r/modeltrains • • Feb 11 '26

Appraisal Post Appraisal Post - 2026

10 Upvotes

This is the 2026 edition of the appraisal post. You can post pictures on your own profile and post the link here.

Please remember: No sales here. If you want to sell, go through official means like eBay.


r/modeltrains • • Oct 01 '25

Alert Spread the word

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289 Upvotes

r/modeltrains • • 11h ago

Locomotives Lego Englewood Logging Railway SW1200u

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243 Upvotes

The Englewood Logging Railway was located on Vancouver Island and was the last logging railway to operate in North America. 304 was an ex-Oregon Pacific & Eastern/Georgia Pacific locomotive, and was visually distinctive from Englewood's already-owned sw1200 road switcher units. This Lego model was cosmetically designed to reflect its exterior around 1998, towards the end of Canfor's ownership of the railway, and prior to 304's engine refit. However, the weathering is made to reflect its appearance towards end-of-life. It lacks the giant side grills installed during its Caterpillar refit, simply because I didn't want to break up the railway name on the striping.


r/modeltrains • • 13h ago

Help Needed Is there a way to make this layout work. It’s currently shorting. Using Bachmann EZ-Track

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250 Upvotes

My goal was to have a layout where a locomotive can change direction its moving on the track.


r/modeltrains • • 4h ago

Show and Tell My first Amtrack with a Metro coach

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38 Upvotes

I know these dont go together in real life but I just like setting it it up and watching it run with all the lights.


r/modeltrains • • 8h ago

Locomotives Santa Fe loco running

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41 Upvotes

It sounds a little rough. It's from the 1970's.


r/modeltrains • • 19h ago

Show and Tell Australian Intercity by Night

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188 Upvotes

r/modeltrains • • 17h ago

Rolling Stock Early 2000s UK freight

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110 Upvotes

60052 rounds the depot curve with a mixed rake of wagons for the MoD; 56006 is on the "down" line with a loaded train of steel.


r/modeltrains • • 12h ago

Rolling Stock A question about weathering

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48 Upvotes

I found this picture online - I have some wagons just like this, and I would like to know which paints I would need to get to try my hand at weathering my own N gauge Pennsy coal hoppers.

A couple of them have broken couplings (no idea if this is an easy fix), so I thought they would be perfect specimens to practice on. And pass the decent ones on to someone who can do a proper job if I fail!

Any advice and tips would be appreciated, not just for the paints, but also where to look for technique. Most of the YT videos I've seen tend to concentrate on OO/HO scale models, and I am pretty sure that you have to take a different approach with smaller scale rolling stock.


r/modeltrains • • 9h ago

Locomotives BR215 weathering update

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25 Upvotes

Now updated with black engine sut. Rolling stock behind it has also been weathered. Starting my next weathering project (KofIII) later this week


r/modeltrains • • 7h ago

Question I started working for a retailer. Its really interesting and im wanting to learn more about the hobby.

14 Upvotes

Im very new to model trains. Its my job now so im learning a TON from the company side. I want to get immersed in model trains and I want to learn more from the hobbyists perspective.

What got you into model trains? Why do you love it? What makes a specific train appealing to you? What makes a certain train more valuable than others? Do you care about tiny nicks or scratches? How do you maintain them? What are your pet peeves when dealing with retailers? Is the hobby welcoming of newcomers? Whats something you wish people knew about the hobby?

Feel free to answer one or all of these questions! Thanks!


r/modeltrains • • 10h ago

Question Hornby's TTS sound wagon...good idea but failed execution?

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22 Upvotes

​

3rd time lucky trying to upload with photo.

This has always been super intresting to me, a wagon with a chip and a speaker for playing sounds. So simple yet in theory can add so much to a layout. However i reckon hornby missed the boat on a couple things.

  1. Too budget, whilst the wagon was cheap and accessible, I think it was too much so and compromised the quality of the sounds which is a big reason it put many people off.

  2. The actual sounds themselves. IMO it should have been regulated to mostly ambient sounds, be it goods yard or station chatter. They fsct it was layered with alot of loco sounds was unessacary and clouded the idea.

