April 2010

Special Features

38 Perspective: All aboard America! by James Boyd
Thirty-five years have passed since the red, white and blue American Freedom Train took to the rails to celebrate our nation’s bicentennial.

40 John Finnin’s American Freedom Train by John Finnin
The American Freedom Train returns to the rails in HO scale.

59 NNGC preview: The layouts of St. Louis – Pt. III by Gary Hoover
We conclude our look at some of the layouts that will be open to visitors at the 30th National Narrow Gauge Convention with a visit to three more highly-detailed model railroads in the St. Louis area.

Modeling

45 Modeling a 41-foot Nickel Plate steel gondola by Mont Switzer
Following the end of World War II the W&LE purchased 1,750 of these 50-ton cars and they eventually ended up on the NKP roster.

50 Scratchbuilder’s Corner: Challenges by Bob Walker
Tackling a large project in small steps is often the way to go.

52 CN engine foreman’s office by Mike Chandler
The Canadian National inherited these interesting wooden office buildings from predecessor Canadian Northern. Here is how you can scratchbuild one for your own railroad.

57 RMC/Dremel Kitbashing Award: Kitbashing a payroll car by Alan Anderson
Inspired by a photo in the Lucius Beebe book Mr. Pullman’s Elegant Palace Car, this G scale kitbash begins with a Bachmann Big Hauler Classic Coach kit.

63 Scale drawings from photos with Google’s SketchUp 7 by John Adams
Google’s SketchUp program can be a useful tool for modelers looking to develop structure plans from building photographs.

68 Loading coal by Paul Mack
Here’s a project for all of you dyed-in-the-wool scratchbuilders. It is a modern, concrete coal loadout that actually works.

78 The Scenery Clinic: Pt. VI: Track ballast by Paul Scoles
This month we take a look at how to apply ballast.

Prototype

81 Front of the layout vignettes: No. 12, American small businesses: condensed milk plants by David Lambert
In the days before modern refrigeration condensed milk was a popular product and the plants where it was made were often served by rail.