The very finest modelers of past decades made extraordinary use of the materials and tools that they had in hand. These modeling skills are and were inarguably totally irrelevant (irrelevant!) to whet

The exquisite flush-cut Swiss PBL sprue cutters (Utica) are no longer listed nor apparently available, although similar fine Swiss cutters are still available at hefty prices through jewelers supply h

It is so very, very easy to sneer, look down, and disparage the efforts of modelers of years, decades ago. However, their completed work was most often -always?- the result of the modeler's skill and

For many years now, I simply use good old flexible Barge cement to hold Plano and other running boards. Tried and true, and commonly available. Denny Denny S. Anspach, MD Okoboji, Iowa

Weathering with brushed oils is the time-honored method of doing so. Paul Jansen, who pioneered and popularized "weathering" and "aging" in the late '50s and '60s used oils (white, black, burnt sienna

Most, i.e. most all of the fine modelers that I know, and have known, earn their high respect the old fashioned way by the quality of their modeling and their models, not by the winning of a bestowed

Judging- For a number of consecutive years, I was Chief Judge at two of the most competitive and popular of all antique and classic boat shows( New Hampshire and California). and although recognizing

I have some complementary observations to add to Richard's good comments about the Sacramento NMRA Convention, particularly the RPM display (RPM -a good term- seems to be a relatively uncommon term us

Has anyone produced an accurate HO model, kit or finished, of a Virginian caboose? I am aware that Atlas at one time produced one based on a C&O prototype (accurate, or a stand-in?), and that Bob Hund

The infamous Tichy tank car....... Well, I love this model for what it is; I love it because it simply looks great; I love it for what it aspires to be; and I love it especially because something so s

For those readers who are interested in first hand accounts of the culture, life, and times of railroaders working, and living in a very busy mountain railroad town at the apex of the steam era as it

This thread has been very interesting. My modeling lives and dies by my calipers, and it has been so ever since my good wife presented me with a set of Mitotoyo PFM vernier calipers with an HO scale i

Westerfield BX12 boxcar kits: I waited too long to order these kits from Al, and so I am now casting about to find any of these kits -both original and as enlarged- that listers might have surplus to

Trial and error, guided by test data. Some degree of artistry does help! The OEM axle length too often bears no accurate relation whatsoever to what optimum Reboxx (or other brand) replacement wheel s

Tim, I cannot disagree with your own results and/nor your reasoning. However, perhaps i did not make clear that in my own experience over the years, the "theoretical" (your term) results recorded from

Tim O'C inquires about the effect of weight on truck rolling test data. I do not routinely test truck rollability with/without weights, although I do so on occasion. My reason for not doing so is that

I have had, and have been using Kadee's 0.088" tread wheel sets for about six months. They look good -even great- and roll well, especially so in their new trucks (not surprising, perhaps!). As expect

Without in the slightest disagreeing with this point of view or the methods described (I do the same), I would add the serious caution that the methods described will quickly trash the cutting edges o

Tony writes- Ah, yes: the Coriolis Effect- the truly great universal answer to everything in modeling that we do not know, are are likely to ever know... However did we get along until Tony invoked th

SGL inquires- My experience is that ACC seems to make up a really tenacious joint between monofilament line and turnbuckles. In this regard I have not questioned the inherent relative adherence qualit