By Tom Barbalet
Live internet radio covering all aspects of the model rail hobby
New caller Glenn Draper wants to know more about DCC and it just so happens Lionel Strang is on the call to help out. Mark Gurries talks more about DCC. Ron and Rachel Klaiss call in to provide a father/daughter...
Georgie Li kicks off the show with a troubled tale about restoring a historic station. Mike Slater and Ted Picraux give their feedback to Georgie. Ted gives an update. Fred has a number of updates from the Illinois Rail Museum....
Tom and John Garaty discuss some structure building on John's famous layout. Tom provides his condolences to Jim Gifford and his crew. Jim's layout has been officially launched. Jim's friend Peter Rees introduces his layout. Stephen Arnold has been learning...
Chris and Tom rap about the Great British Train Show. There is breaking news from Jim Gifford. Richard Kowalski calls in to introduce his layout and his philosophy on layout design. Malcolm provides a layout update and it features fish....
Andy Dixson has a layout update. Will more trees have to die for this layout? Time will tell. Jimmy Low introduces his model railroading interests. Will Merrell provides a blueprint for a successful NTrak club in particular working through a...
Tom shares some good news. Jim Lincoln and Terry Terrance chat about two rail O scale and P48 (Groundhog Day?). They also discuss their recent 3d printing projects. Ben provides some rail-fanning and model rail product updates. Sven Frank talks...
Jim Lincoln and Terry Terrance gather for the much anticipated two-rail-O-scale should be more like Proto-48 discussion. Terry and Jim then discuss their respective projects. Ben talks about a train show he attended. Ben also talks about some new products...
Cesar Luna calls in for the first time to discuss multifaceted layouts he is planning in O and HO. Terry Terrance and Cesar talk about using video monitors providing movement in your layout. Chris Abbott jumps in to talk about...
Mike Slater and Chris Abbott join Tom talking about what has happened to Atlas track: in particular N scale track. Murray also contributes to the track discussion and then provides a layout update. Stephen Arnold has been hanging out with...
New caller Jim Walsh introduces his model railroading interests. David Karkoski is working on a new copper-mining layout. Matthew Clendenen has been getting into the hobby very rapidly. Tom provides a little family legal work for the Rindts. Clark Kooning...
Chuck Catania introduces his model railroad and a project he is working on with Seth Neumann to update CMRI for the Arduino micro controller. Will Merrell is a member of an N-trak modular club. Seth provides some assistance for operating...
Sven has a new layout for a new space. Ron Klaiss introduces his model rail interests and he has quite a layout to be seen on YouTube. James Rybka provides a model railroading update of diversion. Ralph has some advice...
Sven Frank starts a discussion on rust with Edward Traxler. Sven also introductions a discussion on LED strips with Peter Burr. Anders provides an update on a new space and a new layout. Ted Picraux talks local museum layouts with...
Malcolm Johnson chats with Hong Kong model railroader, Rios Tam. You can see more of Rios' work on YouTube and Instagram.
Tom chats with Edward Traxler about new ways to make wild grass. Jim Gore is showing his layout. Tom and Jim talk about the NMRA. Ted Picraux calls in to talk rail podcasting and a substantial garden layout he's in...
When you are going to leave the country, there's one thing you have to do first. Terry Terrance does his departure to London right by calling in to Model Rail Radio and getting the information he needs on what to...
Terry Terrance kicks off the show talking about the O-Scale National and his time at the NMRA National. Jim Lincoln has been catching up with Terry too. Jim Lincoln discusses pealing painting techniques. Nigel Gartshore has enjoyed some painting DVDs...
Terry Gaskin introduces his interests in three-rail O scale. Mike Slater chimes in on some traction midwest O scale and he's been depot measuring with the Rindt family. Ralph DeBlasi has been visited by model rail riffraff royalty. Dave Falkenburg...
Favorite Part of the Show, Jim Lincoln, hosts an off-show chat with a surprising quantity of model railroading and prototype discussion. The audio quality is patchy in parts but well worth a listen.
Ed Traxler has been pranking the Facebook group. Tom and Ed rap on the Civil War and computer history too. Peter Burr introduces his lifetime of model rail interests and his plans to integrate craftsman structures on his new layout....
Tom and Jim start the show talking about what Jim's taking to Atlanta for the NMRA National. Mike has been using Shapeways. Ben Rechel is heading to Canada and he's visiting Chris Abbott. Chris gives an update associated with a...
Tom starts the show with Andy Dixson who introduces how he got interested in model rail and his current plans for multiple layouts. Dave Frary calls in to talk about BBQ, lobster fishing secrets and his early experiences with trains....
