Peter's Model Railroading | My Library | Model Railroader 1992-05
Articles Listing

The Grainbelt

This article describes a short line serving Oklahoma's agricultural southwest. It has many prototype photos (mostly B&W, but some color), and a track diagram of Snyder and Manitou, OK, as well as Frederick, OK. The article concludes with a 14' by 18' HO-scale layout that could be used as a reference for how to model the prototype.

How To Simulate Flickering Fires

Provides several ideas to solving the same problem, i.e. creating the illusion of flickering fires, be they in a trash barrel, a burning building, or a machine shop. All the circuits are very simple. They all use the idea of a small transistor radio that drives a lamp of some sorts. The lamps suggested are plain bulbs, LED's, and neon lights.

Modeling a GATX Leasing MP15 in HO Scale

Companies lease equipment to see if it is useful to them, without actually having to buy it. GATX (General American Transportation Corp) leases equipment to railroads. The author used a Con-Cor HO-scale Conrail MP15 to create a model of the MP15 leased by St. Lawrence & Atlantic RR in 1991. A bill of materials and several detail diagrams are included.

Midwest Mod-U-Trak HO Scale Railroad

This is a club layout that integrated portability with prototype modeling. The concept came from NTrak modules. Each member of the club builds his or her own 6-foot module. Detailed diagrams are included to define the standard used by the club.

From Stoves to ICEs: 130 years of Marklin

This article covers the history of the German Marklin company, and includes information about visiting the company in Goeppingen near Stuttgart, Germany.

Railroading with Marklin

This layout features Marklin trains of European descent. The author started building the layout in 1977. It includes overhead catenary, and typical European scenery.

Symposium on Electronics

This month's column covers "snubber diode" (to prevent electronics from being damaged by the switching of a relay), and full discussion of the now-extinct LM3909 integrated-circuit chip that made building LED flasher trivial. There is also a full discussion of how Transistor-Transistor Logic works (TTL). IC codes are explained as well.

A Tar Paper Shack For Your Layout

A simple scratchbuilding project for beginners. Scale diagrams and final photos of the project are included.

Working Ditch Lights for Modern Diesels

Using fiber optics to install ditch lights in an SD40-2 model.

Portable Ponds

Creating a removable pond.

Express Station

The behind-the-scenes story of a small model train store in Tukwila, Washington.

Illinois Central New Black Scheme

Painting a GP38-2 to match the IC's black scheme. Includes information about super-detailing the model before painting. Includes prototype photo of road number 9567.