO scale Hy-Sioux
Southern. I loved the vivid green and
imitation aluminum paint scheme on
the streamlined passenger diesel locomotives and the restrained black livery
on the freight units.
Luckily my local hobby shop stocked
North American models, and I purchased a Life-Like SD7 in Southern Ry.
livery. It was my first N scale locomotive,
and I was impressed with its smooth
slow-speed performance. Before long,
I bought another SD7 and was on my
way to having an N scale roster of Southern diesel power.
For me, the biggest appeal of N scale
is the ability to model long trains surrounded by sprawling scenery in a relatively compact space. I would never have
the room to achieve this effect in HO.
At the end of 2007, my wife and
I moved into a new house with a spare
28
bedroom that would be perfect for an

N scale model railroad. At 11 x 12 feet,
its modest compared to a large basement. I was finally able to start building
my Southern Ry.-inspired layout, the
Gulf, Atlanta & Eastern (GA&E).
Twin layouts
Although the GA&E is the focus of
this article, its not my only model railroad. I wanted to make the most of my
layout space, so while planning the
GA&E, I made sure to leave room for a
1:76 British-themed model railroad
above it. That layout is set in the West
Country of the United Kingdom during
the steam era.
Whether youre building a single
multi-level model railroad, or two
disconnected shelf layouts like mine,
I strongly suggest reading Designing and
Building Multi-Deck Model Railroads by
Tony Koester and Shelf Layouts for Model
Railroaders by Iain Rice (both are available from Kalmbach Books). I referred
constantly to these books during planning and construction.
All the shelf benchwork is a plywood
tabletop cantilevered off the rooms
masonry-and-stud walls. Because I live
in a 200-year-old house thats anything
but square, I used a laser level to keep my
benchwork true. I had to install the
brackets for the upper-level British layout first, as these brackets would need to
tuck in behind the cardstock backdrop
of the GA&E on the lower level.
I was eager to start working on

the GA&E, but the extra effort spent
planning paid off in a successful design.
I was able to build both the GA&E and
the British layout simultaneously. When
Id get frustrated with one layout, Id
work on the other occasionally for
months at a time. Both model railroads
are now 80 percent complete.
Track and wiring

I didnt want any duckunders across
the entry to my train room, so for the
GA&E, I settled on a folded dogbone
track plan, where a single main line doubles back on itself via hidden return
loops. There are a couple challenges with
this type of design. First, the return
loops are tight, 11" radius curves. My
track also has to be bulletproof, as about
half the main line is hidden. However,
1. A quartet of Southern Ry. FTs exits a

tunnel on Alastair Reynolds N scale
Gulf, Atlanta & Eastern. Long stretches
of hidden track add a sense of distance
to the 11 x 12-foot layout.
2. Led by E8 and E7 diesels from Kato,

a Southern streamliner passes through
the industrial district. Alastair
kitbashed the industries from Walthers
and Design Preservation Models parts.
This month, visitors to our website
will nd the photo above available as
a free computer desktop wallpaper.
Click on the link under Online Extras
at www.ModelRailroader.com.
29
Camera
49"
Woods Camera
Furniture monitor
3 percent
grade up
Hawthorn
4 percent
grade down Glue
Interstate Fuel & Oil
Ridgeway
Paint Co.
Atlanta
Tool & Die
Paceline
Manufacturing
Removable
scenery sections
4812"
Removable scenery section
Gulf, Atlanta & Eastern
Peco medium-radius turnout
To future
peninsula
50"
N scale (1:160)
Scale of plan: 12" = 1'-0", 24" grid
1
4812"
Six-track staging yard

48"
48"
Engine
terminal
Turntable
Roundhouse
Under development
48"
Camera
the hidden track also helps add a sense

of distance to the main line run, especially when a long freight slowly emerges
from one of the tunnels.
I raised some of the main line an inch
above the benchwork using cork roadbed
over Woodland Scenics SubTerrain foam
risers. An inch may not sound like
much, but the change in elevation makes
a big difference visually. This is especially
true for photography, as I can get the
camera close to the eye level of an N
scale person standing trackside. Theres
also enough room to mount switch
motors under the roadbed.
I used Peco code 55 flextrack on all
visible sections of the layout. To make
the Peco live-frog turnouts operate more
reliably, I added microswitches to change
frog polarity. I also installed fasciamounted turnout control panels around
the layout.
I originally wired the layout for
direct-current (DC) cab control. Im
30
The layout at a glance

Name: Gulf, Atlanta & Eastern
Scale: N (1:160)
Size: 11 x 12 feet
Prototype: freelanced
Locale: Georgia
Era: steam-to-diesel transition
Style: walk-in
Mainline run: 72 feet
Minimum radius: 11" (hidden),
15" (visible)
Minimum turnout: no. 6
Maximum grade: 4 percent
(2 percent on main line)
rigorous about color-coding all the

wiring on the layout, which makes troubleshooting a lot easier. I enjoyed running trains in DC, but Ive since converted
the layout to Digital Command Control
(DCC) using an NCE Power Cab system.
Benchwork: shelf cantilevered off

walls with peninsula
Height: 48" to 50"
Roadbed: cork over Woodland
Scenics SubTerrain
Track: Peco code 55 extrack
(visible), Atlas code 80 (hidden)
Scenery: plaster and extruded foam
insulation board
Backdrop: painted cardboard
Control: NCE Digital Command
Control
I really like how easy DCC has made it

to fine-tune the performance of my locomotives, especially speed matching diesels to run in a multiple-unit
consist. I also enjoy the lighting and
sound effects.
3. An 0-8-0 delivers a hopper to the coaling tower, while Alco RS-3 no. 2137 rolls long-hood forward to the sanding tower.
Its the transition era on the GA&E, so the engine terminal handles both steam and diesel locomotives.
Hidden main line and staging

The hidden track on the layout is
completely concealed by removable scenery modules. I found this technique
more effective than simply using trees or
hills as viewblocks. Like the rest of the
scenery base, these removable modules are
made from plaster cloth over extrudedfoam insulation board. The modules represent a variety of scenes, including hills,
towns, and factories. Luckily, my trackwork has been good enough that derailments havent been a problem.
After gaining confidence by building
a few modules, I decided there would be
benefits to concealing the six-track staging yard. This location isnt an active
fiddle yard, so I didnt have to worry
about handling equipment during operating sessions. By covering the yard with
a scenery module, I would gain a lot
more modeling space. This was a major
benefit, as I had a lot of structures that
I wanted to add to the layout.
I still had to worry about getting
trains into and out of the yard. Id read
about modelers using video cameras to
monitor hidden tracks, which turned out
to be the perfect solution. The equipment
is inexpensive, and easy to set up.
4. Alastair used removable scenery to cover hidden sections of the main line and
the six-track staging yard. As with the rest of the scenery base, the lift-off
sections are made of extruded-foam insulation board.
31
5. Alco RS-3 no. 2059 delivers a boxcar to Atlanta Tool & Die. There are plenty of switching opportunities on the GA&E, and
Alastair hopes to come up with an operating scheme in the near future.
Meet Alastair Reynolds
I bought two wireless cameras and

installed them at opposite ends of the
yard. The camera monitor screen is set to
switch between the two camera viewpoints every four seconds. The camera
and monitor locations are marked on the
track plan shown on page 30.
Operating the yard takes concentration, and I have to use a whiteboard to
keep track of trains entering and leaving
the yard. The extra effort is worth it,
especially considering the extra space
I now have for more scenic development.
Running trains
Growing up in Barry, Wales, a
town once famous for its steam
locomotive scrapyard, Alastair
Reynolds has had a lifelong
fascination with trains. After
working in space science for many
years, he now writes science
ction books, including a recent
novel featuring the long-running
TV character Doctor Who. Alastair
lives with his wife in the Welsh
valleys, where they enjoy watching
DVD box sets of American TV
shows, and painting.
32
Prototypical operation has never been

high on my list of priorities. I like to simply let a freight train slowly run around
the layout, climbing grades and passing
through the various scenes. Its very
therapeutic and never gets old to me.
That said, since my British layout is
quite simple and mainly a railfanning
layout, I wanted my American layout to
allow for the possibility of more structured operation. Ive installed delayedaction uncoupling magnets at some sidings and spurs. Ive also placed uncoupling picks in fascia-mounted pockets
around the layout. My wife is helping me
create car cards and waybills for my

more than 100 freight cars. I dont yet
have a complete operating scheme, but
I hope to develop one in the near future.
No regrets
Theres still a few years of work left on
the layout before I can call it finished. Its
far enough along that I can look back at
my design decisions with the benefit of
hindsight. If I were starting over from
scratch Id make sure to include a freight
yard in the plan from the outset. This
would be a lot easier than trying to shoehorn a freight yard into my yet-to-be
built peninsula. Id also make more
provisions for passenger train operation,
and make the scenery contours less
dramatic to more accurately model the
southeastern United States.
Despite these observations, Im glad
I started on the layout when I did. Its
been a steep, but enjoyable, learning
curve. If I would have waited until
I thought I was an expert, I would have
never built anything. Thankfully, I now
have a functional layout thats fun to
work on and operate. Better yet, I still
have a lot of interesting modeling challenges ahead of me.
A double-deck plan
for a modern short line
The Cascade & Columbia River RR features Pacic Northwest scenery

By Bob Sprague
Much of the CSCDs business comes
from the wood and paper industries,
with Weyerhaeuser and Columbia River
Carbonates supplying a large portion of
the traffic. Other customers include
Columbia River Rock & Gravel in Janis,
Coleville Indian Power in Omak, and
U.S. Aluminum Castings in Entiat. On
the model CSCD you will see a fictional
Kelloggs cereal plant in Okanogan. This
was added at Laurents request.
Fitting it in, a centimeter at a time
A Cascade & Columbia River RR freight is northbound just outside Chelan,

Wash., on May 13, 2010. The train is powered by the lines GP9R no. 1002,
dressed in the scheme of parent owner RailAmerica. Mike Danneman photo
aurent Siliprandi and I might never

have become acquainted were it not
for the Internet. Laurent lives in
Neuchtel, Switzerland, some 4,087
miles from my home in Virginia. A fan
of U.S. railroading, he stumbled over my
layout design website and we began a
correspondence that led to my designing
a compact double-deck HO railroad
based on the Cascade & Columbia River
RR (CSCD) in Washington state.
Laurent asked me to plan an HO layout
for his new house, where a space of about
15 by 21 feet was under construction. He
specified a Pacific Northwest location and
a secondary single-track main line with a
lot of industries to operate. He also asked
for an interchange with the BNSF Ry. or
Union Pacific and (at the request of his
sons) some bridges and tunnels. Laurent
also wanted to incorporate a turntable and
two 271 2" radius six-turn helixes salvaged
from an earlier project.
Originally, Laurent envisioned a freelanced railroad based on a fictional short
line that had become part of the Genesee
& Wyoming group. After some discussion, however, we decided to base the pike
on the CSCD. The prototype met almost
all of Laurents criteria, and it gave me as
designer the ability to freely borrow prototype track arrangements and details.
The CSCD in real life

Contemporary short lines can be a
great choice for a model railroad prototype. Many are prosperous and active.
Best of all, short lines can be unusual
modeling subjects. You just dont see layouts based on the CSCD every day.
Like many modern short lines, the
Cascade & Columbia River RR operates
over tracks that once belonged to a
Class 1 railroad, in this case BNSF Ry. It
interchanges with the BNSF at
Wenatchee, Wash., and proceeds north
for 132 miles along the Columbia and
Okanogan rivers to a terminal at Oroville, Wash. Headquarters are in Omak,
Wash., at about the midpoint of the line,
where there is a tiny yard and a repair
shop for the CSCDs three locomotives.
As track planning guru John

Armstrong pointed out, a spiral can be
the most efficient configuration for aisles
and benchwork. It requires less total curvature for any given length of main line,
and it gives the operator a gratifying
feeling of going somewhere while following a train from town to town.
With his limited space and existing
helixes, Laurent was game for a doubledeck design. Since he anticipated operations with a crew of no more than four,
aisleways of 30" to 36" with a few wider
passing points would be acceptable. The
271 2" minimum radius was dictated by
the curvature of the helixes. The final
design closely resembles my first sketch
of what would fit in his space.
It was important to represent a connection to the rest of the world for the
CSCD, and Laurent wanted a continuous
option for display. So I started with a loop
of BNSF Ry. main line on the lower deck
that connects, via a single-turn helix salvaged from Laurents supply, to a doubleended staging yard. BNSF trains can originate from staging representing Spokane
to the east, pass through Quincy, pause in
Wenatchee to interchange with the
CSCD, and continue on to staging representing Seattle to the west. I also added
Laurents turntable to the Wenatchee
yard, although none exists on the prototype today. The tunnel between
33
2.5 percent
down
3912"
A
3512"
Workbench
Helix up to upper
level, 3.5 turns
BNSF west
to Seattle
Columbia River
Cascade &
Columbia River
42"
Helix down to
staging, 1 turn
Magi Apple Packing

& Cold Storage
20" radius
Entiat
42"
Seventh Street North
U.S.
Aluminum
Casting
34"
3912"
2.5 percent up
No. 6 on 12
degree angle
2.5 percent up
HO scale (1:87.1)
Illustration by Rick Johnson and Bob Sprague
Wenatchee
Helix down to
staging, 1 turn
Canal
2.5 percent down
Brewster
west
east
no
rth
No. 7
Scale of staging:
42"
Columbia
Colstor Inc.
36"
so
uth
Grain
elevator
BNSF
staging
BNSF east to
Spokane
Road P
Northwest
24" radius
20" radius
No. 7
Quincy Farm
Chemicals
No. 6 on 12
degree angle
14" = 1'-0"
18" radius
Quincy
Columbia River
Celite Corp.
Kenite
Starrs
Ranch
Lower level
34"
2.5
percent
up
Columbia River
Wenatchee and Quincy is a real feature of

the BNSF line all the better to fulfill the
expectations of Laurents sons.
As it does on the prototype, the CSCD
diverges from the BNSF in Wenatchee and
crosses the Wenatchee River. It then heads
up the Columbia River gorge toward Entiat. A little farther along is Brewster. At this
point the model CSCD disappears into a
31 2-turn helix to reach the upper deck.
34
The main line exits the helix at

Okanogon and passes through Omak and
Janis before reaching Oroville.
Another bit of modelers license exercised by Laurent is the fictional extension
to Canada at the northern end of the line.
There wasnt quite room to include the
full wye at Oroville, but locomotives can
be turned by running them through the
loop that forms the Canada staging.
34"
Operating the CSCD

Laurent, his sons, and his father are
looking forward to some operating fun.
Locals can operate from Omak in either
direction, with one- or two-man crews
servicing lineside industries.
Another operator can be assigned to
bring BNSF trains out from staging,
dropping off cars and picking up loads
for interchange in Wenatchee, and serv-
Workbench
58"
Okanogan River
Team track
Team track
Omak
Avenue
2.5 percent down
58"
Helix down to
lower level
Okanogan River
58"
No. 6 wye
Janis
Whitley Fuel
Columbia River
Rock and Gravel
Okanogan
River
Okanogan
Omak
No. 7
Main
Street
Oroville
Reman
& Reload
No. 7
south
north
Kelloggs Cereal
Route 20
Colville
Indian
Power
Oroville
Canada"
staging
Zosel Lumber
Okanogan River
Upper level
24" radius
Weyerhauser
58"
ing the industries in Quincy as well.

Ive already warned Laurent that
I will use his railroad as an excuse to
visit Switzerland and tour its unique railroads. I expect to see the CSCD in full
operation by then.
Bob Spragues N scale Chocolatetown,
USA layout appeared in the September
2013 issue of Model Railroader.
The track plan at a glance

Name: Cascade & Columbia River RR
Scale: HO (1:87.1)
Size: 15'-0" x 21'-0"
Prototype: Cascade & Columbia
River RR
Locale: Washington state
Era: Present day

Style: walkaround
Minimum radius: 27.5" (main), 18"
(industrial)
Minimum turnout: no. 6
Maximum grade: 2.5 percent
35
12 TIPS TO BUILD
MORE LAYOUT
FASTER
Modeling the C&O and Manns Creek

in West Virginia during World War II is
Ted Pamperins rst attempt at
building a model railroad. He used
innovative techniques leveling-sand
landforms; leaess, spray-painted
SuperTrees; and Gatorfoam
subroadbed to reduce time without
sacricing quality. Ted Pamperin photo
Advice from veterans on how to speed up

model railroad construction
By Tony Koester
uch as we may admire what

someone else has accomplished,
we often wonder how he or she
managed to get so much done so quickly.
This applies to any well-detailed, goodrunning model railroad, and especially
to the larger home layouts that one
might assume took an army of skilled
craftsmen to construct.
The answer lies in the techniques,
materials, tools, and positive attitudes
that experienced modelers and custom
36
layout builders employ to save construction time and money.

Keep in mind, however, that building
a layout quickly isnt the goal of many
modelers. They enjoy the process of
building and detailing a layout as much
or more than they do seeing it operate
with equal realism. But for those who,
like me, want to have a realistic-looking
layout that operates equally realistically
in a reasonably short period of time, the
following tips may be of value.
1 Have passion and a plan

Ted York is often asked how he
managed to build his HO homage to
Santa Fes Cajon Pass, a perennially
popular modeling theme, in a
relatively short time despite handlaying all visible track, having 400 freight
cars on the roster, and scratchbuilding a lot of structures. Passion might
be the single most important part of
the equation, Ted said. I had
dreamed of having a layout after
being inspired by John Allens Gorre
& Daphetid, but as a military brat and
later an ofcer, I was constantly on
the move.
When we nally settled down in
a home with sufcient space for my
dream layout, the passion just owed.
As an airline pilot, Id nd myself
home for several days at a time, and
I took kits to build during layovers. But
the key was to make good use of time
by working efciently.
The rst time-saver was to have a
plan, Ted recalls. I used computeraided design software to design a
plan 65 of them, in fact! I had no
idea how to use such software when
Tip 1. Ted York quickly kitbashed this bridge on his Santa Fe Cajon Pass layout
using sides from Micro Engineering kits with scratchbuilt railings, then glued
the nished assembly onto the subroadbed. Ted York photo
I started, but it helped me rene
iteration after iteration until I had the
desired plan.
A word of caution here: You can
plan too much. Waiting for all of the
information you think youll need on
your chosen prototype or base
prototype(s), or trying to model the
entire Santa Fe from Chicago to Los
Angeles, even in a gymnasium, will
leave you with nothing but a hollow

dream to show for your efforts.
Ted also has good advice about
making revisions. Ive made changes,
two of them major. I even ripped up
the rst 30 feet of railroad I had built
and started over. But by then I found
that rebuilding a section goes faster
the second time around, because you
know more about what youre doing.
2 Dene goals clearly

Doug Tagsold makes every effort
to nish something signicant every
month, be it a new scene, a new area
to be switched, or maybe just a new
structure or industry complex. The
satisfaction received, either from my
own sense of accomplishment or
from comments by visitors who
notice the changes, motivates me to
continue into another project for the
following month, he says. The photo
shows progress on Dougs new
Toledo Terminal, which took shape
quickly after he and his wife moved
into a new home. [Dougs new layout
is featured in Great Model Railroads
2015, on sale in October Ed.]
Custom layout builder Lance
Mindheim underscores the need to
be constantly aware of the relationship between time spent on a project
and its visual contribution to your
overall objectives. Lance says, An
extreme example would be to spend
a month on detailing the interior of a
car or the back of a structure that
wont be visible in normal use.
Tip 2. Doug Tagsold used photo backdrops, building ats, and monthly goals
in his quest to make rapid progress on the new HO Toledo Terminal layout
after he relocated in 2010. Doug Tagsold photo
Lance avoids adding the tempting
details that dont contribute much to
the nished appearance of a model
but can easily double construction
time. Putting on his commercialbuilder hat, he has found that he
saves a lot of time by avoiding crazyshaped benchwork I keep it basically rectangular and I keep backdrops simple: Powder blue fading to a
gray horizon line to suggest distance
and atmosphere.
37
3 Dont get derailed by specic projects

Doug Tagsold cautions against
getting bogged down with scenicking
the layout at the outset: Scenery is
not necessary to begin hosting
operating sessions. In fact, I dont
start scenery, or even ballast track,
until I have had a chance to operate
the railroad, as that almost always
points out needed changes.
Modeler Andy Keeney, who is
building a large HO railroad in his
Michigan basement, echoes the
advice of others when he observes,
Its important not to look at the
overall layout as one big construction
job with an immediate, sizable outlay
of funds. Its much better to divide
the construction into phases that are

tackled as time and funds allow.
Another tip from Doug: The
thought of ballasting 500 feet of main
line is intimidating, but by breaking
down that chore indeed, any
scenery project into 10-foot sections, it becomes more manageable.
Enjoyable as realistic operation is, its
even more enjoyable when you can
run trains through nished scenery.
In fact, I break down the entire
layout-building process into many
smaller, more manageable (less
intimidating!) projects, get the layout
running as soon as possible, followed
by formal operating sessions to
Tip 3. The track is operational in this

section of Doug Tagsolds layout,
thus ensuring that the railroad
sustains his interest. Doug Tagsold photo
uncover any aws in the design, then
scenicking small areas. The satisfaction of achieving each small goal
pushes me to achieve the next goal,
and the ones after that.
4 Decide whats good enough

Way back in the 1960s, Allen
McClelland established the principle
of good enough. The basic idea is to
do everything to one level that is
adequate to meet personal objectives
but not to such high standards that
overall progress is impaired. Superdetailing structures but not rolling stock
would not adhere to this principle.
As Doug Tagsold put it, One key
to getting more done more quickly
is to strive to capture the essence of
the prototype Im modeling rather
than trying to model every structure
or car, board by board, rivet by rivet.
Another way of looking at good
enough was taught by Dave Frary
and Bob Hayden. When I nally got

to see their work in person, I discovered that they didnt bother to model
things that didnt show from normal
viewing angles. No sense in using
time and materials to build the back
wall of a building in the distance,
they advised.
Yet another way of looking at good
enough is to avoid modeling things
that dont provide a lot of return on
your investment. Many sections of Bill
Darnabys highly regarded Maumee
Route are only a foot wide, but Bill has
come to see even that as wasteful. He
wishes he had built the between-town
sections as narrow as 8", which would
Tip 4. For the second edition of the

Virginian & Ohio, Allen McClelland
segued quickly from raw benchwork
to landform scenery. Paul Dolkos photo
have added as much as 8" to the aisle
width while cutting the time and
materials needed to apply ground
cover, crops, and the like along those
long stretches by a third.
5 Explore new methods and materials

We live, and model, in very good
times. The old days of block wiring
through toggle or rotary switches are
over, thanks to Digital Command
Control (DCC). Run a pair of bus wires
around the layout, drop a feeder from
each (and every!) rail to the appropriate bus wire, and youre done.
Photo backdrops are a great way to
extend the apparent depth of a scene
without developing the skill and
spending the time needed to handpaint a backdrop. Theyre easy to
make using a digital camera and color
printer, and theyre available from a
number of commercial sources.
38
When relative newcomer to the

hobby Ted Pamperin rst explained
what he planned to do build his
layout out of 3 4" Gatorfoam and
model late autumn after the leaves
had fallen I thought he was biting
off more than he could chew. Wrong
on both counts. Ted found Gatorfoam
is light, and hence easily handled in
large sheets by one person (so
construction doesnt have to be
delayed until friends are available to
help), and its dimensionally stable
and easy to cut. And he had visited
the HOn3 layout of a friend who had
used Scenic Express SuperTrees to
Tip 5. Ted Pamperin quickly models

late autumn scenery by spraying
batches of Scenic Express SuperTree
armatures with several muted hues.
Ted Pamperin photo
create a highly believable and

attractive late-fall landscape (see
photo), so he knew he could indeed
get there from here.
6 Model what you know

Andy Keeney reports that he felt it
was important to incorporate both
the railroads I loved and a location
that I felt comfortable modeling. He
ruled out a large metropolitan area
because of myriad structure projects
it would entail, although others have
focused on precisely that with superb
results. Its a matter of understanding
ones priorities and working toward
specic goals.
Few of us are experts when it
comes to the logical, efcient design
of yards, engine terminals, industries,
and towns. Worrying about such
design tasks can consume reams of
paper and countless hours of time.
Thats why I coined the term Layout

Design Element (LDE), which is a
visually and operationally recognizable model of a specic place.
Prototype modelers do this by
default, but freelancers can benet
by copying one or more appealing
sections of a full-size railroad, or
combination of railroads.
Even if we dont now fully understand why this track was here and
that crossover was over there, we can
push ahead with design and construction knowing that what were
planning worked for a full-size
railroad. As long as we dont omit key
features as we selectively compress
Tip 6. Andy Keeney rst developed

the basic plan for his layout on paper,
but didnt worry about the ner
details at that stage. Andy Keeney photo
the prototypes design to t our
limited areas, we have little to risk.
A basic plan for a railroad would be
an LDE with staging at both ends.
7 Discard impractical ideas

Ted York planned to build molds
and cast every bridge pier and
abutment to match its prototype.
That idea went out the window in
the interest of saving time, he
recalls. My abutments are plastic or
even wood cut on a table saw, and
they look great! His bridges are
kitbashed girders glued to the sides
of the subroadbed. If you cant see
under them, the interior cross bracing
doesnt matter. I tell people that Im
not a rivet counter, but if I can make
you think Im a rivet counter, then Ive
been successful.
I can readily relate to Teds
abandoned cast-piers plans:
Tip 7. Ted York ditched plans to build molds and cast every bridge abutment
to match its prototype. This saved time. Ted York photo
I originally planned to drive along the
part of the Nickel Plate Road Im
modeling to photograph scenes for
use as photo backdrops. That plan
quickly dissolved when I found key

structures were gone or new ones
had appeared, trees had grown up,
and so on.
8 Make eld trips and visit layouts

