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This page lists the books that I have found to be most useful in my modeling efforts, and recommend them to anyone wanting to learn more. Most of them are readily available at any well stocked hobby store. For your convenience a link to amazon.com is provided should you be interested in purchasing them online. I myself use Amazon quite often. You can't beat their prices, or the convenience.

The navigation bar at the right of the page provides and easy way to quickly get to the general category you are interested in.

If you have any comments on these books, or have others that you would like to suggest, drop me an email at raildude.

Beginning

N Scale Model Railroad That Grows : Step-By-Step Instructions for Building Your First N Scale Layout by Kent Wood, Ric Laban

If you are starting your first layout, this is an excellent investment. One of the best ways to get into the hobby is to quickly put together a small working layout. This gives you a feeling of satisfaction, and experience in most of the major aspects of the hobby. This book will help you get that first project done quickly.

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General Tips and Techniques

222 Tips for Building Model Railroad Structures (Model Railroad Handbook, No. 34) by Dave Frary, Michael Emmerich

This book is just packed with great ideas, tips and tricks to make your structures look better. Dave Frary shares his enviable ability to make his work look excellent, without a great investment in effort. Two of the best ideas presented are how to break windows in your structures, and how to detail your way around mistakes.

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303 Tips for Detailing Model Railroad Scenery and Structures (Model Railroad Handbook) by Dave Frary, Bob Hayden

This is a later Dave Frary effort than the book listed above, and is not as centered on structures. Much information on scenery and overall detailing is presented. My personal favorite tip is to use vinegar in your water when mixing plaster to slow down curing time. Since I am a pretty slow worker this has saved me an immeasurable amount of aggravation.

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Track Planning

Track planning for Realistic Operation: Prototype Railroad Concepts for your Model Railroad
by John H Armstrong

This book is a classic, and a must have if you are going to design your own layout. John Armstrong is a master layout designer, and easily one of the most respected individuals in that field. In this book john teaches prototypical operations, and how to apply them to a layout. Of particular interest is John's advice on how to obtain the maximum operational potential from the always limited layout space.

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48 Top Notch Track Plans : From Model Railroader Magazine (Model Railroad Handbook, No 39) by Bob Hayden

Drawn from articles appearing in Model Railroader Magazine, this book presents what is thought to be the best layout designs published. Covering most major scales and layout sizes varying from the small to the room filling, this book provides a wealth of ideas. It's almost impossible to flip through this book and not get an idea or two that can be incorporated into you own pike. There are also some excellent overall design techniques covered, most notably John Armstrong's "squares" method of plan sketching.

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Benchwork

How to Build Model Railroad Benchwork by Linn Hanson Westcott

Everything you ever wanted to know about risers, cleats joists, girders, etc. Although a large portion of the book uses L-girder benchwork, which I no longer use, I still find myself going back to this book on a regular basis. It is the refernece point for almost any kind of benchwork situation. Also covered are backgrounds, roadbed construction, and ballast.

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Scenery

How to Build Realistic Model Railroad Scenery by Dave Frary, Michael Emmerich

Dave Fray is a pioneer in the use of water-soluble techniques for building railroad layouts. If you have a significant other in your house, small children, or just enjoy breathing, the water-soluble route is the way to go. This book presents many excellent techniques to easily make great looking scenery. My personal favorite is using sand and brown paint to make dirt roads.

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Locomotives and Rolling Stock

Painting and Weathering Railroad Models by Jeff Wilson, Jeffrey Wilson, Kent Johnson

Although some good tips for structures and bridges are presented in this book, it is primarily about Locomotives and rolling stock. Although the portion covering the locomotives is good, but somewhat basic, I was blown away by all the great ideas for rolling stock. From rust in all it's forms to repair marks on boxcars, the ideas are just too numerous to list.