MINIATURE TRAINS AND RAILROADS
This is a very specialized genre of the miniatures field but may be the most fanatical. People who build miniature railroads and trains(called Layouts) will go to greater lengths and use up personal spaces that their family may not be so happy to give up to this exclusive use. They are often single tracked(ha!) in this pursuit and have a language of their own that even other miniaturists are unlikely to be able to follow. But they also make some of the most fantastic dioramas and toys. The whole point is to have a train that can move across their miniature landscape and deliver its goods to its destination before making the round again. These layouts can be so complicated that they need a group of people getting directions from the Dispatcher in order to run all the trains on timed schedules to share the tracks. I don't have a collection of these books and magazines to share - I was into the military modelling end of this field, spending many many weekends in Ed Mormon's garage maneuvering Napoleon's troups, or playing Battletech, but I would be really happy to catalog someone's library for this, and would be happy to hear from you. There has been so much published on this subject, and people new to it won't have a clue how exciting it is until they've started reading about it. I hope someone will see this and decide to share. I've made a start with the four books I have and Kalmbach's really helpful bibliography in the back of their books...
For a great sense of history of this hobby and the big names in it, I highly recommend Sam Posey's book "Playing with Trains: A Passion Beyond Scale". It was published in 2004, and Mr. Posey goes back all the way to WWII. He knows his history, and he's met most of the people who built this hobby. It's an entertaining read that imparts a lot of information.
August, 2025: Exciting news! A complete run of "Model Railroader"(1934 - now), and a nearly complete run of "Model Railroad Craftsman"(1933 - now(but missing the first decade under the title "The Model Craftsman")) came available in Virginia - only 4 hour drive from where I live! All told, that is about 170 years worth run of magazines I won't have to try to find and piece together. These are the two most important magazines in this hobby. It's going to take me some time, understandably, to process them, since my method of cataloging is a 3-step process that helps me eliminate the inevitable typos and errors that arise from being tired or in a hurry or distracted. But they are key reference materials for the hobby, and no one has made public a complete catalog of them. I'm so excited!
Anyone with more information about this publication can contact me through My Contact Page.
Pix
Bibliography Entries
Miniature Building Construction,
by J.H. Ahern (TPB:1947)
Notes: ** pages; Country: USA; Publisher: ???, ???; ISBN: None;
...
Miniature Locamotive Construction,
by J.H. Ahern (TPB:1948)
Notes: ** pages; Country: USA; Publisher: ???, ???; ISBN: None;
...
Miniature Landscape Modelling,
by J.H. Ahern (TPB:1951)
Notes: ** pages; Country: USA; Publisher: ???, ???; ISBN: None;
...
the Collectors' Book of the Locomotive,
by E. Alexander (TPB:****)
Notes: ?? pages; Country: USA; Publisher: Clarkson N. Potter, ???; ISBN: None;
...
OO Gauge Model Railways,
by M. Andreas (TPB:****)
Notes: ?? pages; Country: USA; Publisher: Almark Publications, ???; ISBN: None;
He wrote other books - may need his own page...
N Gauge Model Railways,
by M. Andreas (TPB:****)
Notes: ?? pages; Country: USA; Publisher: Almark Publications, ???; ISBN: None;
...
Railroad Structures Plan Book,
by Alan B. Armitage (TPB:****)
Notes: ?? pages; Country: USA; Publisher: Kemtron Products Co., ???; ISBN: ****;
...
Styrene Fabrications,
by Alan B. Armitage (TPB:****)
Notes: ?? pages; Country: USA; Publisher: Kemtron Products Co., ???; ISBN: ****;
...
Custom Line Layouts,
by John Armstrong (TPB:****)
Notes: ?? pages; Country: USA; Publisher: Atlas Tool Co., ???; ISBN: None;
...
Twenty Custom Designed Track Plans,
by John Armstrong (TPB:1994)
Notes: 96 pages; Country: USA; Publisher: Kalmbach Books, Waukesha, WI; ISBN: 0890241910;
...
