Check out the model of the M&K Division of B&O Railroad created by Don Cassler and his fellow model railroaders, Bill Hanley and Mark Vinski. Allen Keller is welcomed into Don’s home to see a 20 year long project that took place in Don’s basement. The trio formed an informal club and worked under Don’s guidance. Their model is based on memories of cherished train watching locales and was specifically designed for the space. B&O stands for Baltimore and Ohio and the B&O Railroad is the oldest railroad in the United States. The model represents the railroad in West Virginia where mountain grades are common, thus needing helpers with long trains of 50 cars. Helper engines assist trains that need more power to climb a gradient. The model has a minimum radius of 48 inches and a maximum radius of 50 feet to accommodate to the mountainous environment. All of the curves in the model are extremely elevated. The 20 years of work really shows through with this incredible M&K masterpiece.
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Using Your Pictures for Model Railroad Photo Backdrops
For those of us who haven’t been blessed with artistic talent, the idea of painting backdrops for model railroad scenes can be pretty nerve-racking. But fear not—there are a number of excellent alternatives available to help create a beautiful scene without ever having to pick up a paint brush. One such option is to use…
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Model Railroad Backdrop Painting Through Stippling
When it comes to painting clouds and other aspects of weather backdrops for your model railroad scenes, there are a few different ways to achieve the mood you want. Using just a couple basic colors and reusable cloud templates that are available at any craft store, you can add impressive depth to your backdrops and…
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Building L-Girder Benchwork for Model Railroads
When building benchwork for model railroads, the first thing you have to plan and think through is the type of scene you want to construct. Depending on the size, shape and placement of your scene in a room, the benchwork you choose might vary. There are positives and negatives to each type of benchwork for…
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Painting Model Railroad Backdrops: Blending Scenery
There’s nothing quite like a poorly blended backdrop to take a viewer out of the staged reality of a model railroad scene. But, you can avoid this issue and maintain a fluid scene by making the joint between landscape and backdrop as flush as possible. Good news is, painting model railroad backdrops that smoothly transition…
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