Ted York hand-carved all of the
rock formations on his HO Cajon Pass
layout. I had no idea how this would
turn out when I started, but the key
was to have photos of what I was
trying to model to refer to. When
the scenery didnt turn out as he
expected, No problem Id just add
another layer and do it over!
Good photos and eld trips to the
area being modeled prove invaluable
and save time in the long run. Its the
nagging doubts or wild guesses that
require re-dos and derail progress.
Visits to other layouts, especially
those with similar themes, will prove
instructional this technique worked

great, that one not so much. Andy
Keeney felt that his layout concept
would require not only a large
footprint but also a multi-deck
design, so he visited layouts built by
two highly experienced modelers,
John DePauw and Bruce Chubb, that
were built on multiple levels. By the
time I returned home, Andy recalls,
I had a pretty good idea of how
I wanted to proceed.
John DePauw recalls visiting Jim
Hedigers pioneering double-deck
railroad and was inspired by the
concept. He also visited the late Dean
Tip 8. John DePauw works a transfer

run on his HO railroad. He visited
other layouts to better understand
what he wanted. John DePauw photo
Freytags layout to learn about
modeling steel mills and their
railroads. Jim and Dean later visited
Johns EJ&E and offered helpful tips.
39
9 Get help!
Like Bill Darnaby, I usually work on
my layout alone. Ive tried organizing
work sessions, but too often this
resembles managing a staff, a task
I happily left behind when I retired.
But just because I spend countless
solo hours in my basement doesnt
mean that Im truly working alone.
Without the ongoing support and
advice of many close associates,
I could not possibly have built either
the Allegheny Midland or the Nickel
Plates St. Louis Division layouts.
Many others stress that regular
work sessions are essential to
progress. Gerry Albers, for one, is
building a basement-size version of
the Virginian Ry. in HO (See Great
Model Railroads 2014). Hes a savvy
guy when it comes to electronic
controls (www.signalsbyspreadsheet.
com) and computer-aided design and
used it to advantage (see Model
Railroad Planning 2005). But he also
knows when to ask for help.
I initially failed to realize that there
was no way I was going to be able to
Tip 9. Gerry Albers holds weekly sessions to ensure progress on his HO

Virginian Ry. At left is part of the Virginian & Ohio RR that Allen McClelland
has been working on (see Great Model Railroads 2014). Gerry Albers photo
build my railroad by myself, Gerry
recalls. The good news is that such
lack of knowledge allowed me to plow
ahead, as who knows what the future
holds? Its important to avoid mental
negativity at all costs. Moreover, its
the journey, not the destination, that
provides a lot of the fun.
You need to understand what
talent and skills you have, and those
you dont. But you cant just stand up

at a National Model Railroad Association meeting and ask, Who wants to
help me build my model railroad?
and expect a lot of expert help. Ask
for a little help from a trusted friend
with one small task as a start. In time,
this will probably lead to a larger
work group of modelers whose skill
sets will prove useful.
10 Keep work sessions focused

Expecting friends to show up
regularly without knowing what is
expected of them will lead to endless
bull sessions and gradually falling
attendance. You should have a list of
jobs that need to be done in a certain
order, and you may want to preassign specic individuals to each
task. Have the tools and materials laid
out before anyone arrives. Set a
regular schedule such as a Tuesday
Night Work Group so friends will
develop the habit of keeping that
evening open.
Gerry Albers discovered that
playing music during work sessions
tends to cheer things up while
discouraging distracting conversations. A good supply of soft drinks
should be on hand, but not alcohol:
Theyll be using power tools, he
cautions. He also found it helpful to
do what good bosses always should:
Provide frequent feedback and lavish
praise for jobs well done.
Prolic and highly accomplished
modeler Jack Burgess, whose HO
railroad accurately depicts Californias
40
Tip 10. Having the right tools, needed supplies, and a well-organized area in
which to build models is one of Jack Burgess keys to getting more done, not
to mention building better models. Jack Burgess photo
Yosemite Valley RR in August 1939,
makes sure to have the tools and
materials he will need stored in their
proper places for easy retrieval;
having to search for a missing tool or
part is a huge time-waster.
Andy Keeney nds it more productive to concentrate on one job for an
extended time for a related reason: he
doesnt waste time nding tools.
Paul Dolkos, who has built two

medium-size basement layouts,
recommends that modelers enter
the workspace with a specic idea
about what you want to accomplish.
Like Jack, he points to making good
use of available time: Even if
you have just enough time to lay
one length of track, youve accomplished something.
11 Take advantage of variety

Gary Hoover, perhaps best known
for his Santa Fe layout but now
modeling Appalachian coal railroading, also mentioned motivation: One
of the keys to making progress is to
stay motivated. I take advantage of
the incredible diversity that model
railroading offers. Rather than
building all of the benchwork, adding
all the track and wiring, then all the
scenery, etc., I build small sections or
scenes to an advanced state of
completion. This keeps each task
attainable, and nishing the rst
section provides the condence for a
neophyte modeler to keep making
even more progress.
Contemplating a model railroad,
even a small one, as a whole, can
indeed be intimidating. Garys
approach provides a series of stepping stones to get there from here.
Its very important to nd ways to
avoid burnout with any timeconsuming and/or tedious job, Andy
Keeney cautions. I therefore vary my
work as much as possible. For
Tip 11. Big-time steam railroading held center stage in the central
Appalachians as the Norfolk & Western struggled to move coal from tipple to
tidewater. Modeling it in HO has provided new challenges and inspiration to
veteran modeler Gary Hoover. Gary Hoover photo
example, I didnt build all of the
benchwork rst, then lay all of the
track, and so on. After some bench-
work was complete and some track

ready to use, I was then inspired to go
back to building more benchwork.
12 You really have to want a layout

Now that we have reviewed
specic suggestions by veteran
modelers who have built highly
acclaimed layouts, let me close with a
sentiment expressed by Bill Darnaby:
You have to want a model railroad
badly! Its no accident that I didnt
have cable TV until after the layout
was operational and I had retired.
Just for the unusual or not usual
see the attached. The accompanying
photo shows what I saw for ve years
instead of Seinfeld. Its easy to get
discouraged at an early stage of the
railroads development.
Bills comments were echoed by
many other experienced builders.
Vermonter Randy Laframboise is
making excellent progress on his
basement-size HO Rutland RR layout.
When asked whether he works on it
regularly or takes a burnout break
now and then, he responded that he
devotes some time to the railroad
virtually every day regardless of his
enthusiasm or energy level.
Its not so much a matter of
technique but of motivation, Doug
Tip 12. Bill Darnabys basement looked more like a lumberyard than a train
layout decades ago. A passion for having a model railroad helped transform
the Maumee Route from dream to reality. Bill Darnaby photo
Tagsold says. Yes, using commercial
track and ready-built or kitbashed
structures may be faster than scratchbuilding, but for me its my motivation
to bring the railroad to an operating
stage that spurs me on. Nothing is
more gratifying than running the rst
train across the layout.
David Stewart, who with a seasoned crew is now tackling the second
edition of his O scale Appalachian &

Ohio (see May 2006 Model Railroader
and Model Railroad Planning 2009),
agrees. Its important to work on the
railroad even when Im not particularly
motivated. I achieve this by pursuing
my long-range goals in small, manageable steps. And it helps to be an
optimist; you have to believe that you
really can make this happen!
41
With the right details, an empty freight car is just as interesting to look at as a loaded one. Pelle used elastic thread and
brass hooks to make this unloaded atcar look more like the real thing.
ADD STRAPS
to a center-beam flatcar
Give these empty freight cars more detail with hooks and elastic thread
By Pelle Seborg Photos by the author
ailroads dont make money running empty freight cars,

but theyre still a common sight on freight trains. Open
freight cars look more interesting with loads, but that
doesnt mean empty freight cars cant look interesting, too.
I recently purchased three Atlas center-beam bulkhead
flatcars, but didnt have any loads for them, so Ill be running
them around my layout as empties.
Loads on this type of flatcar are secured with a series of
straps. One end of each strap is attached to a tensioning system
and the other end has a hook. When the flatcar runs empty,
these straps are pulled tight so they wont get tangled with each
other. Loose straps on a moving freight car are very dangerous,
especially for anyone standing trackside.
42
I added these straps to my 73-foot center-beam bulkhead

flatcars. Each flatcar needs a total of 36 sets of straps, 18 on
each side.
I found some EZ Line from Berkshire Junction that would
work well to simulate the straps. This product is an elastic
thread that I normally use for telephone and electric lines on
my layout.
EZ Line is available in 0.003" (fine) and 0.006" (heavy)
diameters. To ensure the straps look in scale, I used the smallest diameter for this project.
With these added straps, my empty center-beam bulkhead
flatcars look much better. I like the look of them so much, that
I will probably never put a load on them.
1 Making hooks
I made the hooks from
0.012" brass. Using needlenose pliers, I bent the wire
into a hook shape the
smallest diameter the pliers
would allow. After the wire
was bent, I cut off the hook.
I made a total of 36 hooks,
18 for each side of the car.
0.012" brass
Needlenose pliers
2 Attaching and painting hooks

I cut each piece of elastic
thread 113 16" so the ends are
able to reach over and
connect from the middle of
the cars to the sides.
To attach each brass hook
to the pieces of thread,
I dipped the straight end of
the hook into cyanoacrylate
adhesive (CA), and then held
it against the end of the
thread for a few seconds.
Dont get any CA on the
thread except where it
touches the hook. The CA
will make the thread curl.
I painted all the brass
hooks a grimy black color.
EZ Line elastic thread

Paintbrush
Tweezers
Hook
Tweezers
3 Attaching straps
After the paint on the
hooks dried, I attached the
ends of each string to the
molded ratchets on each
side of the atcar sills with
CA. I then pulled each string
across the car deck and
through the anchor slot,
about halfway up on each
vertical post. The end with
the hook is attached the
remaining sill strap anchor.
Anchor slot
Sill strap anchor
TRIED
AND
TRUE
The HO scale Clinch Mountain Ry. was built using traditional methods
By Lou Sassi Photos by the author
ave MacPherson has always

been interested in the railroads of 1950s New England, especially the Boston
& Maine; Rutland; Maine Central; and
New York, New Haven & Hartford.
Thats why he set his HO scale Clinch
Mountain Ry. in the mountains of that
region between 1952 and 1963. The freelanced model railroad was conceived as a
bridge route between all these railroads,
allowing him to operate equipment from
any of them.
Dave was introduced to the hobby

when, at age 12, he was given an American Flyer train set at Christmas. He
became interested in scale model
railroading after discovering Model
Railroader magazine in 1948, after which
he built a 7 x 13-foot table with a loop of
HO scale track in his parents cellar. He
took a break from model railroading in
his teen years, but after getting married
and having two sons, he rediscovered the
hobby in 1970 and began work on his
current layout.
The railroad began as a 10 x 14-foot

layout in a room that was originally
intended to be a play area for his children. Although the track plan is original,
it was influenced by articles in MR, visits
to local hobby shops, and his involvement with other modelers through the
National Model Railroad Association
(NMRA). On this original section of the
layout are several towns with New
England-flavored names like Bradford,
Beecher Falls, Whitefield, and Crawford
Notch. Access to the central operators
pit is via a crawl-under.
In 1985, Dave expanded the railroad
in preparation for layout visits in conjunction with the 1986 NMRA National
Convention in Boston. He tunneled
through a wall into his adjacent workshop and added a 21 2 x 15-foot shelf with
a freight yard, engine terminal, and
industrial area. This shelf later expanded
to fill the 10 x 20-foot room. Trains route
from the original model railroad to this
new section across a bridge spanning the
doorway to the original layout room.
Construction
The layout began in both areas with
the installation of ceiling tiles, drywall,
and fluorescent lighting, mixing cool
white and warm white bulbs. Then
benchwork, consisting of L-girders and
open-grid and tabletop construction,
1. The crew of engine no. 186 stops to pick up orders at Crawford Notch Depot
on Dave MacPhersons HO scale Clinch Mountain Ry. Dave conceived of the
freelanced railroad as a bridge line that would let him run the equipment from all
his favorite New England prototypes.
44
2. Clinch Mountain Ry. no. 382, an Alco

RS-3, enters Marysville with a local
freight. Dave built and decorated the
diesel from a Hobbytown kit and
scratchbuilt the cut-stone tunnel
portals and the telltales.
Depot
Depot
Beecher Falls
Water Cement plant
Clinch Mountain Ry.

4112"
HO scale (1:87.1)
4112"
6
Diesel fuel
Sand
Coal distributor
Church
Coal
Water Bradford
Enginehouse
Station
Farm
supply
45"
Team
track
Whiteeld Diner
Banjo factory Freight shed
Original layout room
Lift-out bridge
to new section
Crawford Notch
Warehouse
Fuel distributor
Chemical
plant
Depot
4112"
45"
Depot
Holbrook
To Marysville
To original layout
Station
Garage
REA ofce
Iron foundry
Dairy
REA warehouse
Icing
platform
Propane
Marysville
distributor
Tool and
die company
Produce shed
Water Coal
Sand Cement plant
Diesel fuel
New section
HO scale (1:87.1)
Power plant
Warehouse
Chocolatier
Meat packer
Shoe factory
Appliance
Furniture factory
Mill General store
factory
Foundry
Depot
Glen
Magazine subscribers can watch a
video of trains running on Daves
Clinch Mountain Ry. on our website,
www.ModelRailroader.com.
46
The layout at a glance

Name: Clinch Mountain Ry.
Scale: HO (1:87.1)
Size: 10 x 13 plus 10 x 20 feet
Theme: Freelanced bridge route
Locale: New England
Era: 1952-1963
Style: walk-in
Mainline run: 110 feet
Minimum radius: 26" (main), 18"
(industries)
Minimum turnout: no. 6 (main),
no. 4 (yards)
Maximum grade: 3 percent
Benchwork: L-girder
Height: 44 to 46 inches
Roadbed: Tru-Scale roadbed on
plywood
Track: handlaid code 100 with
Tru-Scale turnouts
Scenery: plaster over cardboard
strips
Backdrop: Walthers Instant
Horizons scenes and painted sky
on sheetrock and tempered
hardboard
Control: direct-current cab control
with homemade tethered and
Aristo-Craft wireless throttles
was built. The next step was the trackwork, followed by basic scenery.
Dave installed the backdrop before
finishing the scenery. He started with
Instant Horizons scenes from which he
cut off the printed sky. He then attached
them to the walls, or in some cases tempered hardboard panels, using spray
adhesive. He modified some scenes by
layering backdrop sections over each
other. Dave and his younger son painted
a cloudy sky to replace the one he cut off
the prints. This allowed the backdrops to
be extended up to the ceiling without
color-matching problems.
Dave handlaid his track using code
100 nickel silver rail spiked to Atlas fiber
tie strips. He modified a pair of needlenose pliers by cutting a notch in the jaws
to hold the spikes. He also painted the
fiber tie strip to prevent it from warping
when he later used diluted white glue to
adhere the ballast.
In some areas, he used Tru-Scale
milled wood roadbed on top of 3 4" plywood, while elsewhere, track is laid
directly on the plywood. Tru-Scale also
supplied the no. 4 and no. 6 turnouts.
The layout is wired for direct-current
block control. Dave uses both homemade
transistor throttles with momentum and
3. This view of Daves original layout room has Crawford Notch to the left,
across the aisle from Whiteeld. The white control panel at center controls
switch machines by tapping exposed studs with a grounded phonograph jack.
The crawl under beneath the panels leads to the operators pit.
Overhead storage
Dave built display cases to hold unused locomotives above his layout. The
sky-blue boxes also serve as a lighting valance.
Most model railroaders Iknow have more locomotives than they know
what to do with. Icertainly do. Ihate to have them sitting in boxes where
Icant enjoy them. My solution was to build storage compartments around
the ceilings in the railroad areas. Now Ican see my equipment, and the
engines can easily be moved to the layout without searching through
countless boxes to nd a certain one. Dave MacPherson
braking and Aristo-Craft wireless throttles. Sound is supplied by a Model Rectifier Corp. Sound Station.
Turnouts are lined by twin-coil
switch machines wired to exposed
machine screws on the control panels.
To operate the switch machines, an
operator simply touches the correspond-
ing screw with a grounded 1 4" headphone plug. Some of the switch machines also drive working signals.
Scenery and structures

Dave built his landforms by covering
a wood-braced lattice of file-folder cardboard strips with newspaper. Over this
47
4. A Boston & Maine General Electric 44-tonner a Keystone model built,

painted, and decaled by Daves friend Glenn Owens switches the Bradford
industrial area. The lumber storage shed and other small structures surrounding
the gas storage tank were scratchbuilt by Dave.
Homebrewed track-cleaning car

5. Marysville Yard, on the newest part
of the layout, is a busy place. Here we
see a Boston & Maine 2-8-0 heading
out with a work train while a CMR
0-8-0 switches the yard and a pair of
2-8-8-2s head for the engine terminal.
Dave scratchbuilt this track-cleaning car. The solvent-saturated roller is

attached to a brass spring plate that maintains pressure on the railhead.
I built this track-cleaning car many years ago, and its been more than
satisfactory for me. Istarted with a brass plate for the oor, with freight
trucks underneath and a lead block attached to the top for better tracking.
Theres a Kadee coupler mounted at one end and a spring-loaded wooden
dowel roller at the other. A piece of cloth or paper towel is wrapped around
the roller and saturated with cleaning solution. Itow it around the layout
behind a pair of locomotives. D.M.
48
terrain, he laid industrial-grade paper

towels soaked in soupy molding plaster.
After this layer hardened, Dave coated it
with more molding plaster to obtain the
desired strength and finish. Then the
plaster was painted medium brown and
left to dry. Dave prefers molding plaster
over Hydrocal because it takes paint
better, he says.
To prepare the surface for the final
scenery layer, Dave painted the brown
plaster with diluted white glue with a few
drops of dish detergent added. This helps
the glue soak into both the plaster and
scenery materials. Onto this he sprinkled
either Woodland Scenics ground foam
or dry molding plaster mixed with powdered paint pigments. He applied more
of his glue mixture to firmly bond the
scenery materials.
For rock outcroppings or stone walls,

Dave applied thicker layers of plaster directly to the layout. As it cured, he would
carve details into the plaster. Sometimes
he would mold a plaster casting at the
workbench and carve details while it was
curing. Once it dried, he would install it
on the layout using more plaster as an
adhesive. Dave used a mix of powdered
paint pigments mixed with water and a
couple drops of detergent to stain the
plaster rocks.
Originally, Dave used a combination
of treated lichen and parts of wild blueberry bushes for trees. In later years he
added Woodland Scenics ground foam,
applied with spray adhesive, to the lichen
trees, as well as the occasional factorymade tree.
Daves layout boasts a variety of kitbuilt, kitbashed, and scratchbuilt structures. When it comes to scratchbuilding,
he uses any and all materials. Some of
the more interesting scratchbuilt structures on his layout include the wood
Bradford roundhouse, two turntables, a
6. Clinch Mountain Ry. 4-8-2 no. 88 takes a spin on the turntable at the Bradford
engine terminal before picking up its Marysville-bound freight.
trestle, and an icing facility. Dave is also

proud of the power plant and substation
at Marysville, which are from kits. Dave
prefers to superdetail foreground structures while applying less detail to those
in the background.
Running the railroad

Though his home road is freelanced,
Dave tries to follow the prototype when
it comes to the rolling stock that interchanges with the CMR. He doesnt
consider himself a rivet counter, but he
49
Meet Dave MacPherson

Dave MacPherson has been a
model railroader since receiving a
train set as a young boy in 1949.
Hes a retired electronic engineer
who now teaches bluegrass music.
He and his wife,
Mary, live in
East Bridgewater, Mass., and
have two sons
and two
grandchildren.
7. Clinch Mountain Ry. no. 109, leading the local freight, switches the cement
plant at Whiteeld. The Alco S-2 is an Atlas model Dave painted and decaled. He
also kitbashed the Whiteeld Diner.
See-through track tester
made by Athearn, Atlas, Bachmann,

Hobbytown, Life-Like Proto 1000, and
Proto 2000 by Walthers.
Operation on the CMR consists of
both bridge traffic and a large amount of
freight traffic that originates on-line.
There are local and through freights as
well as commuter and through passenger
service, sometimes using Budd Rail Diesel Cars (RDCs) or a Doodlebug.
Dave has developed his own waybill
system. He makes out waybills for the
types of freight cars used by each industry, without specifying road names or
numbers. The locals then do their online switching while staying out of the
way of through freights or passenger
trains. A typical operating session can
keep three or four people busy for two to
three hours.
New layout for a new generation
A see-through car lets Dave scrutinize any troublesome track and spot the
cause of derailments.
When hand-laying track, Ineeded a test car that would help me spot
problems, so Ibuilt one out of a piece of 1 2" thick Plexiglas the size of a
boxcar oor. Imounted it to a pair of old trucks with fairly sharp anges, the
kind that always seem to nd track problems when theyre under a freight
car. Ialso mounted a Kadee coupler to each end. When Ifound a section of
track that presented a problem, Iwould run this car over it, either behind an
engine or by hand. Since Iwas able to see through the car oor, it was simple
to pinpoint the problem and x it. D.M.
wants nothing on the layout that seems

out of place, either.
Dave has a few cars he considers to be
special. They include an open railfan car,
an old-time flatcar, a fire-fighting tank
car, and several skeleton log cars, all of
which he scratchbuilt to achieve his
NMRA Master Builder car award. This
was one of six awards he received that
50
enabled him to achieve his Master Model

Railroader certificate in 2002.
Dave prefers to weather his cars using
weathering powders or chalks. With this
method, he finds it easy to control the
amount of weathering applied and, if
necessary, to correct mistakes.
Motive power on the layout consists
of both steam and diesel locomotives
Though Dave originally got into the

hobby as a way to relax after a hard days
work, as time went on, he got more involved with the NMRA Hub Division
and Northeastern Region meetings.
What could be a solitary pursuit has, for
him, led to much camaraderie and
friendships, both old and new.
Dave was recently surprised when his
son Brad, who lives not far away, offered
him use of a vacant 17 x 22-foot basement room. Dave jumped at the chance
to turn it into a railroad room for Brad
and his family. Dave is working on the
open-grid benchwork, and soon his son
and grandchildren will be able to operate
a railroad in their own home. Dave is
more than pleased to pass his hobby on
to a new generation or two!
Lou Sassi is a frequent contributor to
Model Railroader magazine and its special issues. He lives with his wife, Cheryl,
in North Carolina, where he models the
Sandy River & Rangeley Lakes in On30.
Gantlet tracks allow two parallel sets of tracks to come together without using moving points. Railroads use them to get
multiple tracks through limited spaces, like the Rocksh River bridge on Larry Pucketts HO scale Southern Ry. layout.
HOW TO BUILD A
GANTLET TRACK
Part 1: This prototype track arrangement can enhance operation
By Larry Puckett Photos by the author
ith only a little more than 200

feet of main line on my HO
scale Southern Ry. layout,
model trains can rapidly cover the distance between stations in far less time
than on the prototype, so I needed
a way to slow things down.
I model the Southern between Charlottesville and Lynchburg, Va., in 1957,
and try to operate the original trains
close to their original schedules. In spite
of the lack of Centralized Traffic Control

(CTC), the double-track main line
allowed Southern to operate most of its
trains on high-speed schedules, and
thats where my problems arise.
Around 1960, the Southern added
CTC. Alternating segments were singletracked and most bridges were cut back
to a single span.
I already had one operational bottleneck with the south division point yard
at Monroe, where power and crew

changes required delays. To balance out
operations in the northern section,
I introduced another bottleneck by taking out one span of a pair of bridges over
the Rockfish River in preparation for the
impending introduction of CTC.
This maneuver requires southbound
traffic to divert onto the adjacent span,
forcing it to proceed at reduced speed,
and creating meets over this short
51
This gantlet track allowed the Omaha Road to retain its bridge at its Altoona, Wis., yard. Dick Christianson photo
Point rails
Shinohara no. 8 turnout
Closure rails
Making the transition
Stock rails
Fig. 1 Preparing turnouts. Larry used a rail cutter to remove the point rails
and part of the stock rails on these Shinohara turnouts.
section of track (and more fun and frustration for operators).

I was also faced with the decision of
how best to safely operate both northand southbound trains over the remaining bridge span. One option often
employed by railroads is to use a turnout
to route trains onto the parallel mainline
track just before the bridge, then back
onto their own track farther down the
line. This option has its own drawbacks,
since without CTC and remote control
of switches, it might slow operations too
much for my double-track main line.
52
automated block signals. Lets go over

construction of the gantlet track, first
creating the transitions into it, then laying the tracks for the bridge, and finally
putting them in service by connecting
them to the mainline trackage.
My choice was to install a gantlet track

over the bridge.
Whats a gantlet track?