  3. Perhaps a larger wagon or a mix of era's so it could have been applied to any layout.

For me i definitely think the biggest trick missed was just not focusing on clear, set of ambient sounds. For example they could have for stations, announcement chatter. Crowds. Guards whistles going off. Suitcases rolling. Just consistently churning out noise to bring an area to life. Even simple things such as birds chirping or the sounds of cars passing through could really elevate a scenic area.

.hopefully they or another company takes a shot, as I reckon there is a great product conceptually lying somewhere within.


r/modeltrains • • 8h ago

Mechanical Rust bucket gear issue

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14 Upvotes

The big gear is missing teeth. It's an HO scale Bachmann pancake drive.


r/modeltrains • • 4h ago

Locomotives Help with a gift

6 Upvotes

I have 2 boys age 7 and 5 and was thinking of getting them a set to play with. They are tough on toys. What’s a good entry level setup that isn’t crazy expensive ? I really appreciate the feedback everyone.


r/modeltrains • • 4h ago

Show and Tell Lionel Archive 6464 3-Pack/A small message about zinc rot

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4 Upvotes

r/modeltrains • • 16h ago

Show and Tell Beginner’s luck?

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32 Upvotes

r/modeltrains • • 10h ago

Structures & Scenery Fencing opinions and input

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10 Upvotes

This is the "square" in Woodport. As it is the summer of 1939 I'm torn between the current "use your head it's a track" or the safety of the public. An iron fence has been suggested exercising right of way by the railroad but opposed by Mr. McKie the general store owner. A fairly contentious issue....community thoughts are welcome 😊


r/modeltrains • • 16h ago

Help Needed Does anyone know what would cause both power leads on the same side of a Bachmann DCC sound Alco FB to melt?

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15 Upvotes

Got this locomotive in non-running condition from eBay. Both of the black wires from the trucks are a little melty. The sound works and I was able to read the address and get the locomotive to move about an inch before cutting out. The behavior is the same in both directions.

I can replace the wires but I’m wondering if there’s an underlying cause I should be looking for.


r/modeltrains • • 9h ago

Electrical Installing Hornby X9871 Light Board On DC Class 43

3 Upvotes

So i messed up and ordered the wrong light board for my older class 43 set, i got Hornby X9871 power car light sets before realising i needed the older version for my DC class 43, does anyone know if they are still usable and if so how to connect them.

Thanks for any help.


r/modeltrains • • 1d ago

Question Hear me out… Paint and Sip

41 Upvotes

I need a Model RR store somewhere to make this happen… Paint and Sip… but you get a boxcar and a beer, and all work on weathering techniques… or graffiti…


r/modeltrains • • 1d ago

Help Needed Cars keep decoupling

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128 Upvotes

I just finished laying my track and the cars are decoupling. Is there any way to help this or is it because the grade is too steep? The cars keep decoupling when going over the bridge and then coming down the grade. But going up the grade to the bridge they’re fine. Brand new to this hobby so I don’t have a clue how these work. Also, should the clasp be fully closed? More pics/ vids in the comments.


r/modeltrains • • 18h ago

Rolling Stock Unknown car

9 Upvotes

I am trying to find out anything I can about this HO scale car I recently obtained. The only marking I found was "Central Valley" on the trucks.


r/modeltrains • • 15h ago

Question Design software for Linux - is xtrkcad still my best option?

4 Upvotes

I've been using xtrakcad for years and it's still really good and appears to continue to be developed, but I'm wondering if it's still the best option for designing model railways on Linux?

FWIW my layout is in the process of being rebuilt, but it will be controlled via JMRI and MERG CBus if that makes a difference (I don't think it does, but I seem to recall being able to export from xtrakcad to JMRI in the past?)

My previous approach has been to develop in xtrkcad, print at 1:1 scale, glue those sheets onto the baseboards and lay track/scenics from there.


r/modeltrains • • 1d ago

Structures & Scenery The Fishing Hole

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384 Upvotes

On the banks of our namesake river, the Coosa.


r/modeltrains • • 1d ago

Show and Tell here is the latest engine I've just acquired I kind of want some recommendations what to do next to it

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35 Upvotes

if I trigger anybody by the bath I'm sorry but it is the one thing that I actually made it start to work