Peter's Model Railroading | My Library | Magazine Articles by Scale
On3 Articles

A Disappearing Door and Hidden Corner

The author describes how he designed and built a dutch door in Bob Walker layout room, so that the top half can remain closed (to hold the backdrop, scenery, and track), while the bottom half can be opened for room access. Also covered is how to build a curved inside-corner backdrop. Lots of construction photos.

An Expanding Narrow Gauge Empire

The Cascade County Narrow Gauge layout measures 26 x 31 feet, is set in the late 1920s to early 1930s. Includes information on how the owner found information about his prototype railroad.

Another Big One

The author describes the reality of building a very long trestle bridge for his layout.

Background Building

Building a background structure from foamboard and printed textured brick paper.

Bob Walker's Dream Layout

The author writes the scratchbuilding column, but this article describes his large On3 layout. It models the Rio Grande Southern in 1942. About half of the layout is scenicked and looks beautiful.

Building a Fleet of Carter Brothers' Flat Cars

Scratchbuilding a good number of flat cars using a jig. Includes construction photos, diagrams, and completed photos.

Building the South Park Valley Part VII

This installment covers the roadbed made out of Homasote© and styrofoam slopes. Foam and cork are also discussed. A handy tool for creating foam slopes for the roadbed is described, as well as a tool for sanding handlaid wooden ties.

California's Golden Grass

This articles shows how the author created tall and short grasses for his On3 layout. He used Joann Fabrics Grizzly Fur for the tall grasses, and Wal-Mart plush fabric for the short grasses. The article details how to paint the fabrics, how to install them, and how to hide seams.

Converting a Bachmann On30 Rail Bus & Trailer to On3

The author describes how he did the conversion.

Glory Days on the Rio Grande Southern

After a brief history of the RGS, the author describes his 60+ years in the hobby and how the construction of the layout emerged by combining the skills of two people. Includes many layout photos, and a track diagram of the RGS' area.

How I Scratchbuilt My First Steam Locomotive Part 1

The author shares how he got to write this article series, what the main steps are for building a steam locomotive from scratch, and the basic skills required.

How I Scratchbuilt My First Steam Locomotive Part 2

Bob continues his story of how he built his first locomotive. This installment covers the basic frame. It includes a materials and tools list, frame diagrams, and a drill size chart.

How I Scratchbuilt My First Steam Locomotive Part 3

In this installment of the construction of the Virginia Midland 4-6-0 covers the running gear, boiler, and cab. Includes diagrams and close-up photos.

Lex Parker's On3 D&RGW

This Canadian layout measures 18 by 25 feet and is built around the walls, except for the peninsula yards; a true point-to-point design. The author models 1937.

Louis Ullian's Logging Empire

This layout is set in 1925 in the western slopes of the Cascade Mountains in Oregon, and fits in a 21 by 25-foot room. Track plan and several photos of the layout accompany the article, with a sidebar on how to make O-scale trees.

Modeling Waterfalls

The author builds a diorama showing how he models waterfalls. The article is a series of construction progress photos.

Mountain Models K-27

The article includes quite a bit of history, model features, and review of the performance and accuracy of the model. In addition to several model photos, the article also includes many prototype photos.

My On3 Rio Grande Southern Sophir District

Fantastic scenic shots accompany this article about the author's 54 by 25 foot layout. Only a portion of the layout has been completed.

Narrow Gauge in a Garage Part 1

This first installment discusses the how and why of building an O-scale layout in a garage shared with the family car. Layout photos, trackplan, and sidebars are includes. One sidebar is about On3 v.s On2-1/2, and another is on converting a Bachmann 2-6-0 to On3. There are several more on On3 trucks, and adding DCC to an On2-1/2 Porter.

Narrow Gauge in a Garage Part 2

This installment covers building benchwork, with specific focus on the tight constraints and sloping floor of a garage. It also covers backdrop construction, and building storage shelves upon which the layout rests.

Narrow Gauge in a Garage Part 3

This installment covers installing DCC, installing roadbed on the new layout, and installing Tortoise switch motors using the NCE decoders.

O-M Rio Grande's Rotary Plow Part 1

Prototype photos of this machine are included in the article. Many close-up detail photos. Full-scale On3 fold-out drawing of all side (including top and bottom) are in the article.

Route to the Redwoods

The layout is housed in a 12 by 42 feet room, with a 12-foot square workshop. The author describes some of the early stages of the construction after switching from HOn3 to On3.

Route to the Redwoods Part 70

The author talks about all the various tools he uses to build his layout.

Scratchbuilding C&NW Narrow Gauge Boxcar No. 10

This article includes many prototype photos, scale drawings, construction photos, and a bill of materials for modeling this car.

Scratchbuilt D&RGW High-side Gondola

The author describes how he built this gondola, accompanied by several construction photos.

Southwest O Scale and Oklahoma Narrow Gauge Group Combined Meet

Several photos taken at the show.

Southwest O Scale and Oklahoma Narrow Gauge Group Combined Meet

The previous issue of this magazine showed photos but with no captions. This article includes more photos, as well as detailed intormation about model shown in the photo.

SP Caboose/combine 401: an On30 to On3 Kitbash

The author kitbashed a Bachmann On30 passenger car into this combine. Includes model and prototype photos.

Tall Timber Railroad Part 6

This installment covers wiring the layout. It includes the standards the author followed on his layout, and which DCC system he chose and why.

The On3 North Pacific Coast Railroad and Its Subsidiary, The Buckhorn Logging Co. Part 69

In this installment the author shows how he modeled the mill owner's office building. The structure is made out of slab board siding. There is a sidebar on how to model slab siding with a convincing look.

The Tank at Pepito Tey

A water tank in Cuba. The article contains model photos and a detailed drawing of the parts.

Towering Timber

Making tall trees is one thing, but making truly towering trees in O-scale is a challenge. The author shows how he makes 100-foot tall trees.

Visiting Steve Strebel's Rio Grande & Pacific

This 33 by 19 feet, double-level layout models a narrow gauge line from Colorado to California. It is 5 years old and almost everything on the layout is scratchbuilt. Includes trackplan and many photos of this beautiful layout.