When I has a kid, my dad had an American engineering magazine that had a wonderful article on an O gauge 3 rail layout in it. The pictures were an inspiration to me, I'd love to be able to find this magazine again. The time period would have been very late 50's to early 60's. It was a fairly thick, glossy publication, don't remember whether it was a model engineering or science mag, all I remember was this wonderful article. Can anyone give me some clues where to look, and what publication it may have been. It was not a specific model railroad mag.
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POPULAR MECHANICS IS MY GUESS
Popular Mechanics and Popular Science both ran model railroading articles at times, prior to about 1960 or so. Lionel and American Flyer both advertised in those magazines to some extent. Popular Science even showed Lionel trains on the cover of their December 1959 issue.
Attachments
'Popular Mechanics' is your best bet methinks. I remember seeing the 'Build this train for your kids' article above in a Popular Mechanics encyclopedia set. It used large industrial solenoids for cylinders to drive the siderods.
Aah, to return to the magazine rack being your internet and all those glossy wrapped ideas! (I'm talking about hobby magazines, of course.....)
I've sent an email to the publishers of Popular Mechanics, hope they can help.
Most back issues of Popular Mechanics are online now.
Backyard train https://books.google.com/books?id=XOMDAAAAMBAJ