O Scale Trains Submission Guidelines
Revised July 22, 2024
We welcome submissions on any topic related to fine 1:48 model railroading in scale. While we appreciate the efforts of others, we do not accept articles about “tinplate” or toy trains. Anyone is welcome to submit articles for consideration, and we’re always interested in material from new writers!
We always welcome detailed articles describing efforts to model locomotives, rolling stock, structures, scenery and model railroad-related accessories along with photo tours of finished layouts. We are also happy to publish well-written and researched prototype information. Feature stories must be accompanied by photography with complete captions. The more you include, the better selection we have!
Manuscripts and Photos
The text of your story should run between 1,500 and 2,000 words. Let your personality come through in your writing and keep it simple and direct. Readers want a clear description of what you did, how you did it, and what tools and materials you used. The best way to do this is to write as if you were describing how you built your project to a friend over the phone. Don’t be afraid to call out specific products and explain how they performed. Make sure the story is told in the main body of your text, with photos and brief captions supporting it.
The magazine is produced in an electronic format, and materials must be submitted in the same fashion. We are unable to accept handwritten or typewritten manuscripts. Text must be submitted as either a plain text (TXT) file, or Microsoft Word (DOC) compatible file.
Photography must be submitted in a high-resolution digital format (in some cases, we can scan slides and black & white prints for historical features). Don’t have a digital camera? Don’t forget the best camera you may have might be the one in your pocket! Smartphones are great for capturing step-by-step photos illustrating a construction or how-to feature. Photos must be well lit and in focus throughout, especially for layout tours and other features where sharp depth of field is a must. When you submit your article, it helps to key your captions to the file names.
Illustrations/Scale Drawings
Illustrations to accompany your how-to features and scale drawings of railroad structures and rolling stock are welcome. They should be produced in a computer-aded drawing (CAD) program whenever possible. Formats that are acceptable are EPS, PDF, DXF, and native Adobe Illustrator (AI).
Submission
If you are sending a CD-ROM or a USB flash drive, please include a printout of the text so it can be cross referenced when necessary. If you want any of the materials back, please include a large envelope with sufficient return postage. The fastest way to submit your materials is to directly upload to our FTP server. You can also use free file transfer services like Dropbox or WeTransfer. Before you send your article, please contact the editor for instruction.
Editorial Address:
O Scale Trains Annual
P.O. Box 22775
Rochester, NY 14692
If you have any questions, feel free to contact us.
Copyright and Authorization Form
So that you may be properly compensated for your contribution to O Scale Trains Annual, all authors, photographers, and artists are required to download the Copyright and Authorization Form complete the required fields, and file the completed form with the editor prior to publication.
