Milwaukee Road freight trains photo gallery

Streamlined electric locomotive leads freight train with four diesels through mountain valley in snow

All through November, Classic Trains editors are celebrating the multi-faceted Milwaukee Road. Please enjoy this photo gallery of Milwaukee Road freight trains selected from the image archives of Kalmbach Media’s David P. Morgan Library. In its history, the Milwaukee Road operated freight service from as far as Louisville, Ky., west to Tacoma, Wash., and Portland, […]

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Diesel hydraulics: Diesels that didn’t

Gray and red diesel locomotive pulls stock cars

North American railroads never found a broad use for freight service diesel locomotives with a hydraulic drive, making them another case of the “diesels that didn’t.” Germany was the early leader in developing and building diesel locomotives that utilized direct-drive transmissions. Those early models in the 1930s incorporated torque converters and gears in lieu of […]

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Bob’s Train Box Episode 75

Bob Keller in the studio for Bob's Train Box 75

Bob and regular guest CTT editor Hal Miller have a look at MTH Trains’ new SW1 switcher. Check out the review in the January 2022 issue. The host also lights up Atlas O holiday boxcars, and shows some of his collection of railroad signs plus others available at Kalmbachhobbystore.com. […]

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Bob’s Train Box Episode 75

Bob Keller in the studio for Bob's Train Box 75

Bob and regular guest CTT editor Hal Miller have a look at MTH Trains’ new SW1 switcher. Check out the review in the January 2022 issue. The host also lights up Atlas O holiday boxcars, and shows some of his collection of railroad signs plus others available at Kalmbachhobbystore.com. […]

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HornBlasters to enter rail market, sell Leslie products

Locomotive horn in warehouse

TAMPA, Fla. — HornBlasters, which sells train horns for automotive use, has announced it is entering the locomotive market after acquiring assets of the Air Whistles product line of Leslie Circor Leslie Controls. Leslie, founded in 1905, is the oldest locomotive horn manufacturer in the U.S. and one of only two in the country producing […]

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Three-builder consist

Streamlined and road-switcher diesel locomotives with freight train

Three-builder consist A “we ain’t mad at nobody” diesel consist of F3A/F3B/H24-66/RS3 (that’s two EMDs, an FM Train Master, and an Alco) rolls eastbound freight through Fanwood-Scotch Plains, N.J., in the ’60s. Jim McClellan photo […]

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Meet the Modeler: Neal Schorr

A train on Neal Schorr's layout

Neal Schorr’s work has appeared numerous times on the cover of and inside Classic Toy Trains, as well as in our sister publication Model Railroader. He’s an excellent modeler and equally good with a camera. His Pennsylvania RR-themed layout is loaded with scale detail and memorable scenes based on actual locations. Questions & answers My […]

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Washington Hill

Steam-powered train passes a diesel-powered train by a semaphore signal

Washington Hill Electro-Motive F3s on a westbound freight wait in the clear at Chester, Mass., for the New England States to pass on its way to Chicago. Pacific 589 assists the States’ road engine, a three-unit Baldwin diesel, up Washington Hill. James D. Bennett photo […]

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Pennsylvania Railroad HO scale transition era layout images

A train waits a city station

Pennsylvania Railroad HO scale transition era layouts Pennsylvania Railroad HO scale transition era layouts are among the grandest and most visually stunning in model railroading. Bridges, viaducts, and tunnels stitch together verdant vistas. Brunswick green, Tuscan red, or plain black steam and diesel locomotives thread drag freights and limiteds alike through lush canyons, beside quarries, […]

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News photo: Alco returns to operation in Spain

Green and gold streamlined locomotive at station

CASTEJON DE EBRO, Spain — One of the oldest surviving Alco World Series locomotives has been returned to passenger service. Locomotive No. 1603, one of 17 FPD5/DL500A models built by Alco in the U.S. and delivered to Spanish Railways (RENFE) in 1955, is operating after an overhaul completing a 17-year restoration project. The locomotive has […]

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