8 Pike-size Passenger Trains
Model Railroader 2003-05 pg. 48 Scale: (none) Category: "Passenger Cars"
Creating passenger trains that are shorter than the typical Class 1 railroad's. However, there are prototype trains that only carried a handful of passenger cars.
Blue Signal Protection
Model Railroader 2010-12 pg. 110 Scale: Category: "Signaling"
Describes the removable blue signal to indicate that railroad workers are present.
Cab Control
Model Railroader 1995-06 pg. 90 Scale: (none) Category: "Layout Wiring"
Glossary of terms. Simple diagrams and text explaining how to create a two-cab layout.
Chessie System SD40-2
Model Railroader 1988-02 pg. 143 Scale: HO Category: "Locomotives - Diesel"
Installing details and painting this Athearn model. Includes prototype and model photos as well as a detailing parts list.
Dash 8 in Conrail Blue
Model Railroader 1990-02 pg. 148 Scale: HO Category: "Locomotives - Diesel"
Information about how to build and paint a Rail Power Products GE C32-8. Includes model and prototype photos.
Dinner in Dime Box?
Model Railroader 1983-01 pg. 122 Scale: (none) Category: "Layout Design"
A switching puzzle. Might be a good idea for adding to a layout.
First of the Fifty Series: The GP50
Model Railroader 1983-01 pg. 91 Scale: (none) Category: "Locomotives - Diesel"
Includes photos of Chicago & Northwestern, Burlington Northern, Frisco, Conrail, Missouri Pacific, Southern, and Santa Fe prototypes. Also include are scale drawings of the locomotive.
Getting Started in Prototype Research
Model Railroader 2003-02 pg. 106 Scale: (none) Category: "Railroads"
Learn more about the railroad your are modeling, using such sources as magazines, NMRA Library, books, video tapes, railroad paper, historical societies, and online research.
Great Northern U-boat
Model Railroader 1990-01 pg. 175 Scale: HO Category: "Locomotives - Diesel"
Painting the Stewart Hobbies' U25B.
Hart Selective Ballast Car
Model Railroader 1984-11 pg. 89 Scale: HO Category: "Freight Cars - Hoppers"
Using an Athearn quad hopper, the author built a ballast hopper for the Model Railroader layout built starting in January of 1982. Includes a prototype photo and drawings for the necessary modifications.
Locomotive Sounds Add Fin and Realism to Operation
Model Railroader 2010-12 pg. 46 Scale: Category: "Operations"
Whistle and horn signals are described, so that the reader and program and operate his or her trains in a realistic fashion. It also describes when to use the bell, and how different sounds relate to whether the engine is a steam or diesel locomotive.
Model Santa Fe TOFC Rebuilds in HO
Model Railroader 1984-12 pg. 109 Scale: HO Category: "Freight Cars"
Creating a model of the piggyback conversion covered in the prototype article in this magazine issue (see page 104). Many detail drawings and bill of materials.
Märklin's Train-ing
Model Railroader 1989-02 pg. 132 Scale: (none) Category: "Model Railroads and People"
Using easy-to-set-up sectional layouts to teach children about digital command control and using computers.
N Scale U30CGs
Model Railroader 1987-10 pg. 127 Scale: N Category: "Locomotives - Diesel"
Includes prototype and model photos, and covers repainting the Minitrix models.
New Orleans Union Passenger Terminal
Model Railroader 2002-10 pg. 72 Scale: HO Category: "Layout Design"
New Splash of Color for CSX Locomotives
Model Railroader 1990-12 pg. 190 Scale: HO Category: "Locomotives - Diesel"
Building and painting a B36-7. Includes prototype and model photos, and a parts list for super-detailing the model.
Pike-size Steam Passenger Trains
Model Railroader 1987-10 pg. 77 Scale: (none) Category: "Trains"
This article describes five prototype trains and how they can be modeled in HO. It covers the Baltimore & Ohio Ambassador (1953), the Louisville & Nashville Lebanon Branch local (1947), the Pennsylvania-Reading Seashore Lines Ocean City shuttle (1954), the Southern Pacific Shasta (1949), and the Texas & Pacific Southerner (1947).
