Stainless steel streamlined passenger cars with roof-mounted glass domes were introduced to America in 1947 on this prototype "Train of Tomorrow". General Motors and Pullman-Standard collaborated to demonstrate to both the public and to the railroads what passenger travel would be like in the fifties. The Fall 1979 issue of Model Railroading magazine carried fe atures on how to model the locomotive and the four-car train using ready-to-run HO or N scale equipment with minor modifications. Since then, we've located a photograph of the "Train of Tomorrow" when it was still in its blue and stainless steel paint scheme. The train is on exhibit to the public at Albuquerque, New Mexico in about 1947. The entire train was sold to the Union Pacific in 1950 and repainted in their standard yellow and grey. The f6 diesels and streamlined cars were duplicated and sold to almost every class one railroad in America. Photo frolll the Gordon Bassett collection. Summer 1981 Vol. 11, No.4 Publishers: Nick Siegel, Sal Pizzoferrato Executive Editor: Robert Schleicher Associate Editors: Bill Wright, Robert Higgins, Albin Burroughs, Amy O'Donnell Production Editor: Vickie Petersen '---_ Typography: Type-Tronics, Inc. MODEL Model Railroading is published four-times a year by Eastwood Publishing Company, 2901 Blake St., Denver, CO 80205. Price per single copy is 52.50, $2.75 in Canada. Subscriptions are 59.00 in the U S or Canada Unsolicited manuscripts or photographs should .be accompanied by return RAILROADING postage and Eastwood Publishing Company assumes no responsibility for the loss or damage CONTENTS of such material. No part of this publication may be reprinted without written permission from the publishers. Printed in U.S.A. 4 John Buscimi's HO SCALE EMPIRE The information contained in the various arti­ The keynote of this layout is simplicity cles in this magazine is presented in good faith, 10 LOADS FOR FLAT CARS but no warranty is given, no results guaranteed, nor is any freedom from any patent or copyright to Heavy machinery loads can make simple showpieces be inferred. Since we have no control over the 14 MODULAR MODEL RAILROADING IN On3 physical conditions surrounding the application of information in this magazine, Eastwood Pub­ The modular system works just as well in 0 scale lishing Company and the various authors and edi­ 17 WIRING BASICS III - USING TURNOUTS AS SWITCHES tors disclaim any liability for untoward results The track can route power as well as trains and/or for any physical injury incurred by using 20 TRACKPLAN FOR 9x7-FEET: THE MAJESTIC the information herein. © Copyright 1981 by Eastwood Publishing Co. CONNECTING RR A city-based railroad small enough for anyone ABOUT THOSE LABELS .. .. 26 PORTABLE AND PERMANENT = THE PERFECT PLAN BASICS FOR BEGINNERS HO Modular railroads with an unlimited future are articles that we feel contain some of the information that any beginner should know when 32 THE MAGIC OF FOAM PLANTS he or she is building that first or second model Using ground foam to make lichen look real railroad (there just may be a few things that the 35 ARE CAN MOTORS THE ANSWER? WE TRY ONE IN "experts" can learn about up-to-date modeling methods, too). AHM'S SD40 NEW MODELING TECHNIQUES How to install a Sagami Flat can-style motor are actually tested methods of making or im­ 41 PERFORMANCE TEST REPORT proving models. We call them "new" because What we use to test locomotives and why they probably will be new to most of you. These are the articles we feel are best-suited to "in­ 42 PERFORMANCE TEST REPORT NO. 10: AHM SD40 DIESEL termediate-level" model railroaders. 44 PERFORMANCE TEST REPORT NO.11: PROTO-POWER FOR EXPERIENCED MODELERS WEST SD9 DIESEL articles designed for those who have developed 46 PERFORMANCE TEST REPO�T NO. 12: MANTUA F7 DIESEL their skills in the hobby by successfully assembl­ ing and painting several of the "Craftsman" -type 48 BOX CAR SUPER-DETAIL SECRETS kits. It is assumed that the modeler who follows How to add those fine detail parts to a freight car these articles knows the basics of the hobby: paint­ 56 HOW-TO APPLY DECALS THE RIGHT WAY ing, decal-application, simple soldering, etc., etc.... The finishing touch to any model We hope to make the hobby more interesting 60 IT'S A KIT: MODEL MASTERPIECES' STAMP MILL and a whole lot less of a mystery for the newcomer Amountain-based industry in a craftsman's kit with these labels. We do the same thing when we show EVERY step. Please, experts, be patient and 64 BUILD A SIMPLE "TUNNEL MOTOR" DIESEL remember what it was like when you were The quick-and-dirty way to make an SD40T-2 locomotive learning. 