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How to Build a Grade Crossing on an HO Scale Model Railroad
Building a convincing grade crossing on my HO scale model railroad was something I really wasn’t looking forward to. I debated whether to buy a crossing kit at the hobby shop and be done with it, but I decided they were too expensive. I turned to YouTube, the model railroader’s best friend. Who am I… Read more
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Growing Up Lapeer: Bud Guest and the Sunny Side of the Street Club
I have always liked elevator music. I remember my mom had easy listening music on in the house while she was doing her Leave It To Beaver kind of thing. She didn’t wear a dress all day, but everything else followed a well-written script, right down to sprinkling clothes before ironing with water from a… Read more
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Building a Model Railroad: Tips and Lessons Learned
I have to admit, my second model railroad was more of a “get a table built so I can run trains” kind of layout than a well-designed plan. I stayed with two mainlines, and allowed for a twenty-two inch radius on the outside. I again used Linn Westcott’s book, How To Build Model Railroad Benchwork,… Read more
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Part Two: Mistakes on My First and Second HO Scale Model Railroads that Taught Me What Not To Do
I have to admit, my second model railroad was more of a “get a table built so I can run trains” kind of layout than a well-designed plan. I stayed with two mainlines, and allowed for a twenty-two inch radius on the outside. I again used Linn Westcott’s book, How To Build Model Railroad Benchwork,… Read more
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Mistakes on My First and Second HO Scale Model Railroads that Taught Me What Not To Do
My purpose in sharing these thoughts and photos is to assist you in the development of your HO scale model railroad. If there is a set of rules for model railroaders, I haven’t seen it. Rule number one should be, Do Not Hurry! No matter how bad you want to see trains rolling by at… Read more
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Memories of the Steam Train Festival in 2009 at the Steam Railroading Institute
I think I was born about fifteen years too late. I would have loved standing along the tracks watching huge steam locomotives roll by, pulling long lines of freight or passenger cars. Steam was almost completely replaced by diesel by the time I was born. There were still a few steam engines working in various… Read more
