This Month
August 2026
Vol. 95/No. 8
Features:
Waites River Railway: North Arlington
by ERIC WILLIAMS – Building a cameo-style layout to pack big scenes and switching in an apartment.
Simple Styrene Barns
by MATT WOODS – Using styrene to scratchbuild weathered wooden barns for rural scenes of any era.
DCC and Sound Update for a Kato RS-2
by PETER HALL – A step-by-step retrofi t adds modern DCC, sound, and lighting to an older Kato RS-2.
Modeling a B&O Geep in Two Schemes
by BROOKS STOVER, MMR – Model two versions of a hard-working branch line Geep using extra shells.
Environmental Audio for Your Layout
by TREVOR MARSHALL – Give your layout the audio equivalent of a good scenic backdrop.
The Buildings at Basalt
by ROBERT SCHLEICHER – Building a series of unique structures to represent the terminal at Basalt, Colo.
Cyclone Separators for Industries
by WAYNE WESOLOWSKI – An often-overlooked detail for industrial dust-collection systems.
Departments
Safety Valve – Letters from our readers
Receiving Yard – Product and industry news compiled by Harry K. Wong
Test Track – Product Reviews
Railbooks – Book news and reviews
Craftsman Timetable – Scheduled events and notices
Craftsman Workshop
Painting & Weathering
Company Photographer
Operator’s Notebook
The Layout Doctor
Diverging Points – Opinion by Jason Shron
Editor’s Notebook- Commentary by Otto M. Vondrak
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