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Juanfran's huge, massive freight trains

Started by Juanfran in Locos and rolling stock: One day, when I was a teenager, I discovered an illustrated book about American trains at the local library in Paris/France, where I grew up. I remember the pics of very colorful locomotives and...
Locos and rolling stock 79 7 1,825 1792738859
Locomotive shorts DCC booster only when drive engaged

Started by Rigby in Locos and rolling stock DCC sound decoder: TLDR: Locomotive shorts the track circuit only when drive engaged, but sometimes it runs away at high speed instead. Help! I purchased an Atlas MP15 recently. Its old enough to have the QSI...
Locos and rolling stock DCC sound decoder 12 2 173 1792738547
Rick's Diner - October, 2026 Edition

Started by Kevin Parson in General discussion: 📷 📷 📷 📷 📷 📷
General discussion 192 6 3,855 1792738101
Building Riverbend

Started by thewizard1 in Scenery and structures: After leaving Beaver Falls heading north through the mountain you come to the town of Riverbend. After crossing the Emerson river is the town of Moosehead. It has taken me awhile to decide...
Scenery and structures 217 20 4,152 1792736488
Canadian Pacific branchline and logging road

Started by Stephane in Journals/Blogs Canadian Pacific: Well, here we are, I've finally started construction of an HO layout! I started in N-scale back in 2018, and I never got that layout finished. I worked on it on and off until about 2023, and...
Journals/Blogs Canadian Pacific 22 21 524 1792733219
HO Switching Layout Build...Old Ply Industrial area

Started by Monkeybucket in Journals/Blogs: Gday all been reading these blogs and articles for years and never really posted much. Both My son's layout module and my own have been at a standstill for a while and we are now working to get...
Journals/Blogs 23 1 5,203 1792731792
Weekly Photo Fun - Oct 18-24, 2026

Started by JC Shall in General discussion photography model railroad photography: It's another week . . . post 'em if you got 'em. There were a few late-comers in last week's post . Check them out, then come back here afterward. Please avoid posting photos manipulated or created...
General discussion photography model railroad photography 18 2 731 1792731681
Let's see your Brick Buildings with window, door, and dock trim other than Green!

Started by Joe Circus in Scenery and structures Painting Brick Building Brick Structure: I've done these 15 kits ( the one with 4 dock doors is two kits combined ) in the last 2 months. I have every shade of green there is in cheap craft paint, in an attempt to create more variety. But...
Scenery and structures Painting Brick Building Brick Structure 108 5 1,837 1792729784
The Erie Lackawanna Dayton Branch 1964

Started by Jeff Youst in Journals/Blogs: Starting up a blog to chronicle my trials and tribulations for the build of the EL Dayton Branch 1964 has been a long time coming. The past 8 years or so have seen a few fits and starts and some...
Journals/Blogs 139 13 6,594 1792729230
Full color 3D printers for modeling?

Started by Brian O'Meara in General discussion 3D Printing 3D: There's a new 3D printer that does full color ( HeyGears G1X ): not just the colors of the filament, but actual mixing of inks so you can have gradients. I have no idea if it's good, and it's...
General discussion 3D Printing 3D 0 2 22 1792727872
What’s on your workbench? October 2026

Started by Eric Hansmann in General discussion Workbench project sharing forum thread: Many thanks to so many of you who take time to post photos and descriptions of your hobby projects. The last few months this thread has been overflowing with fabulous work. I hope the shared...
General discussion Workbench project sharing forum thread 206 7 7,104 1792725632
Pokey 3.0 - Scenery

Started by pldvdk in Scenery and structures: With the completion of the fascia on my layout, it's time to start a new chapter in the ongoing saga of the Pokey 3.0! This thread will follow the scenery work (and other odds and ends) that...
Scenery and structures 771 10 20,766 1792724791
Limited Modeler: Putting new life into the new layout

Started by MRH in Magazine feedback: 📷 Buy this issue! Share this: 📷 📷 📷 📷 Please post any comments or questions you have below. ◄ Back to issue home page 📷 Want more articles like this one?...
Magazine feedback 7 9 231 1792723640
Buffalo Creek & Western

