weathering

The Hardware Supply Background Building

March 30, 2020 By Allen Keller & filed under Model Railroad Academy Blog.

Here is another background building that my friend Curt Goff needed for his railroad. This kit offers some modification options that I could not pass up.

Building a Block for Oakland Part 3

December 3, 2018 By Allen Keller & filed under Model Railroad Academy Blog.

You may remember in the first two segments (part one and part two) of the construction of the Oakland Block for my friend’s Chicago, Denver and Pacific, I built the Department store and the Metropolitan Building from Bachmann. In this the final segment, you will learn about building the Trade Tower. Although, be aware that…

Building a Block for Oakland Part 2

October 30, 2018 By Allen Keller & filed under Model Railroad Academy Blog.

In part one on the new Oakland buildings blog I’ve been working on for my friend Dave, I built the Bachmann Department Store. I made an alley on the side, so we could build the next structure, the Metropolitan Building, next to it. On the other side of the Metropolitan I will add the next…

Building a Block for Oakland Part 1

October 2, 2018 By Allen Keller & filed under Model Railroad Academy Blog.

My friend Dave Houseman asked me to build a block of buildings for his new Oakland scene on his Chicago, Denver and Pacific Railroad. We started with three Bachmann buildings. As is my custom, I never like to create a structure as the designers intended. I always try to make some differences, otherwise Dave’s buildings…

Circus Passenger Cars

September 4, 2018 By Allen Keller & filed under Model Railroad Academy Blog.

After building all my circus flatcars and wagons, I needed some way for the performers and workers to travel, so I decided to construct two passenger cars for my Keljan Circus. I began with two AHM 10-6 sleepers and painted them red with a silver roof. I added wire grab irons and railings. I also…

10-Minute Diesel Weathering

July 24, 2017 By Allen Keller & filed under Model Railroad Academy Blog.

This is a new HO scale E-7 diesel. It’s well detailed and runs well with sound, but it looks too toy-like to me. There are as many ways to weather a locomotive as there are model railroad track plans! I want to show you a quick way to make your engines look less toy-like. It’s…