Q On page 57 of January TRAINS is a magnificent photo of a BNSF train about to hit the diamonds at Savanna, Ill. What intrigues me is thepattern on the railheads within the diamond. They appear to be deliberate and not just from wear. Is there a reason for them, or are my eyes deceiving […]
Magazine: Trains Magazine
Ask Trains from September 2007
Q Lately I have noticed that many freight cars, including tank cars, boxcars, and hoppers, have five to seven vertical reflective strips on their sides. What’s the deal? — Frank C. Darling Jr., Wolcott, N.Y. A The objective is better nighttime visibility. In January 2005, the Federal Railroad Administration issued “The Final Rule on Reflectorization […]
Ask Trains from May 2008
Q As a boy, I used to watch the magnificent Southern Pacific cab-forward steam locomotives on their way to Donner Summit in Northern California. Someone referred to them as Mallets. What’s the true definition of a Mallet? — C.W. Haffey, Bakersfield, Calif. A By definition, a Mallet (mal-LAY) is an articulated, meaning the two engine […]
Model Railroader, October 2008
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Trains, October 2008
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Ask Trains from October 2008
Q My 5-year-old grandson asked me, “Where do engineers go to the bathroom?” I told him that locomotives probably have a restroom similar to those on airplanes. What restroom facilities are available on locomotives, and where are they located? Who runs the train in his absence? Are comfort breaks governed by either federal or union […]
Model Railroader, September 2008
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Trains, September 2008
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UP plans tour for steamer 3985 NEWSWIRE
OMAHA, Neb. – Union Pacific “Challenger” steam locomotive No. 3985 will tour the Midwest this fall, covering 1,750 miles in 23 days and visiting towns in Iowa, Nebraska, and Minnesota. To help people track the trip, UP has installed a global positioning satellite transmitted in one of the train’s cars and will use it to […]
Model Railroader, August 2008
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Trains, August 2008
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Model Railroader, July 2008
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