Started by Denny99 in Journals/Blogs: Buffalo Creek & Western is a freelanced HO scale model railroad layout set in Montana in 1985. Heavily inspired by Tom Johnson's Cass County track plan (and rural setting), the BC&W is an...
Journals/Blogs 46 21 2,218 1792723357
Weekly Photo Fun - Oct 11-17, 2026

Started by JC Shall in General discussion Photos: It's another week . . . post 'em if you got 'em. Please avoid posting photos manipulated or created with AI -- there is another thread for those.
General discussion Photos 30 5 1,177 1792722758
Your First Loco

Started by Pennsy_Nut in Locos and rolling stock Locomotive Nostalgia: Just for curiosity. What was your first loco? And do you still have it? Does it run to the best of your knowledge? To start. Mine was a Penn Line H10 Consolidation, bought as best I can recall...
Locos and rolling stock Locomotive Nostalgia 37 4 586 1792722001
Hobby Shop Customer Service

Started by KennyInNC in General discussion: To Hobby Shop Owners and Employees People still expect proper customer service. Was out of town and hit 5 shops, two of which had owners/employees that totally ignored me yet spoke to other...
General discussion 28 8 1,063 1792720186
Modern switch stands

Started by keystonefarm in Operation and maintenance Turnouts: For years I have been using Caboose Industries 218's for hand thrown turnouts. When I go to the Springfield show in West Springfield Mass. in late January the past 4-5 years I ask the people at...
Operation and maintenance Turnouts 4 2 158 1792718350
BN 8th Sub (Issaquah Branch) 1/29 Scale (Outdoors)

Started by Craig Townsend in Journals/Blogs: I've never taken the time to draw up a track plan for the layout, but I finally sat down and drew up a track plan of the layout I'm building. Details to follow in next post to keep the lead post...
Journals/Blogs 356 6 14,952 1792718299
3-D Printing turnout tie strips and construction fixtures for any NMRA turnout and scale

Started by Timothy Andre in General discussion 3D Printing NMRA Standards Turnouts: I set out to learn OpenSCAD for 3-D printing and decided that coming up with a generic way of printing fixtures and tie strips for any NMRA spec turnout would be a good way to do it. The next post...
General discussion 3D Printing NMRA Standards Turnouts 23 7 346 1792716732
The Iron Range: DSS&A and LS&I ore country in N scale

Started by Jonathan T Parsons in Journals/Blogs N Scale new layout Planning layout design: I've wanted to build this railroad since I was a kid, and this year the room for it finally exists — mostly. The garage is 21' × 19', ceiling just under 8'. Layout goes in as the room finishes, so...
Journals/Blogs N Scale new layout Planning layout design 5 5 287 1792716079
I bought a laser cutter

Started by David Emery in General discussion laser cutter laser cutting: Today I pulled the trigger on a laser cutter and some associated stuff. So I'll start a narration here about the experience. For lower cost lasers, there are 2 basic choices: C02...
General discussion laser cutter laser cutting 134 12 3,431 1792715453
Track Layout - Grain Complex - Inputs Requested

Started by Jolly Roger in Benchwork and roadbed Operations layout design track laying: So my grain complex itself will take up at least 6' of length. For a complex this large, the appearance of a certain amount of shipping capacity, i.e. railcars, is necessary. Figure mid 80's to turn...
Benchwork and roadbed Operations layout design track laying 23 3 474 1792714326
Looking north on model railroads is completely arbitrary

Started by Alex Wood in Dream and design Track Planning Layout Dream and Design: Continuation of discussion from this thread: https://forum.mrhmag.com/post/looking-for-opinions-on-my-track-plan-13882149?trail=50 So my original post I was responding to was...
Dream and design Track Planning Layout Dream and Design 86 0 1,305 1792713521
Promoting Proto:87

Started by ednadolski in General discussion CORPM project sharing: I will be displaying some of my models at the upcoming CORPM in a few weeks, and in addition to some of my N scale stuff I figured this was a good opportunity to share some of the Proto:87 models...
General discussion CORPM project sharing 28 9 1,007 1792710948
Let's See A Model Of... October, 2026 Edition

Started by Kevin Parson in General discussion: 📷
General discussion 102 2 2,851 1792709738
Homasote, or foam?

