• 13:48

    Upgrading Rolling Stock from Swap Meet to Layout

    What can we do with older cars to make them great additions to our fleets on our model railroad layouts? Model Railroad Academy Editor Ron Marsh recently attended a model railroad swap meet and picked up a few older cars. In this video, he shows ways to upgrade new old stock cars with mechanical upgrades…

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  • 10:57

    Weathering Using Oil Paints with Martin Tarnrot

    Modeler Martin Tarnrot will demonstrate who to use artists’ oil paints for weathering. The three types of materials needed for all types of weathering include pastel chalk powder, acrylic paints and oil paints. Sometimes the bonding strength of acrylic paints is not strong on plastic, and oil paint is a better option. Oil paint is…

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  • 5:11

    Weathering Model Trains with Make-Up and Ink

    As part of his research on the Conrail New Jersey Division, expert modeler Matt Snell carefully studies photographs before weathering model trains for his layout. Model railroad weathering usually is more subtle than most modelers apply, so he uses some unconventional materials and techniques which he shows MRA’s Allen Keller in this final episode on…

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  • 5:10

    Using Salt for Weathering Model Railroad Paint

    Have you ever visited a really well-done layout and noticed how realistically weathered the rolling stock looks and wondered how you might make yours look similar? Master Model Railroader, Gerry Leone, shares a great tip for weathering model railroad paint to look like the real deal with blistering, pock-marked and peeling finishes. He employs a…

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  • 10:33

    Tips for Assembling Model Railroad Buildings

    Have you ever been on a layout tour and been just a bit underwhelmed with the way the model railroad buildings appeared? Even if the painting and weathering look good, you can’t quite put your finger on it, but something looks, well – off. The walls don’t quite look square which leads to a cattywampus…

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  • 4:21

    Weathering Wooden Structures with Rubber Cement

    Every modeler has their own preferences for how they like to weather the components on their model railroad layouts. For some it’s paints and chalks, for other it’s knifework and sanding. Whatever you choose, the fact is, weathering is an essential aspect of creating a realistic layout. One weathering technique that often goes underutilized is…

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