Seven Step-by-Step HO Railroads,
by Atlas Model Railroad Co., Inc (TPB:20**)
Notes: 52 pages; Country: USA; Publisher: Atlas Model Railroad Co., Inc., ???; ISBN: None;
...
The Atlas Beginner's Guide to HO Model Railroading, Book 9,
by Atlas Model Railroad Co., Inc (TPB:2008)
Notes: 44 pages; Country: USA; Publisher: Atlas Model Railroad Co., Inc., ???; ISBN: None;
...
Die Anderen Nurnberger, Vols. 1-5,
by Carlernst Baecker, Dieter Haas (TPB:****)
Notes: ?? pages; Country: ???; Publisher: Hobby Haas, ???; ISBN: None;
...
Technical Toys Over the Course of Time, Vols. 1-8(?),
by Carlernst Baecker, Dieter Haas, C. Jeanmaire (TPB:****)
Notes: ?? pages; Country: ???; Publisher: Hobby Haas/Verlag Eisenbahn, ???; ISBN: None;
...
Model Railway Handbook,
by W.J. Bassett-Lowke (TPB:1918)
Notes: ** pages; Country: USA; Publisher: ???, ???; ISBN: None;
...
The Craft of Model Railways,
by Edward Beale (TPB:193*)
Notes: ** pages; Country: USA; Publisher: ???, ???; ISBN: None;
...
Scale Railway Modelling Today,
by Edward Beale (TPB:193*)
Notes: ** pages; Country: USA; Publisher: ???, ???; ISBN: None;
...
Model Cars and Locomotives,
by Edward Beale, Frank Taylor (TPB:1940)
Notes: ** pages; Country: USA; Publisher: ???, ???; ISBN: None;
...
Arduino Model Railroad Signals and Other Projects,
by Paul David Bradt, David Jay Bradt (TPB:2015)
Notes: 100 pages; Country: USA; Publisher: CreateSpace(Self-published); ISBN: 1516847121;
...
Arduino Model Railroad Animation,
by Paul David Bradt, David Jay Bradt (TPB:2016)
Notes: 136 pages; Country: USA; Publisher: CreateSpace(Self-published); ISBN: 1537577158;
...
Real-Life Scenic Techniques for Model Railroaders,
by Carl Caiati (TPB:1987)
Notes: 161 pages; Country: USA; Publisher: Tab Books, Blue Ridge Summit, PA; ISBN: 0830627650;
...
The Trains of Lionel Stardard Gauge Era,
by Harold H. Carstens (TPB:****)
Notes: ?? pages; Country: USA; Publisher: Railroad Model Craftsman, ???; ISBN: None;
...
Rolling Stock Manual,
by Harold H. Carstens (TPB:****)
Notes: ?? pages; Country: USA; Publisher: Penn Publishing, ???; ISBN: None;
...
Steam Locomotive Plan Manual,
edited by Harold H. Carstens (TPB:****)
Notes: ?? pages; Country: USA; Publisher: Penn Publishing, ???; ISBN: None;
...
Railway Encyclopaedia,
by Ernest F. Carter (HC:1963)
Notes: 365 pages; Country: UK; Publisher: Harold Starke, London, UK; ISBN: None;
He wrote a great many books about railroads - when I have a moment, he'll get his own page...
Let's Look at Trains,
by Ernest F. Carter (HC:1964)
Notes: ** pages; Country: USA; Publisher: Albert Whitman & co., ???; ISBN: 058463403X;
...
Toy Trains of Yesteryear,
by Case Cowell (TPB:****)
Notes: ?? pages; Country: USA; Publisher: Model Craftsman Publishing, ???; ISBN: None;
...
Last of a Breed,
by Mike Danneman (HC:19**)
Notes: * pages; Country: USA; Publisher: Two Ponies Publishing, ???; ISBN: 1615843582;
...