Gantlet tracks route a parallel set of
tracks through a narrow right-of-way,
like a single-bore tunnel or over a bridge.
A gantlet has frogs similar to those in a
turnout at each end, allowing the tracks
to come together in slightly more width
than a single track. It also eliminates the
need to line switches.
Traffic control can be accomplished
using block occupancy detection and
The transition from double-track to

gantlet track is essentially a turnout without points. The easiest way to build one is
to modify a commercial turnout.
I used a track cutter to remove the
point rails at their joints as seen in g. 1,
while leaving the stock rails a little longer
to create a smooth, stable transition to the
gantlet track. Conveniently, at the joint
where the point rails were removed,
the spacing of the four rails matched the
gantlet track spacing.
Since I had them on hand, I used
Shinohara no. 8 turnouts, which will
give an easy transition for my high-speed
passenger equipment. However, theyre
far from being Digital Command
Control-friendly. Because the two inside
rails cross at the frog, the potential for
shorts arises, so I cut through the rails
on each side of the frog to power it independently, as shown in g. 2.
Crossing the bridge

There are several ways to build the
bridge section of the gantlet track:
1. Spike the rails to wood ties;

2. Glue the rails down on ties using
contact cement;
3. Solder the rails to copper-clad
printed-circuit board (PCB) ties.
My choice was a hybrid approach
I soldered the rails to Clover House PCB
ties after every fifth tie, then glued the
rails to Fast Tracks gantlet tie strips.
I built the soldering jig shown in
g. 3 to keep everything evenly spaced.
I traced the outline of the Fast Tracks tie
strip onto a pine board and laid out the
jig on top of the outline. The long horizontal strip keeps everything straight.
I used 1 32" stripwood for the tie spacers,
which are 11 scale feet long, to match the
Fast Tracks ties.
Its important to get these square and
evenly spaced so the finished rail sections will fit the Fast Tracks tie strip. At
1 32" thick, the strips are thinner than the
PCB ties 1 16" nominal thickness, guaranteeing that the bottoms of the rails sit
flush on the copper surface.
I placed a PCB tie in every sixth slot
and soldered the rails to them. I used
pins inserted at the ends of the ties to
hold them firmly in place. (See g. 4)
Getting the first rail perfectly straight is
critical, since the other three rails will be
spaced relative to it.
After attaching the first five ties, I continued by moving the soldered ties to the
far side of the jig, adding new ties, soldering them in place, then repeating the process until I reached the end of the rail.
With the first rail complete, I added
the second rail using a pair of MLR
Manufacturing Co. track gauges to keep
it in gauge, as shown in g. 5 on the
next page. For the third and fourth rails,
I cut slots in a wood dowel spaced at
561 2 scale inches for each pair of rails
shown in g. 6 on the next page. The
notched dowel held the rails in gauge
while I finished soldering.
Cut closure rails just

before frog
Fig. 2 Isolating the frogs. A motor tool with a cutting disc makes isolating the
frogs quick work. The frogs will be powered independently.
PCB ties
" stripwood
1 32
Fig. 3 Building a jig. Larry built this soldering jig to keep the printed-circuit
board ties in place and evenly spaced.
Pins to hold ties
Making the connection

With the transition sections and
the gantlet track complete, I trimmed the
rail ends on both to match using track
cutters. Next, I connected the gantlet
track to the transition sections using
rail joiners, and soldered the joints
together while holding the tie edges
against a straightedge.
Once the rails were firmly soldered in
place, I used a grinding bit in my motor
tool to carefully cut through the copper
cladding of each PCB tie to prevent
shorts, as seen in g. 7 on the next page.
After this was completed, I attached the
leads of my voltmeter to each rail on
PCB ties
Fig. 4 Soldering rail. The PCB ties, which are slightly thicker than the stripwood
parts of the jig, are held rmly in the jig with pins while being soldered.
53
MLR track gauges
Fig. 5 Second rail. Larry used these MLR Manufacturing Co. track gauges to
keep the rst pair of rails in gauge while soldering.
the ohms setting and checked to make

sure there was no continuity. It took me
three more passes with the motor tool to
eliminate all the short circuits, so dont
skip this step.
For a strong soldered joint I recommend using flux, since it burns away
grease and grime and reacts with any
metal oxide coatings on the parts to be
soldered. However, be careful what kind
of flux you use, as its available in liquid
and paste forms that can be acidic or
non-acidic. I recommend the non-acidic
fluxes, since special treatments are
required to neutralize acid flux residue.
To ensure that all flux residue was
removed after soldering, I took the whole
assembly outside and gave it a thorough
scrubbing with warm soapy water followed by an alcohol rinse after it had
dried. The last thing you want is for
residual flux to corrode a joint or form
a nonconductive coating.
Adding the ties
Dowel with two sets

of notches, 5612 scale
inches apart
Fig. 6 Homemade gauge. To keep the second set of rails in gauge and properly
spaced from the rst set, Larry made a gauge out of a dowel.
The Fast Tracks tie strips are an interesting design consisting of a laser-cut
strip of wooden ties with webbing
between each tie where the rails will rest.
There are wide slots after every fifth tie
for the PCB tie. A pair of TieClip connectors are provided with each strip to
hold multiple strips together at the correct spacing (g. 8).
The instructions say to glue the tie
strips to the roadbed, then glue the soldered gantlet track to it. However, since
my gantlet track was to be installed on a
completed bridge, I modified this method.
First, I cut the strips into smaller sections of five ties each by removing the
webbing in the spaces provided for
the PCB ties. Then I connected several
together using the TieClip connectors
Materials list
Motor tool with
grinding bit
Clover House
1265 or 1266 PCB tie strips
Fast Tracks
LT-HO-G-A-10 gantlet tie strips
MLR Manufacturing Co.
5001 track gauges
PCB ties
Fig. 7 Eliminating shorts. Larry cut through the copper layer on the PCB ties
to isolate the left and right rails electrically.
54
Shinohara
669-305 (LH) -306 (RH)
no. 8 turnouts
Micro Engineering
17-070 nickel silver rail
and glued the gantlet track in place, as

seen in g. 9.
As recommended by Fast Tracks,
I glued the rails to the tie strips using
Pliobond contact cement.
There are several ways to set Pliobond
glue. I applied it to both surfaces, let it
dry for 3 to 5 minutes, mated the two
surfaces, then held it under pressure for
10 to 15 minutes. Once Pliobond sets up
for about seven days it creates a permanent bond that actually gets stronger
with age and is resistant to vibration,
expansion, and cooling.
Fast Tracks
TieClips
Guard timbers
Guardrails are pairs of rails laid
between the running rails on bridges in
case wheels jump the track. Theyre used
to keep cars from crashing into parts of
bridges and doing significant damage, or
causing more cars to derail. I did a lot of
research and found photos of about as
many bridges with guardrails as without
them; they seem to be more common on
bridges with components above the rails.
On a trip to the Lynchburg area,
I noted that most bridges I saw didnt
have them, so I didnt install them on my
bridge. I did, however, install guard timbers, which are on the prototype bridge,
along the edges of the bridge ties. The
Micro Engineering bridge kit included
styrene guard timbers with molded bolt
details, which I glued to the ends of the
bridge ties (g. 10) using cyanoacrylate
adhesive (CA).
Fig. 8 Aligning ties. These TieClips hold the Fast Tracks laser-cut wood tie
strips together at the correct spacing for the PCB ties.
TieClips
Finishing up
Fast Tracks recommends painting the
ties and the rails as one unit, so I sprayed
on a couple coats of rail brown. I was
concerned there might be some warping,
but the basswood ties held straight.
Finally, I added some weathering details
to the ties and rails using a little rust
here and there, then blended it together
with a light overspray of diluted weathered black. A few passes with a track
cleaner took the paint off the railheads.
Now that the trackwork is done, the
next step is modeling the Rockfish River
bridge crossing, adding all the ballast,
and scenery. See how I did that in next
months Model Railroader.
Larry Puckett is a retired research
ecologist living in Asheville, N.C., with his
wife, Diane. His main modeling interests
include railroads of the Southeastern
United States, particularly the Southern
Ry., which is the focus of his new layout.
Larry has written more than 150 stories
and a book about model railroading.
Five-tie segments of Fast Tracks gantlet tie strips
Fig. 9 Rails on ties. With four laser-cut tie strip sections joined, the gantlet
track is ready to be glued into place. Larry used Pliobond contact cement.
Notch in PCB ties
Guard timbers
Fig. 10 Finished track. Guard timbers on the ends of the bridge ties help keep
derailed cars from careening off the tracks.
55
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CLIP AND DIP

goldenrod trees
Ron Stacy needed thousands of trees to ll the forests of his HO scale

Rondemont & West Shore RR, set in the mountains of Pennsylvania. Here,
RWS no. 5771 reaches the summit of a 2.6 percent grade. Ron Stacy photo
These tricks will ll your layout with believable

forests without spending much time or money
By Ron Stacy Photos by Dave Thompson
he most common remark I get

from visitors to my freelanced
HO scale Rondemont & West
Shore RR is nice trees. I model
the mountains of Pennsylvania,
so I need a bunch of them at reasonable
cost and time. As individual trees, theyre
not that nice, but as part of a forest they
are quite acceptable. There are about
3,500 trees on the layout with another 500
more to go. The materials used are simple,
but its good to plan ahead.
Gathering material
Heres what we do. My wife, Nancy,
and I go to our secret patch of goldenrod
(find your own!) the first week of
November. That is the weed that turns
fields a bright yellow in early fall. We live
in Rochester, N.Y. The harvesting time
will vary according to where you live.
I want them when theyre fuzzed up
and gray and the stalks are stiff and
woody, but before the weather has beaten
them up. In over an hour, we fill about
seven cardboard boxes. (See g. 1)

Obviously, we dont pack them down.
We cut our trees fairly small. What
looks small in a field can be pretty large
on the layout, though. The largest finished trees I have are about 35 scale feet
high. Thats a little under 5" in HO scale.
Smaller trees give a better sense of distance and depth.
Clipping the trees

The sooner the clipping is done, the
better. To make this project easier, we
entice friends to help out who are weird
enough to think making trees is fun.
It may take a little convincing. We tell
them its a clip and dip party. Recall
Tom Sawyer and his whitewashed fence?
It greatly helps to provide refreshments
and dinner afterward.
The goldenrod needs to be clipped
down and shaped so it wont look like
a bunch of floppy old weeds. I clip some
samples, as in g. 2, to show my crew
what I want. Ordinary scissors work fine.
Fig. 1 Collecting. Rons wife, Nancy,

holds a box of goldenrod. Ron Stacy photo
I tell my clippers to leave the stalks long

since Ill cut the trees when theyre
planted. My clippers stick them in pieces
of 1" extruded-foam insulation board
and then they bring them to the dippers
waiting outside.
Dipping the branches

Before the party, I hang about seven
strings across the width of our two-car
garage and place plastic drop cloths
underneath. Then I get the dyeing
supplies ready.
To make the dye, I use the cheapest
large-size artists oil tube paints from a
craft store like A.C. Moore or Michaels.
The paint must be oil-based, as waterbased paint closes up the pods.
I squeeze a bead of sap green paint
about 15" long and a 7" bead of cadmium
yellow into a large coffee can and fill it
about 3 4 full with common paint thinner, then mix well. The exact proportions
57
Fig. 2 Trimming branches. Ron clips

the goldenrod to give it a more
tree-like appearance. He leaves the
stems long for planting in the layout.
Fig. 3 Dipping trees. First, the weeds

are dipped in a mixture of artists oils,
left. Then the excess color in spun off
over another container, right.
Q and A
Fig. 5 Losing their leaves. To model

dead trees, Ron uses a comb to scrape
the fuzz off the goldenrod. He then
adds a thin wash of gray paint.
can vary. If you already have forests

painted on your backdrop, you should
try to match that color. I find that without some addition of yellow, the trees
come out looking too bluish.
I use at least two dippers who are
ready to go, or to put it another way,
eager to get it over with. I have them
dunk a tree for about two seconds, as
seen in g. 3, twirl off some excess
paint, and hang it on the line with a
spring clothespin. Two small trees can be
dipped at the same time using one
spring clothespin.
Your main job is to keep the dippers
supplied with paint. A portable fan
greatly helps with ventilation.
To make pine trees, have your clippers
set aside especially narrow, pointed
weeds. Different pines come in different
shades, and generally theyre a little more
blue and/or darker. These trees are tucked
into the forest so all you see are the tops.
I let the trees drip and dry for about five
days, as shown in g. 4, then place them
58
Q. What if Im allergic to goldenrod?

A. The goldenrod is harvested
when its past the allergenic stage.
Q. Are the trunks green?
A. Tell your dippers to only get
down to the fuzzies. The trunks
soak in the paint much less
anyway and are hardly visible after
planting.
Q. Do the trees last?
A. I gave a friend a bunch of trees
that he planted in the 1980s. He
still has them on his layout. The oil
paint acts as a preservative.
back into the foam boards. I put them on

our screened porch for the winter to let
the paint-thinner smell dissipate. A garage is all right, but a porch gives better
airflow. Our record is about 750 trees for
an annual session.
Planting the trees

Now that the trees are made, its time
to get them on the layout. Tree planting
is easy but time-consuming. I do it a bit
at a time. If you have a work gang, this is
a great project for them.
I grab a palette of trees and clip some
a little further, especially the trunks. To
plant them, I use a motor tool with
a drill bit smaller than most trunks.
I swirl the bit around some to make
the holes larger. After sucking up the
plaster dust with a shop vacuum, Ill dab
with a little earth color paint at the base
of the tree if needed. I dont have to glue
them in.
I place smaller trees farther away and
larger trees closest to the aisle to enhance
Fig. 4 Success. Nancy checks on the

progress of the clipped and dipped
trees that have been strung up over
plastic drop cloths to dry. Ron Stacy photo
the illusion of distance. At the front edge

of the forest, I plant some small trees to
create the illusion of density.
Fall colors and dead trees

To create fall colors, I airbrush the
trees with old Floquil solvent paints
I have on the shelf: Railbox Yellow and
Caboose Red. [Floquil paints have been
discontinued by their maker, The Testor
Corp. Ed.]
Mixing the two gives me orange.
I dust the outer higher branches first
with yellow, then add a little orange and
red to the tips.
If you want to model late fall, add
something like a deep rust. I spray up
close, an inch or two away, with short
bursts on individual branches. Its easy
to overdo it, but I correct this by overspraying my basic green color.
For dead trees, I rub off the fuzz on
some undipped weeds and add a thin
wash of gray here and there, especially
on wood near water. There is a lot of
dead wood in the forest. Dead trees can
be found both standing upright and
fallen, and many have limbs and
branches lying around.
On a previous layout, a family of mice
got into the basement during one especially harsh winter and started eating the
foliage. I told friends it was an attack of
Dutch elm disease.
I consider model railroad scenery as
three-dimensional art, and these forests
are a part of the picture. If you need to
create believable forests, this is an inexpensive and efficient way to do it.
Ron Stacy and his wife, Nancy, live in
Rochester, N.Y. Now retired, Ron is a
former Catholic priest and Nancy is a former nun. Like many, Ron got a Lionel
train for Christmas, and the model railroading bug never left.
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59
DCCCORNER
Modern sound for an old locomotive

Athearn
Genesis
F3
Kitbashed F3
Mike Polsgrove wanted the decoder functions on the superdetailed F3, right,
kitbashed by a friend, to match its appearance, so he replaced the old NCE
decoder with a SoundTraxx Tsunami.
My friend, the late Mark Simonson,
kitbashed an old HO Athearn blue box

F7 into an F3, super-detailed it and custom painted it for my favorite road, the
Soo Line. When Mark gave me the locomotive about 15 years ago, I installed a
kit NCE decoder, which, at the time, was
state of the art.
By todays standards, however, its
very noisy. The locomotive had a yellow
MV Products lens for the headlight and
a red one for the oscillating light, but
neither illuminated. I decided it was
time to update the decoder and lighting
to match the modeling and detail work
Mark had done.
I also wanted to add sound, so I purchased a Soundtraxx Micro-Tsunami
with EMD 567 prime mover sound. A
standard Tsunami would have fit, but my
local hobby shop was out of them and
the Micro-Tsunamis two lighting functions were plenty for the F3.
Older Athearn blue box locomotives
had a metal clip that took track power

from one rail through a metal tab on the
top of the trucks and connected it to
the top side of the motor. The other side
of motor was connected to the frame,
which made contact to the other rail via
60
a metal portion of the truck in direct contact with the frame under the gear tower.
Mark had installed a can motor,
removed the clip, and wired the metal
tabs directly to one motor lead. He
drilled and tapped a 2-56 hole in the
frame, put a screw in it, and soldered the
wire to the other motor lead to the top of
the screw. He mounted the motor on a
layer of silicone adhesive, isolating it
from the frame (a necessity when installing a DCC decoder).
His selection of a can motor
improved the slow-speed running and
reduced the current draw from the original open frame motor. Any DCC decoder
must be able supply more current than
the locomotives motor will draw at a
stall. In this case, the can motor drew
about 400 mA and the Micro-Tsunami is
capable of supplying 750 mA (including
lighting). That meant I had about 350
mA left over for lighting more than
enough for both the normal headlight
and the oscillating one.
I soldered an 18AWG red wire
between the two metal tabs above the

gear tower and connected the decoders
red wire to one of the tabs. The wire
between the tabs must be flexible
enough to allow suitable movement of

the trucks on your layout. Stranded wire
is more flexible than solid wire. The
decoders black wire was soldered to
the screw in the frame.
The orange and gray wires from the
decoder were soldered to the motor
leads. The orange wire is connected to
the positive side of the motor, which, in
a DC locomotive, is connected to the
right hand rail as viewed from above
when the locomotive is traveling forward. The gray wire is connected to the
negative motor terminal. If you get this
backward, its easy to fix by adding the
value of 1 to the value in configuration
variable (CV) 29.
The prototype for my locomotive
had a red oscillating headlight at the
top of the bulldog nose and a white
headlight in the front door. I wanted
the lighting to be similar in appearance
to my Athearn Genesis F-units. I tried
a number of bulbs, but couldnt find
anything that was as bright as the Genesis bulbs, so I ended up using lightemitting diodes (LEDs). I used a Miniatronics Yeloglo White 3mm LED for the
headlight and a red Kingbright 3mm
LED (www.mouser.com) for the
oscillating headlight.
Light-emitting diodes need a currentlimiting resistor wired in series with the
decoder function output. Some LEDs
have them pre-wired into the leads, and
some decoders have a resistor built into
the function, usually a 1k , but the Tsunami does not. If the decoder manual
doesnt explicitly say the decoder has a
resistor, you must add one.
I used some 3 16" Evergreen styrene
tubing to make holders for the LEDs.
The slope of the nose prevents the 3 16"
tube from fitting flush with the back of
the upper headlight opening. To prevent
light leaks, I cut a shorter length of 1 4"
tubing sliced in half lengthwise so that it
was half-round, filed it to match the
slope of the nose, and glued it to the bottom of the holder.
Everything was painted black to further reduce light leaks. When the paint
was dry, I glued the parts in place.
In order to slip the Miniatronics LED
into the tube, I had to file a lip off the
base of the LED. I chucked the lens of
the LED into the drill press for my
Mike Polsgrove
motor-tool and, using eye protection, ran
it at the slowest setting and used a sharp
file to remove the lip.
I tested the LEDs with a 12VDC
power supply and chose a 1k 1 4 watt
resistor to mimic the brightness of my
Genesis Fs. In a future column, Ill go
into detail about choosing headlight
resistors, but 1k is usually a good
value for LEDs.
The 1k resistors are wired in series
with function leads (one on the white
wire and one on the yellow wire) of the
decoder and are soldered to the negative
side of the LEDs. The blue wire is soldered to the positive lead of both LEDs.
The white wire controls the front
headlight and the yellow wire controls
rear headlight. Since my F3 doesnt have
a rear headlight, I used the yellow wire to
control the oscillating headlight.
Light-emitting diodes must be wired
with the correct polarity or they wont
light. There are several methods used by
LED manufacturers to indicate which
lead is positive and negative. Often, the
longest lead is positive or theres a flat
spot on the lens by the negative lead.
Ive found the most reliable method is
to look into the LED from the side and
look for a little flag. That indicates the
negative side.
Mike had plenty of room inside the Athearn blue box F unit to t all the upgrades
he wanted, including lighting effects to match his Genesis F units.
The Micro-Tsunami has a capacitor to
Mike used a Miniatronics Yeloglo White 3mm LED for the headlight and a red
Kingbright 3mm LED (www.mouser.com) for the oscillating headlight. They
were mounted in 3 16" styrene tubing with 1k resistors.
help prevent interruption of sound over

dirty track. The positive side of the capacitor (marked with the + sign) is connected
to the blue lighting function wire and the
negative side to the green/yellow wire.
I mounted a rectangular speaker and
speaker enclosure inside the rear of the
shell using double-sided foam tape and
connected it to the purple wires on the
decoder. I usually use the biggest speaker
I can get into the space and use an enclosure to improve the sound quality and
increase the volume. All bare wires were
covered with heat-shrink tubing to prevent accidental short circuits.
With the wiring done, I placed the
locomotive on my programming track and

read back the value of CV1, the decoders
short address.
You should get a value of 3, the factory
setting. This indicates everything is wired
correctly. I programmed the decoders
long address to 202 to match the locomotives road number.
Because of the low current of the programming track, its less likely to cause
Speaker in enclosure
Metal tab for Flywheel

track power
18AWG wire
Red decoder wire
Headlight tubes
Black decoder wire soldered

Can motor
(beneath decoder) to screw in frame
1k 14 watt
resistors
Capacitor for sound

system
316" styrene tubing
Red Kingbright
3mm LED
14" styrene tubing
Flag indicating
negative lead
damage in case of a mistake. But some

systems have trouble reading CVs from
sound decoders. A programming booster
such as the SoundTraxx PTB-100 can
solve this.
The documentation in the decoder
packaging only contains the basics of
wiring and some basic CV programming, so I needed to consult the Tsunami Diesel Sound Users Guide from its
website (www.soundtraxx.com).
I wanted the headlight (white wire) to
light in either forward or reverse. Most
decoders auto-reverse the headlight and
rear headlight depending on the direction of the locomotive.
I programmed both CV33 and CV34
to a value of 1, which made the F0 button
on my throttles control the headlight
regardless of direction. I programmed
CV35 to a value of 2 so F1 would control
the oscillating headlight. This required
moving the bell function that is normally
controlled by F1 to F3 by programming
CV37 to a value of 1.
Miniatronics Yeloglo
White 3mm LED
To make the headlight dimmable with

F7, I programmed CV49 to a 1, but, since
the headlight is an LED, SoundTraxx provides an additional value of 128 to add to
the value of CV49 to make dimming
more realistic. That makes the total value
programmed into CV49 a 129.
I simulated the oscillating headlight
by programming CV50 (corresponds
with the yellow wire) to 135. Thats the
sum of SoundTraxxs Hyperlight mode
setting (7) for a rotary beacon and the
LED setting (128). The Hyperlight modes
can be found in Table G on page 33 of
the Tsunami Diesel Sound Users Guide.
There are many different Hyperlight
modes, but I found this one to be most
like my Athearn Genesis locomotives.
I changed the horn setting to the
signal chime blat horn by setting
CV115 to a value of 1.
Updating Marks locomotive was a
fun project, and I enjoy seeing his handiwork running on my layout with my
other locomotives.
61
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Two Piece
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Design
New
Made in the U.S.A.
W heels
1 Pair
.088
$9.95 Code
88
HGC Freight Trucks
with Code 88 Wheels
w ith Code 88
#1560 ACL Barber S-2 70-Ton Roller Bearing - 33 - Smooth

#1562 A.S.F. A-3 Ride-Control 50-Ton - 33 - Smooth
#1564 Bettendorf 50-Ton - 33 - Smooth
#1569 Roller Bearing 100-Ton - 36 - Smooth
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Tel: (541) 826-3883 Fax: (541) 826-4013 www.kadee.com
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M.T.H. Electric Trains is bringing the

jPQR&-%#4-BGCQCJJMAMKMRGTC
to market this Fall with operating
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"!!BCAMBCPUGRFBT?LAC!MLQGQR
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$C?RSPC+?NNGLE?LB1NCCB
Mapping make this and all M.T.H.
diesel locomotives HOs best motive
power value.
*Only 80-2344-1 and 80-2344-5 have charging lights
80-2344-1 G.E. Evolution ES44AC

