Mark's Model Railroading.com HO Scale Model Railroading Made Easy and Fun! Including Information For All Modelers and Railfans!

Prototype Inspirations

Benchwork

Wiring

Trackwork And Layout Design

Scenery

Operating

 

       NEW TO THE HOBBY? Click HERE For Information On The GETTING STARTED! 

         NEW!  Mark's Model Railservices!  Click HERE for Operating Signals!

     NEW!  Mark's Soo Line Models!  Click HERE To Enter My Photo Gallery!!! 

        UPDATE! a PAGE FOR SOO MODELERS  A VIEW FROM THE ROUNDHOUSE!  

New! READ ABOUT AND COMMENT ABOUT MODEL RAILROADING HERE.

                          "ALL MODEL RAILROAD AND PROTOTYPE IMAGES FROM AUTHOR'S COLLECTION.  INDIVIDUALS USING TECHNIQUES AND SUGGESTIONS FOUND ON THIS WEBSITE AND ITS LINKS DO SO AT THEIR OWN RISK.  NO GUARANTEES OF RESULTS OR THE PERSONAL SAFETY OF INDIVIDUALS ARE MADE BY THE AUTHOR."                   

                                                       

             Welcome To My Website!                   

     For some time I have been looking for a way to share many of my images, stories, and even a few modeling ideas and tips.  Much of the content on this site and my links come by way of my experiences in the building of my own layout.  There are so many facets to prototype and model railroading.  I have tried to design this site with different  interests in mind.  For those just entering the hobby, please visit my webpages for a solid start in model railroading.   I am currently working on several interesting pages dedicated to my layout- The Soo Line Stevens Point Division and Manitowoc Branch.  They will be linked above and here when ready.   The pages dedicated to my collection of  prototype pictures and stories will soon be available here.  Updates should occur at least twice a month so please visit often.  If you are looking on the web for model or prototype railroading information and it's not covered here, search with :     

 

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	Web sootrains.googlepages.com

   

WORKING WITH A GOOD IDEA OF WHAT YOUR INTERESTS ARE AND THEN GETTING THOSE PLANS FROM YOUR MIND ONTO A TABLE OR BENCHWORK IS THE FIRST STEP TOWARDS PROTOTYPE MODELING.  FOR THE BEGINNER IT MAY SEEM OVERWHELMING.  THE GOALS OF MY WEBPAGES ARE TO SHOW YOU THAT A STEP-BY-STEP APPROACH WILL YIELD A GOOD LOOKING LAYOUT WITHOUT THE NEED TO OVERSPEND OR STRUGGLE THROUGH SEVERAL FAILED ATTEMPTS.  I WILL ALSO DEMONSTRATE THE IMPORTANCE OF A WORKING LAYOUT- WHICH IS TO SAY A LAYOUT THAT FEATURES TRAIN MOVEMENTS THAT MIMIC THE PROTOTYPE.                                                                                                                    

                                                                                                                                                                                                    

 

 

ONCE YOU START MODEL RAILROADING, IT WILL SOON BECOME ADDICTIVE!  EVEN WITHOUT SCENERY COMPLETED YOU WILL FIND A SENSE OF ACCOMPLISHMENT.  WATCHING A LOCOMOTIVE MOVING ALONG SMOOTHLY AND DERAILMENT FREE WILL LET YOU KNOW THAT YOUR BENCHWORK, TRACKWORK, AND WIRING ARE ALL IN GOOD SHAPE.  NOW YOU CAN BEGIN TO BRING A TRUE SENSE OF REALISM TO YOUR LAYOUT THROUGH SCENIC DETAILING AS SEEN HERE.  PLEASE CHECK OUT MY WEBPAGES DEDICATED TO EACH SUBJECT!

 

 

 

EVEN THOUGH "EASY AND FUN" APPEAR ABOVE, REMEMBER THAT A CERTAIN LEVEL OF ARTISTRY AND SOME EXPERIENCE WITH BASIC WOODWORKING, HAND / POWER TOOLS, AND ELECTRICAL KNOWLEDGE WILL BE REQUIRED.  MOST OF THIS CAN BE ACQUIRED AS YOU BUILD.  I HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN MODEL RAILROADING FOR OVER 30 YEARS AND I AM STILL LEARNING SOMETHING NEW WITH MANY OF THE PROJECTS THAT CURRENTLY KEEP ME OCCUPIED!  DON'T LET A LACK OF EXPERIENCE SCARE YOU AWAY FROM THIS GREAT HOBBY, YOU WILL LEARN MANY SKILLS BEING INVOLVED IN MODEL RAILROADING THAT WILL CARRY OVER TO OTHER AREAS IN YOUR DAILY LIFE.  IT'S A GREAT WAY FOR KIDS TO LEARN TOO!  MAKE SURE TO GET THEM INVOLVED IF POSSIBLE.