Back Issue: February 2018 AMRM

The February 2018 issue of AMRM is now available as a back issue direct from SCR Publications. 

Back issues of the digital version of AMRM are available from Zinio

Buy digital back issue of the February 2018 AMRM from Zinio.

The February 2018 cover.

The contents page.

This issue's feature layout is Daniel Thomson's small, but perfectly formed, HO scale exhibition layout, Wumbat. This layout shows what can be achieved in a small space, particularly when one thinks beyond the usual paradigm of a complete station forming the publically viewable section of the layout. 

Michael Gourlay's series on building a typical transom-topped NSWGR timber trestle bridge continues with Part C that covers some of the variations of NSWGR timber trestles and the completion of the scene with the finishing of the scenery.

Trevor Hodges' regular In the Loop column discusses the use of timber in layout construction.

Layout design is a bit of theme in this issue, starting with this contribution from Brian Peacock on using CAD programs to assist with planning and constructing the layout.

Rodney Barrington continues the theme of layout design with this 'prototype worth modelling' article that includes two of his excellent track plans, based on the prototype described.

Peter Ennis returns with another of his very useful and justifiably popular articles on modelling another unusual class of VR rolling stock.

Adding structure lighting is another theme in this issue, firstly with this contribution from Warren Miller on how to light an engine shed.

Complementing Warren's article is this submission from first-time author, Jessica Brisbane, describing the construction of individual light fittings.

This issue's Gallery is also 'themed' with the photos and description of Don McGilvery's under construction VR 'Weedex' train teamed with prototype photos from John Dennis.

The Reviews section covers a wide range of products, with an emphasis on books, featuring the latest Byways of Steam, No.32, which follows on from No.31's coverage of Lithgow and its locomotive depot with descriptions of the surrounding, associated, locomotive depots, a history of the I (Z26) class 2-6-2T locomotives and RK Brown's experiences centered on Goulburn. Also covered are Train Hobby's Closed Stations - Lost Locations Victoria - Part 2, the next volume in Roy Howarth and Glenn Ryan's series on NSW Sydney suburban EMU stock, Single Deckers From Newcastle – The Cars Built At Walsh Island Dockyard – Volume 2 – The Power Cars C 3251 – 3300, Nick Anchen's brilliant Iron Roads in the Outback and David Crosby's Electronics for Railway Modellers. The electronics theme continues with a look a two recently released NCE DCC decoders and the NCE 'Snubber'. Last, but by no means least, is a major, multi-page review of the r-t-r HO scale NSWGR R car carriage set SUB 108 produced by Casula Hobbies. 

On the news front, things are usually fairly quiet just before Christmas when the News section is compiled, but that hasn't stopped us filling four pages with Recent Releases and News, some of which is most intriguing...

Last of all, if you have a yen to do something to help AMRM and you have drafting skills, have a look at the item on page 57...

We also have available an online version of AMRM to compliment our traditional paper version. You can purchase the paper version from newsagents, hobby shops and specialist bookshops (or direct from AMRM if none of the above are convenient), while the online version can be purchased either through us or direct from Zinio International.

Contact AMRM, either by sending us the form below, or via our website, to take out a subscription to the online version (or adjust your current subscription to include the online version) in time for the release of the online version.

Purchase this issue of AMRM as a back issue in either paper or digital form

Ring the office on (02) 9311 2036 and have your credit card handy

or

Order a back issue from our website

You can also purchase a digital back issue direct from the Zinio site:

James McInerney

Editor

Back issue: October 2015 AMRM

The October 2015 issue of AMRM is now available as a back issue from SCR Publications. Some digital back issues are available from the Zinio site.


The cover...

What's inside...

Every now and then we get to feature a truly exceptional layout in AMRM. This issue we feature the first section of a two-part feature on John Reid's spectacular 'Reids Creek' HO scale home layout, based on a 'might have been' cross-country line from Cowra to Goulburn, set in the late steam era. Not only is the modelling superb, but the magnificent photos taken by John Dennis bring out all the excellent detail.

Despite breaking the article into two parts, we still couldn't fit all the the magnificent John Dennis photos in, so here are two photos that didn't make it, by way of an appetiser for what is appearing in the magazine.

John Reid's 'heavy' Garratt, 6041, hauls a down empty wheat across the Whitton-style ballasted deck trestle over Gunning Creek, on the southern approaches to Reids Flat station on the 'main line' from Goulburn. 

Just a sample of the many evocative scenes on the layout. The pub next to the station was once a feature of many country locations.

Where once AMRM content was dominated by building individual models, mainly of rolling stock, the things that inspire our volunteer authors to submit articles appears to have undergone a change over the last couple of years and we are now receiving far more articles on the wider aspects of layout building. This issue contains quite a few articles on this theme, including Part 7 of Craig Veitch's Void to Layout series, this time covering scenery building.

Also following the layout building theme is Peter Schierloh's description of his Yahara module, a tiny oasis of Aussie defiance in an otherwise American club layout!

Still on layout building, but with a slightly more philosophical bent, is Garry Kahler's description of some of the features of his layout, which strive to give a more impressionistic portrait of a busy railway, rather than attempting to reproduce a particular section of the prototype.

However, builders of individual models have not been forgotten with these two construction articles. Steve Davies shows how to remotor a kit-built model and David Clark makes some small, but not insignificant, alterations to r-t-r and kit-built models to give variations not available commercially.

We also have another in our series of 'prototypes worth modelling' with a description of a modern day train that is not that difficult to model accurately.

Plus, there are the usual spread of smaller articles on various topics, including the latest In the Loop from Trevor Hodges. 