Diesel Engine w/Proto-Sound 3.0
DCC Sound Equipped With Remote Couplers

Features Include:
'LRPGA?RCJW"CR?GJCB 1 MBW
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-NCP?RGLE)?BCC!MKN?RG@JC
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**Proto-Sound 3.0 Models Only
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Motor
*MAMKMRGTC1NCCB!MLRPMJ'L1A?JC
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Track
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$PCGEFR7?PB.PMRM#DDCARQ
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63
PRODUCTREVIEWS
Atlas Trainman Plus GenSet II delivers

a unique modern-era yard goat in HO
Following the success of its National
Railway Equipment (NRE) GenSet I,
Atlas has added the NRE GenSet II to its
HO scale Trainman Plus line. The readyto-run locomotive features a newly
tooled shell, thinner-profile handrails,
and cab roof details.
The National Railway Equipment
3GS21B-DE (GenSet II) made its debut

in 2008. The locomotive, like the 3GS21B
from 2006, was designed with the environment and fuel savings in mind.
National Railway Equipments website
notes the GenSet design has reduced
emissions, noise, fuel consumption, and
maintenance costs compared to traditional locomotives.
Unlike a typical locomotive that has
one engine, the GenSet II has three
Cummins QSK19C 700hp 6-cylinder
prime movers. One remains running
when the locomotive is idling or
performing light duties. When an
onboard computer detects an increased
load, the other engines are brought on
line, each at equal horsepower.
At rst glance, the Atlas Trainman
Plus GenSet II may look a lot like the
firms GenSet I we reviewed in the
March 2011 Model Railroader, but there
are substantial differences. The newly
tooled GenSet II shell features a redesigned long hood; a shorter, lower nose;
and accommodations for dynamic
64
brakes. In addition, the cab has been

moved forward. The chassis, trucks, fuel
tank, and battery boxes appear to be the
same as those used on the GenSet I.
The models overall dimensions closely
follow prototype drawings. However,
there are detail discrepancies between
the model and the BNSF Ry. prototype.
The full-size no. 1293 features a vertical
nose-mounted headlight (the area on the
cab where the headlight could go is plated
over), ditch lights on top of the anticlimber on both ends, and blanked out
horizontal windows on the back of the
cab. In addition, the battery boxes (between the front truck and fuel tank on
the model) are recessed too far. They
should be even with the edge of the sill.
In fairness to Atlas, though, the prototype GenSets are built to railroad specifications. This models details are more
accurately matched to the Belt Ry. of
Chicago, CSX, Indiana Harbor Belt, and
NRE demonstrator prototypes.
Our sample is decorated for BNSF Ry.
in the roads orange and black scheme.
The paint is smooth and evenly applied.
There are a few small voids where the
yellow stripe passes over the louvers for
the air compressor/filter blower compartment doors near the rear of the long
hood. This could easily be fixed with yellow paint and a fine brush. Some of the
warning stickers in the step wells and on
the nose and fuel tank are absent, but
they could be added with decals.
Mechanism and performance.
After removing the coupler boxes, I could

easily lift off the plastic shell. The motor
and flywheels are mounted in the center
of the die-cast metal frame. The printedcircuit (PC) board is screwed onto the
front and rear die-cast metal weights.
Wire leads run from the PC board to the
headlights in the body shell and the
ditch lights on the chassis.
Theres an eight-pin socket on the PC
board for a DCC decoder. SoundTraxx
also makes a board-replacement decoder
for modelers who wish to add sound. See
the accompanying review.
I tested the direct-current model with
a Model Rectifier Corp. Tech 7 DC power
pack. The locomotive started moving at
2.5 volts. As I increased the throttle,
I heard a small amount of motor noise,
but the GenSet ran smoothly throughout
its speed range.
The Atlas GenSet didnt have any difficulty rounding 18" radius curves. The
models heavy frame and all-wheel drive
gave the four-axle switcher impressive
pulling power.
Atlas has done a commendable job
capturing the unique lines of National
Railway Equipments GenSet II. The HO
scale locomotive would look right at
home working a yard or hauling a transfer run on a modern-day layout.
Cody Grivno, associate editor, and Dana
Kawala, senior editor
More reviews & videos

At www.ModelRailroader.com
subscribers can read more than
750 previously published reviews and
watch more than 150 exclusive product
demo videos.
Dana Kawala
SoundTraxx DCC decoder for Atlas GenSet
HO scale GenSet II
Price: $144.95
Manufacturer
Atlas Model Railroad Co.
378 Florence Ave.
Hillside, NJ 07205
www.atlasrr.com
Era: 2008 to present
Road names (two numbers
each): BNSF Ry., Belt Ry. of
Chicago, Canadian Pacic, CSX,
Indiana Harbor Belt, NRE demonstrator (no. 2020 only). Undecorated version also available.
Features
Accumate couplers at correct
height
All-wheel drive and electrical
pickup
Can motor with dual brass
ywheels
Die-cast metal underframe
Eight-pin DCC socket
(SoundTraxx board-replacement
sound decoder also available)
Light-emitting diode (LED)
headlights and ditch lights
Metal RP-25 wheels in gauge
Weight: 15 ounces
Atlas HO scale GenSet II

Drawbar pull
3 ounces
42 HO scale freight cars
Scale speed (DC)

Volts
2.5 (start)
3
6
12
Scale mph
2
5
19
57
GenSet with SoundTraxx decoder

Scale speed (DC)
Volts
Scale mph
9 (start)
6
10
16
11
26.5
12
40
Scale speed (DCC)

Speed step Scale mph
1
4.5
7
23
14
39
28
60
Subscribers can watch a video of our
SoundTraxx-DCC-equipped GenSet II
at www.ModelRailroader.com.
TSU-AT1000 decoder
Price: $99.95
Manufacturer: SoundTraxx
210 Rock Point Drive
Durango, CO 81301
www.soundtraxx.com
Comments: With two of its three
700 hp Cummins diesel engines
cycling on and off, the NRE GenSet
has a sound unlike any other
locomotive. SoundTraxx provides a
straightforward way to add realistic
sound, as well as Digital Command
Control, to an HO scale Atlas GenSet.
Installation. A printed sheet
outlining the installation is included
with the decoder. However, I found
the detailed step-by-step instructions on the SoundTraxx websites
Application Notes page to be more
helpful. The decoder neatly replaces
the factory light board, but does
require soldering 30AWG wires.
The installation also requires a
16 mm x 35 mm speaker (sold
separately, part no. 810113, $13.50)
and four 1K, 1 8 watt resistors for
the factory-installed LEDs.
With the body shell back in place,
the decoders red status LED is
visible through the radiator fan grills.
Placing a strip of electrical tape
under the grills xes this.
DCC performance. The GenSet
accelerated smoothly without any
adjustments during DCC speed tests.
The decoder supports 128 speed
steps and has 14 preset and
1 customizable speed table.
The engine sounds are prototypical. One prime mover is running

from startup through notch 3. The
second engine kicks in at notch 4,
and the third at notch 6. Its easy to
program the number of speed steps
between notches or to set manual
notching that uses function keys
independent of the locomotive
speed. A 220F capacitor keeps the
sound from stopping and restarting
during momentary power losses.
Programmable conguration
variables (CVs) include a seven-band
equalizer and individual effect
volume controls. User-controlled
functions include the bell, horn, and
coupler crash. The headlights,
dimmer, and front and rear ditch
lights are turned on separately.
Function 10 triggers an air compressor sound unique to the GenSet.
DC performance. The dual-mode
decoder didnt run reliably on DC out
of the box. After I adjusted the
decoders analog starting voltage
(CV63) to a value of 1, the GenSet ran
smoothly with a DC power pack.
Programming the CV requires a DCC
system or DC sound programmer.
When the engine is running on a
DC layout, the sounds are limited to
the engine, which increases in rpm
and number of engines running, as
the speed increases. The headlights
and ditch lights also work in DC.
Bringing this modern-era switcher
to life with realistic sounds and
smooth DCC operation was well
worth the effort of a two-hour
installation project. D.K.
65
PRODUCTREVIEWS
Class T-1 Texas 2-10-4 from BLI boasts

pulling power worthy of its prototype
A locomotive designed for both
speed and power is being offered in HO

scale by Broadway Limited Imports. The
Chesapeake & Ohio class T-1 2-10-4
Texas steam locomotive, built by Lima
Locomotive Works, was designed to haul
long coal trains from the mines of West
Virginia to the docks of Toledo, Ohio.
And when it comes to the number of
cars it can pull, BLIs HO scale model
rivals its prototype.
Broadway Limiteds HO scale T-1 is a
handsome brute, accurately reproducing
one of the most powerful two-cylinder
steam locomotives ever built. The model
features finely molded boiler detail and
wire grab irons, and is equipped with a
dual-mode Paragon2 Digital Command
Control sound decoder and smoke unit.
In search of power. In 1929, the C&O
wanted to develop a single locomotive
that could pull long coal trains by itself
from Russell, W.Va., all the way to Lake
Erie. Railroad officials ran some tests
with a Lima-built Erie 2-8-4 Berkshire,
but it came up short in pulling power.
So the C&O designed a larger version
of the Berkshire, adding a driver axle,
enlarging the boiler and firebox, and
increasing the drivers to 69" diameter.
Lima Locomotive Works built 40 of the
new 2-10-4s for the C&O between
August and November 1930.
Before long, the T-1s were hauling
160-car coal drags across Ohio almost
unassisted a job they did for nearly
20 years. They were replaced by ElectroMotive Division F7 diesels in April 1952
and scrapped by July 1953.
66
Appearance. The BLI model has a

plastic shell over a die-cast metal weight
and frame. The shell is finely molded,
with crisp bolt and rivet detail, boiler
bands, and sand lines. The press-fit
smokebox front is removable for access
to the smoke generator and lightemitting-diode headlight.
The body is painted an even, smooth
satin black, and the smokebox is graphite. The yellow cab lettering is crisp and
opaque. The tiny lettering in the builders
plates on either side of the smokebox is
clear and legible. The driver faces are
painted black, while their treads, like the
other wheels, are chemically blackened.
The middle set of drivers is blind, or
flangeless, to allow the model to handle
22" radius curves. Though this was typically also true of prototype ten-coupled
steam locomotives, it wasnt on the
C&Os class T-1; instead, lateral play
was designed into the driver axles and
running gear to allow them to shift
along curves.
Almost all of the models dimensions
matched those in a builders diagram
I found in Steam Locomotive Diagrams
of the Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad by
Alvin F. Staufer (out of print). The exception is the driver diameter. Because
model flanges are proportionally larger
than those on the prototype, the models
drivers must be smaller to maintain prototypical axle spacing. The models
wheels are a scale 66" in diameter
smaller than the prototypes 69", but not
a significant difference. The wheels are
all in gauge, and the couplers are mounted
at the right height.
The engines two-wheel pilot and

four-wheel trailing trucks are sprung to
help them track on sharp curves and
uneven trackwork. I ran the 2-10-4
through the no. 5 turnouts of our
Wisconsin & Southern project layout
without any trouble.
Road test. Since our sample was
equipped with a dual-mode Paragon2

Digital Command Control sound decoder,
I tested it both under direct current and
DCC. I first ran it on DC, using a Model
Rectifier Corp. Tech7 Ampac 760.
On our DC test track, the sound
decoder started up at 7 volts, typical for
a sound decoder-equipped locomotive
model. Though the voltage requirements
Smoke unit
Headlight
LED
Weight
Removing the smokebox front reveals

the smoke unit and metal weight.
NICHOLAS SMITH TRAINS

Model Railroading For All Seasons
VISIT OUR WEBSITE, OR GIVE US A CALL
For orders only: 1-800-848-9119
of sound decoders limit the usable voltage range of a decoder-equipped locomotive in DC, BLIs T-1 is geared for
smooth slow-speed performance. At 8V,
the engine started moving steadily at an
impressively slow 1 scale mph. It topped
out at 61 scale mph at 12V, an
appropriate top speed for its prototype.
The models drawbar pull was also
impressive, the product of traction tires
on the rear axle of a nearly 11 2-pound
engine. Our test benchs force meter registered a drawbar pull of 10.7 ounces, or
2 3 of a pound. Based on our measure of
14 standard 40-foot HO scale boxcars
per ounce, we judged that the HO model
could pull about 150 free-rolling cars on
straight and level track.
Broadway Limited Imports offers the
DC Master, a device that connects
between a direct-current power pack and
the layout. It has four buttons that give a
DC operator access to some of the functions of a BLI Blue Line or Paragon2
decoder. I used one to activate the bell,
whistle, and air compressor sounds, as
well as to adjust the sound volume.
Speaking of sounds, those produced
by the dual downward-facing speakers in
the tender were robust and realistic.
Under DC control, steam chuffs sounded
automatically, synchronized to driver
rotation. Slowing the engine suddenly
resulted in a brake squeal. The clank of a
Johnson bar sounded when the direction
was reversed. Other automatic sounds
played randomly.
More sounds were available under
DCC. Using the function keys on our
NCE Power Cab, I triggered the bell,
coupler crash, air compressor, and a realistic, powerful whistle. The decoders
sound menu also includes ambient noises
and radio cab chatter.
The engines performance under DCC
was as smooth and powerful as under
DC. The locomotive started out at 1 scale
mph at speed step 1, and topped out at 65
scale mph at speed step 28. Switching the
DCC system over to 128 speed steps
offered finer slow-speed control.
Finally, I added a few drops of the
supplied smoke fluid to the smokestack
and flipped the slide switch to turn on
the smoke generator. After a brief wait,
smoke began to wisp from the stack.
Broadway Limiteds C&O class T-1 is
a stellar performer. Its a handsome, welldetailed model that can more than pull
its weight on an HO scale layout.
Steven Otte, associate editor
HO scale C&O T-1 2-10-4

Price: $399.99
Manufacturer
Broadway Limited Imports LLC
9 East Tower Circle
Ormond Beach, FL 32174
Era: 1930 to 1953
Road numbers: 3002, 3009, 3014,
3020, and 3024, plus painted but
unlettered
Features
All drivers powered; center set
blind (angeless)
Blackened metal wheels, in
gauge
Crew gures in cab
Electrical pickup on rst four
driver axles and rst, third,
fourth, and sixth tender axles
Five-pole, skew-wound can
motor with ywheel
Golden-white light-emitting
diode headlight and backup
light
Kadee-compatible metal knuckle
couplers, at correct height
Minimum radius: 22"
Separately applied turned-brass
pop valves, whistle, and bell
Smoke generator synchronized
to steam chuffs
Traction tires on rear driver
axle
Weight: 1 lb. 15 oz. (with tender;
engine only, 1 lb. 6 oz.)
Wire hand grabs
HO scale C&O 2-10-4

Drawbar pull
Drawbar pull 10.7 ounces

150 HO scale freight cars
Scale speed (DC)

Scale mph
Volts
8 (start)
1
9
7
10
24
12
61
Scale speed (DCC)

Speed step Scale mph
1
1
7
7.5
14
14
28
65
Model Railroader magazine subscribers can watch video of the Broadway
Limited C&O T-1 2-10-4 in action on
our Milwaukee, Racine & Troy layout.
Check the Online Extras box on our
site, www.ModelRailroader.com.
Product Info (610) 353-8585 Fax (610) 359-9846

USA Shipping - $0.00-$600.00 - $12.00; $600.01-$1400.00 - $16.00
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ATHG63044-ATHG63051 with Lights ..................... $39.99
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MTH8020601 NYC PA w. 5 Passenger Cars ....... $359.99
MTH8021081 C&O F7A/B w. PS3 ....................... $299.99
MTH8021091 C&O F7A w. PS3 ........................... $154.99
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MTH8021141 ATSF Yellow F7A/B w. PS3 .......... $299.99
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MTH8021211 NP F7 A w. PS3............................. $154.99
MTH8021221 NP F7 B w. PS3............................. $154.99
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MTH8021241 EL F7 A w. PS3 ............................. $154.99
MTH8021251 EL F7 B w. PS3 ............................. $154.99
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BAC65202 PRR GG1 Tuscan 5 #4876 (D) .......... $118.99
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BAC65205 PC GG1 Black #4882 (D)................... $118.99
BAC65301 PRR GG1 Green Single #4807 (S) .... $162.99
BAC65302 PRR GG1 Tuscan 5 #4913 (S) .......... $162.99
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BAC16601 Ringling Bros.& BB Coach #75 ............ $21.99
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BAC16604 RBBB 40 PS1 Tiger Boxcar................. $19.99
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BAC17448 Yellow Unlettered Excursion Car .......... $25.99
BAC17449 Green Unlettered Excursion Car .......... $25.99
Store Hours: M,W,F 10-9 T & Th 10-7

Sat 10-5 Sun 10-5 (Nov. 1st-Dec. 24th)

2343 West Chester Pike Broomall, PA 19008

(610) 353-8585 ESTABLISHED 1909
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67
PRODUCTREVIEWS
Walthers HO scale Santa Fe Big Dome

features accurate details inside and out
Full-length dome cars, like this new
HO scale model from Walthers, were

popular upgrades to the Atchison, Topeka,
& Santa Fes top name trains in 1954.
Each of Santa Fes original Big Domes
had 57 angled coach seats and 18 lounge
seats on the upper deck, with a lower level
bar and lounge area.
Planning for the Santa Fes new
San Francisco Chief was well along when
the railroad chose to add a full-length
dome car to each consist. Six additional
full length domes (nos. 550-555) came
from the Budd Co. with modified lower
decks that included a small bar, a nurses
office, and dormitory space for 12 crewmen. The upper deck layout remained
the same.
This Walthers Big Dome represents
one of the second group of cars built for

the San Francisco Chief. Its an impressive model measuring a scale 85'-0" long,
10'-6" wide and 15'-6" tall. All of these
measurements match the dimensions on
official prototype car diagrams.
The HO dome car model follows the
common carbody design and typical
construction methods that allow
Walthers to produce such a wide variety
of passenger cars. In this case, the model
is fabricated from more than 70 parts. A
rigid plastic frame provides the core, and
all of the major parts latch into various
notches. Large openings within the main
core allow access so the flush-fitting
clear window glazing can snap into the
side window openings.
All of the interior parts are cast in a
light tan plastic. The great-looking dome
seating is molded as a single large casting with separately added tables at the
68
vestibule end. All of the coach seats face

the blind end of the car.
The lower deck is designed to sandwich a pair of long steel weights on top
of the main floor casting. Electrical
contacts are provided to add lighting if
desired. A series of walls divide up the
lower level into the crew rooms and bar.
These walls also support the upstairs
dome floor. A small group of underbody
fittings are cemented in place around
the trucks.
Like its 97-ton prototype, this model
rides on a pair of General Steel Castings
type RDO 6-wheel trucks with outside
swing hangers. Both sideframes are cast
metal and theyre attached to a plastic
center plate. The three-piece wheelsets
have a pair of stub-axle-mounted RP-25
contour metal wheels pressed into an
acetal plastic axle tube. This combination allows the car to pick up lighting
current with all 12 wheels. With a drop
of light oil on each axle end, the car is
free-rolling. All of the wheelsets on our
sample matched the National Model
Railroad Associations standards gauge.
Our sample came with Walthers
Proto-Max metal couplers mounted in
swinging coupler boxes attached with
small Phillips screws. Both couplers were
mounted at the proper height.
Our sample car was entirely plated
with a shiny metallic silver finish that
closely replicated clean stainless steel.
The santa fe road names on the letter
boards were cleanly printed and completely opaque. The car numbers are supplied as a decal for the buyer to apply.
Overall, Walthers has done a fine job
on this superb Big Dome model. Jim
Hediger, senior editor
HO scale Budd Big Dome

Price: $84.98
Manufacturer
Wm. K. Walthers, Inc.
5601 W. Florist Avenue
Milwaukee, WI 53218-1622
www.walthers.com
Features
Full interior details
Moveable diaphragms
Proto-Max metal knuckle
couplers at the correct height
Simulated stainless-steel nish
Weight: 8 ounces (1 ounce more
than NMRA Recommended
Practice 20.1)
Each end of the car features a pivoting

diaphragm and other separate details.
HAWKINS RAIL
35 YEARS OF SERVICE
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GRAIN IS MOVING AT HAWKINS RAIL! -
See 130 car unit grain train running on the in-store layout. Many out
of production items from estates. Providing same day shipment for
35 years! Call Jack Hawkins at 765-742-5577
See You at the UPHS Convention
3501 Union St., Suite 6. Everything for the serious modeler.
Hours: Mon-Fri 12-5, Sat 10-5
Closed Sun. Evenings by appointment.
ALL MODELS SUBJECT TO PRIOR SALE.
WE DO NOT HAVE A CATALOG. We ask that you call us

or send us your want list with SSAE. We will advise you
of the price, availability, and shipping charges. International
shipments made only to countries accepting insured
mail. We have no minimum order. Personal check orders
are held 4 weeks. MASTERCARD and VISA accepted.
Sorry, collect calls are not accepted, but feel free to call
with your railroad questions, model or prototype.
HAWKINS
RAIL
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69
PRODUCTREVIEWS
QUICKLOOK
Fox Valley Models N scale
50-foot canstock boxcar
Price: $24.95
Manufacturer
Fox Valley Models
P.O. Box 1970
Des Plaines, IL 60017
www.foxvalleymodels.com
Comments: With its offset doors and
simulated Fiberglas roof panel, Fox
Valley Models N scale canstock car
adds variety to a modern boxcar eet.
The prototype was developed by the
Baltimore & Ohio for use in hauling the
thin, delicate sheet metal used in food
packaging. By offsetting both doors to
the A end of the car, engineers were
able to t two more coils of metal inside
than in a standard center-door boxcar,
for eight total. The extra-wide doors
allowed a forklift operator to place the
last two coils just inside the doors
without trapping his machine inside.
The model is offered in three paint

schemes with four numbers each:
B&O; Chessie System with B&O
reporting marks; and CSX.
The Fox Valley model has a onepiece body with a separate roof. The
fourth panel from the B end is painted
white to simulate the translucent
material used on the full-size cars. The
model depicts the modied diagonal
panel shape of this piece as well. As
the cars were rebuilt, the translucent
roof panels were replaced with steel
panels. The model decorated for CSX
has this feature, and new doors.
Molded underframe detail includes
the brake cylinder, reservoir, triple
valve, piping, and brake mechanism.
The model is within inches of
prototype dimensions except for
overall length. The full-size cars have
cushioned underframes that extend

past the end sills, but the models draft
gear is ush with the end of the car.
The body-mounted magnetic couplers
are set at the correct height.
All grab irons and ladders are
molded on, but there are separate
etched-metal crossover platforms and
a separately applied brake wheel.
The free-rolling metal wheelsets are
in gauge and operated ne on the code
55 track of our upcoming Red Oak N
scale project layout. The car weighs 1.2
ounces, slightly over the National
Model Railroad Association recommended weight for a 50-foot car.
The prototype cars operated coast
to coast and into the 21st century, so
anyone modeling the past 40 years
could nd a place for these unique
cars. Eric White, associate editor
typical Cornerstone Series design. The

parts are virtually ash-free and t
together well. The walls and base have
alignment guides, making assembly a
snap. I especially appreciated that the
windows, doors, soft, base, and roof
are separate pieces. This made it easy
to paint the parts separate colors
without masking. The basement
windows are molded into the side and
back walls, so those need to be
masked or brush-painted.
To prevent viewers from seeing
through the house, Walthers includes a
sheet of printed window treatments
(curtains and venetian blinds). The two
front door options are a nice touch if
you want to have more than one of

these houses in a neighborhood scene.
The ranch house has been a staple
of American architecture for nearly 90
years. Thanks to Walthers, you can add
one to your HO scale layout. Cody
Grivno, associate editor
QUICKLOOK
Walthers HO scale
ranch-style house
Price: $24.98
Manufacturer
Wm. K. Walthers Inc.
P.O. Box 3039
Milwaukee, WI 53201
www.walthers.com
Era: 1920s to present
Comments: A classic brick ranchstyle house is one of the latest
additions to the Walthers Cornerstone
Series. The easy-to-build, injectionmolded plastic HO scale kit features a
one-piece base, roof, and soft;
separate walls, doors, and windows;
and clear window glazing.
Though ranch houses debuted in
the 1920s, they gained popularity
during the 1930s and 40s when they
were the architectural style of choice
for housing projects in the American
West and Southwest. Following World
War II, builders throughout the United
States turned to the design to meet the
nations housing shortage.
The Walthers kit, which has a
footprint of 41 8" x 51 2", follows the
70
Cody shows you how to assemble

the Walthers ranch-style house in a
two-part series on Video Step by Step.
Learn more at www.MRVideoPlus.
Prodigy was designed to

astonish. For instance,
creative engineering allows
us to print basic operating
instructions on the back of
every handheld so you
can start enjoying DCC
in minutes. We have
instruction booklets
too, but ours are
just 20-plus pages,
not a 100-plus page
Operating
engineering manual.
instructions on
the back of the
Were user-friendly
handheld.
to the core, without
sacricing sophisticated
performance.
delivers other features you wont nd elsewhere, including: the easiest
computer interface on the market; handhelds with the largest LCD for
ease of viewing; a recall stack with 25 addresses; a wireless unit with
rechargeable batteries; even our low priced Prodigy Express2 handles up to
32 handhelds.
PRODIGY DCC
IN A LEAGUE OF ITS OWN
PRODIGYS
AHEAD-OF-THE-CURVE
ENGINEERING
MRCS PRODIGY DCC... IN A LEAGUE OF ITS OWN
NEW
10 AMP ADDITION!
Prodigy Elite 10A is
complete with handheld
featuring easy-to-read
backlit display. A
10 amp, regulated
power supply is
included, but not
shown.
has the muscle to run the

largest club layout and handle
multiple unit O scale lashups.
It can also coax maximum
performance out of N, HO and other scales. Among dozens of
exceptional features is a backlit LCD on the console that shows
voltage, amps and fast clock; adjustable amperage output so you
can match the amperage to your requirements; and the ability for
clubs to use up to 99 handhelds simultaneously.
MRCS PRODIGY ELITE,

WITH 10 MASSIVE AMPS
OF CONTROLLED POWER
Prodigy Express2 _ Prodigy Advance2 _ Prodigy Wireless _ Prodigy Elite
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Tony Koester
TRAINSOFTHOUGHT
Real-time repairs or RIP tracks
Rather than doing minor car repairs in real time using the layout as a workbench (left), a RIP track like the one in the
foreground at right can serve as a universal industry where cars missing parts or performing poorly due to, say, bad
wheelsets or low couplers, can be spotted for between-session repairs. Tony Koester photos
A recent comment by Iowa Interstate
modeler James McNab gave me a laugh:
My layout had been turned into a large
shelf covered with tools, scenic material,
camera gear, and a lot of dust. In their
formative years, model railroads do indeed make great workbenches and storage shelves, my own included.
But as scenery progressed on the
NKP, I discovered that all of the work
areas where I made parts for turnouts
and performed other ad hoc tasks have
been covered with scenery. A flat area at
the east end of Cayuga, Ind., was (and
occasionally still is) an especially handy
place for such tasks. Its next to the aisle
and 53" above the floor, an ideal height
for me to do stand-up repairs.
Ive chatted with you about workbenches before. I observed, for example,
that its impossible to keep an area larger
than two square feet free of the clutter
that piles up as you tackle multiple projects. I also mentioned a partial solution
whereby I use my workbench a large
roll-top desk as the Charleston, Ill.,
train-order operators desk during
monthly operating sessions, which forces
me to clean it off once a month.
But what happens when, during an
operating session, someone points out a
boxcar that has been derailing, rolls
sluggishly, or shimmies its way down the
main line? My tendency is to pick the
thing up, cart it over to that high, flat
plain east of Cayuga, plop it into a foam
72
cradle, and replace the wheelsets with

