Locomotives are the power of railroading and the industries’ most potent and popular symbols. The major types that have been used in North America are steam (now confined to museums, tourist lines, and the occasional excursion), diesel-electric (the standard of the industry), and straight electric (always a tiny minority). Steam locomotives burn coal, oil, or […]
Watch electric traction streetcars running on the Northwestern Traction Group’s HO scale (1:87) modules, a layout that Model Railroader magazine staff members enjoyed on display during Trainfest 2022. […]
Watch electric traction streetcars running on the Northwestern Traction Group’s HO scale (1:87) modules, a layout that Model Railroader magazine staff members enjoyed on display during Trainfest 2022. […]
The Lionel-GE locomotive history arguably goes back more than a century. The first General Electric models made by the toy train manufacturer in electric and diesel profiles were separated by about 60 years. The internal-combustion model came almost a decade-and-a-half after GE started making that type of engine. Lionel GE locomotive history General Electric entered […]
Penn Central locomotives were varied from Alco and Baldwin to EMD and General Electric. There were electrics, too, on the Northeast Corridor and branches between New Haven, Conn., and Alexandria, Va. PC inherited its diesel and electric locomotives from components New York Central; and New York, New Haven & Hartford; and Pennsylvania Railroad. […]
SD40JR Joule locomotive WILMINGTON, Calif. — Pacific Harbor Line showed off its new battery-electric locomotive as part of a May 4 event welcoming the railroad’s latest graduating class of locomotive engineers. The Progress Rail/EMD SD40JR Joule locomotive had arrived the week before to start a year-long evaluation on the railroad serving the ports of Long […]
WILDENRATH, Germany — A recent presentation by Siemens offered the opportunity to compare the company’s new hydrogen and battery trains for Europe, and provided a look at a new road-transport-based mobile hydrogen filling station. The equipment was presented at the Siemens-owned test center in northwestern Germany. The Wildenrath facility, with two test loops, is built […]
Lionel prewar locomotive parts are readily available these days, allowing you to return your vintage motive power to the job. One of the great things about old Lionel engines – even really old ones – is they generally will run, even after decades of disuse. This prewar 252 electric, made in the early 1930s, is […]
WASHINGTON — A section of fractured rail is being examined as part of the investigation of the March 30 derailment and fire involving a BNSF Railway train in Raymond, Minn., according to the National Transportation Safety Board’s preliminary accident report. Twenty-three cars were part of that derailment. It involved 10 cars of ethanol, some of […]
Amtrak E60 locomotives are an important bridge for Northeast Corridor electric railroading between the GG1s of the 1930s and 1940s to the AEM-7 and HHP-8 locomotives of the 1980s and early 2000s. E60 locomotive history General Electric developed the E60 C-C or six-axle locomotives at its Erie, Pa., plant in the early 1970s. The […]
If you love traveling around the country on the rails like I do, you probably want to know how to model modern Amtrak passenger train consists. Amtrak’s consists vary between regions and train-by-train. For instance, there is a height limit in the New York City area so any train going in or out of New […]
In this exclusive Trains.com video tour of an HO scale (1:87.1) model railroad based on New Haven operations in the 1950s and ‘60s, you’ll get to see close-up views of a masterfully detailed display! First showcased in the August 2004 issue of Model Railroader and Great Model Railroads 2020, Rick’s layout features exquisite catenary installations, […]
