IN 1996, THE FIRST MTH RailKing articulated locomotive – the no. 30-1107 Union Pacific Challenger 4-6-6-4 – rolled onto tinplate track and created quite a stir. Regardless of its reduced dimensions, no manufacturer had ever offered an articulated, die-cast metal steamer for the small layout, tight-radius crowd. Its success heralded 1997’s Allegheny 2-6-6-6, 1998’s Big […]
Marc Horovitz Miniature, flashing, crossing signalNorthwest Railroad Foundry and Supply6281 Oak Bay RoadPort Ludlow WA 98365Price: four-light unit (reviewed), $375; two-light unit, $239; wall-hung unit, $229; all prices + s&hWeb site: www.nwrfs.com Miniature flashing-light crossing signal kit (partially assembled); suitable for display or miniature railroad; metal, wood, and plastic components; lighting and wiring included; transformer […]
Marc Horovitz Rail bender for code-332 railEmpire Builder Railroad Designs4418 E. Lariat LanePhoenix AZ 85050Price: $130 + $14 s&h Heavy-duty rail bender; brass, aluminum, and steel construction; case-hardened steel rollers; larger adjustable roller; mounting holes. Dimensions: 3″ x 3″ x 3″ (not including handle)Pros: Excellent, high-quality unit; easily adjustable with wrench; large crank makes rolling […]
CAN THERE EVER BE too many O gauge Santa Fe F units on the market? Probably not. General Motors cranked out these diesels by the thousands, and both the high and mighty lines, as well as scores of railroads you probably never heard of, used these trusty machines. As with New York Central Hudsons, the […]
K-LINE’S UNITED STATES Railway Administration light 2-8-2 Mikado commemorates the 625 steam engines of this type built for U.S. railroads during and shortly after the First World War. The United States entered the war on April 6, 1917, and that December President Wilson placed U.S. railroads under the control of the railroad administration (USRA). In […]
MOUNTAIN RAILROADING is a tough job in North America. In the last century both the Great Northern and Milwaukee Road utilized electric locomotives to master this beastly job. The grades of Washington state’s Cascade Mountains were a tough nut to crack for the Great Northern. The first Cascade Tunnel was built in 1900. At an […]
THESE ARE GOOD DAYS for Reading Railroad fans. First was the arrival of Weaver’s brass G1sa and G2sa Pacific steamers (CTT, March 2002) and now SGL Lines Electric Trains , a newcomer to the train business, has imported a fine example of the G3-class Pacific and matching Reading passenger cars.In 1948, the Reading railroad committed […]
This railtruck is constructed primarily out of old tin cans. Here it awaits its driver for a trip down the rails of the author’s Ogden Botanical Railway. Marc Horovitz The underbody detail was supposed to be made of wooden shapes (according to the plan), but ended up here rendered in tinplate. The differential was turned […]
Marc Horovitz 1:20.3-scale figuresFine FolkAvailable from your local dealer or from:Mike’s Backshop12129 Gay Rio DriveLakeside CA 92040Price: $9 each, unpainted; $35 painted + s&hWeb site: www.mikesbackshop.com Unpainted, cast resin, seated figures in 1:20.3 scale; fireman Clem, engineer Chet, and Miss JennyPros: Superbly modeled figures; no cleanup necessary; ready to paintCons: Difficult to modify due to […]
K-LINE’S O GAUGE Allegheny 2-6-6-6 steam locomotive is the second of the firm’s miniaturized Mallets. Like K-Line’s previously released 1:64 scale, O gauge 4-8-8-4 Big Boy, this 1:58 scale Allegheny is targeted at operators with O-31 curves and tight budgets. The prototype Allegheny evolved from a 2-12-6 concept for the Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad. Lima […]
WAY BACK IN 1965, I showed Joe, my next door neighbor, my prize birthday present: a James Bond Shooting Attaché Case (made by MPC, no less). Joe, a grownup insurance salesman, opened it up, smiled, and said, “Boy, Bobby, you could commit mayhem with this!” Opening the box for the Operation Iraqi Freedom train set, […]
AMID A SEA OF limited-edition, $1,400 locomotives, why should anyone be interested in this modest steamer? Well, first, it is designed to run through curves as tight as O-27 – and there are still plenty of operators using O-27, O-31, and O-54 curved track. Second, the tooling is new. This isn’t a lame attempt to […]
