MODELING ARTICLES by Brooks Stover
58. “Climax Delivery to Elk River Coal & Lumber”, Railroad Model Craftsman, May 2024, pgs. 46-49. (Photo story of Climax arrival)
57. “Swandale Planing Mill”, Narrow Gauge and Shortline Gazette, March/April 2023, pgs.36-40. (Scratchbuilding the planning mill from photos)
56. “Counterpoint to Counting Rivets”, (Perspective Column), Railroad Model Craftsman, January 2023, pgs. 36-37.
55. “Photographing Scenes You Can’t See” (Company Photographer column), Railroad Model Craftsman, November 2022, pgs. 84-89
54. “Buffalo Creek & Gauley: Summer 1964”, Railroad Model Craftsman, November 2022, pgs. 38-43. [COVER] (Photo essay based on theme of railfanning in 1964)
53. “The Last Summer of Steam on the BC&G”, Great Model Railroads 2023, pgs. 26-33. (Layout feature)
52. “Majestic Mining’s I5-d Caboose in S Scale”, NMRA Magazine, November 2022, pgs.12-14. (Modifying a kit to match the prototype)
51. “BC&G Motor A in S Scale”, Narrow Gauge and Shortline Gazette, June/July 2022, pgs. 24-31 [COVER]
50. “Exploring the Potential of S Scale", Model Railroad Planning 2022, January 2022, ps. 54-60.
49. “Photography as a Tool for Better Modeling”, (Company Photographer column), Railroad Model Craftsman, November 2021, pgs. 84-89.
48. “Design Your Layout for Photography” (Company Photographer column), Railroad Model Craftsman, August 2021, pgs. 84-89. (Tips for making a layout photo-friendly)
47. “A Tale of Two Railroads”, Narrow Gauge and Shortline Gazette, May/June 2021, pgs. 24-32. (Layout Story) [COVER]
46. "My Achievement Program Journey", The Roundhouse (British NMRA magazine), March/April 2021, pgs. 8-9. (My MMR program story) [COVER]
45. “Satisfying Operations on a Smaller Layout”, Railroad Model Craftsman, February 2021, pgs. 64-69. (Developing the operating scheme for the new layout)
44. “Creating Better Layout Photographs”, Model Railroader, January 2021, pgs. 50-55. (Tips for photo composition) [COVER]
43. “The Raymond Davis Caboose”, Narrow Gauge and Shortline Gazette, November /December 2020, pgs. 40-45. (Scratchbuilding a logging caboose)
42. “Better Hardshell Scenery”, Model Railroader, November 2020, pgs. 34-37. (Hardshell with plastic screen and Homax) [COVER]
41. “Downsizing Does Not Mean Settling”, NMRA Magazine, August 2020, pgs. 26-34. (Advantages of a smaller layout) [COVER]
40. “The Elk River Coal & Lumber Company, Swandale WV Engine House”, Narrow Gauge and Shortline Gazette, July/August 2020, pgs. 24-31. (Scratchbuilding the engine house)
39. “My S Model of the Elk River Coal & Lumber Company Swandale Sawmill”, Narrow Gauge and Shortline Gazette, May/June 2020, pgs. 24-30. (Evolution of the model over 30 years)
38. “House Built For A President”, Narrow Gauge and Short Line Gazette, January/February 2020, pgs. 40-45. (Scratchbuilding a model of Bradley’s house)
37. “Build a Small Rail-Served Dairy”, Model Railroader, December 2019, pgs. 58-62. (Scratchbuilding a small industrial structure)
36. “Bringing Things into Focus” (Company Photographer column), Railroad Model Craftsman, August 2019, pgs.86-89. (How to maximize depth of field in model photographs)
35. “The Elk River Coal & Lumber Dundon Company Store – A Classic Coal Company Structure in S Scale”, Narrow Gauge and Shortline Gazette, July/August 2019, pgs. 58-62. (Scratchbuilding the Dundon store and feed building plus photos of Widen store)
34. “The Buffalo Creek & Gauley’s Dundon Shops – Modeling a Classic Shortline Engine House in S Scale”, Narrow Gauge and Shortline Gazette, March/April 2019, pgs.36-41. (Scratchbuilding the combined engine house, machine shop and covered storage building)
33. “Same Railroad in a Smaller Space”, Model Railroad Planning 2019, pgs. 38-45. (Concept and design consideration for a more compact BC&G layout)
32. “Scratchbuild a Diesel Shell from Styrene”, Model Railroader, January 2017, pgs. 54-59.
