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The Ruphe & Tumbelle Railway Company, What's New

Started by On30guy in Journals/Blogs: Hello all. 📷 I've been posting here for a few years now and have decided that instead of starting separate little blogs for every little idea I have I should consolidate things a...
Journals/Blogs 4,323 23 417,876 1778905146
What's on your workbench? May 2026

Started by Eric Hansmann in General discussion Workbench: Onward into another month and more of your workbench and layout projects! The projects shared last month looked great! Thank you for sharing! I’m sure we will kick off May in fine form. I am...
General discussion Workbench 86 4 3,416 1778904835
Trainworld Bachmann Shays

Started by jack in Journals/Blogs: Hi Jack from Star Idaho. Another question about the HO Bachmann Spectrum Shay. I see all over the internet Spectrum three truck shays with and without sound ranging in price from...
Journals/Blogs 12 0 4,641 1778904763
Poll: What era do you model? And, why?

Started by yeti in General discussion: I'm curious to what era(s) people model here, so thought I'd put up a poll. An brief explanation to why you chose to model that era would also be interesting to read if you care to share it. I...
General discussion 147 4 3,066 1778904552
MRH Running Extra - May 2026

Started by MRH in Magazine feedback: 📷 May Running Extra placeholder! Rome wasn't built in a day ... Look for this issue to be available the afternoon of May 17th.
Magazine feedback 0 1 3 1778903975
Pennsylvania railroad landmarks

Started by John P in Prototype railroading: I spent last week in Pennsylvania, visiting my brother and some friends. Along the way, I managed to see some railroad landmarks, which I shall now relate: My first visit wasn't a railroad...
Prototype railroading 34 17 757 1778903776
Woodland Scenics Water Effects

Started by Fritz E in Scenery and structures: I am afraid I did something very silly. I had two beautiful rivers that I made with woodland scenics easy water. Today I decided to add water effects but instead of adding sparingly and just...
Scenery and structures 1 0 23 1778900706
Whatever Happened to the HO scale, Code 100, #10 Turnouts?

Started by Ken Meade in Track and electrical/DCC: Not to long ago they were a common turnout in model train stores and on ebay. Now, they're rare as hens teeth.
Track and electrical/DCC 10 2 334 1778899785
Question about Woodland Scenics Just Plug Nano lights

Started by DSteckler in Track and electrical/DCC: I would like to connect 2 or 3 Nano lights to one plug that goes into a light port on the light hub. Can this be done? If so, how do I connect the additional lights to light 1's...
Track and electrical/DCC 28 1 398 1778898269
ESU v5 decoder in BLI F9A not responding.

Started by JeffBulman in Track and electrical/DCC: I purchased a BLI F9 , I set the address and it worked fine. The ditch lights did not work and I tried changing the aux outputs . I was unsuccessful and it changed the address back to 03 and now the...
Track and electrical/DCC 0 0 8 1778896564
QSI Decoder Issues

Started by sd40-2fan in Track and electrical/DCC: I bought a used Walthers SW8 that had a QSI sound decoder in it. Unfortunately it seems to have the problem that it won't stop unless the emergency stop is pressed. And when pressed...
Track and electrical/DCC 19 1 2,928 1778895889
May magazine status

Started by joef in General discussion: May MRH will be out late on the evening of the 15th - virtually on time with 200 pages! May Running Extra is a bit behind and will be out on the 17th instead of the 16th as...
General discussion 1 17 225 1778894659
Dutch Country Conrail

Started by Mitchell Schuessler in Journals/Blogs Reading Railroad Operations Pennsylvania Design drawing & 1 more: I figured this would be a good place for a supplemental blog to my article “Dutch Country Conrail” in the April 2025 issue of Railroad Model Craftsman. I have a few threads floating...
Journals/Blogs Reading Railroad Operations Pennsylvania Design drawing & 1 more 163 14 6,325 1778892695
The Metaline Falls Branch

Started by Matt Forcum in Journals/Blogs Milwaukee Road: Welcome to the Milwaukee Road’s Metaline Falls Branch. My model railroad depicts a small branchline located in the dramatic and remote landscape of northeastern Washington state during the last...
Journals/Blogs Milwaukee Road 7 1 283 1778891085
A track cleaning anecdote

Started by George Hofmann in Track and electrical/DCC: I have been an observer of the various track cleaning technique discussions for some time. The minor controversy concerning the use of IPA was and is especially interesting. Some say that they use...
Track and electrical/DCC 6 7 178 1778890918
Chicago Switching Layout

Started by Windswept Rails in Dream and design Switching Layout chicago street running industrial: Hi everyone, this is my first post (and a long one sorry!), but I have seen posts on here as a non-member and it's been invaluable for my research. I'm based in Scotland, so I can only use...
Dream and design Switching Layout chicago street running industrial 275 9 9,556 1778888502
ESU LokSound 5 FX as a sound module?

