Model Railroader Magazine Tables of Contents

Photo of a row of lined-up Model Railroader magazines

I used to be frustrated because many magazines for model railroading simply did not have indices to their issues. Or, if they did, it was an annual index for the previous years, but buried in a mid-year issue of the following year. I have started to thin down my collection of model railroading magazines, and in doing so, I prepared an OCR'ed listing of the table of contents of the magazines with the hopes that it would get placed with someone searching for an article in that magazine. Then, I decided to take that idea a bit further and create a webpage dedicated to the tables of contents of the model railroading magazines, as I compile the listing for my eBay auctions of those magazines.


Below are the Tables of Contents for the Issues that I have Transcribed thus far:
Model Railroader Magazine, September 1948

Volume 15, number 9

  • Hideaway Railroad By John Page. p.592
  • Assembling a Walthers' O Gauge Caboose. p.597
  • Photo Report: Bay Shore Electric Ry. p.600
  • Artistry in Brass. p.601
  • A Model in a Minute. p.603
  • How I Built My Layout, By William Graves. p.604
  • Girder Bridge. p.607 (plans)
  • Trackside Photos. p.608
  • Planning Your Railscape, By Joe O'Hearn. p.619
  • Jewelry on Wheels, By Eric La Nal. p.626
  • How "T" Rail Was Born. p.627
  • Prototype Ideas. p.629
  • Facts for Beginners. p.630
  • From Pillar to Post (Part 8), By Richard Houghton. p.636
  • Plans
    • Chemical Tank Car. p.624
    • Pennsylvania Consolidation Locomotive. p.632

Model Railroader Magazine, May 1961

Volume 28, number 5

  • Racket at Devil's Lodge Tunnel, p.24 Photo of Ron Wicke's HO scale western bonanza railroad.
  • Precisely detailed Mikado, p.28 One of Smithsonian's collection of great engines of America.
  • Build Moeller's General Store. By Joe and Maxine Wilhelm, p.30 Colorful and challenging building typical of the nineties.
  • Retractable Ramp for Kadee Magne-Matics. By Doug Smith, p.32 Fixed ramps on mainline tracks with no accidental uncoupling.
  • Stretching the too-short main line. By Phillips Houghton, p.33 Five practical operating ideas to combat the lack of track.
  • Passenger car interiors. By W. G. Kennedy, p.38 Many photos and detailed diagrams of passenger car interiors.
  • For men who want everything. By John Armstrong, p.49 Attic track plan with double-decked area is the most!
  • Bluebook of Model Railroad Practice (78) I - Diesel colors, p.63 Color combinations for the Lehigh Valley and Frisco diesels.
  • Prototype plans and data:
    • D&H Northern, class K-62, p.36
    • Passenger car interiors, p.38

Model Railroader Magazine, June 1961

Volume 28, number 6

  • p.22, Gingerbread under the cliffs, Tomahawk Station, a polystyrene model on Alan Armitage's layout.
  • p.28, Creating scenery above Frustration Gulch. By M. B. Wakefield, Philosophy, techniques, and refinements for a cliffside scene.
  • p.33, Warning flasher. By David L. Morse, a simple circuit makes neon bulbs flash, without moving parts.
  • p.38, Modeler's notes on the LVT. By William D. Middleton, the Liberty Bell Line, sturdiest interurban of the Northeast.
  • p.43, Close-up - Country junction. By Joseph E. Boscoe and Frank J. Richards, Simple waystation on the Penn-Reading saw more active service.
  • p.46, Working dwarf and distant semaphores (Mechanical interlocking and signaling: 5). By Paul Larson and Gordon Odegard
  • p.50, Modeling textures with sandpaper. By Francis P. Adams, Sandpaper finish on your structures, streets and track ballast.
  • p.54, Outboard brake beams for oldtime cars. By Alan Armitage, Construction of 1870 to early 1900 brake beams and brake shoes.
  • Bluebook of model railroad practice (79), p.63
    I - Diesel colors
    Color combinations for the C&IM EMD and LI Alco road switchers.
  • Prototype plans and data:
    • p.34, HT&W double-ended snowplow
    • p.36, EMD RS-1325