(Using cardboard mockup to determine feasibility of design)
31. “Changing Seasons On A Finished Layout”, Model Railroader, December 2016, pgs 32-36. (Changing summer foliage to autumn colors) [COVER]
30. “An S Gauge 45-Ton Logging Diesel”, Narrow Gauge and Shortline Gazette, Sept/Oct 2016, pgs 45-48. (Scratchbuilding a diesel from styrene)
29. “Modeling BC&G Caboose C-2”, Railroad Model Craftsman, September 2016, pgs 90-93. (Kitbashing an American Models caboose)
28. “Upgrading An Old Style Wooden Craftsman Kit”, NMRA Magazine, November 2015, pgs 10-14. (Superdetailing a Huff N Puff REA reefer kit)) [COVER]
27. “11 Ways To Make Peel and Stick Parts”, Model Railroader, August, 2015, pgs 40-43. (Using adhesive transfer tape in layout construction)
26. “Converting An On30 Bachmann Climax To S Gauge Elk River Coal & Lumber Company Climax #3”, Narrow Gauge and Shortline Gazette, May/June 2015, pgs 67-71. (Converting a Bachmann engine to S scale)
25. “B&O Alco RS-1 - Twice”, Railroad Model Craftsman, May 2015; pgs 54-61. (Kitbashing an RS-3 into an RS-1) [COVER]
24. “Modeling A Mysterious Climax”, NMRA Magazine, November 2014; pgs 12-17. (Converting an On30 Climax to S gauge) [COVER]
23. “How To Build An Abandoned Mine”, Model Railroader, October 2014; pgs 40-44. (Scratchbuilding a structure from cardstock and stripwood)
22. “The S Scale Swandale Company Store”, Narrow Gauge and Shortline Gazette, July/August 2014; pgs. 28-33. (Prototype info and model construction including line drawings) [COVER]
21. “Modeling B&O’s EL-3 in S Scale”, NMRA Magazine, April 2014; pgs. 34-41. (Detailing a Lionel 2-8-8-2 and scratchbuiling a Vanderbilt tender) [COVER]
20. “Jim Clements’ Sugar Spring Mining Company Railroad”, NMRA Magazine, July 2013; pgs. 28-33. (Layout tour) [Cover, not shown]
19. “Modeling an ALCO FA-2 Equipped for Passenger Service”, NMRA Magazine, May 2013; pgs. 16-21. (Detailing an S scale AM Alco FA-2 with a steam generator)
18. “Scratchbuild a Small Factory”, Model Railroader, May 2013; pgs. 33-37.
(How to use mat board and cardstock to build an S scale structure)
17. “Two West Virginia Railroads in S Gauge – The Buffalo Creek & Gauley and the Elk River Coal & Lumber Company”, Narrow Gauge and Shortline Gazette, January/February 2013; pgs. 20-26. (Layout tour) [COVER]
16. “How To Make Tree-Covered Hills”, Model Railroader, November 2012; pgs. 32-37. (Techniques for modeling heavily wooded hills and foreground trees) [COVER]
15. “What’s In An Old Piece of Paper”, The Dispatcher’s Office, July 2012; pgs. 12-17. (Using Conductor’s Orders as the basis for an operating scheme)
14. “Interpreting the Clark Side-Dump Gondola in S Gauge”, NMRA Magazine, December 2011; pgs. 40-45. (Scratchbuilding two Clark gondolas from styrene)
13. “Modeling the BC&G’s Dundon Shops in Reverse”, NMRA Magazine, August 2011; pgs. 16-20. (Modeling a prototype scene) [COVER]
12. “Interpreting B&O’s P1-d Pacific in S Scale”, NMRA Magazine, July 2011; pgs. 10-14. (Detailing an American Models Pacific to match a prototype) [COVER]
11. “Criswell Grocery Warehouse”, NMRA Magazine, December 2010; pgs. 18-23. (Scratchbuilding a large structure with animated gates)
10. “Steam’s Last Days On A West Virginia Shortline”, Great Model Railroads 2011; pgs. 26-35. (Layout tour)
9. “A Website Designed for BC&G Modelers Becomes More”, Railroad Model Craftsman, September 2009; pgs. 62-69. [COVER]
8. “Adding Operations to a Model Railroad”, Model Railroader, December 2009; pgs. 58-62. (Using ‘Conductor’s Orders as basis for an operating scheme)
7. “Building Wood Frame Structures From Inexpensive Materials – Part II”, Scale Rails, July 2008; pgs.14-23. (Scratchbuilding techniques with paper-based products)
6. “Building Wood Frame Structures From Inexpensive Materials – Part I”, Scale Rails, June 2008; pgs.20-26. (Conceptualizing structures and scratchbuilding techniques with paper-based products) [COVER]
5. “The Next Frontier”, Railroad Model Craftsman, February 2008; pgs 112-113. (Description of making layout video using inexpensive camera)
4. “Buffalo Creek and Gauley in S Scale”, Railmodel Journal, February 2007; pgs 26-41. (Layout tour) [COVER]
3. “The Buffalo Creek & Gauley RR”, Railroad Model Craftsman, December 2006; pgs. 52-60. (Layout tour)
2. “Buffalo Creek & Gauley RR”, Classic Toy Trains, January 1994, pgs. 72-77. (Layout tour)
1. “The S Scale Buffalo Creek & Gauley RR”, Model Railroader, December 1993, pgs. 124-129. (Layout tour)
Over the years I have documented my modeling projects in articles published in the multii-scale model railroading press. The topics of these articles have included structures, locomotives, rolling stock, scenery and operations. This has been a very satisfying part of the hobby for me as I've honed my writing and photography skills
Below is a list of the articles that have appeared in the major, multi-scale national magazines of MODEL RAILROADER, RAILROAD MODEL CRAFTSMAN, SHORT LINE & NARROW GAUGE GAZETTE and NMRA MAGAZINE. They are listed with the latest at the top of the list. The overall topic of the article appears in ( ). If a cover photo was part of the article, that is noted [COVER]. The covers are all reproduced on the right.
