60-foot bulkhead flatcar Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: $39.99 (Primed for Grime, $44.99); three-pack, $99.99 (Primed for Grime, $111.99) Era: Late 1960s to 1990s (era varies depending on paint scheme) Manufacturer: Athearn Trains, 2904 Research Rd., Champaign, IL 61822, 800-338-4639, athearn.com 60-foot bulkhead flatcar features: Injection-molded plastic body Separate, factory-applied end details and brake wheel 33” machined […]
Midday Modeler – 05.04.2022: This week on Midday Modeler, Classic Toy Trains editor Hal Miller hosts a conversation with eminent toy train enthusiast and YouTuber, Chris Raines. Chris talks about his experiences with toy trains and also the hobby’s direction with the younger crowd. Midday Modeler is a new, regular video segment, recorded live and […]
What was your first train set (or locomotive)? In the second grade, I started reading Model Railroader in the school library. After a year of heavy lobbying, I got my first Tyco HO train set for Christmas in 1973. It had a powered Santa Fe F7A locomotive with a “dummy” F7B unit painted in the red-and-silver warbonnet […]
Bay-window caboose Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: $36.99 Era: 1970s to 1990s (era varies depending on paint scheme) Manufacturer: Athearn Trains, 2904 Research Rd., Champaign, IL 61822, 800-338-4639, athearn.com Bay-window caboose features: Separate, factory-installed smokejack and brake wheel End handrails and ladders Clear window glazing Body-mounted McHenry scale couplers Injection-molded plastic body Caboose trucks Available June 2023 Road […]
40-foot flatcar with airplane load Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: $46.99 Era: Late 1960s+ Manufacturer: Athearn Trains, 2904 Research Rd., Champaign, IL 61822, 800-338-4639, athearn.com 40-foot flatcar with airplane features: Separate, factory-installed brake wheel Removable plane load (plane has spinning propeller and detachable wings) Machined metal RP-25 contour wheels Body-mounted McHenry scale couplers Injection-molded plastic body Available June […]
20-foot refrigerated intermodal container Scale: O (1:48) Price: $24.95; eight-pack, $199.60. Era: Present day Manufacturer: Atlas O, 378 Florence Ave., Hillside, NJ 07205, 908-687-0880, shop.atlasrr.com Features: International Organization for Standardization Type Code 22R1 Composite materials sandwich-sides design Picture window refrigeration unit with separate parts Road Names: Cosco (white and blue), China Shipping (white and green), “K” […]
Q: The 4-4-0 American steam locomotive The General burned wood for fuel. Why didn’t it burn coal? – Alexander Brennan A: The ubiquitous 4-4-0 model called The General is modeled after a famous prototype – the Confederate locomotive of the same name, which was commandeered by Union spies in 1862 at Big Shanty, Ga. The subsequent pursuit […]
DCC install for n scale | As the crew nears completion of the State Line Route N scale (1:160) model railroad, it’s time to get the locomotives ready to run. In this episode, David Popp shares how to install a Train Control Systems (TCS) AMD4 DCC decoder into an N scale Atlas diesel locomotive. Follow […]
American Z Line May 2022 Scale: Z (1:220) Price: Contact manufacturer Era: Northern Pacific Electro-Motive Division F7A and F7B, 1944 to 1970; Atlantic Coast Line, mid-1940s to 1967 Manufacturer: American Z Line, 6142 Northcliff Blvd., Dublin, OH 43016, 614-764-1703 Electro-Motive Division F7A and F7B diesel locomotive features: 7mm can motor Dual flywheels Directional light-emitting-diode lighting […]
Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: $52.95 Era: 1979 to present (era varies depending on paint scheme) Manufacturer: Tangent Scale Models, P.O. Box 6514, Asheville, NC 28816, 828-412-3886 Pullman-Standard 4,750-cubic-foot capacity three-bay covered hopper features: Kadee scale couplers See-through etched metal running boards and crossover platforms 100-ton Barber S-2 trucks with prototype-specific rotating bearing caps and separate […]
We are excited to confirm that Kalmbach and Great American Train Shows are partnering to produce Trainfest 2022. The event is scheduled for November 12 & 13 at Wisconsin State Fair Park. Trainfest is America’s largest operating model railroad show with up to 200,000 sq. ft. of exhibit space and has featured up to 70 […]
Scale: O (1:48) Price: $114.95 Era: Mid to late 1990s Manufacturer: Atlas Model Railroad Co., Inc., 378 Florence Ave., Hillside, NJ 07205, 908-687-0880, shop.atlasrr.com 40-foot rebuilt well car features: Die-cast metal body Trucks with rotating bearing caps Detailed brake rigging Etched-metal walkways Minimum radius: 36” Available fourth quarter 2022 Road Names: Northwestern Oklahoma RR (red, white, […]