Started by andremh in Track and electrical/DCC DCC HO scale Steam Loco ESU LokSound HO & 4 more: Hello everyone! As the title suggests, I'd like to know if the ESU LokSound 5 FX can be used as a sound module on a locomotive. Specifically its the Bachmann HO scale 2-truck Climax steam locomotive...
Track and electrical/DCC DCC HO scale Steam Loco ESU LokSound HO & 4 more 4 1 67 1778885278
Advice needed for Weathering a Black Freight Car

Started by pauldouglaskessler in Locos and rolling stock: I have this black Roundhouse MDC Canadian Pacific covered hopper that I plan to utilize for cement service. The build date is 1962 which is at the beginning of my era (1963 to 1972) so I don't want...
Locos and rolling stock 31 4 652 1778884505
Help me figure out how to build this RPO?

Started by DIamondback in Locos and rolling stock: Have a problem with my Twentieth Century Limited. Before bout the 1930s most NYC RPO's had several odd window arrangements, the most straightforward being three windows clustered at each door. 📷...
Locos and rolling stock 9 1 221 1778882854
Walthers Turntable

Started by kwhite6 in Scenery and structures Software: I'm currently working on a little software project while my Walthers turntable is under repair. The bridge is fully animated and moves gracefully between tracks. 📷ListBox.cs - Microsoft...
Scenery and structures Software 1 0 105 1778882424
Dipping my toe in the hobby - Need advice on dismantling a 30’ x 13’ layout

Started by Ted Canaday in Getting started: I was scrolling online auctions. This looked cool! I was the winning bidder. What do I do now? Actually, a little more thought went into this. I decided to get back into the...
Getting started 47 4 1,454 1778880943
Freelance and Protolance Designs and Production

Started by ThreeNotch in Journals/Blogs Rolling Stock boxcar Design Freelance: Eric Hansmann's blog on upgrading hoppers got me interested in another possible proto-freelance car. I used a version of a hopper he featured in this blog to develop the lettering used on this box...
Journals/Blogs Rolling Stock boxcar Design Freelance 5 4 211 1778879379
Thanks for your support

Started by Chuck Geiger in General discussion: Our YouTube podcast has exploded and wanted to thank MRH members who've dropped by.
General discussion 1 0 180 1778874340
Prototype Photographs 2026

Started by Nick Santo in Prototype railroading Photos: Hello! I enjoyed all your photographs from 2025 and before! Thank You for posting them!!! Please feel free to add photos when you have them! I’m sure I’ll have more to add this...
Prototype railroading Photos 200 5 6,877 1778874317
Tom Johnson's Cass County Railroad

Started by TomJohnson in Journals/Blogs: 📷 Hello! It has been a long time since I have posted anything here. I had a blog (journal) going several years ago under the L&IN and INRAIL theme that had a big following. That...
Journals/Blogs 1,205 69 99,759 1778874231
But, How Do the Big Boys Do It?

Started by Nick Santo in Track and electrical/DCC: This is how it can be done. 📷 📷 Look familiar? 📷 📷 📷
Track and electrical/DCC 11 3 363 1778872746
Continuous Connection to JMRI Dedicated Computer ?

Started by railandsail in Track and electrical/DCC: I have a dedicated older laptop loaded up with the JMRI software. With some help on this forum and another individual gentleman I finally found the correct cable to hook up the system.,..and we got...
Track and electrical/DCC 6 0 182 1778871868
How do you use an ESU decoder tester?

Started by railandsail in Track and electrical/DCC: Guess I didn't know what I was buying? I was buying a decoder tester that I thought was good for testing many decoders. I bought an ESU 53900. I have a number of Proto 2K...
Track and electrical/DCC 15 1 156 1778871477
BC&SJ scenery - WIP

Started by bear creek in Scenery and structures: WIP shots of the scenery progress on the BC&SJ. Charlie
Scenery and structures 236 11 11,098 1778871195
Looking for a track plan peer review: 11'x2" x 11'x2" HO shelf layout focused on switching and interchanging between levels via yard.

Started by Smoothinto2nd in Dream and design Shelf Layout Track Planning Switching Layout layout design: I've got a Tuff Shed office (that needs to stay functionally an office) that I have free rein over. I realized at standing height that if I'm creative, I can make a loop around the room. I've been...
Dream and design Shelf Layout Track Planning Switching Layout layout design 41 4 1,337 1778870887
Tune Up.... Fix Up , 6 Proto 2000 E-units

Started by railandsail in Locos and rolling stock: Quite a number of years ago I was cruising ebay, and found this offer for sound factory equipped sound & dcc chassis that would fit E6, E7, E8 locos. I bought 6 of them and put them away in...
Locos and rolling stock 71 2 1,974 1778870369
ChatGPT and the J&M

Started by John Buckley in General discussion: I asked ChatGPT to design a logo and a slogan for the Johnston and Maryville. This is what he/she came up with. I love it! 📷
General discussion 22 9 375 1778868547
train room redesign

Started by newbie railroader in General discussion: thread for my train room redesign. going from a video game room to a train/model room. pics to come.
General discussion 8 9 451 1778868127
Fascia look

Started by Rick Beatty in Benchwork and roadbed: If I had gotten around to installing fascia ten or fifteen years ago I would have figured out how to install it so that seams and fasteners were not visible. Over the past few years I’ve...
Benchwork and roadbed 47 2 1,572 1778867520
Logansport and Indiana Northern.