Pine Tree Route RS-2
Model Railroader 1990-03 pg. 148 Scale: O Category: "Locomotives - Diesel"
Modeling and painting this Alco Main Central model in O-scale.
Preparing a Brass Diesel for Painting and Operation
Model Railroader 1984-04 pg. 104 Scale: HO Category: "Locomotives - Diesel"
This article describes how the author painted an HO-scale Hallmark Santa Fe GP50. Before painting the author stresses making sure the model is a good runner by discussing couplers, tracking and traction, electrical pickup, and thinking about super-detailing. The "Paint Shop" column on page 114 of this issue shows the final result and includes painting instructions.
Presenting the ACE 3000
Model Railroader 1982-06 pg. 77 Scale: (none) Category: "Locomotives - Steam"
A "new steam" locomotive in the 1980's. The article includes an artist's rendition of the locomotive, scale drawings, and modeling notes.
Red-orange and White on "The Peoria Way"
Model Railroader 1989-09 pg. 120 Scale: HO Category: "Painting & Weathering"
Modifying and painting models of the Toledo, Peoria & Western GP38-2 diesels.
Rio Grande Modernized Waycar
Model Railroader 1989-02 pg. 138 Scale: HO Category: "Cabooses"
Rather than scratchbuilding models, we can modify existing models to more closely resemble the prototype, and then repaint them.
Safety in Painting
Model Railroader 1987-11 pg. 153 Scale: (none) Category: "Tools"
Spray booth design, dealing with possible fire and explosion, and respirators.
Santa Fe Piggyback Conversions
Model Railroader 1984-12 pg. 104 Scale: (none) Category: "Freight Cars"
Discusses the conversions the AT&SF is undertaking (at the time of the article) to support the increase in 45-foot and longer highway trailer traffic. Many prototype photos and an HO-scale drawing of ATSF #293241 are included.
Santa Fe Zebra-striped Geeps in HO
Model Railroader 1985-11 pg. 134 Scale: HO Category: "Locomotives - Diesel"
This article describes how the author super-detailed and then painted the SF model.
Simplified Lettering for Burlington Northern Freight Cars
Model Railroader 1990-06 pg. 132 Scale: (none) Category: "Freight Cars"
Painting and applying decals for modern-day BN freight cars.
Spokane, Portland & Seattle Yellow and Green
Model Railroader 1988-03 pg. 107 Scale: HO Category: "Painting & Weathering"
Painting an RS-3. Includes prototype and model photos.
The GP15-1: EMD's Down-sized Road Switcher
Model Railroader 1990-01 pg. 110 Scale: (none) Category: "Locomotives - Diesel"
This locomotive was built in 1976 to compete with railroads' rebuilding programs. Includes prototype photos, scale drawings, and a brief note about how to model this engine in HO-scale.
The Paint Shop Spray Booth
Model Railroader 1988-01 pg. 128 Scale: (none) Category: "Tools"
Complete plans for building your own spray booth from galvanized steel, with construction photos, including ductwork and electrical wiring.
The West Tennessee Central
Model Railroader 1987-10 pg. 58 Scale: O Category: "Layouts - O"
Louis Ertz's 26' by 53' O-scale layout. It is a walk-in layout with generous curves, beautiful structures, and nicely painted backdrops. The whole room is finished with carpet and wood skirting to the floor.
Toledo's Central Union Terminal
Model Railroader 2003-02 pg. 74 Scale: (none) Category: "Railroads"
Aerial photo of terminal in 1950. Has a layout diagram for suggested HO representation of the terminal.
Understanding Railroad Signals
Model Railroader 2002-12 pg. 104 Scale: (none) Category: "Signaling"
An introduction to railroad signaling. Interlockings, automatic block system, absolute-permissive block system, centralized track control (CTC), signaling timeline.
Wabash "Bluebird" F7s
Model Railroader 1987-12 pg. 188 Scale: (none) Category: "Painting & Weathering"
Includes prototype photos, scale drawings (for painting purposes), and paint mixture descriptions for painting these models.