Steel Rails Across America: The Drama of Railroading in Spectacular Photos,
by Mike Danneman (HC:19**)
Notes: * pages; Country: USA; Publisher: ???, ???; ISBN: 1559490268;
...
Scenery for Your Model Railroad,
by Mike Danneman (TPB:2000)
Notes: 80 pages; Country: USA; Publisher: Kalmbach Books, Waukesha, WI; ISBN: 0890243239;
...
Rio Grande Through the Rockies,
by Mike Danneman (TPB:2002)
Notes: * pages; Country: USA; Publisher: Kalmbach Books, Waukesha, WI; ISBN: 0890243654;
...
Painting Backdrops for Your Model Railroad,
by Mike Danneman (TPB:2008)
Notes: * pages; Country: USA; Publisher: Kalmbach Books, Waukesha, WI; ISBN: 0890247056;
...
Model Railways - 1838/1939,
by Hamilton Ellis (TPB:1962)
Notes: ?? pages; Country: EUROPE; Publisher: Allen & Unwin, ???; ISBN: None;
...
How to Build Realistic Model Railroad Scenery(2nd edition),
by Dave Frary (TPB:1991)
Notes: 132 pages; Country: USA; Publisher: Kalmbach Books, Waukesha, WI; ISBN: 0890241244;
...
A Home For Your Railway,
by F.J. Freezer (TPB:****)
Notes: ?? pages; Country: UK; Publisher: Peco Publications, ???; ISBN: None;
...
Model Railroad Electronics 3,
by Rutger Friberg (TPB:****)
Notes: 104 pages; Country: USA; Publisher: Alt Om Hobby Publishing Co., ???; ISBN: 918549691X;
...
Antique Toy Trains,
by H. Godel (TPB:****)
Notes: ?? pages; Country: USA; Publisher: Self, ???; ISBN: None;
...
Cardboard Rolling Stock and How to Build It,
by E. Rankin Gray (TPB:19**)
Notes: ** pages; Country: USA; Publisher: ???, ???; ISBN: None;
...
Greenberg's Price Guide to Lionel Trains,
by Bruce Greenberg (TPB:****)
Notes: ?? pages; Country: USA; Publisher: Self, ???; ISBN: None;
There was a pre-war and post-war edition...
Full Colour Reporductions of Lionel Catalogues 1923-1946,
by Bruce Greenberg (TPB:****)
Notes: ?? pages; Country: UK?; Publisher: Self, ???; ISBN: None;
...
Lionel Catalogues, 1903-1917,
by Bruce Greenberg (TPB:****)
Notes: ?? pages; Country: UK?; Publisher: Self, ???; ISBN: None;
...
Model Steam Locomotives,
by Henry Greenly (TPB:1914)
Notes: ** pages; Country: USA; Publisher: ???, ???; ISBN: None;
...
Model Electric Locomotives and Railways,
by Henry Greenly (TPB:1922)
Notes: ** pages; Country: USA; Publisher: ???, ???; ISBN: None;
...
Building the Burlington Northern Railroad in N Scale,
by Ed Hammer, Lee Zies, Marc Van Cleven (TPB:1990)
Notes: 56 pages; Country: USA; Publisher: Kalmbach Books, Waukesha, WI; ISBN: 0890241198;
...
Toy Train Treasury: The Vicar's Collection, vol. 1,
by Burke Hare, Wolken (TPB:****)
Notes: ?? pages; Country: USA; Publisher: Iron Horse Publications, ???; ISBN: None;
...
Toy Train Treasury: La Rue Shempp Collection, vol. 2,
by Burke Hare, Wolken (TPB:****)
Notes: ?? pages; Country: USA; Publisher: Iron Horse Publications, ???; ISBN: None;
...
Trains,
by Robert Selph Henry (TPB:****)
Notes: ?? pages; Country: USA; Publisher: Bobbs-Merrill Publishing, ???; ISBN: *****;
...
