Norfolk Southern and Amtrak’s Vermonter

A Norfolk Southern freight prepares to diverge from Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor onto NS track at Newport, Del., while Amtrak’s Vermonter passes, on Aug. 26, 2008. The NS freight is bound for the “Shellpot Secondary” and Edgemoor Yard in Wilmington, and has been riding the Corridor from Perryville, Md. […]

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Plasticville structures in Lionel boxes

Lionel took ride in making its own tooling and producing its train line, but it did occasionally turn to other firms for key molds and parts. Subscribers can download a PDF of an article that inventories the Plasticville items in orange-and-blue boxes used in Lionel promotional train outfits between 1958 and 1963. […]

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No news OK for BNSF model railroading licensing agreement

Negotiations between the model railroad industry, represented by MTH Electric Trains CEO Mike Wolf, and BNSF Railway on a licensing agreement are quiet for now. For the model railroad industry, that’s not a bad thing. BNSF had sought to charge model railroad manufacturers a licensing fee to use the company’s trademarks on scale products, and […]

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Union Pacific begins uranium tailings move in Utah

Moab, Utah, uranium tailings

A gantry crane moves containers filled with uranium tailings from train to truck outside Moab, Utah, in April. Union Pacific will ship the tailings over a 10-year contract. Sandy Lonsdale After nearly 60 years resting beside the Colorado River near Moab, Utah, the nation’s largest uranium tailings pile began moving by rail in April to […]

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What’s behind Amtrak’s new dining car entrees?

Amtrak chefs

Daniel Malzhan and Tom Douglas put together new dining car recipes in Amtrak’s Wilmington, Del., test kitchen. All photos: Bob Johnston Amtrak is rolling out new menu items for long-distance dining car patrons and first-class Acela Express passengers. Trains magazine brings you the details behind the new offerings and what riders can expect in the […]

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Rail photography in black and white

Rio Grande Mikado at Tanglefoot Loop

Bill Botkin has been capturing trains in black and white for more than 40 years. His adventures have brought him to various corners of the Earth. You read about his journey as a photographer and traveler in July 2009 Trains. Below are a few more of Botkin’s favorites. Bill Botkin Rio Grande Mikado at Tanglefoot […]

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Erie Railroad’s Waldwick Tower preserved

Erie Railroad WC tower

Before: Erie’s 1890 tower showed serious signs of deterioration by the early 200s when restoration work had begun. Curtis Springstead Ten years of dreams and five years of hard work will come to fruition at the end of 2009 when the former Erie Railroad WC Tower in Waldwick, N.J., reopens as a museum. The tower […]

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Hornby America, Inc. Rivarossi HO scale Big Boy

Hornby America, Inc. HO scale Big Boy steam locomotive

Hornby America, Inc. HO scale Big Boy steam locomotive With a coat of factory-applied grime and rust, this HO scale Big Boy looks like it’s seen years of hard use. Since the late 1960s Rivarossi has manufactured Big Boy 4-8-8-4 locomotives in HO scale. This is the first Rivarossi Big Boy to be weathered and […]

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Con-Cor International N scale Aerotrain

Con-Cor International N scale Aerotrain

Con-Cor International N scale Aerotrain Following the success of the HO scale Aerotrain, reviewed in the May 2008 issue of Model Railroader, Con-Cor now offers this articulated passenger train in N. The ready-to-run model is designed for direct-current layouts, but provisions are included for adding Digital Command Control and sound. Prototype history. The two nine-car […]

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