Peter's Model Railroading | My Library | Magazine Authors
Magazine Articles By John Ostler

Benchwork As Strong As Steel

Building benchwork out of angle steel.

Boxing Day Steam

A story about how the author had to show up for a live steam show and the trials and tribulations one might experience on a cold, rainy day.

Enhancing Classic Kits: Freight Car Trucks Part II

This article includes information about prototype trucks, and how to model them and keep them running on HO-scale freight cars. Includes prototype photos of three types of trucks.

Folding Layouts

A layout with fall-down hinged sections of track that are out of the way when the railroad is not actively running.

In Defense of Freelancing

The author makes the point that even those who claim to be building prototype layouts are still freelancing. He says that those people are really freelancers working within a prototype theme. The article discusses the unfortunate compromises we all have to make to fit a layout in our given space.

Keeping HOn3 Springs Intact

How to assemble Kadee No. 717 freight trucks without losing the springs.

Modeling Deciduous Trees Using Furnace Filters and Weeds

The author takes us step-by-step through the process of making trees from furnace filter material, and how to make palm-flower trees.

Modeling Tight Lock Fence Wire

This article describes how the author builds HO-scale tight lock fences. Includes prototype photos and photos of the construction of the fence (including a jig).

Modeling with Nut-bolt-washer Castings

The author describes how to work with these nbw castings, and how to install them with greater success. A trestle bridge bent is used as an example in this article.

More Modeling of Tight Lock Fence Wire

The author describes how he built this type of fence using a homemade jig and EZ Line wire.

Oxenhope: A Traveling Protofour Layout

This layout is built to the English scale that is slightly larger than HO. It features the modeling work of John Moore. Although now owned by one of his regular operators, John worked on this layout for almost 30 years. He showed it whenever possible.

Realistic Rock Castings from Molds

Using coal as a mold source for outcrop-scale rock structures.

Rocks Along the Right of Way

Includes prototype photos of track close to mountains.

Selective Compression and Landforms

Using selective compression to bring mountains closer to the track.

Speeder Setouts

How to accurately model a speeder set-out track and surrounding scenery.

The Bread and Jam Method of Cliff Building

Creating near-vertical cliffs.

What Does the Siding Do Anyway?

Purpose of a siding. Prototype and modeling photos.