Expert Tips

Videos that help modelers produce smooth-running and realistic model railroads.
Better rail joiners for your layout

Better rail joiners for your layout

Working with rail joiners is difficult for many model railroaders. Rail joiners are the weakest...

Working with wire cutters expertly with David Popp

Working with wire cutters expertly with David Popp

Working with wire cutters expertly - Trains.com director David Popp demonstrates the application of wire...

How to build a track cleaning car

How to build a track cleaning car

How to build a simple track cleaning car – MR contributor Gerry Leone shares instructions...

How to troubleshoot and disassemble an HO scale brass steam locomotive

How to troubleshoot and disassemble an HO scale brass steam locomotive

Senior Editor Eric White evaulates and troubleshoots an HO scale brass steam locomotive from Sunset...

How to cut track

How to cut track

Join David Popp in the studio as he shows you how to tackle the tricky...

How to cut track

How to cut track

Join David Popp in the studio as he shows you how to tackle the tricky...

Keep your adhesive bottles ready to use

Keep your adhesive bottles ready to use

Staff member Rene Schweitzer demonstrates ways to make sure your adhesives are always ready to...

Fixing Wobbling Boxcars

Fixing Wobbling Boxcars

In this quick how-to video, Eric White shows you how a little bit of filing...

Fixing Wobbling Boxcars

Fixing Wobbling Boxcars

In this quick how-to video, Eric White shows you how a little bit of filing...

Modeling layout scenery at the workbench

Modeling layout scenery at the workbench

Narrow gauge modeler Gregg Condon presents a simple way to make model railroad scenery right...

Trains.com Holiday Party: Working with Acrylic, Episode 11

Trains.com Holiday Party: Working with Acrylic, Episode 11

In this final episode of our Trains.com Holiday Party, Cody Grivno shows how to assemble...

Trains.com Holiday Party: Fun Run, Episode 10

Trains.com Holiday Party: Fun Run, Episode 10

Around the Kalmbach HQ, workin' on the railroad is part of the job. But at...

Trains.com Holiday Party: Scrap Box Scenery, Episode 9

Trains.com Holiday Party: Scrap Box Scenery, Episode 9

The Trains.com Holiday Party continues with David Popp suited up to make some special layout...

Trains.com Holiday Party: Turntable Trouble, Episode 8

Trains.com Holiday Party: Turntable Trouble, Episode 8

A previous O scale turntable build went awry this fall, so David turned the troubleshooting...

Trains.com Holiday Party: Shake-the-box kits, Episode 7

Trains.com Holiday Party: Shake-the-box kits, Episode 7

Are you hoping to get a freight car kit under the tree? Cody Grivno opened...

Trains.com Holiday Party: Capacitor for an RS-1, Episode 6

Trains.com Holiday Party: Capacitor for an RS-1, Episode 6

David Popp pushes the Trains.com Holiday Party to capacity! Follow along as he walks through...

Trains.com Holiday Party: Artists’ Oil Weathering, Episode 4

Trains.com Holiday Party: Artists’ Oil Weathering, Episode 4

Cody Grivno fits right into the Holiday Party festivities! In this episode, our Trains.com ace...

Trains.com Holiday Party: Whistle Wiring Work, Episode 3

Trains.com Holiday Party: Whistle Wiring Work, Episode 3

Host David Popp brings CTT Editor Hal Miller to the party! Hal has been working...

Trains.com Holiday Party: Seawalls and waves, Episode 1

Trains.com Holiday Party: Seawalls and waves, Episode 1

The holiday season is here -- and that's a pretty good reason for Trains.com's preeminent...

How-to Library: Building a turntable, Part 7 – Add finishing details and scenery

How-to Library: Building a turntable, Part 7 – Add finishing details and scenery

David Popp's O scale laser-cut wood turntable kit is now completely assembled! The project build...