Model Railroads

The largest model trains typically suitable for the home are built in G scale, built at a 1 to 20.3 ratio. The G in G-scale has traditionally stood for garden, but train enthusiasts have brought...

Learning to understand and transmit radio is a lot harder than it sounds. There are many complex, detailed procedures that need to be followed, and there is a very special verbiage that they use....

Model railroads often incorporate natural terrain features into the track layout. A favorite of model railroaders is the natural rock formations found in mountainous regions. Creating a mountain...

HO is model railroading's most popular scale. Small enough to pack a lot of railroading into little space but large enough for fine detailing and easy handling, it shrinks about seven feet of the...

A model railroading continues to be one of the most satisfying hobbies for young and old. Lack of floor space can dampen enthusiasm and, in some cases, mar the enjoyment of this wonderful hobby...

Ever just need a good joke? Well, I’ve made a collection of my favorite jokes…Chuck Norris Jokes! So, I’ve decided to make a series on ehow of Chuck Norris jokes. This is just so I can share...

Collecting model trains is a hobby that many people share. Sometimes, hobbyists desire to change the paint on a model locomotive. There is a simple method to completely remove undesired paint from...

Model railroading can be a fun and fascinating hobby. It can also take up quite a bit of space. In order to get the most modeling enjoyment into the smallest of spaces, N scale trains are one of...

For many model railroad enthusiasts, laying track is just a necessary evil that must be overcome before they can run their trains. Fortunately, many manufacturers now make a type of ready-made...

Vintage phones, along with associated paraphernalia, have become popular as collectibles. Collectors usually look for good specimens that fall into one of these three categoies: the wood wall...

Model railroaders quickly learn that not every train is built to the same scale. There are large trains (the 0 Scale) and tiny trains (N Scale), but the most popular model train scale in...

The transformer for your model train set serves a very important role in the system. It takes the household electrical voltage of 110 volts and transforms it down to a voltage for which your train...

Model train hobbyists purchase more HO scale trains and tracks than any other model train scale. HO train tracks scale at a ratio of 1:87, about twice the size of the second most popular scale, N....

Model railroaders face an ever-changing series of challenges as they attempt to scale the massive engines and scenery to a smaller environment. Building, assembling, and detailing both the trains...

Painting models realistically is something that all model hobbyists strive for. Creating small details can bring your miniature world to life. A few basic techniques will help you paint your...

In order to succeed in building your model railway, you should follow a design process that completely maps out your design on paper before you even buy your first piece of equipment. If you plan...

You can wire anything from train sets to doll houses and more.

A model train layout, or pike, is the set-up that model railroaders build to run their trains on. It can be any size but is often built on a theme. This may revolve around specific industries like...

Model trains often start and stop and run spasmodically. I can tell you how to make them run smoothly and consistently.

Model train enthusiasts get a thrill from assembling a locomotive and watching it snake its way along the track to its destination. Regardless of the scale model of your train, the steps to...

In 1825, the first iron rail passenger car traveled 12 miles between Darlington and Stockton, Durham County, England. In 1830, the "Tom Thumb" engine of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad carried...

HO scale measures the relationship of specific-sized model railroads to their real-life counterparts. By far the most popular scale at 87:1, HO gives model railroad hobbyists a size manageable...

Model railroad tracks are prone to a sticky buildup that can be compounded by dirt, dust and household pollutants. This leaves the track dirty and difficult to deal with. Understanding the causes...

HO scale trains, large enough to handle comfortably yet small enough to fit in a moderate space, provide substantial flexibility for track planning. A traditional 4-by-8-foot layout, made to fit a...

Once an interest in model railroading goes beyond the initial pleasure of assembling a loop of track and watching a train circle again and again, one might wish to build a more permanent layout....

Model railroads can consist of a simple circle of track at the base of a Christmas tree or be an elaborate, whole-house system of platforms, ramps, and shelves running through walls and around the...

Designing a table for a train set is a relatively easy task that can be expanded and modified to turn a simple table into a virtual world of its own. The idea is to create a table set that tells a...

For some model railroaders, creating lifelike scenery is the best part of layout construction. Scenery materials can be purchased from a hobby dealer in ready-to-mix form, or a layout may be...

There is nothing more attractive on a model train table than well-laid trackwork, with sweeping curves and properly positioned switches. Laying good track in HO scale can be more of a challenge...

While there is a special train car designed to clean your N scale tracks, it is quite easy to clean the tracks yourself in less than 30 minutes. Tracks should be cleaned at least twice monthly, or...

Have you ever found a model train or figure that you wanted to repaint, or just take the paint off of? You could use an expensive paint remover from a hobby shop, but there is a much easier way to...

Most city sidewalk panels are around 5 feet square, and since HO-scale items are 1/87 of the prototype, this means that building an HO-scale sidewalk involves very small parts. You'll need to lay...

Train hobby enthusiasts have been enamored with engines and cars since childhood. Some create small layouts in basements or spare rooms, while others join train hobby clubs and contribute their...

People generally become enamored with trains when they are children, watching them rumble over the tracks and through the stations in their community, or riding them frequently to get around a...

Many children love trains and, for some, that passion continues into adulthood. The first train set grows as additional tracks, trains and eventually landscaping are added. Towns are built,...

An old pastime is becoming popular again. Garden Railroads are now entertaining the whole family. When you build an outdoors railway system in your special garden, it can take on a life of its...

A model train set makes a wonderful holiday or birthday gift, and part of the fun is assembling the oval of track that comes in the box and getting the train running around the loop on the floor...

Steel drum models bring the beauty of steel drum instruments to the world of miniatures. You can have action figures and dolls that play with something besides weapons. This will add a touch of...

Add detail to your model that you need by making a miniature steel drum. The steel drum is relatively easy and inexpensive to produce. The drum will add a feeling of authenticity, important to...

Making a model town is a satisfying hobby and in some situations, can be big business. Models are made for trains, dioramas, war-gaming, dollhouses, architecture, film making and museums. This...

Making authentic looking model license plates is a craft that adds detail to your car and makes it look much more realistic. This project is inexpensive and a lot of fun. You can even make model...

Goals are a great way for us to keep track of our progress, and most of all help us achieve the desired outcome. Setting goals for yourself is very important, because without them, your life may...

People first become enamored with trains when they are children. Many years later, as adults, train enthusiasts add to their childhood train set with more tracks, more trains and landscaping. This...

For many model railroaders, dreaming up and designing a train layout is just as much fun as building and running one. This process can be done either on paper or by computer.

Model railroaders prized TYCO trains for their realistic detail. The company originated with the Mantua "ready to run" model trains of the 1930s, created by John Tyler, an electrician from New...

Building a detailed scale model railroad layout isn't an easy task, even for veterans to the hobby. First, you have to decide what scale you want to model. O scale is 1/4-inch scale, which is...

Although some model railroaders choose to purchase all of their items separately, it may be easier to simply buy a prepackaged, ready-to-run model railroad layout. Although this type of train set...

Building an HO-scale model train layout can be a bit more challenging than working with three-rail tinplate or high-rail track. (HO stands for Half of O, because HO trains are about half the size...

A grade is simply the angle of change in elevation from ground level to a higher or lower level. While grade measures the angle from one level to the next, slope is the measure of the amount of...

HO scale trains are a great hobby for kids and adults alike, and can spark an interest that lasts a lifetime.