For about a decade in the 1950s and early 1960s, Kalmbach published Model Trains alongside its flagship Model Railroader. The magazine, which had begun with a somewhat different title under another publisher, in this Kalmbach incarnation at least was oriented more toward beginners than MR and at least some of the time offered space to tinplate trains, too.

The January 1960 issue is a good example of this novice-friendly approach. All three product reviews — of Varney’s “Casey Jones” 4-6-0 steam locomotive kit , Tru-Scale’s locomotive crane kit, and a Mantua tank car kit — are filled with useful, detailed guidance for builders, and the crane kit review even has an extensive section on how to construct an accompanying boom car by kitbashing a flat car. Step-by-step construction articles cover building a concrete bridge and a small ice plant, and Part II of a series on “Building the Ohio River & Wabash” gives extensive coverage of track and roadbed, again with useful techniques included. Rounding out the issue are a track plan for a moderate-sized layout, photos and tips from readers, and new product announcements and editorial columns