InterMountain or NorthWest Short Line
RP25 or, increasingly, code 88 semi-scale
metal wheels. That invariably cures the
problem, especially on older cars that
still have plastic wheels.
Were now back to square one, however: using the layout as a workbench. To
make this a little easier to cope with,
I left this lineside plain rather, well,
plain. Its scenery is nothing more than
a coat of fine ground foam that looks
somewhat better than the former amber
waves of (plywood) grain. The ground
cover is actually glued to a 3 8" layer of
foam insulation board, as that raises the
terrain enough to create a ditch along
the right-of-way, as I described in the
July 2013 MR. The foam-covered foam
creates a relatively soft surface upon
which to do minor repairs.
When were building and detailing
our models, when were designing and
building our layouts, and especially
when were operating them, we should
continuously be asking ourselves one key
question: Is this how the prototype did
it? We dont have to slavishly follow
every nuance of full-size railroading, but
our hobby is called scale model railroading, and the prototype serves as our
constant beacon to guide us toward realistic miniatures and usage thereof.
So, then, what did the full-size railroads do when they found a problem
with a freight car? Such problems were
regularly discovered as every car in every

train was inspected by a car knocker a
colorful, but apt, term for a car inspector. These railroad employees banged on
this and that, opened journal-box lids in
the pre-roller-bearing era, and in general
made a lot of noise.
Cars needing light repairs were
switched out and shuttled to the RIP
track. That name sounds ominous, but
RIP stands for repair in place, which
means they didnt have to be routed
through a major car shop for repair.
Instead, relatively minor problems could
be repaired on a track or a few parallel
tracks out in the open.
Opportunity alert! This means that a
RIP track is, in modeling terms, a universal industry. Any type of freight car
can be switched into a RIP track, left
there until, between operating sessions,
its repaired and put back on the RIP
track for pick up at the next operating
session. More switching!
In fact, I plan to heed a suggestion
from Lee Nicholas and create car maintenance slips that are inserted into each
cars waybill holder. The entry-intoservice date will be marked, and the slips
will be reviewed as the cars are staged.
At regular intervals, the slip will be put
in front of the waybill to route it into the
RIP track for inspection.
I will thus have created a busy new
industry for my railroad, which will
now look and run better to boot.
10 ALL-NEW
INSPIRING LAYOUTS
Great Model Railroads 2015 showcases 10 dream layouts

transformed into reality by talented modelers. This special
issue from Model Railroader includes track plans, how-to tips,
and vibrant photographs, which capture the vivid detail of these
brilliant layouts. If youre looking for inspiration and clever
ideas, Great Model Railroads 2015 will spark your creativity.
tips
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How-to &
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TRACKSIDEPHOTOS
74
A Pennsylvania RR Class ES10, better

known as an Electro-Motive Division
NW2, leads its mixed freight off the
main line onto the secondary track to
do some switching. John M. Johnson of
Franklin, Va., photographed the scene
on his HO scale PRR Northern Region
layout. The locomotive is a Kato model;
all the structures are scratchbuilt.
Want to see your work

in Trackside Photos?
Trackside Photos is a showcase for
the work of Model Railroader
readers. We encourage contributions. Send your photos (digital
images 5 megapixels or better) to:
Model Railroader, Trackside
Photos, P.O. Box 1612, Waukesha,
WI 53187-1612; or upload them to
http://leupload.kalmbach.com/
Submission/contribute/. Include
caption information, such as
whats going on in the picture; the
layouts scale, era, and locale; and
information about the rolling stock
or structures shown. For a copy of
our photo submission guidelines,
contact editorial associate Eric
Stelpug at 262-796-8776, ext. 583,
or mrmag@mrmag.com.
75
TRACKSIDEPHOTOS
Chesapeake & Ohio Electro-Motive

Division GP7 no. 5813 is westbound
with a local freight as it passes the
commissary at Thurmond, W.Va. John
Brown of Waubaushene, Ont., took the
photo on his HO scale C&O model railroad. The commissary was scratchbuilt
by Johns friend Peter Hocking.
Train No. 46, hauling 62 of the Great
Yellow Fleet loaded with crisp California lettuce bound for the East Coast,
climbs Raton Pass in the summer of
1952. The action takes place on the HO
scale Santa Fe layout constructed by
Ernie Barry of Northport, Mich. Ernie is
a member of the Little Finger Operating
Group of northern Michigan. Ernies
friend Jim Ebejer shot the photo.
76
The diner near the Milwaukee Road

yard in Lewistown, Mont., is a great
place to catch a bite while watching the switching action. Here, a yard
goat makes up an outgoing train. Dan
Lewis from Rochester Hills, Mich.,
modeled the N scale scene, weathered
the locomotive, scratchbuilt the surrounding structures, and created the
diner-window effect using photo-editing
software on his computer.
The weather is sizzling on this sunny
July day in Lebanon, Pa., so one of the
cows has decided to go for a cooling
walk in the pond while an iron horse
passes by on the adjacent main line. The
action takes place on the HO scale Lebanon County RR built by George Smith of
Fredricksburg, Pa., and his wife, Midge.
Georges son, J.J. Smith, took the photo.
77
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Custom Layout
Building
By Lance Mindheim
Layout Design
Track Plan Books
www.shelayouts.com
The Shelf Layouts Company, Inc.
301-404-8164
79
The modelers resource for unique and hard to nd products.
of what you love at

ModelRailroader.com!
0LO?/=?H?)I>?FCHA
Blow Out Sale!
Now
Carrying
O Scale! Athearn, Walthers, Intermountain,
Digitrax, Soundtraxx & more!
Your Stop for

Model Railroad Backdrops
High quality photo backdrops
from across the U.S. and U.K.
Custom Sizing
Backdrops from your photos
Valley Trains N Hobbies

Specializing in N scale, locomotives, rolling stock,
scenery, DCC & decoders! We also have HO!
See us at Greenberg Shows in Edison, NJ.
www.BackdropJunction.com
1-800-615-3423
www.valleytrainsnhobbies.com
RIB SIDE CARS
Rib Side Cars 134 N. York Road. Bensenville, IL 60106
www.ribsidecars.com
(630) 532-9875
Classied Advertising
Schedule of Events Rate: $35 per issue (45 word maximum). Ads will
contain the following information about the event: state, city,
sponsoring organization and name of event, meet, auction or show,
dates, location, times, admission fee, name and/or telephone number
and/or email of person to contact for information. Name, daytime
telephone number and street address of the person providing the
information is also required but need not be included in the ad.
Unless otherwise requested, ads will be published in the issue month
that the event occurs in. Additional months are available at the $35 per
issue fee. Please specify issue date(s).
Word Ad Rates; per issue: 1 insertion $2.03 per word,
6 insertions $1.89 per word, 12 insertions $1.77 per word.
$30.00 MINIMUM per ad. To receive the discount you must order and
prepay for all ads at one time. Count all initials, single numbers, groups
of numbers (i.e. 4-6-0 or K-27), names, address number, street
number, street name, city, state, zip, phone numbers each as one word.
Example: John A. Jones, 2102 South Post St., Waukesha, WI 53187
would count as 10 words.
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Send your submissions to: Model Railroader Classieds
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onlineclassads@kalmbach.com
All ads must be prepaid and pertain to the subject of model
railroading.
Schedule of Events
CT, GREENWICH: Southern Connecticut Model Train
Show, Greenwich Civic Center. September 28, 2014,

9:00am-3:00pm. Adults $7.00, under 12 free. 2 HO and 2
N layouts, modeling clinics, free parking, refreshments. SC
Train Show, Rons Books, PO Box 714, Harrison, NY 10528.
Information: 914-967-7541, ronsbooks@aol.com
FL, BROOKSVILLE: Regal Railways presents

Model Railroad & Hobby Show & Swap Meet. Hernando
Fairgrounds, 6436 Broad St. Saturday, September 20, 2014.
10:00am-3:00pm. Adults $5.00. Vendors, videos and operating layouts. Serving lunch items. Contact: Joe at 727-2441341 or visit: www.regalrailways.com for more information.
FL, VENICE: Toy Train Show. Ramada Venice Hotel, 425
US 41 Bypass North, Zip: 34285. Saturday, September 6,
2014, 10:00am-3:00pm. Admission $5.00, children 12 and
under free. Free train repair clinic, operating toy train displays, train drag races, food and refreshments. Contact: Tim
Evert, 941-475-5278
GA, ATLANTA: 47th Atlanta Model Train Show. North
Atlanta Trade Center, 1700 Jeurgens Court (Norcross,
GA). Saturday, August 9, 2014, 9:00am-4:00pm. Adults:
$7.00 (under 12 free). Operating layouts. Miller, 3106 N.
Rochester St., Arlington, VA 22213. 703-536-2954. E-mail:
rrshows@aol.com
IA, HAMPTON: NCIMRRC 3rd Annual Model Railroad
Show, Franklin County Convention Center, 1008 Central

Ave, West, Box 442. Sunday, October 26, 2014, 8:00am3:00pm. Admission $5.00. Vendor tables $15.00 prior to
9-1-14, $20.00 thereafter. Operating layouts, several door
prizes including cash and merchandise. 641-456-3772, 641456-2049, ncimrrc@hotmail.com, jimpamhansen@msn.com
IL, DECATUR: Decatur Train Fair 2014. Decatur Civic

Center, 1 Gary K Anderson Plaza, Corner of Eldorado Street
and Franklin Street. September 20-21, 2014. Saturday
10:00am-4:00pm, Sunday 11:00am-4:00pm. Adults $5.00,
under 12 free with adult. Steven Bricker, 217-864-4397,
sabricker@comcast.net
IL, KANKAKEE: Kankakee Model Railroad Club
Train Show. Gov. Small Memorial Park Civic Center,

803 South 8th Ave. Sunday, October 26, 2014. 9:30am3:00pm. Admission: $3.00, under 5 free. 8 tables,
$15.00. Operating layout. Contact Irv at 815-465-2420 or
daswoodwerkhaus@yahoo.com for more information.
IL, LOMBARD: Fall S Fest 2014, 39th Anniversary, S

Gauges Premier Annual Event, Westin Hotel & Convention
Center. October 24-25, 2014, Friday 2:00-10:00pm and
Saturday 8:00am-3:00pm. Hosted by Chicagoland
Association of S Gaugers. Advance Family Registration
$20.00, at door $25.00. Contact Joel Lebovitz 847-2123541; www.fallsfest.net
80
Brass Locomotives & Rolling Stock

HO, O, S, and Large Scale Out of Production Brass Models
Sales, Consignments, Estates, Appraisals
www.alleghenyscale.com
phone: 908-684-2070
fax: 908-684-8911
oscale@alleghenyscale.com
470 Schooleys Mtn. Rd.
Serving the Hobby

Industry since 2000!
HO Scale
9 DIFFERENT BODIES
32 PAINT SCHEMES
PLUS UNDECORATED CARS
A LLEGHENY SCALE MODELS
t Over 35,000 products available

t Railroad Scenery, Buildings, Accessories, and More
Visit MegaHobby.com for the best selection on the web!

Use coupon code Trains to receive $5.00 off any order over $50
3VOOFNFEF /+r
IL, ST. CHARLES: 23rd Annual Chicago Railroadiana and
Model Train Show. Kane County Fairgrounds, 525 South

Randall Rd. Sunday, October 19, 2014, 10:00am-3:00pm.
Admission: $5.50 + tax. Tables $55.00. For information:
847-358-1185, RussFierce@aol.com or www.RRShows.com
IN, INDIANAPOLIS: Allegheny & Western Model

Railroad Club Open House, 3139 Allison Ave. August
16-17, 2014, Saturday 11:00am-6:00pm; Sunday 12:00pm6:00pm. Featuring Cass, W VA circa 1959. Admission
FREE, donations accepted. Contact: Bill Moore, 3139
Allison Ave., Indianapolis, IN 46224, 317-997-7964,
Trainman01@gmail.com
IN, MIDDLEBURY: NMRA Michiana Division 2014
Education and Training Conference. Das Dutchman

Essenhaus Conference Center, September 12-13, 2014,
9:00am-9:00pm. $45.00 for both days (NMRA member/early registration discounts). Banquet Friday,
September 12th at 7:00pm, $25.00. Questions? Email
danbrewer.nmra@yahoo.com or call 203-788-1342.
MI, CLINTON TWP: St. Louis Mens Club, Mount
Clemens Michigan Train Show. St. Louis Church Comm.

Center, 39140 Ormsby Street. Saturday, September 27,
2014. 10:00am-3:00pm. $3.00/person, $5.00/family, under
12 free. $10/table. Contact Carl Hikade, 181 Riverside
Drive, Mt. Clemens, MI 48043, 586-463-5184 or e-mail:
cdhikade@juno.com
MI, MONROE: Monroe Model Train Show, MBT Expo

Center, 3775 S. Custer Road (M-50) Monroe, MI 48161.
Sunday, October 12, 2014, 11:00am-4:00pm. Admission
$6.00, children 12 and under free w/adult. 250+ tables, operating model train displays, kids play area featuring riding
Thomas. monroetrainshow@modelrailstuff.com
MI, MT. CLEMENS Gratiot Valley Railroads Train Show
and Sale. Gibraltar Trade Center North, 237 N. River Rd.
November 1-2, 2014, 10:00am-4:00pm. Admission $6.00,
children under 12 free. Hundreds of dealer tables, modeling
clinics, layouts. Info 586-468-4877 or www.gvrr.org (admission coupons.)
MN, COON RAPIDS: North Metro Model Railroad
Suite 8-117
Hackettstown, NJ 07840
Check out
HobbyRetailer.com
www.
The hobby shop nder

TX, HOUSTON Gulf Coast Chapter NRHS Big Texas
Train Show. George R. Brown Convention Center.
September 6-7, 2014. Saturday 10:00am-5:00pm,
Sunday 10:00am-4:00pm. Admission: Under 16, scouts
in uniform free; adults $9. 100,000 sq. ft. of trains of
all sizes! Visit www.bigtexastrainshow.com or email
info@bigtexastrainshow.com
TX, TEMPLE: 32nd Annual Temple Model Train Show.
Frank Mayborn Convention Center. September 20-21, 2014.
Saturday 10:00am-5:00pm, Sunday 11:00am-5:00pm. Adults
$6.00. Children 12 and under free. Discounts for Seniors,
Active Duty Military and their dependents. Centra Mod, Inc.
www.centramod.net
VA, VIENNA: WB&A Chapter TCA Annual Train Show.
Vienna Firehouse, 400 Center Street South. Saturday,

September 13, 2014, 9:00am-2:00pm. Admission
$5.00,military, children under 12, scouts in uniform free. 60+
tables, operating layouts, all scales, train doctor. Free parking. Food available. Info: Dave Eadie, dbeadie@verizon.net or
www.wbachapter.org
VA, VIRGINIA BEACH: Tidewater Divisions 25th
Annual Train Show and Sale. Virginia Beach Convention

Center, 1000 19th Street, September 27-28, 2014.
10:00am-4:00pm both days. Admission: $8.00, children
under 12 free w/adult. Operating trains (various gauges), test tracks, train doctors. Info 757-420-7879, E-mail
lenboucher@aol.com Flyer: http://nmra-mer-tidewater.org
Map: http://virginiabeachconventioncenter.com
VT, RUTLAND: 2014 Rutland Train Show, Holiday
Inn, Route 7 South. September 27, 2014, Admisison

$5.00 adults, under 12 free. Model trains, railroad history and many vendors. Sponsored by the Rutland
Railway Association and Rutland Railroad Museum. Info:
www.therutlandrailwayassociation.org
WA, CHEHALIS: Lewis County Model Railroad Club,
Annual Harvest Train Show & Swap Meet. Southwest

Washington Fair Grounds, Blue Pavilion, 2555 N. National
Ave. October 11-12, 2014, Saturday 10:00am-4:00pm and
Sunday 10:00am-3:00pm. Admission $5.00, under 10 free.
Free parking. Contact: Ted Livermore, 360-985-7788 or
tedstrains@Lewiscounty.com
Club Flea Market. Coon Rapids VFW, 1919 Coon Rapids

Blvd. Saturday, December 6, 2014, 9:00am-2:00pm. Large
Operating Layout. Door Admission is $5.00, kids under 12
free. Info at: www.nmmrc.org
Classieds
MO, ST. LOUIS: Boeing Employees Railroad Club Swap

Meet. Greensfelder Recreation Complex at Queeny Park,
550 Weidman Road. September 6, 2014, 10:00am-3:00pm.
Admission: $3.00, (under 12 free). Tables: $15.00. Wayne
Schimmel, 733 Hwy. Y, Winfield, MO 63389-2206, 636-6686313 (after 6:30pm CST), E-mail: wmschimmel@gmail.com
Wanted-N Scale
OH, CLEVELAND: Great Berea Train Show. Cuyahoga
A FAMILY-OWNED COMPANY, Ireks Toys and Trains,
County Fairgrounds, 164 Eastland Road, Berea, OH 44017.

NMRA MCR Div4. October 4-5, 2014, Saturday 10:00am5:00pm and Sunday 11:00am-4:00pm. This is an all gauge
Train Show with over 300 tables. 419-684-5833
OH, MANSFIELD: Firelands Model Train and Toy Show

sponsored by: Firelands Society of Model Railroaders.
Richland County Fairgrounds, 750 N. Home Rd. Sunday,
September 21, 2014, 10:00am-4:00pm. Admission: adults
$5.00, active military and 18 and under free. Contact person:
Rick, 419-318-0980. See map at: www.fsomr.com
PA, LEESPORT: RCT&HS scale model and toy train show,
Leesport Farmers Market banquet hall, 312 Gernants
Church Road. October 5, 2014, 9:00am-1:00pm. For information, contact Tom Brown, 717-279-6783 (8:00am-8:00pm) or
e-mail mjtsbrown@comcast.net
SC, CHARLESTON: Charleston Area Model Railroad
#1 ESTATE BUYER OF N SCALE COLLECTIONS!

We buy all makes and types - including Brass & European!
Even Nn3! Call us TOLL FREE: 1-866-462-7277. Don
Black 119 Bernhurst Road, New Bern, NC 28560. E-mail:
don@donblack.com
purchases trains of all types. From small collections to 6-figure estates, we have the cash to handle it. We specialize
in Brass and high-end plastic, and everything in between.
In most cases, We Pay More! Fast, Easy, Professional and
Friendly service guaranteed. Willing to travel anywhere. Call,
write or e-mail. Ask for Chris, 972-675-TOYS(8697). Fax:
972-767-4785. E-mail: thetrainguys@gmail.com or write to
120 E. FM 544 STE 72 #328, Murphy, TX 75094.
ALWAYS BUYING N Scale Collections- Kato, Atlas,

Micro-Trains, Custom Painted, Brass or Plastic. Quality
Items Wanted- Over $500,000 Available. Please call Dan
Toll-Free at: 1-877-227-5557 or 352-680-1650- Mail your
list to: Dan Glasure, PO Box 755, Ocklawaha, FL 32183 or
E-Mail: Dan@DansTrainDepot.com
BUYING N scale train collections, large or small. Call Tom

630-443-9137.
Club Annual Train Show. Danny Jones Armory Park, 5000

Lackawanna Blvd., North Charleston, SC. November 8-9,
2014, Saturday 9:00am-5:00pm and Sunday 10:00am4:00pm. Adults $5.00, kids 12 and under free. For table
information contact the club at trainshow@chamrc.com or
www.chamrc.com
CANADIAN
TRAIN
COLLECTIONS
AND
ESTATES: Buying entire collections anywhere in Canada
TX, FOREST HILL: Texas Western Model Train Show,
For Sale-HO Scale
Forest Hill Civic Center, 6901 Wichita St., Zip: 76140.

October 11-12, 2014, 10:00am-5:00pm. 145+ dealer tables
with model train supplies, model train layout displays, model
contest area, clinics, artifacts, much more. Texas Western
Model RR Club, Info: cao@twmrc.org or www.twmrc.org
or the USA. Brass, plastic, engines, cars, buildings, memorabilia - everything! Call Don toll-free 1-877-955-7245. E-mail:
trainsandsuch@telus.net
ATHEARN PARTS- Closing out. All engine shells $4.00
each. All freight shells $1.00 - $2.00 each. Many other parts
50-60% off retail. Call RJ Rennie, 440-234-7186. 197 Best
St., Berea, OH 44017.
HAG, MRKLIN, TRIX, FLEISCHMANN and other
European brands at very competitive prices. World class

repair facility. E-Shopping fast, convenient, secure, reliable!
Please visit us on the web at www.helmutshobbies.com
Helmuts Hobby Specialties, 83 Brookshire Dr., Warrenton,
VA 20186. 540-3494910.
CANADIAN TRAIN COLLECTIONS AND ESTATES:
MARKLIN Ontario Northlander, HAG, Liliput, Athearn,
I WANT YOUR FINE SCALE MINIATURES unbuilt

kits, boxes and castings. Best prices offered. Call Rich at
561-226-4646, Email Rich@Bocaaccounting.net
MODEL TRAIN COLLECTION. Over one dozen manu-
facturers. Call for list. Leave message if no answer. Mark.

414-731-9987.
WANTED; HIAWATHA 1939 baggage-tap and palorobserv. Beaver-tail (will buy Beaver-tail separately) new or
used (good condition) HO. No reasonable price refused.
lilymariejohnson@yahoo.com
For Sale-HO & N Scale
For Sale-O Scale
Kato, Proto. MILITARY DIECAST (larger scales), Solido,

Corgy, Dinky, Britains. 817-656-3394.
GOT DIRTY TRACK? HO & N scale track cleaners. Made in USA. Dealer inquiries
www.StealthTrackCleaner.com 616-784-4104
welcome.
Wanted-HO Scale
#1 A+ ESTATE BUYER OF ALL TRAIN ESTATES-
Brass Pieces & Collections wants your material. Including

all types of Brass, old trains, kits, plastic, diecast, buildings,
etc.- we buy it all. Buildings and estates included. We seek
better items for personal collections. Call us before you sell
for our offer as we pay the highest prices. Call Don Black toll
free 1-866-462-7277. Don Black, 119 Bernhurst Road, New
Bern, NC 28560. E-mail don@donblack.com
$1,000,000 CASH AVAILABLE- For your collection!
Brass, Plastic, Memorabilia, we buy it all. Call us 352-2924116 or mail your list to: BRASSTRAINS.COM, 344 Cypress
Rd., Ocala, FL 34472. E-mail: dan@brasstrains.com
A FAMILY-OWNED COMPANY, Ireks Toys and Trains,
purchases trains of all types. From small collections to 6-figure estates, we have the cash to handle it. We specialize
in Brass and high-end plastic, and everything in between.
In most cases, We Pay More! Fast, Easy, Professional and
Friendly service guaranteed. Willing to travel anywhere. Call
write or e-mail. Ask for Chris. 972-675-TOYS(8697). Fax: 972767-4785. E-Mail: thetrainguys@gmail.com, or write to 120 E
FM 544 STE 72 #328, Murphy, TX 75094.
A FATHER & SON TEAM are looking for large highquality Brass & Plastic Collections. We buy your entire
collection, not just the cream. Over $1,000,000 Available.
Many items bought are used for personal layout. Call Dan
Toll-free at: 1-877-227-5557 or 352-292-4116 or Mail a List to:
Dan Glasure, 344 Cypress Rd., Ocala, FL 34472 or E-Mail:
Dan@DansTrainDepot.com
BRASS PASSENGER CARS; Craftsmans kits; LIRR
brass and plastic. Challenger Broadway Limited and
Liberty Liner Cars. Please call Bob 212-874-6569 or e-mail
grandt7@yahoo.com
BUYING HO train collections, large or small. Also brass.

