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JULY 2025: It’s 1965 and we’re trackside on the Chesapeake & Ohio’s busy James River and Alleghany Subdivisions. Mike Burgett’s meticulously detailed HO scale model railroad is built to handle the heavy traffic of this line as it was in the mid-1960s. Michael O’Keefe models a modern derailment diorama that placed in Walthers’ annual contest, while Roman Pastucha’s Othello Tunnels diorama places you right in the middle of the scene. Luke Lemmens kitbashes a 1980s weed-spraying train from off-the-shelf components. All this and more in the July issue of Railroad Model Craftsman!

This Month

July 2025

Vol. 94/No. 7

Features:

Chesapeake & Ohio James River and Alleghany Subdivisions

by Alan Bell — Follow along on a typical day on Mike Burgett’s HO model railroad built for operations.

Penn Central 60’ Boxcars Part 1: Class X62/X62A

by James Kinkaid — Penn Central bolstered its fleet serving the auto industry with these home-built cars.

DERAILMENT!

by Michael O’Keefe — This diorama depicts a modern derailment scene, and placed in Walthers’ Build-Off.

Kitbashed 1980s Weed Sprayer

by Luke Lemmens — Using simple kitbashing techniques to create a weed spraying train in HO.

Modeling the Othello Tunnels

by Roman Pastucha — Using cinematic techniques to create a dramatic and realistic tunnel scene.

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

Perspective

Craftsman Workshop

Collector Consist

Painting & Weathering

Company Photographer

The Layout Doctor

Diverging Points – Opinion by Jason Shron

Editor’s Notebook- Commentary by Otto M. Vondrak

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Railroad Model Craftsman Magazine

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