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, …
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, …
Continue reading Building a Model Railroad: Tips and Lessons Learned
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 …
Hours and hours invested in a model railroad often result in a few moments that make the entire effort worth every moment working. For a model railroader, the work is fun so it's not as though I don't love every minute with my layout. The Maple Valley Short Line Model Railroad is my third layout …
Sixteen months doesn't really seem like a long time. One summer, one Halloween, one Thanksgiving, one Christmas. The new year is not so new and will soon join the list of forgotten others. For close friends of Sylvia Meisner, months have been years. One day Maple Valley folks were happy, greeting each other, opening their …
Continue reading Scandal at Maple Valley – Episode 29: Bones
I ordered a package of one hundred HO scale people. Having never purchased so many figures at the same time before, I didn't realize there would be so many duplicates. No worries, I just made sure I didn't place a bunch of the same ones in a small area. The second mistake I made was …
Continue reading Mistakes to Avoid When Using HO Scale Figures
I ordered a package of one hundred HO scale people. Having never purchased so many figures at the same time before, I didn't realize there would be so many duplicates. No worries, I just made sure I didn't place a bunch of the same ones in a small area. The second mistake I made was …
Continue reading Adding People to the Maple Valley Model Railroad
This is the Maple Valley Supply Company. It sits on the line that brings passengers from Midtown to Maple Valley on The Old General. The two-story structure is scratch-built in balsa. The windows and doors are plastic models purchased at a model railroad swap meet. I drew plans for the structure on card stock. I …
This is the Maple Valley Supply Company. It sits on the line that brings passengers from Midtown to Maple Valley on The Old General. The two-story structure is scratch-built in balsa. The windows and doors are plastic models purchased at a model railroad swap meet. I drew plans for the structure on card stock. I …
Continue reading Scratch-Build a Two-Story Trackside Structure in HO Scale
So much has happened in Maple Valley it’s difficult to know where to start. Here we are in the dog days of summer, and Maple Valley School is already preparing for the first day of the new year. Students can’t wait to get back in the class room. We are obviously well into the tourist …
Continue reading Scandal at Maple Valley – Episode 27: The Pancake Fiasco
A Coffee State of Mind 