InterMountain HO Trinity 5161 covered hopper

Color photo of HO scale covered hopper painted light gray on white background.

The Trinity 5,161-cubic-foot capacity three-bay covered hopper is a new addition to the InterMountain Railway Co. product range. The HO scale model has an injection-molded plastic body, InterMountain metal wheelsets, and body-mounted Kadee couplers. Prototype history Since making its debut in 1995, the Trinity 5161 has become one of the most common three-bay covered hoppers […]

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Model steam locomotive driver flanges

A black model steam locomotive

Q: Why are the flanges on model steam engine drive wheels so much larger than on the prototypes? Is it because the models don’t weigh very much? Or is it because they have to navigate tight curves? And do larger scales (like G scale and live-steam models) have flanges that are closer to the prototypes? […]

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Deciphering railroad lingo

A worker holds a pole next to a steam locomotive moving slowly.

Railroad lingo What is the railroad’s lingo? Utilized mostly by railroaders, it’s a way of speaking among co-workers that involves using railroad terminology, jargon, slang, or argot. Common lingo can vary from one group of individuals to another. Not born of this world, I’ve struggled to understand some of the language the railroad professionals use […]

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CPKC hydrogen locomotive completes first coal haul testing (updated)

SPARWOOD, British Columbia — CPKC announced a successful completion in the first of three phases of testing for its high-horsepower hydrogen road locomotive. The initial runs are part of a multi-year contract with Elk Valley Resources of the Glencore Group (formally Teck Resources Ltd.) to launch a first-of-its-kind pilot program of coal trains with hydrogen […]

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CPKC names Arturo Gutiérrez Hernández to board

Man in suit with red tie

CALGARY — Canadian Pacific Kansas City names Arturo Gutiérrez Hernández to board of directors, effective Nov. 1, 2024.   Mr. Gutiérrez, 58, of Monterrey, Mexico, has been the chief executive officer of Arca Continental, the second largest Coca-Cola bottler in Latin America, since January 2019.   “The addition of Arturo adds to the extensive, diverse […]

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The future of the locomotive

A black and orange trimmed locomotive

Predicting the future is tricky business. Circumstances can change at the drop of a hat, opening up previously unforeseen possibilities. However, with analysis and careful guesswork, a prediction can be made. With that in mind, let us examine the future of the locomotive on the U.S. rail network. The current state of railroading To predict […]

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Atlas N scale EMD GP40-2

N scale diesel painted red, white, and black on scenic base

Atlas Model Railroad Co. has released a new run of Electro-Motive Division (EMD) GP40-2 diesel locomotives in N scale. The model, part of the Master Line, features plastic and die-cast metal construction, a Scale Speed motor, and body-mounted Accumate couplers. Prototype history Between April 1972 and November 1986, EMD built 903 GP40-2 diesel locomotives. The […]

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The Canadian departing Toronto

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An FP7 and F7B depart Toronto with Canadian Pacific Railway train 11, The Canadian, in 1964. The 13-car train will rendezvous at Sudbury, Ont., with a section from Montreal, then continue west to Vancouver, B.C. J. David Ingles photo, Brian M. Schmidt collection […]

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