Mike and Tom chat the Bertie winners this year starting with Mike's particular passion, O scale. Mike talks about an operating session with the Rindts. Ralph is trying to teach himself weathering. Jim Gore jumps in to talk about his...
Tom chats with Marshall Stull about his two winning entries in the Shelf Layout Design contest. The Professor calls in from the Australian Narrow Gauge Convention. Murray is the first punter to the mic to talk about his experience at...
Tom presents the 2012 Bertie Awards. Congratulations to all the winners!
Tom starts the show talking with Vera about the part one winners of the Shelf Layout Design Contest and a few entries who didn't quite make the winner circle. Toni Ryan talks about his winning track plans. Mike Slater did...
Duncan McRee starts the show chatting with Tom and Terry about his new dead-rail module, some of his historical product line and a new device dubbed the Professor Silencer. John Hunter promises to demo the Silencer to the Professor and...
Tom starts the show by saying sorry for the lack of shows through January and giving thanks to Mike Slater for filling in on the audio content. Tom continues discussing the Berties and the new Shelf Layout Contest with feedback...
Jim Gifford and Tom start the show talking about documenting an empire. Seth Neumann adds to the discussion on documentation. Clark Kooning talks about new folks entering the hobby through the holiday season and his aluminum layout building kits. Tom...
Mike Slater hosts another offshow chat with the usual suspects and special guest, Joe Duckworth.
Tom posts a quick audio update about voting in the Bertie Awards and also a new layout design contest.
Mike Slater hosts a sometimes heated off-show chat. There's some model railroading content including discussions on the order of scenery and the best stuff for water. Topics also include classic cars, adventures on motorcycles and where John Hunter lives.
Tom and Terry start the show chatting with Tim Shenton about his winning layout for the John Hunter Layout design contest. The Prof and Peter Stempel add some analysis on Tim's design. Tom winds the Prof up and leaves him...
Back by popular demand (actually I just left the recorder running), the usual postal crew gather with Dan Pickard to discuss the finer points of bush boxes, the phenomenon of selling layouts on, the difficulties of dating in southern Utah...
Tom starts the call chatting with Andrew Chisholm about his experiences having an operating session. Roger talks about his brother's layout and some of the techniques Roger will be featuring in some upcoming clinics. Chris Abbott returns to talk about...
Tom kicks the show off talking about the John Hunter layout design contest and the return of the Berties. Mike Slater talks about a service center he maintains to work on his trains. Clark and Mike are going to Trainfest....
Vera's working in On30 now? It's just a once off. Tom and Vera chat about a layout tour with the Prof and co in the SF Bay Area (an ongoing theme throughout the show). Jimmy Simmons provides an update. It's...
Edward Traxler starts the show talking about a three-rail scenic-ing clinic he's working on. Paul Best gives an update on his wonderful club. Tom gives an account of failed technology (a theme that continues through the show in one form...
Tom starts the show with Mike Slater talking about a Lionel conversion he's been working on. Dan Pickard introduces his interests in the hobby namely Australian narrow gauge. Hoffy talks about some radical changes in his layout. Tom Conboy provides...
Tom and Vera start the call chatting about impressionism in model rail. Danish listener Andreas Kold Skensved introduces his N scale layout. Henry discusses how he is expanding a previous layout to a new layout. John Hunter calls in from...
Tom and Mike chat about Grand Rails and the recovery from Grand Rails. Anders provides a book review and discusses what will make an iconic layout going forwards. Terry joins the discussion to talk about layouts that have directed his...
Tom wraps up his coverage of Grand Rails by throwing down some cash and crossing the divide from Working Media to having a really good time!
Taking the initiative over a quiet month, Terry took his recorder along to the 2012 O Scale National Convention and recorded a little audio early with Rich Martin of the New York Society of Model Engineers. Through the course of...
Tom talks about the first day of the Train Show.
Tom travels to the outer suburbs of Detroit, MI, for an epic layout tour.
Tom provides an update on his trip so far and the first day of Grand Rails in Grand Rapids, MI.
It's a rare thing for Tom and Chris to have a chat these days. The special starts with some sad news about the passing of Rich Chrysler. The show moves on to an extended discussion of live steam. The special...
Tom starts the show talking with Seth Neumann about his modeling interests including the industry of the East San Francisco Bay and operations. Mike Slater provides a quick update for Grand Rails. Vera and Seth chat about layouts of whimsy...
Tom starts the show chatting with Barry Dupler about 7 1/2 inch live steam, then Barry continues the discussion with Russ Segner on the National Narrow Gauge Convention held in Seattle later this year and their narrow gauge interests. Peter...