Started by TomJohnson in Journals/Blogs: 📷 📷
Journals/Blogs 515 8 547,249 1778866959
Rick's Diner - May, 2026 Edition

Started by Kevin Parson in General discussion: 📷 📷 📷 📷 📷 📷
General discussion 125 1 2,210 1778865146
Digitrax Decoder Hums when Stopped

Started by Sauced07 in Track and electrical/DCC: I have an old Digitrax 163LO that has been installed in a few locomotives now. Every locomotive it's in will hum when it comes to a stop. The controller will show 0 speed steps and if in a...
Track and electrical/DCC 16 0 257 1778863373
Eucaboard

Started by Rick Beatty in General discussion: I went into Home Depot to look at hardboard as they were showing that they had both the 1/8" and 3/16" sizes in stock. I hadn't noticed it when I looked online but it is actually a product...
General discussion 15 2 478 1778858969
Using AI to make custom photo quality backdrop scenes

Started by Tim VanMersbergen in Dream and design: I have always appreciated photo backdrop scenes but as a modeler of 1969, it’s very difficult to find or take and edit the pictures I really need. I’ve found usable scenes but they are...
Dream and design 67 36 3,883 1778858611
Industrial and narrow gauge O scale

Started by pby_fr in Journals/Blogs Weathering Narrow Gauge O ( 1:43 scale )O16.5: I bought last year one standard gauge industrial locomotive, and also a narrow gauge, both ready to run, something I didn't for decade (even my Japanese N-scale trains needed at least a chassis...
Journals/Blogs Weathering Narrow Gauge O ( 1:43 scale )O16.5 31 19 1,829 1778858317
Weekly Photo Fun - May 10-16, 2026

Started by JC Shall in General discussion Photos: It's another week . . . post 'em if you got 'em. There was a late-comer in last week's post . Check it out, then come back here afterward.
General discussion Photos 21 3 959 1778858297
Electrical Impulses: Debugging problem shorts: 1

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 21 19 324 1778854706
The genesis of the 1062 in Scale 1.

Started by Weaver in Locos and rolling stock Scratchbuilding: I already reported about our project, with my friend we are building two 1062 electric locomotives of the Austrian Railways ÖBB. This was a small shunting engine on main electrified yards in Austria...
Locos and rolling stock Scratchbuilding 36 11 928 1778841828
Rio Grande - Tennessee Pass ‘78

Started by ezlyamuzd66 in Journals/Blogs: 📷 📷 📷 📷 📷 📷 📷 📷 I thought I’d start this blog to keep a record of my slow but consistent progress on my layout I’ve attached my initial layout design but have already...
Journals/Blogs 407 20 15,835 1778826879
UglyK5 Layout v5.0 Blog

Started by UglyK5 in Journals/Blogs: I’ve started building the fifth iteration of my model railroad, and will blog about it here. We moved three times in the last three years. I had hoped to reuse the many modules that I had...
Journals/Blogs 52 9 2,135 1778820421
CP Rail's Newport & Lyndonville Subdivision

Started by CP Rail Vermont in Journals/Blogs HO scale Weathering Scenery: About a year ago I started a Facebook Group dedicated to construction of my layout and sharing photos as I went, but unfortunately I haven't been posting much on the MRH forum. I'd like to...
Journals/Blogs HO scale Weathering Scenery 1,921 32 138,558 1778816789
Limited Modeler: Building the Ballville/Fremont 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 12 16 594 1778813845
Let's see a model of... May, 2026 Edition

Started by Kevin Parson in General discussion: 📷
General discussion 69 2 2,069 1778813392
Train Ride over 8 1/2 HO scale Miles of Modular layout

Started by Ken Meade in Modular and TOMA modeling: My club participated in a Scout show in Woodbridge, VA this past weekend. We combined four clubs to build this 130 module layout with Digitrax control. Enjoy the ride. Train Ride
Modular and TOMA modeling 17 16 729 1778811743
Tehachapi undercover ops

Started by Don Mitchell in General discussion cleaning: No secrets involved, just Tehachapi under cover to protect the layout while the ceiling is being cleaned. The photo shows the start of the project. A crew of up to 9 members spent 8 hours covering...
General discussion cleaning 7 10 372 1778811736

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