Author Bio
Tony Koester has written books focusing on his lifelong hobby of model railroading. He has been the editor of Model Railroad Planning, a special annual issue of Model Railroader magazine, since its inception in 1995. He is a contributing editor to Model Railroader and served as the editor of Railroad Model Craftsman. Tony is hard at work on a multi-deck HO railroad that accurately depicts the Nickel Plate Road’s St. Louis Division as it appeared in 1954.
Table of Contents
Introduction - What's the point?
Chapter 1 - Goals based on time, space, and budget
Finding ways to consume fewer resources
Chapter 2 - What to do ahead of time
Things to do before layout construction consumes almost all of your spare time
Chapter 3 - Looking to the prototype
No sense reinventing the wheel
Chapter 4 - Shortcuts to layout construction
Paper templates, narrow shelves, hand-throws, and lighting
Chapter 5 - Doing scenery in layers
Progress promotes progress; foam construction; trees vs. forests
Chapter 6 - Time-saving structure tips
Kitbashing pros and cons; modeling the boondocks; flats; photo walls
Chapter 7 - Improving engines and rolling stock
The handsome USRA fleet, stand-ins, quick weathering tips
Chapter 8 - Tips from the masters
So how do they get so much done?