Model Railroader Magazine, August 1961

Volume 28, number 8

  • South Platte Idyll (oil depot)
  • Shamokin on the PRR provides a corner setting
  • Railroad with an Eye for the Public
  • Building the FL-9 Diesel
  • Track and Clearance Analysis Car
  • Oh-oh, Here's Operation - in OO
  • A Small Layout can be Part of Your Furniture
  • Bluebook of Model Railroad Practice (8) I - Diesel Colors
  • Prototype Plans and Data
    • Umatilla Station
    • New Haven FL-9

Model Railroader Magazine, June 1964

Volume 31, number 6

  • Second National Bank. By Lew Lehrman. p.34 A companion to build alongside a drugstore featured earlier.
  • The twain do meet. p.20 Engine 43 of Edward J. Groth Jr.'s Windy Gulch RR.
  • Custombuild your own tenders. By Stan Mailer. p.23 Simple method of assembly allows you to build one or a dozen.
  • The locos and cars of J. W. Barnard Jr. p.24 Photos and tabulations from one man's roster.
  • Minimizing monotony. Photos by Elden Hunter and Allan Doppel. p.30 Structures can be arranged in many interesting ways.
  • FEC's South Bay freight station. p.32 This model could be the piece de resistance of an important stop.
  • What to do about deep flanges. By Leonard Atkins. p.38 Your loco can be its own lathe when it comes to turning wheels.
  • Sycamore washout. A switching puzzle. p.40 Solution on page 59 - but don't look first!
  • "Under the spreading chestnut tree -" By E. L. Moore. p.44 A dollar model project that brings the village smithy back to life.
  • A dependable one-coil switch machine. p.47 By Raymond L. Williams. This type is easy to install and is positive in action.
  • Prototype drawings and data:
    • IT parlor-observation interurban. p.22
    • FEC's South Bay freight station. p.32
    • Electro-Motive SW-600 and SW-900. p.41

Model Railroader Magazine, February 1967

Volume x, number 2

  • p.28, Gondola cars with a lifetime guarantee. By Gene Hickey, ganged cementing makes it easy to build several cars at one time.
  • p.30, 69th Street: super traction terminal. By Aaron G. Fryer, some part of this vast track layout may be just the thing for you.
  • Narrow gauge in the Vale of Fawrcarnedd. By Alan Brackborough, p.34 British OOn3 layout in a small space makes use of a fiddle yard.
  • Shortline/narrow-gauge water plug. By G. Richard Broad. p.44 Give your iron horses a drink from this easily built plug.
  • 12345: zip code for the E&O. By Gordon Odegard, p.48 The five basic steps of zip texturing hard-shell scenery.
  • A yard and a quorner long. By Raymond A. Klatt, p.52 Track plan for compact shelf space can be used with fiddle yards.
  • So you need a lathe! By Charles Kreischer, p.56 A portable drill can be mounted on a base to ease your modelmaking.
  • Prototype drawings and data:
    • 69th Street: super traction terminal. Data, p.30
    • Coaling station in concrete. Drawings, p.33
    • Soo Line modern reefer, Drawings, p.46
    • Louisville & Nashville wood-chip hopper. Drawings, p.47
    • Narrow-gauge diesel for Newfoundland. Drawings, p.60

Model Railroader Magazine, November 1973

Volume 40, number 11

  • Top performance and sound from a Shay. p.46 By W. D. Langley and James M. Graverholt. The tuneup of a mechanism plus the installation of sound.
  • LF&S RR. track plan. p.50 Adapted from the original design of Christof Lindenstruth.
  • Try a trundle layout. By Ronald Kuykendahl. p.59 It's fun to build and operate in both HO and N scales.
  • John Mac Gown's produce building. p.60 The Model of the Month Award.
  • John Allen Memorial Bridge. By Al Kalbfleisch. p.62 A steel trestle made of two truss and two girder spans.
  • Pieces of Sunset. By Bruce A. Chubb. p.68 Modular construction helped surmount a number of problems.
  • The gingerbread house. By Jack Work. p.71 Silicone detailing molds disguise common kit parentage.
  • Sawmill symphony. Photos by Jack Work. p.76 Pictures without words recall the fretsaw period.
  • Try updating freight cars. By Jim Hediger. p.78 The ABC's of model railroading.
  • Modeling an early trailing truck. By William M. Aldrich. p.80 Backdate a locomotive to an interesting period.
  • Zuberdusti's delight. By Charles S. Small. p.84 Sometimes you can't take it with you.
  • Prototype drawings and data:
    • PRR combine of the nineties. p.56
    • The fretsaw period. Photos. p.76

