The Long Island Rail Road is using a laser system to remove leaves from their rails.  The system is from LPS, a Netherlands company based in Amsterdam.   https://www.laserprecisionsolutions.com/

Four Iowa Scaled Engineering  cicada sound modules are used on this train show module.  It's set up to be motion activated , and two of the toy cicadas used on rooftops have illuminated eyes.  This display will be at an August  fair in Essex Junction, VT.  It's a bit of humor for the casual observer.

This video describes using a motion sensor to activate a display at a train show.  The Northwestern Vermont Model Railroad Association also uses the modular display at an August fair.  Members own their own modules.

Greg Baker used Vallejo paints in a MRH figure paining article, I think in 2019.   picture , structures

Calamitous circumstances have delayed the mid February MRH issue, explained by editor Joe Fugate.  We offer  condolences to Joe and family regarding the loss of his mom this month,   and currently Oregon is recovering from a severe ice storm.

For those not getting emails from MRH, this video:

This rock cut uses the Woodland Scenics facet rock mold multiple times.   Although this might make a geologist cringe , changing orientations of the same mold conceals the repetition.

below a closeup of three uses of the facet mold before filling in gaps between the molds:

A nice load for an open hopper can be made with Chooch Enterprises flexible sheets.  In this example for a coal load, the base starts with a rectangle cut from .060” Evergreen styrene.  This thickness is strong enough to not flex.

This building front is illuminated with 2 LED's removed from a 3-LED strip.   It's  the "machine shop" from River Leaf Models .

The light from the "warm white" 12 volt 3-LED strips looks incandescent, and the strips can also be run on a 9 volt battery, looking quite bright. 

This scenery project is similar to MRH's October "What's Neat".  The rock "cut" in the center used Woodland Scenics facet rock mold number 1244 four times, once vertically and thee times horizontally at different orientations.  On the left are two uncolored pours from this mold.  I will arrange them to represent cut rock on the outsid

AC motors powered electric trains in the early 1900's, and the use of AC motors continued into the 1980's.  Reversing AC motors requires the mysterious electromagnetic e-unit, a frequent suspect in balky locomotives.  

About this time of year, old electric trains emerge from storage and modelers might be asked about repairs.