Call Tom 630-443-9137.
BUYING QUALITY HO COLLECTIONS send list
to Sandra Lorenz, PO Box 270141, Milwaukee, WI 53227,

414-562-7292.
256-435-0095
ALABAMA Birmingham/Pelham
Full service hobby shop.
N, HO, O, On30 & G scale trains.
Authorized Lionel & MTH dealer.
Digitrax & Soundtraxx dealer.
Open Mon - Fri 10-6, Sat 10-5
OAK MOUNTAIN HOBBIES
2641 Pelham Parkway
205-685-8980
ARIZONA Apache Junction

New Store! Arizonas premier hobby shop.
Full scale, all service hobby shop. Trains,
planes, cars, boats and R/C. Special orders.
Open Mon - Sat
480-203-1796
ARIZONA Avondale
DCC Systems, Decoders, Layout Supplies

Professional Installations G to Z scales
Mon-Fri 8:00-5:00, Sat 8:00-Noon
Online Store Too! www.mr-dcc.com
E-mail: Sales@LitchfieldStation.com
LITCHFIELD STATION
1412 N. Central Ave., Ste. D
623-298-7355
ARIZONA Glendale
JACKS TRAINS
7021 North 57th Dr.
623-930-5596
ALL TRAIN COLLECTORS & MODELERS- We
need more trains to supply our ever expanding group of

interested buyers. We buy HO & N Scale Trains - Brass,
Marklin, Rivarossi, Atlas, Kato, MicroTrains, etc. as well as
better trains in all scales. We also purchase store inventories. We also can auction your trains with rates starting
as low as 15%. We travel extensively all over the US and
Canada. Send us your list today or for more information
see www.trainz.com/sell Trainz, 2740 Faith Industrial Dr.,
Buford, GA 30518. 866-285-5840, Scott@trainz.com Fax:
866-935-9504
IREKS TOYS AND TRAINS buys vintage slot

cars and diecast vehicles including Matchbox, Dinky,
Schuco and others. Call 972-675-TOYS(8697) or email:
thetrainguys@gmail.com
MODEL AUTOMOBILE AND TRUCK KITS WANT-
ED- unbuilt or built, any size collection. Fred Sterns,

48 Standish, Buffalo, NY 14216. 716-838-6797. email:
fsterns@aol.com
LIONEL SCALE BAGGAGE, MTH smoothside baggage.
Custom Painting & Building
C&O, B&O, NP, N&W and NYC. Joe Fischer hywts. Midwest
pass decals cars and diesels. Others. SSAE for Want List. No
calls. Jim Seacrest, PO Box 6397, Lincoln, NE 68506-0397.
CN steam era frt cars, Exacta pass cars. Quality O Scale

frt & pass 1950s era. Joe Fischer pass and headend. New
England pass equipment. No calls. Mail only to: Jim Seacrest,
PO Box 6397, Lincoln, NE 68506-0397.
CUSTOM BUILDING & PAINTING, kit building, kit-
bashing & scratchbuilding. Locomotives, rolling stock, structures & more. 12 Penny Lane, Newark, DE 19702, 302-2296010, www.tmbcustommodels.com
STILL MORE! PSC NYC 60 full bag #15629 (DD/SD).

Walthers 15 shorty kits #3322 bag, #3340 combine. Great
Trains/Am. Std. Car Co. #4179 Fir series, #4036 Clove
series, #4090 Tower series. Do you have any pass/headend
for sale? SSAE for Want List. NO CALLS. Looking for quality
O scale frt. & pass. 1950s prototype. Jim Seacrest, PO Box
6397, Lincoln, NE 68506-0397.
CUSTOM LAYOUT BUILDING. Fine scale custom layout

building. Specializing in prototype modeling. Layout Design.
The Shelf Layouts Company, Inc. www.shelflayouts.com
301-404-8164.
CUSTOM PAINTING Steam, Electric, & Diesel. Plastic
or Brass. All scales. Your equipment or ours. Worldwide
fast service. All work done in our shop by professionals. We
also do shortlines, regionals and any railroad you may dream
up. Detailing available. Trains Emporium, 1473 Greg St.,
Sparks, NV 89431, 800-228-7163. E-mail train@alpine.net
www.trainsemporium.com
Wanted-O Tinplate
BUYING O and Standard gauge collections. Lionel, Flyer
and all others. Call Tom 630-443-9137
LAYOUT DESIGN & BUILDING by NKP. Track

plans, construction, we can help! SoCal. 714-615-0123,
www.nkp.com
For Sale-Large Scale

LARGE SCALE MODEL RIDING RAILROAD and
5-bedroom 3-bath home. Located in northwest North

Carolina, kd@boehmke.com for pictures and details, 305505-0965
Books and Magazines

BACK ISSUES- Over 300 rail magazine titles and 1000s
of used/out of print rail books. Large, stamped SAE for list:
Railpub, 161 Gilmore Rd., Wrentham, MA 02093. Or on-line
at: www.railpub.com.
STANDARD/WIDE GAUGE TRAINS, New MTH, LLC,
Dorfan, Ives, Cohen. For list, #10 SASE Paul McGrath,

6274 Boston State Road, Hamburg, NY 14075-5319. Info:
716-649-0495.
Come and see our NEW store!

Tues - Fri 10-5:30, Sat 9-5, Sun 1-4
Shop online at www.aawtrains.com
AN AFFAIR WITH TRAINS
301 W. Deer Valley Road
623-434-6778
Narrow gauge almost exclusively.

On3 - Sn3 - HOn3 - On30.
Kits, parts, brass & books.
Mon-Fri 8-12, 1-5, Sat 8-12.
CORONADO SCALE MODELS
602-254-9656
ARIZONA Tempe
Family owned, full service. Special orders

welcomed. Athearn, Lionel, Bachmann,
Digitrax & Soundtraxx dealer. Plastic models,
books, magazines, paints, building materials,
scenery, & more. Free classes and clinics.
HOBBY DEPOT
216 W. Southern Ave.
480-968-1880
CALIFORNIA Atascadero
All scales G to Z. Special orders welcome.

Midway LA & SF. US 101-US 41, easy access.
Open Tuesday - Friday 10-6, Saturday 10-5
E-mail Anita at: cctrainsa@hotmail.com
Web site: www.centralcoasttrains.com
CENTRAL COAST TRAINS
7600 El Camino Real # 3
All scales G through N, collectibles old & new.

Authorized LGB, Lionel, MTH & Mrklin dealer.
One of the most complete train stores in
So. Calif. UPS worldwide shipper.
Visit our website at www.trainshack.com
THE TRAIN SHACK
1030 N. Hollywood Way
800-572-9929
Largest selection in the East Bay. 93 foot HO

layout. Buy - sell - trade - consign - repairs detail parts in all scales. Lionel. Discount
prices & friendly service.
Website: www.just-trains.com
JUST TRAINS
5650-H Imhoff Dr.
925-685-6566
CALIFORNIA Costa Mesa
ARIZONA Phoenix
1544 E. Cypress St.
CALIFORNIA Burbank
CALIFORNIA Concord
ARIZONA Phoenix
805-466-1391
Friendly Hobby Store Now Open!

We carry N, HO, HOn3, S, Sn3. RailMaster,
Athearn, Tangent & more. DCC: Digitrax,
Soundtraxx, dealer. Special Orders Welcomed!
www.railmasterhobbies.com
RAILMASTER HOBBIES
9812 Belmont St.
Wanted - Miscellaneous
ATLAS/TRAINMAN 60 FULL BAG GG 10/6 strmld pull
CALIFORNIA Bellflower
Full line of HO scale trains.

New and used and repair.
Tuesday - Saturday 10:00 - 5:00
www.jackstrainsofaz.com
ors. Kits, trees, and components. www.coastmans.com

Roger, 360-820-3553
562-867-5627
THE TRAIN CROSSING
714-549-1596
CALIFORNIA Culver City
A friendly model railroad store since 1946.

3 miles north of L.A.X.
All scale, all sizes including Mrklin,
Fleischmann and Digitrax too.
info@alliedmodeltrains.com
ALLIED MODEL TRAINS
4371 S. Sepulveda Blvd.
310-313-9353
CALIFORNIA Hollister
Model planes, car, ships & figures. Model train

scales: Z, N, HO, O & G. Paints, tools. R/C &
parts, incl. service. Craft & educational kits,
supplies, products. ESU Lok Sound Dealer clinics available. Tue-Sat 11-6; Sun 12-4.
B.C.T. HOBBY & CRAFTS
201-C McCray St.
831-635-0537
CALIFORNIA La Mirada
R HOBBIES
ROGERS RAILROAD JUNCTION
105 S. Sacramento St.
209-334-5623
CALIFORNIA Pasadena
Model rail specialists since 1951.

LGB, Lionel, O, S, On3, HO, HOn3, N, Z.
Complete stock of brass imports, new & used.
Books, tools, structures, detail parts.
Open 7 days. www.thewhistlestop.com
THE ORIGINAL WHISTLE STOP INC
2490 E. Colorado Blvd.
626-796-7791
Exclusively model trains since 1989.

Athearn, Kato, MDC, Lionel, Atlas, LGB,
Mrklin, Brass Imports, books, detail parts.
Everyday low prices. Open 7 days.
www.rrhobbies.com
RAILROAD HOBBIES
119 Vernon St.
916-782-6067
CALIFORNIA San Diego (La Mesa)
Exclusively trains. Craft kits,

detail parts, scratch supplies, books.
Ride the trolley to Reed's.
Open Mon through Sat 10:00-6:00; Sun 12-4.
www.reeds-hobbies.com
REEDS HOBBY SHOP
8039 La Mesa Blvd.
619-464-1672
CALIFORNIA San Francisco

Large collection Lionel & Am. Flyer.
Auth. service. Buy, sell & trade. N, HO,
Mrklin & LGB Mon - Sat 10-6, Sun 12-5.
Located south of Ghirardelli Sq., heart of S.F.
CHANS TRAINS AND KITS
2450 Van Ness @ Union St.
415-885-2899
CALIFORNIA San Mateo
We now carry Z, N, HO, S, O and G.

Lionel, LGB, S-Helper and MTH.
Mon-Sat 10-6. Closed Sunday.
14269 Imperial Hwy.
Z - N - HO - HOn3 - O27 - On30

Locos - Rolling Stock - Digital Structures
Landscaping Material & more.
www.Rogersrailroadjunction.com
e-mail: railroadjunction@att.net
CALIFORNIA Roseville (Sacramento)
Lionel, AF, LGB, HO, N, & Z Gauge.

New, used, & collectibles.
Buy, sell, trade & repair.
Tue-Fri 12-7, Sat 9-5, Sun 11-3.
1089-C Baker Street
CALIFORNIA Lodi
562-777-9492
Lionel, Mrklin, HO scale.

Domestic and imported trains.
Mon-Sat 9:30-6, Sun 11-5.
www.talbotstoyland.com
TALBOTS HOBBIES
445 South B Street
650-931-8110
81
RETAIL DIRECTORY
OBIES TRAINS
2114 West Apache Trail #11
REAL WOODEN TRUNKS for your coniferous endeav-
ALABAMA - CALIFORNIA
MODEL CITY MODELS
2750 Pelham Rd. South #9
Heralds, locomotives. Catalog $5.00 ck/mo. The Patch King,

PO Box 145, York Harbor, ME 03911.
Wanted-O Scale
to established accounts for one year minimum); also for six months at $353 (payable in advance). Ads will be set in
standard listing typography. All insertions must be consecutive and may be invoiced if you have credit established
with us. No mention of mail order business permitted. CLOSING DATES are listed in the Schedule of Events
section. For more information call 1-888-558-1544, ext. 815.
Northeast Alabamas Largest!
All Scales - All Major Brands
Tues-Fri 10-6; Sat 9-3
E-mail: modelcitymodels@nti.net
www.modelcitymodels.com
RAILROAD PATCHES, Largest selection in the world!
O GAUGE CUSTOM LAYOUT FOR SALE. 42 x

8. Upper loop, lower loop, and figure 8. Upper set to DSC
controls. Lower and figure 8 are set to conventional. Control
panel. Professionally landscaped as autumn in the Midwest
or Northeast. Accessories: coaling tower, log loader, gas
station, motion pick axe man, motion back hoe, street lights,
crossing gates. Structures: passenger platform, sporting
goods store, DQ fast food, candy store. Located in Central
Michigan area. Pick up. No delivery available. $3,000. John
at castus8@aol.com 956-878-0113.
LEADING
MODEL RETAILERS
Retail Directory spaces are sold on a years basis at $654 per year (payable in advance) or at $60 per month (billed
ALABAMA Anniston
For Sale - Miscellaneous
Buying entire collections anywhere in Canada or the

USA. Brass, plastic, engines, cars, buildings, memorabilia
- everything! Call Don toll-free 1-877-955-7245. E-mail:
trainsandsuch@telus.net
CALIFORNIA - MICHIGAN
CALIFORNIA Santa Clara
100% trains. Discount prices. Super selection.

Monday 9:30am-3:30pm
Tuesday - Saturday 9:30am-6:00pm
Closed Sunday
Dennis Cole E-mail: dcole4449@att.net
THE TRAIN SHOP
408-296-1050
1829 Pruneridge Ave.
CALIFORNIA Tehachapi
TRAINS, ETC.
661-822-7777
CALIFORNIA Thousand Oaks
Massive inventory. All gauges. Full service

hobby shop. Very competitive discount prices.
If you can't find it, call us. All credit cards
accepted. Open Mon - Thu 10-8, Fri til 9,
Sat til 6, Sun til 5. www.martyshobbies.com
MARTYS HOBBIES
1696 N. Moorpark Rd.
805-497-3664/0346
CALIFORNIA Westminster (Orange Co.)

Huge selection of N, HO & O.
Discount Prices. Open 7 Days a Week!
Authorized MTH, Lionel & Soundtraxx Dealer.
www.arniestrains.com
ARNIES MODEL TRAINS
6452 Industry Way
714-893-1015
CALIFORNIA Yuba City
A full service model train store. Large

inventory, HO, N, O & O27 Tinplate.
Books, videos, collector & gift items.
Repair service. We buy old toy trains.
www.westerndepot.com
THE WESTERN DEPOT
1650 Sierra Ave. #203
530-673-6776
COLORADO Colorado Springs
New and used brass, Southern Colorado's

oldest, largest, and most complete train store.
All gauges. Authorized Lionel
and MTH sales and service.
www.CustomRailwaySupply.com
CUSTOM RAILWAY SUPPLY
1015 Garden of the Gods Rd., #150
719-634-4616
COLORADO Colorado Springs
Full service store for all skill levels.

100% trains. Z, N, HO, O, G scales.
Lionel, Mrklin, MTH: Authorized Dealer.
Repair all gauges. www.sunbirdtrainmart.com
Open Mon-Fri 10-8, Sat 10-5:30, Sun 12-5.
DISCOUNT TRAINS
3311 N. Academy Blvd.
719-574-2080
COLORADO Denver
CABOOSE HOBBIES, INC.
303-777-6766
CONNECTICUT Branford
Trains, planes, boats, cars.

Closed Sun & Mon.
Open Tue, Wed, Thu 10-5:30.
Fri 10-9, Sat 10-5.
(West Main)
BRANFORD HOBBIES
609 W. Main St. (rear)
203-488-9865
CONNECTICUT Canaan
BERKSHIRE HILLS HOBBY SUPPLY
860-824-0527
CONNECTICUT Cos Cob
ANNS HOBBY CENTER
203-869-0969
CONNECTICUT Manchester
All scales Z, N, HO, O, O-27, G, #1, MTH,

Lionel, Mrklin, LGB, Walthers, Aristo,
Trix, etc. Digital Sales-Install. Large
operating layouts. www.nehobby.com
Mon - Sat 10-8, Sun 10-6.
Time Machine Hobby - New England Hobby Supply
860-646-0610/Fax-645-0504
71 Hilliard St.
CONNECTICUT Winsted
RETAIL DIRECTORY
A hobby shop for modelers by modelers.

From hard to find to latest & greatest.
Free classes & clinics / multi scales.
Large store of quality products @ fair prices.
Friendly service: www.rrhobbysupply.com
RR MODEL & HOBBY SUPPLY
100 Whiting Street
860-379-3383
CONNECTICUT Wolcott
Exclusively brass models. One of the

largest selections in the country. All scales.
Buy, consign, trade - entire collections bought.
Mon - Fri 8 -5
www.thecaboose.com
THE CABOOSE
5 Mohawk Drive
203-879-9797
DELAWARE Ocean View
No sales tax at the Delaware seashore.

Lionel new & used . . . . also Atlas, Bachmann,
MTH. We buy used trains. Auth. Lionel repairs.
Large inventory of used HO trains.
Open Tues-Sat 11-4:30, Closed Sun & Mon
SEASIDE HOBBIES
15 Daisey Ave.
82
THE DEPOT HOBBY SHOP
518 W. Lantana Rd.
561-585-1982
FLORIDA Miami
Shop "Warehouse Style" for Z to G.

MTH, Lionel, Kato, LGB, Broadway Ltd.,
Atlas, Peco, Walthers at discount prices.
Open Mon 11-5, Tue - Fri 10-6, Sat 9-6,
Sun closed Feb - Oct, Nov - Jan 10-3.
READY TO ROLL
831 N.W. 143rd Street
305-688-8868
FLORIDA Ocala
HO, N trains & accessories
Visa, MC, AX, Discover
Open Mon - Fri 10-5:30, Sat 9-4
Call for Sunday hours.
ROB'S HOBBY WORLD
8585 SW Hwy. 200
352-854-2799
FLORIDA Orlando
One of Florida's largest model train & hobby

shops. All scales.
Authorized Lionel & MTH service station. MonThu 9-7:30, Fri 9-9, Sat 9-6.
20 min. from Disney.
COLONIAL PHOTO & HOBBY, INC.
634 North Mills
407-841-1485
FLORIDA Pensacola
Competitive prices, friendly service.

All makes & models, trains & accessories
Z - G. Lionel, Micro-Train, MTH Dealer
www.trainsbyjohnson.com
Old Palafox St. at 10 Mile Rd.
TRAINS BY JOHNSON
10412 N. Palafox Hwy.
850-478-8584
FLORIDA Port Orange (Daytona Beach)
Your Southern Connection for Quality

Products! Featuring O, HO, Woodland
Scenics. MTH MegaStation & National Service
Center. Breyer Horses. Mon-Fri 10-5;
Sat 10-4. www.roundhousesouth.com
ROUNDHOUSE SOUTH
4611 Ridgewood Ave.
386-304-7003
Trains, trains, trains.

Model railroading at its best.
Visit us in the store or
on the Web at www.gcmrr.com
Open Mon-Fri 10-6. Sat 10-5.
GULF COAST MODEL RAILROAD, INC.
3222 Clark Rd.
941-923-9303
FLORIDA Tampa Bay Area (Largo)
Buying, selling, repairing, consignments.

Old fashioned customer service guaranteed.
Lionel, MTH, LGB, HO, N, large postwar parts.
MTH Auth. Serv. Sta. Open Tue - Sat, Closed
Sun & Mon. www.AAModelTrainRepair.com
AA MODEL TRAIN REPAIR
8340 Ulmerton Rd., #222
727-698-7496
Specializing in HO, DCC & installations on HO

& G . Operating DCC/DC layout. DIGITRAX
DEALER. We build custom layouts. Across
street from Tavares, Eustis & Gulf RR station.
Tues - Sat 10-4 www.allaboardsouth.com
ALL ABOARD - SOUTH MODEL TRAINS
352-250-1252
305 E. Main St.
302-539-1601
Lionel Train Top 10 Dealer

MTH Train Mega Dealer
400 s.f. layout, HUGE selection, service, repair
www.legacystation.com
800-964-8724
LEGACY STATION TRAINS TOYS HOBBIES
4153 Lawrenceville Hwy., #12 770-339-7780
GEORGIA Atlanta (Riverdale)
Atlanta's Finest Shop for serious modelers!

Quality items in all scales at fair prices.
Service - Repairs. Over 32 years of quality
service. Close to all Interstate Hwys.
8-min. from Atlanta Airport. Tue-Sat 10-5:30
RIVERDALE STATION
6632 Hwy. 85, Riverdale Plaza
770-991-6085
GEORGIA Blue Ridge
FREE TIME HOBBIES
706-946-1120
GEORGIA Braselton
Bargains Galore!
Located 1/2 mile off I-85 exit 129.
Featuring HO, O, toys and die cast items from
Trainz.com
Hours: Mon - Sat 10-6, Sun 1-5
ANTIQUE MALL TRAINS
5134 Georgia 53
706-654-3693
GEORGIA Buford (Atlanta)
Quality, Selection & Service.

Discount pricing in all scales.
Mon - Sat 11-6, Sun 1-6
Across from NS Mainline in Downtown Buford
Web store at: www.trainmastermodels.com
TRAINMASTER MODELS
601 East Main St.
CHARLEMAGNE'S KINGDOM
706-878-2200
ILLINOIS Burbank
Specializing in HO.
One of the most complete exclusive model
railroad shops in the midwest.
THE GOLDEN SPIKE TRAIN SHOP
6357 W. 79th Street
708-598-3114
ILLINOIS Des Plaines
N, HO, S, O, G Std. & Narrow gauge too.

Lots of scratchbuilding parts and stuff too.
Brass, books & DVDs. Close to O'Hare.
M, T, W, F 10-6; Th 10-8; Sat 9:30-5; Sun 11-5
Web Store: www.desplaineshobbies.com
DES PLAINES HOBBIES
1524 Lee St. (Mannheim Rd.)
847-297-2118
678-546-3600
New location. You have to see it to believe it.

Color photos, rolling stock, structures,
detail parts; HO, HOn3, O, N scales.
Monday - Friday 12-5; Sat 10-5.
Evenings by appointment.
HAWKINS RAIL SERVICES
765-742-5577
3501 Union St., Suite 6
TIMBERLINE TRAIN SHOP, LTD.
630-324-6136
5228 Main St
Trains HO & N Athearn, Atlas, Walthers, Kato,

Con-Cor, Kadee. Mon & Sat 10-5;
T, W, Th 10-7; Fri 10-8, Sun 12-5. In the Town
& Country Shopping Center. Hobbies for
everyone. www.boxkarhobbies.com
BOX KAR HOBBIES
319-362-1291
3655-A 1st Ave. S.E.
IOWA Urbandale
N, HO, & O
Lionel, MTH, Atlas
Exit #129 I-80/I-35, 2 miles south
Iowas premier Model Railroad store
Open 7 days a week.
HOBBY HAVEN
515-276-8785
2575 86th Street
KANSAS Overland Park (KC Area)
HO and N Scale Model Trains and Accessories

Two Blocks South of Metra Station
at Maple Ave.
www.timberlinetrainshop.com
ILLINOIS Elgin
O, S. HO, N, Z & G Scale

Lionel, MTH, A/F, Marklin, LGB & more!
New, Used & Vintage. Extensive scenery line.
Repair, custom work & layouts.
www.fredstrainshop.com
FREDS TRAIN SHOP
913-383-3500
7327 West 80th St.
MAINE Falmouth
N, HO, O, Circus models.

Scratchbuilding supplies, paints, tools.
Repair service. We will special order.
Digitrax dealer.
B & G TRAIN WORLD
829 Walnut Ave.
847-888-2646
ILLINOIS Geneseo
HO, N, O/On30 & G Scale Trains

Specializing in Midwest Roads
Car, Plane, Military Kits & Rockets
MTH, Piko, Weaver & Walthers dealer
GRHobbies.com for directions & hours
GREEN RIVER HOBBIES
309-944-2620
203 E. Exchange St.
ILLINOIS Itasca
Huge selection of Lionel, MTH, Athearn, Atlas,

Bachmann, KATO, MDC, LGB, Kadee, MicroTrains, Over 1,000 engines on display. New &
used, buy, trade, sell, repair. Also G, HO, N, Z,
& Thomas toys. www.americasbesttrain.com
AMERICA'S BEST TRAIN & HOBBY
630-467-1102
865 Maplewood Dr
ILLINOIS Marion
HO scale model trains. Custom paint, structure building, scenery, parts, tools, DCC, N. E.
RRs our specialty. Located on Rt. 1 between
Portland & Freeport. Mon - Sat 10-5, Sun 12-4
www.mainemodelworks.com
MAINE MODELWORKS
207-781-8300
417 US Route 1
MAINE York
Model trains & slot cars. Most scales available.
Accessories & services. New, pre-owned &
vintage. Working layout! Open 7 days 10-5
www.yorkvillagemarketplace.com
YORK VILLAGE MARKETPLACE
207-363-4830
891 U.S. Route 1
MARYLAND Annapolis
If we don't have it, we'll get it! LGB, Woodland

Scenics, Walthers Dealer, Aristo,
Delton, Pola, Lionel, Bachmann,
Spectrum, Proto 2000. Mon-Sat 10-6.
Full line Kalmbach! starhobby1@msn.com
STAR HOBBY
1564 Whitehall Rd.
410-349-4290/4291
MARYLAND Baltimore/Cockeysville
Full-Line Hobby Shop.

HO & N scale locomotives, scenery,
plastic models, R/C, tools, paints, and more.
Open Tue - Fri 2 - 8pm, Sat 10 - 5pm
CHUCKS DEPOT
1913 W. Rendelman St.
INDIANA Lafayette
IOWA Cedar Rapids
P/F 618-993-9179
ILLINOIS Maryville
Large 60 x 70 customer operated DCC HO

layout. Located 17 miles from St. Louis near
I-70/I-55 exit 15B. For shop hours/maps
pictures, layout construction times, train
running see www.k-10smodeltrains.com
K-10'S MODEL TRAINS
19 Schiber Court
618-288-9720
ILLINOIS Mundelein
Specializing in trains, HO, N, O, G, Lionel.

Books and videos. Northern IL railfan
headquarters. Closed Monday. Please call for
other hours. Fax 847-949-8687.
ronhobby@aol.com
RON'S MUNDELEIN HOBBIES
431 N. Lake St. (Rt. 45)
847-949-8680
ILLINOIS Oswego
Authorized dealer: Lionel, MTH, LGB, Williams,

Marx, Aristocraft. All prewar trains, standard/O
gauge. Authorized MTH repair center.
I'll buy your trains.
dennytrain@aol.com Visa/MC/Disc/AmEx
DENNY'S TRAINS & THINGS
116 S. Main St.
630-554-6964
ILLINOIS Springfield
HO / G / N.
Special orders / discount prices.
Display layouts / clinics / assistance.
Sat 9-6; Sun 12-5; Tues & Thurs 10-9.
CASTLE TRAINS & TREASURES
4782 Old Jacksonville Rd.
217-793-0407
BREMEN HOBBIES
574-546-3807
INDIANA Dyer
N, HO & O, DCC & Digitax Dealer. Atlas,

Athearn, BLI & Walthers. Plastics, modeling
supplies & detail parts. Special orders.
Competitive prices. Mon-Fri 10-7; Sat 10-5;
Sun 11-3. www.parklanehobbiesonline.com
PARK LANE HOBBIES
1080 Joliet St. (US 30)
219-322-1123
INDIANA Indianapolis
Trains are our only business! HO, N, O27.

