Model Railroading Blog and News

Tips and techniques to hand lay model train track....

I wonder how many of us who model passenger operations from the pre-Amtrak era model one of the important aspects of their operations. One of the most important aspects of a passenger train, at least to the accounting department, was the head end traffic. This traffic is the reason so...

Experience has shown that an awful lot of modeling and operating can occur in a fairly constricted space. By the same token, an awful lot of modeling can be accomplished in a very short period of time and with little or no expenditure of money....

1998 contest results. NMRA conventions and train show events feature a model and photo contest where entries are displayed to be viewed and enjoyed by other model railroaders and the general public. Any NMRA member may enter models and photos into these contests....

Article & photo by Tom Troughton, MMR How many times have you entered a fellow model railroader’s train room to be awe struck at the magnificent layout before your eyes. There’re several hundred feet of meticulously constructed hand laid track, on tie plates even, trac...

You know, sometimes the hardest thing to do is what is normal, expected, and, routine. However, this is what we should strive for when we operate our railroads. The prototype railroads do the same thing day after day and for most of the railroaders the job can seem the same. Occasiona...

Photos by Richard Schumacher John Hardy was presented with the Mid-Continent Region’s Ken Cline Award at the NMRA’s banquet on Saturday night. Other Division members received awards for their models at the business meeting Friday morning. While there is no award for irony, our favorit...

Photo by Kevin Hampton If you’re using Hydrocal as the base shell for scenery, there’s a quick way to cover a large area in a hurry. After putting down whatever you use to set the basic elevations for scenery, use Hydrocal soaked cloth instead of paper towels, newspaper or paper bags....

I attended the National Convention and Train Show in Long Beach, California and it was a fantastic experience. If you ever get the chance to go to a NMRA national convention, do go. It is an experience you will long remember. I attended many clinics and saw many sights. It was great t...