Started by GeorgiaTrains in Benchwork and roadbed: In this modern day what makes the best roadbed - I am sure this has been asked before, I would like a current update.
Benchwork and roadbed 59 1 945 1792708376
Block Signal Design, Pere Marquette & Chesapeake 291021

Started by GT Mills in Track and electrical/DCC Signals Pere Marquette PM&C: Now that I've got the LED brightness balancing figured out I can move ahead with automated block signaling. This is what I've come up with. To keep the diagram simple and uncluttered only the outer...
Track and electrical/DCC Signals Pere Marquette PM&C 3 4 118 1792707398
Interchange: giving our railroads a world to operate in—what would you want included?

Started by Rigby in Dream and design Operations ops planning op session paperwork: TLDR: There has been a lot of discussion about operating systems recently. I am working on a project grounded in some of our threads about economic engines. It works - but before I...
Dream and design Operations ops planning op session paperwork 22 3 473 1792704849
Nicholas & Ashley Creek Railway - v2.0

Started by anteaum2666 in Journals/Blogs Layout: I officially "broke ground" on version 2.0 of the Nicholas & Ashley Creek Railway on February 19, 2026. It's been about 7 months since our move and I'm excited to get back in the game!...
Journals/Blogs Layout 128 11 4,766 1792703365
Collectible Railroad Ephemera

Started by Bshoop in Prototype railroading: I love to collect and read through various employee books/paperwork from railroads I model or am interested in. Employee timetables, rulebooks, orders, waybills, and other paperwork. Mainly LV, CNJ,...
Prototype railroading 79 7 2,901 1792703101
WAYPOINT: Web-Based Layout Operations Software

Started by david_d. in Operation and maintenance Operations Software: I have a very small HO shelf layout called Moline Alley that's basically set up like an Inglenook. It occupies a 13"-deep, 6-foot-long shelf over my home office desk. In the past, I operated it...
Operation and maintenance Operations Software 41 9 1,171 1792693617
Stewart F-unit paint removal

Started by ezrails in MRH forum help: What is the best procedure for paint removal from Stewart EMD F-7s
MRH forum help 10 2 381 1792692553
non-radial turntable track

Started by greg ciurpita in Track and electrical/DCC: trying to fit a turntable and engine storage tracks in a corner. any thoughts on keep all the tracks parallel to fit the space? 📷
Track and electrical/DCC 15 2 436 1792692179
Could I use a Keep Alive to keep passenger car light on

Started by Andy Hauser in Track and electrical/DCC Keep-Alive Passenger Cars DCC Lighting: A quick question for those who use Keep Alive circuit. Can you use a Keep Alive to maintain consistent lighting in passenger cars without the use of a decoder? What could I use to keep the...
Track and electrical/DCC Keep-Alive Passenger Cars DCC Lighting 9 3 163 1792691923
ESU ditch light help

Started by JeffBulman in Locos and rolling stock BLI decoder DCC conversion sound decoder: I bought a BLI F9a locomotive in dc only so I could add a ESU V5 decoder. I downloaded the sound file and installed it. Everything works fine but I can not get the ditch lights to light up. Any...
Locos and rolling stock BLI decoder DCC conversion sound decoder 0 1 26 1792691291
Precision Measurements Wood Miter

Started by MRH in Magazine feedback: 📷 Read this issue! Share this: 📷 📷 📷 📷 Please post any comments or questions you have below. ◄ Back to issue home page 📷 Want more articles like this one?...
Magazine feedback 3 7 138 1792687576
My SP/SSW freight car roster quest

Started by SPSHASTAROUTE in Journals/Blogs Prototype Freelancing: My favorite part of the hobby is prototype modeling of locos and cars. After a move a few years back, I lost my basement layout and kinda lost interest in trains. Our current home is...
Journals/Blogs Prototype Freelancing 7 4 198 1792685964
Picture Fun with AI

