Model Railroading on the Cheap

   My wife suggested that I decorate the layout for Christmas. I was determined to keep it simple.   I found some small bottle-brush pine trees among our ‘Christmas Decorations Storage’ intended for the fireplace mantel winter time scene and placed them on the layout where it was easy to reach.   I placed trees at the…

    This old farmer recognized what this load was as soon as I saw it. I thought I could get some mileage from using these front ends of modern row-crop corn harvesting machinery in various scenes on the layout.  So I was excited to use this bit of detail fodder on the layout.  After getting…

    This shows what can happen when an improperly secured load of pipe gets a hard hit such as rolling into a stopped string of cars probably at the hump yard. My friend sent me a photo that he shot near Youngstown Ohio of a shifted load of pipe. We modelers take inspiration from photographed…

     Here is evidence even on the Yardley and Hillton that trucks are trying to take over the freight business from the railroads. We model railroaders hate to see this but it is happening.   This trailer has a paint scheme of about 1970; the flat car is about 1980, but the tractor that is…

   Occasionally we get to see the railroad make emergency repairs right up close. It is always fun to watch how someone else does their work. Most of us never have to worry about heavy materials, but railroad repair crews encounter heavy stuff all the time. I recall watching them change an axel/wheel set on…

   On my layout I have an industry that I call the Western Railway Equipment eXperimenters. They do feasibility work for alternate designs of railroad rolling stock. This is how I justify my diversions in rolling stock designs. I have enjoyed many hours chopping common plastic cars into something you can’t buy in the store.…

    I thought about using the two story building as a RR station. Paper buildings are easy to modify and move. Here it is at Middleburg serving as a different building in a different story. I hope you can notice the slightly sway back condition in the flat car. The weathered 36 foot box car…

    Here we have a look at the last remaining bit of green space among the tall buildings in Holden City. The natural beautification committee managed to save this small area from the commercial development people. They are even talking about planting a few trees! Today we see how some retired folks are using the…

    Here is my latest homemade paper building in a different setting. Sometimes structures can be moved for a different picture. As for the sign about American Maid Uniforms – made in America – I was playing with slogans:  You will like your American maid in an American Maid Uniform –made in America. The company…

    Originally Hillton had two passenger stations. Now the only remaining station at Hillton is sandwiched between one of the passing tracks and the freight spur/end ramp track. The track is long enough for two freight cars. There is just not very much room for a passenger parking lot either – I guess you can…