Brass, books, magazines, detail parts, paints &
accessories. 1 block West of
Shadeland Ave. on Washington St.
Mon-Sat 10:30-6. www.waynestrains.biz
TRAIN CENTRAL
6742 E. Washington (U.S. 40)
M.B. KLEIN
243 Cockeysville Rd., Ste. A
410-229-9995
MARYLAND Mt. Airy
For all your model railroad needs. Sales &

service since 1910. Authorized Lionel value
added dealer, service station #20.
American Flyer, MTH sales and serivce.
www.traindepotatmtairy.com
1 S. Main St.
TRAIN DEPOT
301-607-8155
MARYLAND Sykesville
Central Marylands best kept secret - a family

friendly model train shop that specializes in
HO & N Scale at very generous discounts.
Please call for hours or visit us at
www.themoosecaboose.com
THE MOOSE CABOOSE
1341 W. Liberty Rd.
410-795-4610
MASSACHUSETTS Acton (West)
100% trains, N, HO, HOn3, O,

kits, tools, books, videos.
New/used, buy, sell, trade.
Appraisals. Railroading spoken here.
M, W, F 7pm-9pm, Sat 9am-5pm.
ACTON MODEL RAILROAD CENTER
562 Mass Ave. (Rt. 111)
978-264-4020
Specializing in New England road names,

HO/N Scale. Micro-Trains, Walthers, Horizon.
Special orders discounted. Tu & Th 10-4, Wed
& Fri 11-6, Sat 10-6 www.halfpricehobby com
service@halfpricehobby.com
SHEPAUG RAILROAD COMPANY
23 Westminster St.
978-537-2277
MASSACHUSETTS Chelmsford
Small town, Large shop, all scales.

Discounts. Three operating layouts.
Large selection- since 1961.
Mon, Tues, Thur, Fri 10-6; Sat 10-4.
308 N. Indiana 331
Model RR headquarters since 1913.

Excellent selection HO & N equipment &
accessories; Lionel. All at disc. prices.
Mon - Fri 10-5; Sat 9-5.
www.modeltrainstuff.com
MASSACHUSETTS Ashburnham
INDIANA Bremen
North Georgias train store in Blue Ridge

Specializing in N & HO scale
Mon - Fri 10:00-6:00; Sat 10:00-2:00
www.freetimetrains.com Valley Village Center
4167 East First St.
Model railroaders delight. Experience a trip

through Germany from the North Sea to the
Alps in HO scale. Educational & fun. Thomas
and Friends & Elec. Trains. Auth. Lionel Dealer.
www.georgiamodelrailroad.com
ILLINOIS Downers Grove
GEORGIA Atlanta
HO, N, Lionel. Lionel authorized dealer

& repair. Plastic, wood kits, rockets,
tools, structural & diorama supplies.
Special orders welcome.
405 E. Putnam Avenue
Full line Hobby Shop specializing in Trains.

Mon-Fri 10-6, Sat 10-4, Sun 12-4
www.depothobbyshop.com
1/2 mile east of I-95 exit #61.
FLORIDA Tavares (Orlando/Mt. Dora area)
Mainly model railroading.

All scales.
e-mail: berkshirehills.hobby@snet.net
Tues-Fri 11-6, Sat & Sun 10-5.
93 Main St. (Rt. 44)
8808 North Main Street
FLORIDA Sarasota
Since1938! All scales & gauges. Open daily.

See all this & more in our on-line catalog.
http://www.caboosehobbies.com
500 S. Broadway
GEORGIA Helen
Lionel, American Flyer, MTH

Trains bought and sold
www.traincity.com
www.choochooauctions.com
TRAIN CITY, INC. - CHARLES SIEGEL
387 Imperial Blvd., Ste. 2
321-799-4005
FLORIDA Lantana (West Palm area)
Visit us and the Tehachapi Loop

N thru G - Also Trains with History
Mon - Sat 9:30-5 (closed Tue) and Sun 11-4
www.trainsetc.biz or trainsetc@sbcglobal.net
114 W. Tehachapi Blvd.
FLORIDA Cape Canaveral
317-375-0832
HO & N Model railroading

Scale kits, parts & supplies
How-to books and magazines
Tues-Fri 11AM-5:30PM, Sat 10AM-4:00PM
www.mainetrains.com
MAINE TRAINS
210 Boston Road Rt. 4
978-250-1442
MASSACHUSETTS Duxbury
G - 1 - O - S - HO - N - Z
Buy - Sell - Trade - New - Used - Repairs
Mrklin Dealer
Wednesday - Sunday 11-6
DUXBURY GREEN, INC.
382 Kingstown Way (Rt. 53)
781-585-2164
MICHIGAN Bridgeport
Scales Z to G. All at discount prices.

Am. Models, Aristo, Athearn, Atlas, Bachmann,
Con-Cor, IHC, USA, Kadee, Kato,
K-Line, Lionel, MTH, Walthers, LGB, HLW.
www.jvrailroad.com
JUNCTION VALLEY RR HOBBY SHOP
7065 Dixie Hwy.
989-777-3480
O, HO, N & Z scale trains & accessories.

Walthers, NCE, TCS, MTH, Digitrax,
SoundTraxx, Lionel. Personalized service,
special orders. Repair/ Buy/ Sell used trains.
www.rainydayhobbies.com
RAINY DAY HOBBIES
22939 Woodward Ave
248-545-5667
MICHIGAN Flint
G (LGB & 1:20,3), O (Lionel & MTH), On30, HO,

N, & Z. Locos,cars, figures, buildings, track,
kits, scenery supplies, details, books & videos.
Digitrax Dealer. Repair service. VISA/MC.
Mon-Fri 10-8, Sat 10-6, Sun 12-5
RIDERS HOBBY SHOP
2061 S Linden Rd
810-720-2500
MICHIGAN Fraser
P & D HOBBY SHOP
586-296-6116
MICHIGAN Grand Rapids
LGB, O (Lionel, MTH & Scale), HO, N & Z

Locos, cars, figures, buildings, track, tools,
kits, scenery supplies, details, books, videos.
Digitrax Dealer. Repair service VISA/MC
Open Mon-Fri 10-8 & Sat 10-7
RIDERS HOBBY SHOP
2055 28th Street SE
616-247-9933
MICHIGAN Leslie
Michigans Largest N Scale Dealer.

Tue-Thur 1-9. Fri & Sat* 1-5.
*Closed Saturdays Memorial Day to Labor
Day. We also carry Z, HO & G Scales.
www.ggtrains.com
G&G TRAINS
1800 Baseline Road
517-589-5977
MICHIGAN Mount Pleasant
We carry N through O scale, structures,

tools, scenery, scratch building supplies.
Special orders welcome.
Authorized Lionel & MTH Dealer.
Open Mon - Fri 9-6, Sat 10-3, Closed Sun.
MOUNTAIN TOWN HOBBY'S
307 S. Mission St.
989-779-7245
MICHIGAN Saginaw
Personalized Customer Service!

Trains & Accessories N to G
Authorized Lionel/K-Line, MTH, DIGITRAX
Sales & Service - over 12,000 parts
www.traindoctor.com
BRASSEUR ELECTRIC TRAINS
410 Court St.
989-793-4753
MICHIGAN Traverse City
Let your imagination run wild!

Z to G, Lionel, scenery, tools,
structures, scratchbuilding supplies,
special orders, ships, armor, cars,
dollhouse miniatures, more...
TRAINS & THINGS HOBBIES
210 East Front St.
231-947-1353
MICHIGAN Troy
FORMERLY MERRI-SEVEN NEW LOCATION

All scales Z thru G, new and used
Complete selection of RR equipment/supplies
BUY SELL REPAIR PARTS
Tues - Fri 11-7, Sat. 11-6
EMPIRE TRAINS & HOBBIES
3278 Rochester Rd.
248-680-6500
MICHIGAN Wyoming
HOBBY RECYCLING
616-257-7155
MISSOURI Branson/Hollister
The Ozarks' full-line hobby center

N-G scale trains & building accessories
Mon - Sat 9am-5pm, Closed Sun
E-mail: bransonhobbyctr@aol.com
www.bransonhobbycenter.com
BRANSON HOBBY CENTER
251 Saint James St.
417-335-6624
MISSOURI St. Louis
402-934-RAIL (7245)
NEVADA Las Vegas

While in Las Vegas,
check out our train selection.
Close to the Las Vegas strip.
Hours: Mon-Fri 10-7, Sat 10-6, Sun Noon-5.
HOBBYTOWN USA
4590 W. Sahara Ave., #103
HOBBYTOWN USA
636-394-0177
When traveling, bring MR,

look up a shop
and stop in.
Model railroading headquarters for the
Northern Rockies. HO, HOn3 & N scale. Kits,
parts, tools, books. Tues-Fri 10-5:30; Sat 10-4.
Closed Sun & Mon. trains28@bresnan.net
www.jimsjunction.com
JIM'S JUNCTION
406-259-5354
NEBRASKA Deshler
Largest HO/N scale inventory from Denver to

Chicago. Stop in and say WOW! All major
brands plus books, videos, tools & scenery.
Mon-Fri 10-6, Weekend hours vary- call
ahead! www.springcreekmodeltrains.com
SPRING CREEK MODEL TRAINS,
402-365-7628
N, HO, O, & G scales.

Authorized Lionel dealer.
www.wholesaletrains.com
WESTSIDE TRAINS
702-254-9475
NEW HAMPSHIRE Hampton Falls

HO - N - O & accessories.
Carrying Atlas, Athearn,
MTH-RailKing, Lionel, Williams
Open 7 days a week 10-5.
BRENTWOOD ANTIQUES
603-929-1441
NEW HAMPSHIRE Intervale
HURLEY COUNTRY STORE INC
J&J'S HOBBIES INC
845-338-7174
37 N. Front St.
NEW YORK Latham
G - O - HO - N scales!
Full line of scenery, tools and structures.
If you need it, we'll try to get it!
Open Wed-Sat 12-7,
Sun 12-5 (except June, July, August, Sept.).
JP'S TRAINS
277 Troy Schenectady Rd.
Since 1949. Long Islands largest full-line

hobby superstore. 10,000 sq. ft. Featuring
MTH, Lionel, Marklin HO and Z, HO and N
scales. Books, detail parts and much more.
www.willishobbies.com
NEW JERSEY Aberdeen
NEW YORK Smithtown
N, HO & O, standard gauge!

New Jerseys largest MTH retailer & service
center. A full line hobby and toy shop.
Authorized MTH Service. Open 7 days.
www.hobbyshopnj.com
THE HOBBY SHOP
732-583-0505
NEW JERSEY Cedar Grove
Celebrating our 33rd Anniversary 1979-2013.

Authorized Mrklin Digital Dealer. Lionel
Station & V.A.D. LGB Train Stop.
O, O-27, HO, N & Z scale.
We sell the best & service the rest.
TONY'S TRAIN TOWN
973-857-2337
NEW JERSEY Kenvil
KENVIL HOBBIES
973-584-1188
One of northern NJ's largest train stores. Auth.

Lionel sales, service, and parts. Old
Lionel trains bought and sold. LGB, Atlas, LifeLike, MDK. Auth. Walther's dealer.
THE TRAIN STATION
Romaine Road
973-263-1979
NEW JERSEY Piscataway
Serving hobbyists since 1933.

Large selection of HO, N, S & O scale
Railroad books - complete repair service
Mon., Tues. & Thurs. 10am-6pm,
Sat. 10am-5pm, Wed. & Fri. 10am-9pm.
THE MODEL RAILROAD SHOP, INC.
Vail Ave. & New Market Rd.
732-968-5696
A Complete Model Railroad Store Over 600

Engines in Stock N HO O DCC/DCS/TMCC
Authorized MTH & LIONEL Dealer. Walthers
Atlas Atlas O. Sun-Thur 10-6, Fri-Sat 10-8
www.thetrainroomnj.com
THE TRAIN ROOM
715 Arnold Ave.
732-892-5145
NEW JERSEY Somerville
Full line all scales N thru G.

Specializing in service.
Tues to Fri 11 am - 7 pm;
Sat 11 am - 5 pm; Sun 12 pm - 4 pm
www.biglittle.com Fax # 908-685-8894
THE BIG LITTLE RAILROAD SHOP
908-685-8892
NEW JERSEY Westmont

Athearn, Atlas, Bowser, Walthers.
Structures, books.
Exclusively trains since 1955.
HO and N.
SATTLERS HOBBY SHOP
14 Haddon Ave.
856-854-7136
NEW MEXICO Clovis
HO & N model railroad supplies;

railroad books; videos and memorabilia;
Walthers dealer.
Located in old ATSF passenger depot.
Wed-Sun: Noon - 5pm. clovisdepot.com
CLOVIS DEPOT MODEL TRAIN MUSEUM
221 West 1st St.
WILLIS HOBBIES INC
516-746-3944
3 GUY'S HOBBIES
631-265-8303
NEW YORK Syracuse (East)
100% scale model railroading. HO, S, O, N.

Northeastern, New England, Canadian
specialists. Exclusive; Northeast Modeler,
West Shore Line kits. Closed Mon. Call for free
map & hours. www.centralhobby.com
CENTRAL HOBBY SUPPLY
102 Walter Dr.
315-437-6630
575-762-0066
O, HO & N. Weaver, Atlas, Athearn, MDC &

Walthers. Start-to-finish railroad supplies.
Magazines, Craftsman kits & Kadee.
Old local lines like W.A.G., Erie & E.L.
Tues. - Fri. 12-5, Sat. 10-3.
EAST DYKE DEPOT
332 E. Dyke St.(Rt. 417E)
585-593-0005
NORTH CAROLINA Arden
HO, N, Model Trains and accessories.

Broadway Limited, Kato, Walthers,
Digitrax, Atlas, Athearn, and more.
Mon-Fri 9:00am-5:00pm Order by phone 24
hours. www.factorydirecttrains.com
FACTORY DIRECT TRAINS
7 Glenn Bridge Rd., Ste. B
800-990-3381
NORTH CAROLINA Marion
THE TRAIN SHOP
828-668-9434
NORTH CAROLINA Raleigh/Wake Forest

Authorized Digitrax, Soundtraxx, Walthers,
Bowser dealer. DCC experts. Installation &
Service. Computerized customer order
tracking. Sharing the joy of model railroading
www.trainbuddy.com
TRAIN BUDDY PRODUCTS
1200 Jenkins Rd.
216-252-8880
OHIO Columbus
All scales: N, HO, LGB
www.hobbylandstores.com
206 Graceland Blvd.
HOBBYLAND
614-888-7500
OHIO Columbus
Exclusively trains.
LGB, Lionel, O, HO, N scales.
Books, brass, videos.
Mon-Thur 10-6, Fri 10-8, Sat 10-6, Sun 12-5.
www.trainstationohio.com
THE TRAIN STATION
4430 Indianola Ave.
614-262-9056
OHIO Mansfield
Full line hobby shop since 1977.

Z through G scales.
Authorized Lionel service station.
Thomas the Tank and Brio.
Open Mon-Sat 10-5, Fri 'til 6:30.
JOHNS HOBBY SHOP
15 N. Main St. (on the Square) 419-526-4426
OREGON Beaverton
Complete full line service hobby shop.
Z, N, HO, O, Lionel, and LGB.
Open Mon-Fri 10-8, Sat 10-5, Sun 12-5.
TAMMIES HOBBIES
12024 SW Canyon Rd.
503-644-4535
EUGENE TOY & HOBBY
32 East 11th Ave.
541-344-2117
OREGON Forest Grove
New location! Mainline Trains on Main St.

Trains and only trains. Good selection of DCC
and low prices. Special orders, no problem.
25 miles west of Portland. Tues-Sat 11-6
Closed Sun & Mon. mtalviste@hotmail.com
MAINLINE TRAINS
2003 19th Ave.
503-992-8181
OREGON Portland
HO, N, Z, Lionel, DCC, brass
Reservation discounts, new, used,
Consignments, 16 minutes from Airport
www.hobbysmith.com
THE HOBBY SMITH
1809 NE Cesar Chavez Blvd.
503-284-1912
OREGON Portland
Your complete model railroad store.

Gauges Z through G.
Mon-Fri 10-6, Sat 10-5, Closed Sunday
www.wsor.com
WHISTLE STOP TRAINS
11724 SE Division St.
503-761-1822
PENNSYLVANIA Blue Ridge Summit
Full-service model railroad shop. Located Exit

81, 2.8 miles off I-40 in downtown Marion.
Corner of Henderson & Main. Mon - Sat 10-5
(Formerly Old Fort Model Trains)
93 S. Main St.
DEPOT TRAIN & HOBBY
4342 W. 130th Street
Complete HO & N for beginners, experts. O-27

and G too. We carry all major brands.
Scratchbuilding supplies, books, tools. Big RC
selection, planes, boats, cars.
Open Mon - Sat 9-6, Friday to 7.
O, HO, & N gauges.

All major lines carried.
We are model railroaders.
10 Lawrence Ave.
330-823-7222
OREGON Eugene
NEW YORK Wellsville
Full service hobbies, a full line of

HO, N, 3-Rail, military, cars, boats,
planes, dollhouses, scratchbuilding
supplies, plus details-details-details!
590 Rt. 46
518-782-0981
NEW YORK Mineola L.I.
300 Willis Ave.
575 Pompton Ave.
845-338-4843
Full service hobby shop. Walthers dealer.

Athearn, Atlas, Model Power.
HO, N & O gauge. Lionel dealer.
Call for hours. janet@jnjhobbies.com
www.jnjhobbies.com
Z, N, HO, O, G, LGB, Mrklin.

Hobby Shop, Museum.
16,000 square feet.
www.hartmannrr.com
HARTMANN MODEL RAILROAD, LTD.
15 Town Hall Rd
603-356-9922 / 9933
1077-C State Hwy. 34
607-215-0019
Trains- Z, N, HO, S, O, G scale, models,

rockets, hobby supplies. Lionel & MTH
authorized dealer. 4 working layouts. Repairs,
buy/sell. Open 7 days. An old fashioned
general store. www.hurleycountrystore.biz
2 Wamsley Pl. (Old Hurley)
ROB'S TRAINS
333 E. Main St.
Full line old time Hobby Shop located in a

1914 Victorian farm house, since 1983.
www.depotland.com
LANTZ HOBBY SHOP
3312 S. Main St.
New and used trains of all scales. Custom

painting, full service repair department.
Tue, Thu, Fri 12-8pm, Sat 10-3pm.
www.alliancelink.com/robstrains
OHIO Cleveland (West Park)
NEW YORK Kingston
Big selection of HO, N and Lionel O Gauge

trains. Only 7 miles west of the Las Vegas
strip. www.westsidetrainslv.com
106 Lafayette Rd. (Rt. 1)
716-875-2837
OHIO Alliance
919-562-4378
NORTH CAROLINA Spencer
Across from NC Trans Museum. Big selection

of trains in all scales, Digitrax Dealer, RR
videos/books & childrens toys Tue-Sat: 10
-5:30. www.littlechoochooshop.com
or info@littlechoochooshop.com
LITTLE CHOO CHOO SHOP, INC.
The Exclusive model railroad store.

From N to G, we stock it all.
OPEN 7 days a week.
Only minutes from Frederick, MD.
www.mainlinehobby.net
MAINLINE HOBBY SUPPLY
15066 Buchanan Trail E.
717-794-2860
PENNSYLVANIA Broomall
Lionel, American Flyer, LGB-Aristo.

HO, N, ON30, RMT. Standard O & S gauges
bought, sold & traded. Auth. service center.
Mon, Wed, Fri 10-9, Tue & Thu 10-7, Sat 10-5
www.nstrains.com
NICHOLAS SMITH TRAINS
2343 West Chester Pike
610-353-8585
PENNSYLVANIA Gettysburg
Everything for the model railroader.

Huge selection of brass locos. Complete stock
N & HO gauge. Daily 10-5, Sun 12-5.
E-mail tghbyshp1@comcast.net
www.gilbertshobbies.com
TOMMY GILBERTS
500 S. Salisbury Av. 704-637-8717/800-334-2466
346 E. Water Street
NORTH CAROLINA Wilson
PENNSYLVANIA Jeannette
Complete stock HO, N, O, G. Discounts.

HO layout display. I-95 Exit 119, east on US
264, 4 miles to exit 42, right on Downing Street
and go to first light.
Tues. - Sat. 10 a.m. -6 p.m.
THE ANTIQUE BARN TRAIN SHOP
2810 Forest Hills Rd. SW
252-237-6778
NORTH DAKOTA Minot
Full line hobby shop. N, HO, Lionel, Atlas,

Bachmann, Athearn, Kato, Mantua, Micro
Trains, tools, paints, plastic model kits, books,
rockets, RC cars, RC airplanes, model building
supplies. Daily 10-6, closed Sunday.
AEROPORT HOBBY SHOPPE
2112 N. Broadway
701-838-1658
717-337-1992
Trains exclusively. Lionel, MTH, HO & N.

Supplies and accessories at discount prices.
Open daily 9:30-5, Mon & Fri 9:30-7, Sat 9-4.
Closed Tue. Expanded hours Nov.and Dec.
www.needztrains.com
NIEDZALKOSKIS TRAIN SHOP
214 South 4th Street
724-523-8035
PENNSYLVANIA Landisville (Lancaster)

Model Trains New & Used
Supplies, Paint, Tools
Rockets, Slot Cars, Lionel/MTH Trains
Tue - Thur 10-6, Fri 10-7, Sat 10-4
We buy train collections large & small
COOLTRAINS HOBBIES
106 W. Main Street
717-898-7119
83
RETAIL DIRECTORY
MONTANA Billings
304 E. Bryson Ave.
702-456-8766
NEVADA Las Vegas
2960 S. Durango #117
K-VAL HOBBIES
277 Hinman Ave.
NEW YORK Hurley
TRAIN EXCHANGE
63 W. Main St.
811-B 16th St. West
702-889-9554
Electric trains & accessories

N, HO, S, O
Lionel/American Flyer Dealer
6008 Boulder Hwy.
Trains exclusively N, HO, O, All major brands,

accessories. NMRA discount. Lionel
Authorized Service Station. Repair all gauges.
Tues, Wed, Thur 10-5; Fri 11-9; Sat 11-4
www.KVAL-HOBBIES.COM
NEW YORK Horseheads
NEW JERSEY Point Pleasant Beach
Full line electric train store - N, HO, O & G

All major lines including Lionel, Kato, Walthers
& Bachmann. We provide service and repair.
Open 7 days a week.
15037 Manchester Rd.
HOUSE OF TRAINS
8106 Maple St.
NEW JERSEY Mountain Lakes
HO, N and Marx bought and sold.

American Flyer and Lionel also.
Tuesday thru Friday 12-6, Saturday 10-5.
Other hours available by appt. Please call.
2313 Lee St. SW
NEW YORK Buffalo
We carry supplies and trains for all scales Z-G

and we are DCC ready.
Service work, repair, technical support.
Open 8:00-5:30 Mon-Fri and 10:00-5:00 Sat.
NEVADA Las Vegas
Full line hobby shop.

Open Mon-Fri 10 -8, Sat 10-6, Sun 12-5
www.pdhobbyshop.com
31280 Groesbeck Hwy.
NEBRASKA Omaha
MICHIGAN - PENNSYLVANIA
MICHIGAN Ferndale/Detroit
PENNSYLVANIA - UK-ENGLAND
PENNSYLVANIA Lansdale
Exclusively Trains
Specializing in DCC
NCE Digitrax Tsunami
www.linsjunction.com
info@linsjunction.com
LIN'S JUNCTION
128 S. Line St.
215-412-7711
PENNSYLVANIA Montoursville
Mon - Fri 9-5:30, Sat 9-5
Extended weekday & Sun hours in Nov. & Dec.
E-mail: emrrs@chilitech.net
www.englishsmodelrailroad.com
ENGLISH'S MODEL RAILROAD SUPPLY
201 Streibeigh Lane
570-368-2516
PENNSYLVANIA Philadelphia (Feasterville)

Lionel, American Flyer, LGB, MTH, Marklin,
Bachmann, Williams. HO, N & Z. We buy, sell
& repair. Mon-Fri 12-8; Sat 10-5
(Closed Sat. July & Aug.) Sun. in Dec.10-5
www.JoesTrainStation.com
JOES TRAIN STATION
21 East Street Rd.
215-322-5182
PENNSYLVANIA Strasburg
From trains to diecast to scenery, everything

for the layout builder. Open 7 days a week.
N, HO, O, Lionel, LGB.
Buy, sell, trade used trains.
Located adjacent to the Choo Choo Barn.
STRASBURG TRAIN SHOP
Route 741 East
717-687-0464
RHODE ISLAND Warwick
HO trains & acces., detail parts, plastic &

craftsperson kits. Hobby supplies, tools.
Tu-Fri 12-8, Sat 10-6 (Sun Nov-Jan 12-5)
Closed Mon. 1/2mi.W. of airport.
E-mail: aahobbies@gmail.com
A. A. HOBBIES, INC.
655 Jefferson Blvd.
401-737-7111
SOUTH CAROLINA Greenville
Model Trains Only - ALL AT DISCOUNT

PRICES! 130,000+ Items in all scales available
online 24/7 at: www.BlueRidgeHobbies.com
Retail Store features HO, N and O.
Open Tue, Wed & Fri 9:00am-1:00pm
BLUE RIDGE HOBBIES
2327 N. Pleasantburg Dr., Ste. H
800-988-2125
SOUTH CAROLINA West Columbia

All scales, all major brands of
model railroad equipment.
We buy & sell used Lionel trains.
Open daily 10-6. Closed Sun.
NEW BROOKLAND RR & HOBBY SHOP
405 State Street
803-791-3958
TENNESSEE Chattanooga (E. Ridge)

Specializing in HO & N scale model
railroading. Convenient to I-24 & I-75.
On US 41 near Germantown Rd. Open
Tue-Sat 10-6. www.chattanoogadepot.com
CHATTANOOGA DEPOT
3701 Ringgold Road
423-622-0630
TENNESSEE Knoxville
Located in Knoxvilles premier shopping

destination. We are the areas most diverse
hobby store. HO, N and O; always with a large
selection.Open 7 days a week.
Turkey Creek Area.
HOBBYTOWN USA
11364 Parkside Dr.
865-675-1975
TENNESSEE Wartrace
Located next to CSX Nashville-Chattanooga

mainline 10 min. off I-24 exit #97. Model
railroad supplies, operating HO, O & N scale
trains, railroadiana & collectibles. Th-Sat 10-5;
Sun 1-5. www.dixieflyertrains.com
98 Main St.
THE DIXIE FLYER
615-428-7366
TEXAS Athens
Your East Texas country train store.