Started by anteaum2666 in General discussion Photos AI: @RSeiler posted some photos he touched up with AI. I decided to give it a shot, using Microsoft CoPilot. Below is my first attempt. I thought this would be a fun place for people to post pics they've...
General discussion Photos AI 124 7 4,533 1792685340
Weakly AI Foto Phun October 19-25

Started by jeffshultz in General discussion AI photorealistic prototype railroading: Welcome to the latest Weakly AI Foto Phun, where AI generated and enhance images are welcome! The starter image this week shows why you shouldn't trust AI. The prompt was: "I'd like a...
General discussion AI photorealistic prototype railroading 3 8 173 1792684016
MRH Online TOC Index

Started by Bill Brillinger in MRH magazine help: Visit the online MRH TOC Index today! INDEX LAST UPDATED: Oct . 22, 2026 This index replaces the original MRH Table of Contents Index with a fully searchable, mobile friendly, online...
MRH magazine help 99 11 32,400 1792683331
Walthers Turnout Throwbar Issue

Started by JON RUEHLE in Track and electrical/DCC Track Walthers Turnouts: Attached are photos of a code 83 HO scale right hand turnout number four 948-83014. The plate that is on the throw bar , between the points, is sticking up on the left side. I have...
Track and electrical/DCC Track Walthers Turnouts 6 2 181 1792680228
What's new on your layout?...

Started by blhs569 in General discussion Workbench Layout project sharing: Gonna try a familiar topic with a twist... I noticed it is quite common for folks to post photos of something they added to their layout in the "Workbench" thread. It seems to me those...
General discussion Workbench Layout project sharing 15 9 421 1792679848
How cut perfect 45 degree angles on Woodland Scenics foam trackbed on TURNOUTS?

Started by JimGnitecki in Benchwork and roadbed track laying: I am a newbie to model railway construction. I am about to start cutting and installing Woodland Scenics N SCALE foam trackbed. The straight runs seem easy enough once I realized that beyond a marked...
Benchwork and roadbed track laying 10 2 279 1792677126
thick coupler lid

Started by greg ciurpita in General discussion Rolling Stock couplers kadee: wanted to replace a non-kadee coupler (mchenry?) because a car was uncoupling often. However, the kadee wouldn't swing freely when the coupler screw was tightened enough to prevent the coupler...
General discussion Rolling Stock couplers kadee 1 6 144 1792672267
Tricks for taming the turnout frog

Started by MRH in Magazine feedback: 📷 Buy this issue! Share this: 📷 📷 📷 📷 Please post any comments or questions you have below. ◄ Back to issue home page 📷 Want more articles like this one?...
Magazine feedback 7 9 357 1792671893
Electrical Puzzle

Started by Ken Meade in Track and electrical/DCC decoders electrical DCC conversion: OK, installing a decoder in another loco. The loco has a light board in it for simple forward a rear lights when it was run on DC. Only two wires coming out of it for power input. The lights are 1...
Track and electrical/DCC decoders electrical DCC conversion 18 1 292 1792667714
Shelf Switching Layout - N Scale SP

Started by CraigH in Journals/Blogs: In my teens and twenties I was active in HO scale Southern Pacific, had a couple of simple layouts but mostly I was into detailing, kit bashing and airbrush painting. That was...
Journals/Blogs 29 15 1,822 1792663613
Boxcar Gulch - Module

Started by Dan Bachman in Journals/Blogs Free-mo model railroad layout construction: When I was 7, my father introduced me to model railroading when he brought home an HO engine and a few boxcars. I was hooked and over the next 5 years we built a layout in our basement. Then my...
Journals/Blogs Free-mo model railroad layout construction 16 21 754 1792658690
Things learned about laying N-scale track as a complete newbie

Started by JimGnitecki in Benchwork and roadbed beginner N-scale track laying: This is my very first model railway so I am a complete newbie at laying foam roadbed and Peco track & turnouts! It's been very educational, and I have learned a lot of tings, some of them rather...
Benchwork and roadbed beginner N-scale track laying 10 4 133 1792657041

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