Riding the Tinplate Rails,
by Louis Hertz (TPB:1944)
Notes: ?? pages; Country: USA; Publisher: ???, ???; ISBN: None;
This was considered a classic by Patrick Whitehouse and says it explains well the "amazing popularity of model railways"...
Collecting Model Trains,
by Louis Hertz (TPB:1954)
Notes: ?? pages; Country: USA; Publisher: ???, ???; ISBN: None;
...
An Introduction to Model Railways,
edited by Pat Hornsey (TPB:****)
Notes: ?? pages; Country: USA; Publisher: New English Library, ???; ISBN: None;
...
Along Hornby Lines,
by B. Huntingdon (TPB:****)
Notes: ?? pages; Country: UK; Publisher: Oxford Publishing, ???; ISBN: None;
...
Bing 1902-1904,
edited by C. Jeanmaire (TPB:****)
Notes: ?? pages; Country: GER; Publisher: Verlag Eisenbahn, ???; ISBN: None;
...
Bing, Grandad's Model Railway,
by C. Jeanmaire (TPB:****)
Notes: ?? pages; Country: GER; Publisher: Verlag Eisenbahn, ???; ISBN: None;
...
Die Weiten Spuren(Railway Models of Marklin),
by C. Jeanmaire (TPB:****)
Notes: ?? pages; Country: GER; Publisher: Verlag Eisenbahn, ???; ISBN: None;
...
Historic Carriage Drawings,
by David Jenkinson, Nick Campling (TPB:****)
Notes: ?? pages; Country: USA; Publisher: Ian Allan, ???; ISBN: None;
...
Realistic Animation Lighting & Sound: 21 Projects for Your Model Railroad,
by Kent J. Johnson (TPB:2000)
Notes: 80 pages; Country: USA; Publisher: Kalmbach Books, Waukesha, WI; ISBN: 0890243387;
...
Collectors' Guide to Model Railways,
by J. Joyce (TPB:****)
Notes: ?? pages; Country: USA; Publisher: M.A.P., ???; ISBN: None;
...
DIY Advanced Model Railroad Signaling Electronics,
by J. Richard Kerr (TPB:2015)
Notes: 158 pages; Country: USA; Publisher: CreateSpace(self); ISBN: 1517602246;
...
Planning Scenery for Your Model Railroad: How to Use Nature for Modeling Realism,
by Tony Koester (TPB:2007)
Notes: 96 pages; Country: USA; Publisher: Kalmbach Books, Waukesha, WI; ISBN: 0890246572;
...
Planning Your Model Railroad,
by Tony Koester (TPB:2015)
Notes: 96 pages; Country: USA; Publisher: Kalmbach Books, Waukesha, WI; ISBN: 1627002294;
...
Beginner's Guide to N Scale Model Railroading: Everything You Need to Know to Get Started,
edited by Russ Larson (TPB:1990,1992,1993)
Notes: 104 pages; Country: USA; Publisher: Kalmbach Books, Waukesha, WI; ISBN: 0890240981;
This is edited by the editor of "Model Railroad"; It was first published in 1974 under the title "N Scale Primer"...
Bassett-Lowke Railways,
by Allen Levy (TPB:****)
Notes: ?? pages; Country: USA; Publisher: New Cavendish Books, ???; ISBN: None;
...
A Century of Model Trains,
by Allen Levy (TPB:1974)
Notes: ?? pages; Country: USA; Publisher: New Cavendish Books, ???; ISBN: None;
comprehensive pictorial history of commercial railways...
The Great Toys of George Carette,
by Allen Levy (TPB:****)
Notes: ?? pages; Country: USA; Publisher: New Cavendish Books, ???; ISBN: None;
...
Electrical Handbook for Model Railroaders,
by Paul Mallery (TPB:****)
Notes: ?? pages; Country: USA; Publisher: Simmons-Boardman, ???; ISBN: *****;
...
Wiring Your HO Layout,
by Paul Mallery (TPB:****)
Notes: ?? pages; Country: USA; Publisher: Atlas Tool Co., ???; ISBN: *****;
...