Model Railroader Magazine, May 1974

Volume 41, number 5

  • Second National Bank. By Lew Lehrman. p.34 A companion to build alongside a drugstore featured earlier.
  • Pantographs that work smoothly. By Robert Hegge. p.37 They are not difficult to make.
  • The Pine Valley RR. Photos by Paul De Launiere. p.40 Canadian trio builds and operates on Friday nights.
  • Ottumwa Central RR. By Gordon Odegard.p.50 Plan of a railroad for one, two, or even more engineers.
  • Brassbashing. By Thomas D. Dressler. p.52 Update one locomotive; downdate another.
  • Diode lighting for locomotives and cars. p.61 Louis Queyrel makes an important discovery.
  • Master panels in MZL control. By E. A. Ravenscroft. p.62. Provisions for running mainline trains from a central panel.
  • Prototype drawings and data:
    • North Shore's Electroliners. p.43
    • Includes intact 4-page spread of drawings.
    • Red Arrow's Liberty Liners. 43

Model Railroader Magazine, December 1981

Volume 48, number 12

  • John Allen's Gorre & Daphetid By Andy Sperandeo, p.66 A model railroader's dream
  • Remembering John Allen, p.73 By Glenn Beier The great model railroader was also a friend
  • Closeup: Derails By Gordon Odegard p.76 Simple scenic elements to enhance model track and locate uncoupling ramps
  • All aboard: The Kitty Hawk Central By Jim Kelly, p.78 Part 1: Building benchwork and laying track for a small oceanside HO railroad
  • Tab-on-car operation By Andy Sperandeo, p.84 How to use the GD Line's car-forwarding system
  • The Granger, Denrock & Southern By Andy Sperandeo, p.89 Jerry Braet's HO railroad was inspired by the Gorre & Daphetid
  • New England stone walls By Laurence H. Ballou p.95 Flexible sections of stone wall can be made to fit any model terrain
  • Illinois Central 5000-series locomotives by Gordon Odegard, p.96 Casey Jones road this engine to fame - and death - in 1900
  • Kitbashing a Hall-Scott motor car By Al Turner, p.100 Cut apart a couple old-time Pullman cars to make Nevada Copper Belt's no. 21
  • New York, Ontario & Western milk stations, by Harold Russell, p.106 Several of these would be appropriate on a turn-of-the-century layout
  • A solution to your short siding problems? by Jim Findley, p.107 This little one-evening project needn't be limited to loading effluvium
  • The art of using mirrors by John Allen, p.109 How to expand your layout in the same space
  • Kitbash a triple hopper by Rick Johnson, p.114 Make a striking Soo Line hopper using a commercial HO kit as a base
  • Lionel's Santa Fe F3 by Ron Hollander, p.118 Though he preferred steam, Joshua Cowen bet on the F3 - and hit the jackpot!
  • 1981 Prize Parade by Jim Hediger, p.126 Winning contest models from the NMRA National Convention in San Mateo, Calif.
  • PROTOTYPE DATA AND DRAWINGS:
    • Illinois Central 5000-series locomotives, p.96
    • New York, Ontario & Western milk stations, p.106
    • Soo Line triple hopper, p.114

Model Railroader Magazine, September 2021

Volume x, number 9

  • Custom colors for static grass Are off-the-shelf options not working for you? Try dyeing fibers by Lance Mindheim, p.34
  • Rails to the Queen City, p.38 Coal mines, bakeries, and warehouses are the major industries on this freelanced Appalachian layout by Lou Sassi
  • Add rail-marine operations to your layout, p.46 The Rail-Marine Interface Mechanism can be part of a modular or permanent model railroad by Mike Pagano
  • Scratchbuild a timber cribbing loading dock, p.51 A chance find during a railfan trip inspired this project by Mike Tylick
  • Rehab My Railroad Detail a diesel on a budget, p.24
  • DCC Currents, p.54 Block detection for signaling
  • Product Reviews:
    • Atlas HO scale GE Dash 8-40B, ScaleTrains. com N scale UP standard turbine, and more
  • On Operation, p.62 21st-century train orders