• 2:36

    Introduction to David Holl’s Penn Valley Railroad

    No one does Pennsylvania model railroads quite like David Holl. For more than two decades, this master modeler has been creating and refining his roughly 1,600-sq-ft. layout of Penn Valley Railroad, slowly but surely expanding the scene from its initial 200-sq-ft. into the sprawling masterpiece it is today. David’s HO scale layout, constructed with L-girder…

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  • 11:06

    Travel the Tracks of Penn Valley Railroad

    David Holl’s Penn Valley Railroad is the culmination of a decades-long obsession with mountain railroading and helper service. Set in 1957, the Penn Valley is a beautiful recreation of the thriving Pennsylvania industrial towns and hub cities that spurred the economy of mid-Atlantic states in the 20th century. In this behind-the-scenes tour, you’ll watch as…

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  • 10:15

    Operations on David Holl’s Penn Valley Railroad

    David Holl’s Penn Valley Railroad stands as a prime example in modern model railroading of a mountainous HO layout that expertly incorporates intersecting railroads. In this behind-the-scenes tour, you’ll discover how David operates this magnificent Pennsylvania railway, and follow Local 172 as it heads eastbound from station at Erie in the early hours of the…

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  • 6:59

    David Holl’s Design & Inspiration for Penn Valley Railroad

    David Holl’s HO scale Penn Valley Railroad is a masterful example of a railroad layout built around modeling reality. Everything component of David’s spectacular railroad is intended to captivate, and the Penn Valley is the culmination of a decades-long obsession with Pennsylvania railroads. In this segment, David sits down with host Allen Keller to talk…

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  • 4:16

    How to Make Ground Throws for Your Turnouts

    Every modeler has their preference for how they like to control the turnouts on their layout. Some like to go through the trouble of installing wires for automatic switches, while others opt for the less complicated method of building manual throws. Master modeler David Holl is one of the latter; he likes to utilize built-in…

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  • 13:30

    Creating and Operating a More Realistic Model Railroad

    Designing and building the most realistic model railroad layout possible requires attention to detail and a huge amount of labor. From the backdrop to the timetable, every aspect of a worthwhile railroad should be meticulously thought through and executed. Some modelers believe a good railroad takes decades to finish, while others say it’s never truly…

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  • 5:55

    How to Make a Proper Schedule for Your Layout

    When it comes to operating a realistic model railroad, a well organized schedule should be top priority. Ask any master modeler what it takes to run proper operations, and they’ll tell you it’s all about the schedule. Whether you opt for timetable, card or any other operating system, if you make it easy for your…

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  • 3:49

    David Holl’s Tips for Creating a Realistic Railroad

    In building a layout, every modeler wants to reach the point where they can say they’re happy with the results. For master modeler David Holl, that confidence comes from two particular things: 1) Visitors can look at your railroad and know exactly where it is set, and 2) They leave with at least one scene…

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