Scenery for Model Railroads,
by Bill McClanahan (TPB:****)
Notes: ?? pages; Country: USA; Publisher: Kalmbach Books, Waukesha, WI; ISBN: 089024****;
...
Collectors' Guide and History to Lionel Trains, Volume 1(pre-war),
by McComas and Tuohy (TPB:****)
Notes: ?? pages; Country: USA; Publisher: TM Productions, ???; ISBN: None;
...
Post-war Lionel Trains,
by McComas and Tuohy (TPB:****)
Notes: ?? pages; Country: USA; Publisher: TM Productions, ???; ISBN: None;
...
Model Railway Engines,
by J.E. Minns (TPB:****)
Notes: ?? pages; Country: USA; Publisher: Weidenfeld & Nicholson, ???; ISBN: None;
...
Walkaround Model Railroad Track Plans,
by Don Mitchel (TPB:1989,1991)
Notes: 72 pages; Country: USA; Publisher: Kalmbach Books, Waukesha, WI; ISBN: 9780890240816;
...
Structure Projects for Your Model Railroad,
by Modern Railroader Magazine (TPB:2013)
Notes: 88 pages; Country: USA; Publisher: Kalmbach Books, Waukesha, WI; ISBN: 0890249369;
...
Modeling the Clinchfield Railroad in N Scale,
by Gordon Odegard (TPB:1979,1990)
Notes: 64 pages; Country: USA; Publisher: Kalmbach Books, Waukesha, WI; ISBN: 9780890245446;
...
Building a Model Railroad Step by Step: Model Railroader's How-to Guide,
by David Popp (TPB:2007)
Notes: 112 pages; Country: USA; Publisher: Kalmbach Books, Waukesha, WI; ISBN: 0890246890;
2nd edition is 144 pages(ISBN:089024832X) in 2011...
Playing with Trains, A Passion Beyond Scale,
by Sam Posey (TPB:2004)
Notes: 218 pages; Country: USA; Publisher: Random House Inc., NY; ISBN: 0812971264;
This book is an autobiography style book about one man's layout and all the other model railroaders that influenced him...
Building City Scenery for Your Model Railroad,
by John Pryke (TPB:2000)
Notes: 96 pages; Country: USA; Publisher: Kalmbach Books, Waukesha, WI; ISBN: 0890243433;
...
Wiring Projects for Your Model Railroad,
by Larry Puckett (TPB:2018)
Notes: 96 pages; Country: USA; Publisher: Kalmbach Books, Waukesha, WI; ISBN: 1627005021;
...
The Products of Binns Road, volumes 1-6,
by Peter Randall (TPB:****)
Notes: ?? pages; Country: USA; Publisher: New Cavendish Books, ???; ISBN: None;
...
Die Modell Eisenbahn,
by Gustav Reder (TPB:1926)
Notes: ** pages; Country: GER; Publisher: ???, ???; ISBN: None;
...
Clockwork, Steam and Electric,
by Gustav Reder (TPB:****)
Notes: ?? pages; Country: USA; Publisher: ???, ???; ISBN: None;
First published in German(1969) under the title "Mit Uhrwerk, Dampf und Strom"...
Historic Wagon Drawings, Historic Locomotive Drawings in 4mm Scale,
by F.J. Rorke (TPB:****)
Notes: ?? pages; Country: USA; Publisher: Ian Allan, ???; ISBN: None;
...
How to Build & Detail Model Railroad Scenes,
by Lou Sassi (TPB:2004)
Notes: 88 pages; Country: USA; Publisher: Kalmbach Books, Waukesha, WI; ISBN: 0890245770;
...
How to Build & Detail Model Railroad Scenes, Vol. 2,
by Lou Sassi (TPB:2009)
Notes: 80 pages; Country: USA; Publisher: Kalmbach Books, Waukesha, WI; ISBN: 0890246696;
...