72 DIESEL DETAIL CLOSE-UP: BN's EMD SD40-2 MODELERS' 73 DIESEL DETAIL CLOSE-UP: SP's EMD SD45T-2 TRICK "Tunnel Motor" 74 AIR BRUSH BASICS, PART 3: INSTANT PAINT JARS Modelers' tricks are just what the name implies; How to make spray-painting even quicker and simpler special techniques that make a particular aspect of model building easier, faster, less expensive, more 77 PAINTING PROFILES NO.2: FREIGHT CARS OF THE FIFTIES --realistic and (in many cases) a combination of all Prototype paint and decal data on gondolas four! These tricks are applicable to ANY model 78 THE USED CAR LOT that uses similar materials and that is why we lable them as "modelers' tricks". If, for example, A review of the range of HO scale automobiles Goldberg's "Super Jet" cement works well to 82 MODEL RAILROADING MAGAZINE'S HISTORY attach a plastic smokestack to a roof, it (the 'trick' A glimpse at over a decade of our predecessor magazines technique) will work equally as well to attach a plastic air horn to a plastic diesel. The "TRICK" 86 LEND US A HAND! logo will help you to spot helpful techniques even Let us know what you'd do if you were editor if the particular project does not interest you at the 87 LETTERS moment. Even more information on past articles FRONT COVER: John Buscimi's simple, but most-realistic 88 BACK ISSUE INDEX HO scale layout is built in sections so it can be Where you can find out if you've missed an issue semi-portable to fit almost any basement. The layout is featured on page 4. 90 MODEL RAILROADING MAGAZINE'S DEALER DIRECTORY BACK COVER: A selection of full-color photos to help in 94 A LONG LOOK AHEAD - 1982's NEW PRODUCTS the construction of the step·by-step features in this issue: The use of ground foam on lic;:hen for more-realistic trees The first report on what you'll see NEXT YEAR and bushes begins on page 32. The methods for simulating wood decks for flat cars appeared in the Spring 1981 issue, the earthmoving machinery loads are on page 10 of this issue. Model Masterpieces "craftsman kit" for that MODEL RAILROADING (ISSN 0199-1914) is published quarterly at $9.00 per yearby mountain-industry stamp mill and power house is described on page 60. Eastwood Publishing Co., Inc. at 2901 Blake St., Denver, CO 80205. Controlled circulation postage paid at Denver, CO. Postmaster send address changes to Eastwood Publishing Company, 2901 Blake St., Denver, Colorado 80205 3 John Buscimi's HO SCALE. A model railroad made for operation EM' PI R E �arry Chris II=< A Stomping Ground For Steam One of the loop ends of the railroad is heavily wooded with smallmountainstyle wood industrial buildings and station, ,4 The 130-foot turntable is long enough to handle even the 4-8-8-2 "cab forward" articulated. Th� turntable and drive are Diamond Scale Construction, P.O. Box 1359, Dept. MRG, Oakridge, OR 97463 kits. John Buscimi's HO scale layout is 12x24-feet in a rather unusual walk-inlwalk-around configuration. The bench work is bolted-together in 2x4-foot segments so the layout can be easily disassembled when he moves. The design should allo w the railroad to fit in just about any future basement. 5 If you want to complete a model railroad that's as stunning as this one, you'll need to establish some goals. John Buscimi had completed several smaller layouts before he started on this fine 12 x 24-foot Organ, Franklin and Rio Grande Railroad so he knew what he wanted. More than anything else, John wanted a place where he could operate his ever-growing fleet of forties-era steam locomotives on trains that moved like the real ones. He also anticipated a number of changes of homes over the coming years so he needed a layout that was, to some degree, portable. He enjoys building structures, applying scenery and details and painting locomotives and rolling stock. The layout, then, needed to have plenty of room for structures and scenery with a roundhouse and turntable to display his locomotives. He does NOT enjoy laying track so he chose Most of the structures on the railroad are perfectly-finished, detailed and weathered kits. The Lambert's realistic track with plastic brick buildings in the extreme upper left and lower right corners are Magnuson Models kits; the ties and code 70-size rail, He also corrugated structures and the bunkers are Suydam solder-together kits. hates wiring, so the layout was kept simple (there are no reversing loops or wyes - just the turntable) and Atlas-brand slide-style switches were used to turn the power on and off and to operate the switch machines to actuate the turnouts.