Digitrax Dealer Walthers Soundtraxx
Kadee Microtrains HO/HOn3, & N scales
Open Tues - Sat 12-5. Call first.
jack@harrishobbies.com www.harrishobbies.com
HARRIS HOBBIES
9323 CR 1127
903-489-2646
TEXAS Corpus Christi/Portland
HO, N, O and G scale. New and used trains.

Radio control planes, boats and cars.
Plastic kits, rockets - all at discount prices.
Thur & Fri 3pm-6pm, Sat noon-6pm,
Sun 2-5pm and also by appointment.
JIMS HOBBIES
207 7th St. (Portland)
361-229-0229
TEXAS Dallas
RETAIL DIRECTORY
Official Lionel Layout Builder Since 2001

Traingineer shop/showroom includes;
Custom Layouts, Modulars, Model Stations,
Bridge Kits...come see...theres always
something new!!! www.TrainWorxStore.com
TW TRAINWORX
2808 McGowan St.
877-881-4997
TEXAS Dallas (Addison)
DISCOUNT MODEL TRAINS
972-931-8135
TEXAS Denton
SILVER SPIKE HOBBIES
84
HOBBY WORLD
5658 Westcreek Dr., Ste. 500
817-263-5750
TEXAS Ft. Worth (N. Richland Hills)
Craftsman kits, Details/Tools.

DCC sales and installation.
Tues - Fri 11:30-6:00; Sat 10:00-6:00;
Closed Sun & Mon
www.angelohobbies.com
ANGELO HOBBIES
5600 Rufe Snow, Suite 106
817-428-0190
TEXAS Houston
HO & N, Lionel trains.

Complete line of plastic kits, military and
architecture supplies.
Open Mon - Fri 11am-6pm, Sat 10am-5pm
www.gandgmodelshop.com
G & G MODEL SHOP
2522 Times Blvd.
713-529-7752
TEXAS Houston
All trains, all scales. Magazines, Books, Videos, Repairs, Brass, Consignments. Discount
program, will ship. papabenstrains@gmail.com
M,Tu,Th & F 10-6; W 10-7; Sat 10-5; Sun 12-5
Major Credit Cards. www.papabens.com
PAPA BEN'S TRAIN PLACE
4007-E Bellaire Blvd.
713-523-5600
TEXAS Irving (Dallas Area)
U/C and R/C planes. HO, N trains.

RR & aviation magazines and books.
Scale plastic kits, balsa wood.
Mon 1-6, Tue-Wed 12-6, Thur-Fri 10:30-7,
Sat 10:30-6. www.malhobby.com
M-A-L HOBBY SHOP
108 S. Lee Street
972-438-9233
TEXAS San Antonio
Model railroading our specialty.

Mrklin, G, HO, N, O, Z.
Superdetailing parts galore.
Books, structures, figures and tools.
Tuesday - Saturday 10-6pm
DIBBLE'S HOBBIES
1029 Donaldson Ave.
210-735-7721
UTAH Orem
Where it's always cheaper than therapy. Trains
all scales. LGB, Broadway Limited, Atlas,
Lionel, Micro Trains, Athearn. Behind Arby's
across from the University Mall.
HOBBY STOP, LLC
327 East 1200 South
801-226-7947
VERMONT Rutland
THE STEAM SHACK
802-775-2736
VIRGINIA Chantilly
MTH/Lionel, Piko, LGB, Marklin, Bachmann,

Aristo-Craft, USA. Digitrax & repairs done
on site. All scales, sales and service.
G, O, S, HO, On30, N, Z. S
www.traindepot.biz
TRAIN DEPOT
13944 Willard Rd., Suite I
703-953-3767
VIRGINIA Portsmouth
DAVIS HOBBY SUPPLIES
757-397-1983
VIRGINIA Roanoke
Lionel, LGB, G, AF, HO, N & MTH

Buy, sell, trade, repair.
Lionel SS # 383
Mon-Fri 10-6; Sat 10-5
Two minutes off Exit 146 on I-81.
RAIL YARD HOBBY SHOP
7547 Williamson Rd.
540-362-1714
VIRGINIA Staunton
STAUNTON TRAINS & HOBBIES
540-885-6750
WASHINGTON Burien (Seattle)
New location - downtown Burien.

Close to SEA-TAC airport - short drive from
downtown Seattle. New & vintage electric
trains in all scales. Tue-Sat 11-6
www.electrictrainshop.com
THE ELECTRIC TRAIN SHOP
625 SW 152nd St.
206-244-7077
HO and N trains.
NCE & Soundtraxx authorized dealer.
Hours: Wed - Fri 11:30-5:30; Sat 10-4.
www.parkadehobbies.com
PARKADE HOBBIES
23 N. Cascade Street
940-383-3914
509-585-2510
Lionel, American Flyer, LGB, HO, N.

Buy, sell, and repair.
Supplying all your railroading needs.
Open Mon-Sat.
www.eastsidetrains.com
EASTSIDE TRAINS, INC.
217 Central Way
888-838-2379
WASHINGTON Tacoma
Lionel, LGB, HO, N, G

Athearn, Bachmann, Walthers, Micro-Trains
Books, paints, supplies, Thomas
See our website! www.tacoma-trains.com
Mon-Sat 10-6 (Sun 11-4 Nov-Jan).
TACOMA TRAINS
253-756-7517
3813 North 26th St.
WASHINGTON Woodinville (Seattle)

New Location
100% trains since 1991
Tue - Sat 10-6, Sun 11-4
www.theinsidegateway.com
THE INSIDE GATEWAY
425-747-2016
14128 NE Woodinville-Duvall Rd.
WISCONSIN Bay View (Milwaukee)

Specializing in HO, N, Books, DVDs, DCC.
Special Orders Welcome. Discount Prices.
Tue-Wed 11-5, Thur 11-6, Fri 11-5, Sat 9:30-3
www.southsidetrains.com
SOUTH SIDE TRAINS
3979 S. Howell Ave.
414-482-1566
WISCONSIN Butler
Atlas, Life-Like, Intermountain, Broadway,

Walthers, Micro Trains, Fox Valley, Kato,
Woodland Scenics, Athearn. New and used.
We UPS anywhere in USA. Repair, buy, sell,
trade. www.sommerfelds.com
SOMMERFELDS TRAINS & HOBBIES, INC.
262-783-7797
12620 W. Hampton Ave.
WISCONSIN Green Bay

Exclusively trains, specializing in DCC, N,
G, & HO. DCC installation and award winning
custom painting and building available.
WWW.ENGINEHOUSESERVICES.COM
ENGINEHOUSE SERVICES, LLC
2737 N. Packerland Dr. 2H
920-490-4839
425-828-4098
WALTHERS SHOWROOM
414-461-1050
5619 W. Florist Avenue
905-628-9156
CANADAON Fergus
Model Trains for Beginners to the Experts.

Buy, Sell, Trade, Repair.
HO, N, O/O27, S, G.
Come See Our Trains.
www.2bintrains.on.ca
6168 Road 29
2B IN TRAINS
519-787-3280
CANADAON London
Complete Canadian trains & more N, HO, G,

Athearn, Hornby, Peco, Walthers. Special
orders, plastics, parts, supplies, books, DVDs.
Mon-Fri 10-6, Sat 9-5. sales@rrhobby.ca
www.rrhobby.ca
BROUGHDALE HOBBY
519-434-0600
1444 Glenora Drive
CANADAON Mississauga
New Larger Location! All rail, all scales!

Premier Selection & Service!
In store clinics and layouts!
Railfan Headquarters! Quick special orders!
www.cvrco.com
CREDIT VALLEY RAILWAY COMPANY, LTD
1-800-464-1730
2900 Argentia Rd. Unit #24
CANADAON Mount Forest
45 Min North of Guelph. Fax# 519-323-3809.

Authorized Lionel value added dealer.
One of Canadas largest lionel retailers
MTH, K-Line & more. Full line HO dealer.
www.tctrainscanada.com Closed Monday.
THE TRAIN CELLAR
519-323-3935
130 Main Street North
One of Canada's leading model shops.

Complete selection of HO & N gauge.
Friendly knowledgeable staff.
Free Parking. On parle Francais.
HOBBY HOUSE, LTD.
80 Montreal Road
613-749-5245
Full line hobby shop. Large stock N, HO.

Special orders weekly, all scales.
All accessories, scenery and supplies.
www.parisjunctionhobbies.com
PARIS JUNCTION HOBBIES
300 Grand River St. N.
519-442-5800
CANADAON St. Catharines
N, HO and Z scale trains & accessories,

plastic kits. Books, videos & tools.
Summer hours: Tues - Sat 10-5
Winters: Add Sun 12-4
THE HOBBY DEPOT
835 17th St.
608-325-5107
WISCONSIN Waukesha (Pewaukee)
Mrklin Lionel MTH AF LGB Z to G

buildings scenery detail parts books
scratchbuilding supplies special orders
NMRA discounts Mon-Fri 11-8 Sat 10-5.
Sun 12-5. www.hiawathahobbies.com
JETCOS HIAWATHA HOBBIES
262-544-4131
2026 Silvernail Rd.
We buy, sell and trade. 6,000 sq. ft. of hobby

supplies. Daily 9:30-5:30, Fri til 9.
Closed Sun. Fax 905-684-1700.
Visit us at www.niagaracentralhobbies.com
NIAGARA CENTRAL HOBBIES
395 St. Paul Street
905-684-7355
CANADAON Toronto (Markham)

North American Train Specialists since 1962
HO, N, O, G and DCC
Railfanning beside CNR Mainline
Closed Mondays www.georgestrains.com
GEORGES TRAINS LTD.
550 Alden Rd., Unit 101
905-470-6200
CANADAON Windsor
All Scales, New & Used, Brass,

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www.trainsandsuch.com
TRAINS AND SUCH
403-277-7226
6043 Centre Street SW
CANADAAB Edmonton
ROUNDHOUSE SALES
9518 - 87th Street NW
780-430-9072
Model trains in G, O, S, HO, N, Z

Old toy trains, railway antiques, art, books,
DVDs, souvenirs and Thomas too.
Canadian road names a specialty.
www.kellyskaboose.ca
KELLYS KABOOSE, THE RAILWAY STORE
250-377-8510
634 Victoria Street
CANADABC Langley (VAN)
Specializing in European Model Trains, Mrklin, Roco, LGB, Carrera, Brawa, Fleischmann &
more. Huge selection of trains, kits, & access.
HO-N-Z-1-G Scales. Mon-Fri 9-4:30 Sat 10-2.
www.EuroRailHobbies.com
EURO RAIL HOBBIES & MORE INC
866-799-6098
1526 232nd St.
Model Railroading since 1970.

Operational in-store layout.
HO & N trains, bits & pieces.
"Simplified Wiring & Trackwork"
by Fred Stainer.
WINDSOR HOBBIES LTD.
519-945-5471
3895 Tecumseh Rd. East
CANADAQC Montreal
Everything for model railroading.

Most quality lines in completeness.
Hobby tools. Special orders.
Fax: 780-430-9073.
CANADABC Vancouver
Large selection of model RR supplies including Min. by Eric, Athearn/MDC, Atlas, Peco,
Shinohara, Rapido, SoundTraxx, brass, etc.
Special orders. www.central-hobbies.com
Open 11-6, Fri til 9. Closed Sundays.
CENTRAL HOBBIES
604-431-0771
CANADAON Aylmer
New store, same location!

Your Mainline to Model Railway Supplies
Open 7 days a week (check website for hours)
www.ovrtrains.com sales@ovrtrains.com
Special Orders & Custom Orders Place
OTTER VALLEY RAILROAD
53546 James Line
DUNDAS VALLEY HOBBY
15 Cootes Dr.
CANADAON Paris
Exclusively Model Railroading since 1932.

One-stop shopping from Z to G.
800-487-2467 walthers.com
2825 Grandview Hwy.
Your full line hobby shop. Open 7 days a

week. N, HO, AF, Lionel, LGB. Scenery and
scratchbuilding supplies. Walthers dealer,
Kato products. Special orders welcome!
E-mail us at: sales@dundasvalleyhobby.ca
CANADAON Ottawa (Vanier)
CANADABC Kamloops
Lionel Service Center #2507, 3rd Rail, HO,

O, N. Plastic models & supplies, rockets.
Garrett Metal Detectors.
Mon-Fri 10-6, Sat 10-4, Sun 1-4.
331 N. Central Ave.
SUNSET JUNCTION MODEL TRAINS
419 E. Sprague Ave
CANADAAB Calgary
MTH, Lionel, Athearn, Digitrax, More

davishobby.com
The World of Model Railroading
3594 Griffin Street
CANADAON Dundas
100% trains.
Open Monday-Friday 10am - 6pm.
Always open Saturday 10 - 5.
Closed Sunday & holidays.
WISCONSIN Monroe
Exclusively Model Railroading. Most major

lines. Brass, custom painted models.
Competitive prices. Personal service.
Open by appt. Eves 6-10, Sat 10-10.
10 Engrem Avenue
WASHINGTON Spokane
WISCONSIN Milwaukee
WASHINGTON Kirkland
HO & N scale at discount prices.

DCC decoder installations.
Home of Silver Spike Shop's custom cars.
Tuesday-Friday 10-6, Saturday 10-4.
525 N. Elm St.
HO, N, Z scale trains. Craftsman kits,

scenery, paints, tools, accessories.
Plastic models & books. All at discount prices.
Special orders welcome. Hours: Tues, Wed &
Fri 3-6,Thu 3-7, Sat 9-4:30, & by appt.
WASHINGTON Kennewick (Tri-Cities)
Great discounts on thousands of G to Z scale

items. NCE & Digitrax dealer.
Monday - Saturday 10-6.
4641 Ratliff Lane
TEXAS Fort Worth
1-877-885-7245
Canadas largest full service hobby and train

supply. We carry N-HO-O-G scales. See our
HO and Garden layouts. 80,000 items in
60,000 sq. ft. E-mail: universel@udisco.com
www.udisco.com
HOBBIE UNIVERSEL
514-481-8107
4662 Decarie Blvd.
GERMANY Kaarst
Europes best known address for US

Railroads. We carry N, HO & G scale for all
road names, Atlas to Walthers.
Mon-Fri 10-6:30, Sat 10-2.
Overseas orders with VS & MC
ALL AMERICAN TRAINS
www.aat-net.de
e-mail: aat@aat-net.de
ITALY Melazzo
Professional North American RR Shop est.

1992, from Z to G, Accurail to Genesis, MTH
to Walthers; S to XXXL t-shirt & any apparel !
Model collectors & real trains fans supply.
www.bkit.it
info@bkit
BRADICICH KORPS
via Annunziata 25 D
39-0144-596007
SWITZERLAND Kilchberg, Zurich

Specializing in American models since 1977.
No. 1 Overland Dealer in Switzerland.
Open Sat 13.00-17.00. Fax: 044-715-3660.
Web: www.trainmaster.ch
TRAINMASTER BY WERNER MEER
3 Hochweidstrasse
011-41-44-715-3666
UK-ENGLAND Slough / Berkshire

Specialists in American HO
Plus scenery, tools, DCC, track, etc.
Established 1996
Exclusive Pelle Soeborg Products
www.modeljunction.info
MODEL JUNCTION
916 Yeovil Road
+00441753528360
NEXT ISSUE
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DISPLAYADINDEX
We believe that our readers are as important as our advertisers. If you do not receive your merchandise or a
reply from an advertiser within a reasonable period, please contact us. Provide details about what you ordered
and the amount you paid. If no action is obtained after we forward your complaint to the advertiser, we will not
accept further advertising from them. Model Railroader magazine, 21027 Crossroads Circle, Waukesha, WI 53187
Aerocar Hobby Lubricants . . . . . . . 59
Great Midwest Train Show. . . . . . . 56
RailDreams. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Affordable Model Railroads. . . . . . 17
Great Model Railroads 2015 . . . . . . 73
Rainy Day Hobbies, LLC . . . . . . . . . . 59
Athearn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
Great Train Show . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Ready To Roll, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Atlas Model Railroad Co., Inc. . . . . . .5
Greenbergs Train and Toy Show.. 56
Axian Technology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Halfpricehobby.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Bachmann Industries, Inc. . . . . . . . . .7
Hawkins Rail Services . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Scale Art Model Services. . . . . . . . 16

Scale Models Arts & Tech Inc. . . . 16
Showcase Express . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Where the coal industry

meets the rails
Meet a modeler who did plenty
of research before creating a
faithful reproduction of the
narrow-gauge East Broad Top
RR, with accurate versions of the
coal mines along its route. The
result is a stunningly scenic and
accurate model railroad.
Build an abandoned mine

A decade-old bare spot on a
model railroaders layout is
transformed into an abandoned
coal mine. Learn scratchbuilding techniques using mat board
and stained stripwood to build
this sturdy structure that looks
like its falling down.
Bachrus, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Kadee Quality Products. . . . . . . . . . 63
Blair Line, LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Kam Konnect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
BLMA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Kato USA, Inc.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
Signature Press . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Broadway Limited Imports. . . . . . . 14
Micro-Mark . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
SoundTraxx . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Caboose Hobbies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Model Railroader magazine . . . . . . 62
Steves Depot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Cadrail / Sandia Software. . . . . . . . 59
Model Railroader Video Plus . . . . . 88
The Coach Yard. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Circuitron . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Model Rectier Corp . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Plus:
Tonys Train Exchange . . . . . . . . . . . 56
CMW Holdings Ltd/Classic Metal..15
Model Scenery & Structure. . . . . . 17
CTI Electronics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Modelers Marketplace . . . . . . 78-80
A room-size layout for a busy

junction; using fences to hide
compromises, scenery around a
bridge, and more!
Custom Builder Showcase. . . . 16-17
M.T.H. Electric Trains . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Custom Model Railroads. . . . . . . . . 16
NCE Corp. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Digitrax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Nicholas Smith Trains . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Evergreen Scale Models. . . . . . . . . 56
PECO Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Woodland Scenics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Subscribe
today!
Golden Spike Tower . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Progressive Model Design . . . . . . . 16
Z Stuff For Trains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
1-800-533-6644
Sievers Benchwork. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Train Control Systems . . . . . . . . . . . 69

Train Installations, LLC . . . . . . . . . . 16
Train World. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Wm. K. Walthers Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
The Display Advertiser Index is provided as a service to Model Railroader magazine readers.
The magazine is not responsible for omissions or for typographical errors in names or page numbers.
85
THEOPERATORS
Andy Sperandeo
Operating small layouts
A gate that operators must stop to open before switching an industrial plant,
like this one on Lance Mindheims HO scale CSX Downtown Spur, is one way to
increase operating time and interest on a small layout. Lance Mindheim photo
Smaller model railroads can offer
lots of possibilities for operation, and

you can generally get them ready to
operate a lot faster than you can a bigger
system. You may not be able to do
everything that you could on a layout
with a longer main line and more stations, but you can certainly keep yourself
or a group of three or four entertained
for an evening.
There are some things youll want to
keep in mind to get the most from a
smaller layout. Here are a few ideas for
operating small model railroads.
Emphasize switching. This is proba-
bly obvious, but switching packs the

most action into the smallest area. There
are a lot of ways to do this, however,
some of which may not be so obvious.
Perhaps the most common design for
a switching layout is a narrow shelf with
a rail line serving a series of industries.
But a switching layout can also be a station along a main line where a way
freight arrives from offstage and spends
an extended time serving a variety of industries, or one big customer. This approach might lend itself to an oval or
loop layout with a small staging yard behind a scenic divider or backdrop.
Or it could be a yard at a crew change
and junction point where freight trains
need to be separated or combined, or at
86
least have to change cabooses and perhaps engines. Even a small passenger
station or coach yard could be a switching layout if your tastes run more to passenger equipment.
Keep speeds low. Besides being more
realistic for switching, slow speeds
expand layouts. The slower you go, the
longer it takes to get from here to there,
and the larger the railroad will seem.
Locomotive sound effects can help
with this. Sound makes low speeds more
interesting, as you can take the time to
appreciate the chuffing and drifting of
steamers or the revving up and down of
diesel locomotives.
Build in operating delays. To start
with, make sure your switching maneuvers take account of the ground crew.
Think about how many of them there are
this will vary with the era you model
and where they are at any given time.
You can read more on this in The Operators column in the June 2008 Model
Railroader. Some operators even use
scale figures to represent switchmen or
brakemen, and dont uncouple or line
switches without a crew person on hand
to do the work.
Other kinds of delay factors can actually be modeled, such as a gate at the
entrance to an industrial plant that has
to be unlocked and opened before the

plant can be switched. Or maybe an
industry places blue flags to protect its
workers loading and unloading cars.
Before you can couple to or move any
rolling stock, the plant employee who
placed the flag has to remove it. See The
Operators in the December 2010 MR for
more on blue signal protection.
A grade crossing without gates can be
a delay factor if crew members have to
flag road traffic to protect the rail movement. A railroad crossing at grade may
have a locked gate to open and relock, or
an automatic interlocking that has to run
time before clearing a signal.
Another kind of delay can be the time
an industry needs to load or unload cars.
A paper mill, for example, might take
half an hour to unload a pulpwood car,
and its track capacity may be limited to
four cars at a time. The pulp track may
thus need to be respotted several times
in an operating day, but only at two-hour
intervals. Planning your work to keep up
with an important customer can add
more interest to switching.
Provide staging. Representing connections to the rest of the North American rail network expands the horizons of
any layout, and the effect can be especially beneficial on a small model railroad. At a minimum, an interchange or
setout track can serve as on-layout staging, a place where you place incoming
cars by hand before a session and remove
them afterwards.
On an oval layout, a passing siding
and the main on the back side can
serve as a pair of staging tracks for trains
that will pass through the working station. If used as a fiddle yard, where
cars can be changed by hand, the possibilities become practically endless.
Removable layout sections could
expand a small layout to allow room for
a staging track or small staging yard. A
car float that links a waterfront railroad
with another part of the system would be
another kind of removable staging.
These are only a few of the ways to
increase the operating potential of small
layouts. Combine your imagination with
study of prototype railroading and youll
find even more ways to expand the operating possibilities of a small layout.
Watch the videos! Visit www.MRVideoPlus.com today!

Model Railroader 2014-09

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Room-size plan for a shortline railroad

Tried and true

One of two turntables

Make trees from goldenrod p. 57

Look for this label to be

The New Standard in Modular Systems

Kam Konnects patent pending technology for joining

New Corner Mods give you options

KAM KONNECT PRODUCTS

24" Quad Mod

We also make tables for: Trade-shows, Doll Houses,

Online Content Code: MRR1409

Volume 81, Number 9

Room-size plan for a shortline railroad

Tried and true

Learn how this layout was built using

28 Freelancing the Southern in N scale

33 A double-deck plan for a modern short line

On the cover: A 4-8-2 Mountain takes a spin

36 12 tips to build more layout faster

42 Add straps to a center-beam atcar

44 Tried and true

The HO scale Clinch Mountain Ry. was built using

51 How to build a gantlet track

Make trees from goldenrod p. 57

Modern sound for an

8 From the Editor

10 News & Products

Part 1: This prototype track arrangement can enhance

57 Clip and dip goldenrod trees

All about the REA

These tips will ll your layout with believable forests without

20 N Scale Insight MRVP

HO scale NRE GenSet II from

Lessons learned on the helix

How to solder power feeders

64 Product Reviews MREXTRA

85 Index of Advertisers and

Kitbash a brewery, part 2

Operating small layouts

MREXTRA www.ModelRailroader.com subscriber extra

Visit us online for more

Subscriber Extras How To Videos

Find your next model

Chasing trains on the Clinch Mountain Ry.

New product reviews and videos

See the latest locomotive models in action

Free desktop wallpaper

Model Railroader www.ModelRailroader.com

There are more

Interstate Fuel & Oil

Gulf, Atlanta & Eastern

Peco medium-radius turnout

Magi Apple Packing

2.5 percent down

Bonus how-to video

Six-track staging yard

Time can be on your side

When a visitor whos not a model

railroader sees your layout for the first

weather each and every tie on your layout individually.

Contributing to Model Railroader

Model Railroader www.ModelRailroader.com

Model railroading is fun!