A trio of faded RS3s rolls westward past the iconic station in Mankato, MN. The exquisite model was scratch-built by Jeff Kraker. Phase 2 of the Alco Line project is now complete. (Phase 1 was the cover story in the November issue of RMC). Phase 2 models Mankato and the regions just to the east and west. Join me as we take a photo tour of the latest progress updates. Here is the track plan. Phase 2 is in the middle of the room. After passing the station, and continuing

The yard switcher spots a load at a scratch-built model of Hubbard Feeds in Mankato, MN on the HO scale Alco Line project. As much as...

Heading eastward across Forest Avenue, Guilford's local works the Bishop Street Branch on one of my custom-built commissions. The vast...

In the November 1939 issue of Model Railroader, there was an excellent layout design put together by J. Harold Geissel. Just for fun, I...

CNW RS-3 no. 1616 warms up on a cold morning in Tracy, MN in preparation for its run to Sleepy Eye. Follow along as I walk you through...

It's September of '78 in Tracy, MN and things are getting to the point where you can start feeling a chill in the air when the shift...

It's a late summer afternoon in 1978 as a CNW RS-3 does some clean-up work on the elevator lead behind the yard in Tracy, MN. The...

The turn out of Tracy carefully spots a load of canning supplies at door 2 at Del Monte's Plant 114 in Sleepy Eye. A tank of vegetable...

Model Railroad Layout Design For The Alco Line Project (HO Scale) Construction on The Alco Line Project has started. As work progresses...

An Alco 424 spots a car in front of Sleepy Eye Milling Company in Sleepy Eye, MN. I'm currently building a segment of this fascinating...

Floating shelves can be an efficient means of storing rolling stock. You don't need to be in the hobby long before you've accumulated a...

This logistics warehouse is a composite of no less than eight Walthers kits. Being willing to alter a kit's footprint opens up an...

I recently finished an N scale model railroad based on the BNSF Hi-Line through Montana. The layout, 7 feet by 22 feet in size, features...

Conductors don't have wings. They can't fly. In this view, the conductor is taking a final look at his work before walking back to the...

Settling versus focusing, it’s the most common issue I see in my design practice.  Not being able to make the distinction between the two...