This issue's Gallery return to the VRMS's Prototype Modeller's Forum for some more fine HO scale modelling from the broad gauge states.

Then there is just over ten pages of Reviews, Recent Releases and News to keep you up to date with the goings on in the commercial sector. Make sure your credit card has some capacity!

We review the HO scale r-t-r NSWGR four-wheel S trucks from Austrains, plus two new laser-cut wood kits from the USA, one in HO and the other in N. We also cover Eveleigh Press's latest book, South Australian Steam Memories.

There are also many new models mentioned in Recent Releases, as well as updates on many eagerly awaited items in the News section.  

While there is nothing quite like holding a fresh copy of AMRM in your hand (our photos look so good on quality paper) purchased from your local hobby shop or newsagency (if they don't stock it, ask them why not!) those who have fully embraced the digital age can obtain our online version of the magazine from Zinio International.

Contact AMRM to take out a subscription to the online version (or adjust your current subscription to include the online version) in time for the release of the online version.

Or click here to

online to the paper or digital (or both) versions of AMRM at our website.

You can also subscribe (and purchase individual online issues - including some back issues) at the Zinio site

If you can't find the paper version of AMRM where you are,

purchase it direct over the net from SCR Publication.

James McInerney

Production Manager

Back Issue: August 2015 AMRM

The August 2015 issue of AMRM is now available as a back issue from SCR publications. Back issues of the digital version are available from Zinio.


The cover...

What's inside...

This issue's layout article features another of those well detailed, prototypically operated layouts that the South Australians appear to be particularly good at!
This is not quite our usual layout description article, as it concentrates on the operational activity on one station that is part of a much larger layout. If you are looking for inspiration for actually operating a layout, this will be of great interest, and the modelling is very nice as well.

Some may have noticed that we have been doing a little more in the area of 'prototypes worth modelling' in the last couple of issues. After doing a 'train worth modelling' in the last issue, this time we feature a prototype station, something I have been wanting to see in AMRM for many years. Ian Imrie submitted the text some time ago, but was not able to provide photos. However, I have managed to source photos from various collections, including my own, to illustrate it, plus we have created a suggested trackplan for a single car garage and made some extra suggestions to support Ian's text.

With articles like this we always have problems fitting in all the photos we have available, but the advent of the digital age has made 'lateral' solutions possible. About half the photos that were available were printed with the article, while digital copies of those, plus the images we didn't have room for, have been placed on our Picasa site.

You can access the extra images here:

Extra photos for the Crookwell article

We haven't forgotten those who like to scratchbuild vehicles either. Tony Scott has built  a model in N scale of an item of VR service stock that would look good in any scale.

For those who aren't perhaps brave enough yet to start scratchbuilding their own models, a good way to 'learn the ropes' is to undertake minor modifications to r-t-r items. Richard Barrack, proprietor of Train Hobby Publications, has written up his experiences 'fine tuning' the Austrains NSWGR 'dogbox' carriages for his layout.

And now for something completely different...

David Baillie has looked into various methods of laying track to reduce the unwanted noise of moving models. Being a noise and vibration engineer with access to some useful bits of kit, he has taken a properly scientific approach to solving the problem. It also helps that he has made some rather nice models for us to view as well!

Plus, there are the usual spread of smaller articles on various topics, including our semi-regular features, Beyond the Fence, Recycled Rollingstock and Trevor Hodges' In the Loop. The Detail Hound also makes a reappearance after being confined to his kennel for some time!

This issue's Gallery pays homage to one of those many modellers who, whilst never becoming prominent in his own lifetime, managed to bring pleasure to his family and produced a body of work that is also worth noting to a wider audience, not the least for the audacity shown by attempting to model Sydney Terminal and Eveleigh Workshops and running sheds in his front bedroom!

As usual, we make an attempt to keep abreast of the commercial side of the hobby with the Reviews, Recent Releases and News sections. With eight pages of Reviews and Recent Releases, plus another five of News, there will be plenty of opportunities to 'do your bit' for the Economy!

We review the HO scale r-t-r Southern Rail VR FX flour hoppers and Victorian and South Australian Tulloch-built 10,000 gallon rail tank cars, Casula Hobbies LHO passenger brake vans, Orient Express SAR D vans and SDS NSW NRY/NRNY refrigerator cars, plus VR split-spoke RP25-88 wheelsets from SEM and a kit for a QR buffer stop from Queensland Scale Models. We also review two books, TULLOCH A History of Tulloch Engineers & Manufacturers Pyrmont & Rhodes 1883-1974 by David Jehan (Eveleigh Press's latest publication), plus Single Deckers from Newcastle The Cars Built At Walsh Island Dockyard Volume 1 – The Power Cars C3171 to 3220 by Roy Howarth and Glenn Ryan.

There are lots of interesting items mentioned in Recent Releases, as well as updates on the many projects underway in the commercial sector mentioned in the News section.  

While there is nothing quite like holding a fresh copy of AMRM in your hand (our photos look so good on quality paper) purchased from your local hobby shop or newsagency (if they don't stock it, ask them why not!) those who have fully embraced the digital age can obtain our online version of the magazine from Zinio International.

Contact AMRM to take out a subscription to the online version (or adjust your current subscription to include the online version) in time for the release of the online version.

Or click here to

online to the paper or digital (or both) versions of AMRM at our website.

Purchase this issue of AMRM as a back issue in either paper or digital form

Ring the office on (02) 9311 2036 and have your credit card handy

or

Order a back issue from our website

You can also purchase a digital back issue from the Zinio site:

James McInerney

Production Manager