Model Railroader March 2023

MORE REVIEWS & VIDEOS • Videos• News & Reviews• Community• Shop & more. Should you include graffiti on your layout? Model Railroader Editor Eric White discusses the merits of including graffiti when modeling the modern era. This contentious topic is the source of frequent discussion in the model railroading world, with some prioritizing realism, and others opting not to include the graffiti for aesthetic purposes. While no definitive answer exists, this piece includes opinions from contributors on both sides of the question. Add your opinion on the topic in the Comments section. Athearn HO scale General Electric Dash 9-44CW Watch the Athearn Genesis 2.0 HO scale General Electric Dash 9-44CW diesel locomotive, shown in the Canadian National red, white, and black paint scheme with “wet noodle” herald, in action on Model Railroader’s Milwaukee, Racine &…

At least that’s what I got out of a story I read recently online. Actually, it said that hobbies may help keep people from developing dementia, such as Alzheimer’s disease. It said activities that stimulate our brains act as a sort of brain strength training, combatting the “use-it-or-lose-it” cycle that affects the rest of our bodies. Model railroading offers many opportunities to flex our brains, as there are always problems to solve. The first problem is often “where will I put my layout.” If you live on your own, it’s a logistical issue. Find some unused space and start imagining what will fit there. If you’re part of a family unit, or have roommates, there will be political aspects as well. Model railroaders often need to develop negotiation skills in order to…

Alco RSD-15 diesel locomotive. This six-axle road switcher from Broadway Limited Imports is available now. The Paragon4-equipped N scale locomotive is decorated for Lake Superior & Ishpeming (red and yellow); Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe (blue and yellow and as-delivered black with zebra stripes); Bessemer & Lake Erie (orange and black); Canadian Pacific (maroon and gray in one road number); Chesapeake & Ohio (blue and yellow); St. Louis Southwestern (Cotton Belt, gray and red); Duluth, Missabe & Iron Range (maroon and yellow); Penn Central (black); Pennsylvania RR (Brunswick Green); and Southern Pacific (gray and red). The model is offered in two numbers per scheme unless noted. The RSD-15 ($299.99) has a high or low short hood as appropriate, light-emitting diode lights, and factory-applied handrails and grab irons. Broadway Limited Imports,…

What goes into modeling a breakfast cereal factory? Q Has Model Railroader ever done a feature on modeling a cereal plant such as Kellogg’s or Post? I’m building a 12" by 10'-6" shelf layout that will be entirely that one industry. But I’m not sure how best to lay out the various structures and car spots for covered hoppers, boxcars, food-grade tank cars, etc. John Buckley, Montague, Mich. A Yes, we did. Check out the article “Switching for breakfast” in our annual special issue Model Railroad Planning 2014. (I hope you have that one in your back issue stash, because our warehouse is sold out.) In that article, authors Lawrence Bolton and Bill Neale presented room-sized N scale and HO scale track plans based on the Post Cereals factory complex in Battle Creek,…

Painting figures with acrylics Some years ago my three model rail-roading soulmates – Bob Hamm, Pete Darling, and Biagio Pace – and I, all founding members of the notorious “Tree Group,” had a competition in HO scale figure painting. Bob went so far as to clothe one of his engineers in a red and white polka-dotted railroad cap! I figured if we could carry HO scale figure painting to that extreme, why not give O scale a try? Even though I had dabbled before, I watched Dave Revelia’s excellent video, Painting Figures with Dave Revelia, on the subject. [The DVD is out of print, but used copies can be found online. –Ed.] A photo of Dave’s work in Fn3 large scale appears in the September 2015 edition of Trackside Photos. After watching the…

You’re looking at my HO scale Gulf & Pacific RR. This is my third, and hopefully last, layout. I’ve been a model rail-roader since my teens, watching my father build and run the original Gulf & Pacific. I drew on skills developed from being a licensed architect to envision and build this layout as I went along. I chose to model the 1960s, as that’s the time period I remember and loved the most. I consider my strengths to be detailing and lighting the buildings, streets, and rolling stock. I also think this is the most interesting aspect of the model railroad, as I greatly enjoy “nighttime” operations and photography. The layout is in an enclosed room within the garage that has no windows, only one door, and dimmable light-emitting diode lighting,…