Prototype – Notes on Designing, Building, and Operating Model Railroads

The Minster Branch – Update 2

Dave Campbell has shared another update on his new layout project, the Minster branch of the Nickel Plate Road. Here he is with the details.

Construction of the 2 x 4 foot modules described last time has proceeded smoothly and the reuse of materials from the previous layout is working well. The lead image shows one of the modules under construction.

The Minster Branch – Update 1

Fellow Pre-Depression Era modeler and long time friend Dave Campbell shared an update on his new layout. The lead image was a selfie I snapped on a 2017 visit to his multi-level HO scale layout, which is now gone. Here’s Dave with his new layout story.

With the decision made to tear down my old, multi-level, four-times-around-the-room HO scale layout, and at the 70% demolition point, I decided it’s time to start developing the new layout plan. There’s nothing like waiting until the old layout is nearly gone to light the creative fire for the next project.

Fowler Boxcar origins

Ray Breyer presented on the development of the Fowler box cars and single-sheathed box car designs at the RPM Naperville in October.

Bobbing around

It’s been a busy month with the Railroad Prototype Modeler Naperville event and a full weekend with kids and grandkids. I slipped back into modeling with a small caboose project.

2024 Mid Atlantic RPM report

I attended the 2024 Mid Atlantic Railroad Prototype Modeler (MARPM) event in metro Baltimore recently. In addition to the model railroad activities, I found the Heavy Seas brewery tap room just a few minutes from the hotel. But I know you are here for the model railroad stuff, so off we go!.