New model trains for the week of February 14, 2019

Bachmann HO scale test car

HO scale locomotives General Electric AC4400CW diesel locomotive. BNSF Ry. (Heritage II scheme, repair patch in one road number and faded paint in two numbers), Canadian Pacific (white lettering with gold herald on long hood, three numbers), CSX (Chessie System, Louisville & Nashville, and Seaboard Coast Line heritage units, one number each), Norfolk Southern (black-and-white […]

Read More…

Atlas Classic HO scale Alco RS-11 diesel

MRRPR0419_01

Atlas Classic HO scale Alco RS-11 diesel Atlas Model RR Co. has re-released its HO scale model of a well-known Alco workhorse, the four-axle RS-11 road switcher, with an upgraded ESU LokSound Select dual-mode Digital Command Control decoder. The decoder features realistic sounds and smooth motor control under both DCC and direct current (DC). History. […]

Read More…

Piko SmartControl Light HO ICE 3 train set

PIKOICE3cropped

PIKO SmartControl Light HO ICE 3 train set Zooming by in a flash of red and pale gray, Deutsche Bahn (DB) Intercity-Express (ICE) trains are 21st century icons of high-speed rail travel in Germany and its surrounding countries. PIKO has upgraded its HO scale ICE 3 passenger train set to include the firm’s new SmartControl […]

Read More…

Walthers HO scale Trinity two-bay covered hopper

MRRPR0419_07

Walthers HO scale Trinity two-bay covered hopper The Walthers car features separate end cages and brake appliances. A TrinityRail 39-foot, 3,281-cubic-foot-capacity two-bay covered hopper has been added to the WalthersMainline. The HO scale model is based on a contemporary freight car used to haul frac sand, roofing granules, cement, and other dense materials. Our sample […]

Read More…

Rapido N scale New Haven 8600-series coach

MRRPR0419_09

Rapido N scale New Haven 8600-series coach Price: $59.99 Manufacturer Rapido Trains Inc. 500 Alden Rd., Unit 21 Markham, Ont. L3R 5H5 Era: 1947 to 1988, depending on paint scheme Road names: New York, New Haven & Hartford (delivery with skirts, McGinnis with skirts, McGinnis without skirts); Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) without skirts; Penn […]

Read More…

FRA announces $56 million in rail improvement grants NEWSWIRE

Brightline_Delray_Lassen

A Brightline train streaks through Delray Beach, Fla. FRA grants announced Friday include more than $2 million for grade-crossing improvements on Brightline’s route. TRAINS: David Lassen WASHINGTON — The Federal Railroad Administration has announced more than $56 million in grants, covering 18 projects in 16 states, to improve rail safety, efficiency, and reliability through the […]

Read More…

Grand Canyon Railway to steam in 2019 NEWSWIRE

WILLIAMS, Ariz. — Grand Canyon Railway on the former Santa Fe branch between Williams, Ariz., and South Rim, will see steam again in 2019. Former Burlington Route 2-8-2 No. 4960 will operate Feb. 16 on President’s Day, and also on the first Saturday of each month starting March 2 and going through Oct. 5. A […]

Read More…

LA Metro seeks ways to deal with declining ridership NEWSWIRE

LAMetro_UnionStation_Lassen

Passengers board an LA Metro light rail train at Union Station in January 2017. Metro, like many public transit systems, is dealing with declining ridership. TRAINS: David Lassen LOS ANGELES — From Crenshaw to Century City to Little Tokyo, workers are digging tunnels, laying track, and building stations in a massive expansion of LA Metro’s […]

Read More…

Renovated Tomah, Wis., Amtrak station to open Feb. 13 NEWSWIRE

Amtrak2

TOMAH, Wis. — Tomah’s renovated Amtrak station will open on Wednesday, Feb. 13. A dedication ceremony is set for 4:30 p.m., the Tomah Journal reports. There is also a town hall meeting that evening featuring a representative of the Wisconsin Rail Passenger Association, discussing the status of the Empire Builder and the possibility of a […]

Read More…

Rocky Mountaineer adds capacity, offers discounts NEWSWIRE

IMG_0394

Stadler-built GoldLeaf dome No. 9541 in Rocky Mountaineer’s Kamloops yard on Oct 9, 2018. It is equipped with air spring primary suspension trucks with a mechanical spring secondary suspension. Three photos, Bob Johnston VANCOUVER, B.C. – New bilevel GoldLeaf domes built by Stadler Rail A.G. in Switzerland and Germany that are joining Rocky Mountaineer daytime […]

Read More…