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Name: Granite Falls Ethanol RR Layout owner: Rolf Malmborg Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 13 x 24 feet Prototype: BNSF Ry., Union Pacific, Southern Pacific, and Canadian Pacific Locale: Minnesota, North Dakota, and Montana Era: 2013 Style: walk-in Mainline run: 180 feet Minimum radius: 22″ Minimum turnout: no. 8 (main), no. 6 (staging and industry sidings) […]
Having trouble viewing this video? Please visit our Video FAQ page In this episode, Host Hal Miller invited Model Railroader Contributing Editor Tony Koester an MR Senior Editor Dana Kawala to discuss how advancements in hobby technology have made it easier to adopt more and more practices employed by real (1:1 scale) railroads. Watch, […]
Having trouble viewing this video? Please visit our Video FAQ page In this episode, Host Hal Miller invited Model Railroader Contributing Editor Tony Koester an MR Senior Editor Dana Kawala to discuss how advancements in hobby technology have made it easier to adopt more and more practices employed by real (1:1 scale) railroads. Watch, […]
Q Certain states require fueling stations to blend biodiesel into diesel fuel for cars and trucks at different times of the year. Do railroads use biodiesel in their locomotives? – Brett Schmidt, Madison, Wis. A Class I railroads, regionals, short lines, and commuter agencies have tried biodiesel with a variety of blends from a 10-percent […]
Name: CSX’s KD Subdivision Layout owner: Brian Moore Layout designer: Bob Sprague Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 15′-0″ x 22′-3″ Prototype: CSX Locale: Eastern Tennessee and Kentucky Era: Present day Style: Multiple-deck walkaround Mainline run: 168 feet Minimum radius: 30″ Minimum turnout: no. 6 Maximum grade: 3 percent Click on the link to download a PDF […]
Two Canadian Pacific trains, with motive power from CP, CSX Transportation, and Norfolk Southern, meet near Oconomowoc, Wis., in November 2014. Brian Schmidt Q It is common to see a train from one railroad which is powered, partially or fully, by locomotives from another railroad. Why does this happen so frequently and how is the […]
Name: Union Pacific Daneburg Subdivision Layout owner: Pelle Soeborg Scale: HO Size: 11 x 22 feet Prototype: Union Pacific Locale: Freelanced, based on eastern Nebraska and western Iowa Era: present-day Layout style: around the walls Mainline: 60 feet (excluding staging) Minimum radius: 33″ Track: flextrack: code 83 (main), 70 (sidings), and 55 (spurs) Turnouts: no. 6 […]
Name: Canadian National Ashcroft Subdivision Layout owner: Scott Lamoureux Scale: N (1:160) Size: 7 x 10 feet Prototype: Canadian National Locale: British Columbia Era: modern Style: around the walls Mainline run: 28 feet Minimum radius: 15″ Minimum turnout: none Maximum grade: none Benchwork: open grid Height: 46″ Roadbed: Woodland Scenics foam Track: code 55 Scenery: […]
A Montana Rail Link local with a GP35 running backward (long hood forward) rolls along the Jefferson River west of Sappington, Mont. Tom Danneman Q In the 2010 movie, “Unstoppable,” movie makers create a lot of drama about running a locomotive backward at high speed. How capable are road and switch engines of operating in […]
Name: UP’s Spine Line Layout owner: Bob Sprague Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 10 x 18 feet Prototype: Union Pacific Locale: Eastern Iowa Era: modern Style: double-deck around-the-walls Mainline run: 74 feet visible, plus helixes Minimum radius: 27″ (main), 24″ (industrial and wyes) Minimum turnout: no. 6 Maximum grade: 2.75 percent This track plan originally appeared […]
Click the image to download a copy of the track plan. Name: UP’s Spine Line Layout owner: Bob Sprague Scale: N (1:160) Size: 10′-0″ x 17′-6″ Prototype: Union Pacific Locale: Eastern Iowa Era: modern Style: walkaround Mainline run: 59 feet Minimum radius: 15″ (main), 12″ (industrial and wyes) Minimum turnout: no. 6 Maximum grade: none […]
Amtrak’s ‘Three Rivers’ passes through Deshler, Ohio, in January 2003. Brian Schmidt Q While watching a DVD recently, I noticed an Amtrak train heading west through Deshler, Ohio. In what years did Amtrak go through that piece of Ohio? – David Harnisfeger, Findlay, Ohio A Amtrak operated on the former Baltimore & Ohio main line […]
