Railbuses & Motor cars: Would you ride one of these?

Alaska Railroad

Railbuses & Motor cars Railbuses and motor cars have run all over North America. Here are some other outrageous conveyances rail passengers have sampled over the years. This Kalamazoo, Mich., railbus was operated by the Alaska Railroad during summers to transport passengers between Portage and Whittier, south of Anchorage. Known as the “Ice Worm,” the […]

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Chasing the elusive Black Marias

Photos of Alco’s mid-1940’s Black Maria freight diesels are extremely scarce. Obviously one factor was the short time the units operated. When Jerry A. Pinkepank and Kalmbach Publishing Co. issued the first Diesel Spotter’s Guide in 1967, no photos of the units had come to light, so on page Alco-49, below the technical description of […]

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U.S. Sugar Corp. during the steam era

U.S. Sugar Corp.’s common carrier and private railroads could face new futures under a planned Florida Everglades restoration, as we reported in the September 2009 issue of Trains. Lets look back and see what the railroad looked like when steam reigned. These two photos show examples of steam power working the sugar cane lines. Also, […]

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News & Products for July 23, 2009

Bachmann HO scale Union Pacific Electro-Motive Division DD40ax Centennial diesel locomotive

HO scale locomotives Electro-Motive Division GP38-2 diesel locomotive. BNSF Ry., CSX, Illinois Central, Iowa Interstate, Louisville & Nashville, and Penn Central. Two road numbers each. Factory-installed wire grab irons and McHenry scale magnetic knuckle couplers. $69.98. November 2009. Ready-to-Roll. Athearn Trains Bachmann HO scale Union Pacific Electro-Motive Division DD40ax Centennial diesel locomotive Union Pacific Electro-Motive […]

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Workshop safety for large-scale railroaders

A messy work area is not only unsightly, it is unsafe. A shop floor needs to be kept clear of dust and debris. Losing your footing can result in a sprained ankle, not to mention hitting your head on your workbench. Sweeping up at the end of your work session is all that is needed […]

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National Train Show 2009 final report

Athearn Trains HO scale Electro-Motive Division GP15 diesel locomotive

The National Model Railroad Association’s annual National Train Show was held in Hartford, Conn., from July 10-12. What follows is a list of new products announced by model railroad manufacturers exhibiting at the show. This list includes items not announced before the show; products revealed to Model Railroader before the show were listed in our […]

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Walthers HO scale transfer table

An operating transfer table is now part of the Cornerstone Series Built-Ups line from Walthers. The motorized plastic model also features operating lights. Common at railroad back shops, a transfer table makes it possible for equipment to be moved laterally, eliminating the need for turntables and complex switching moves. The Walthers transfer table has a […]

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Con-Cor International HO scale Electroliner

With a sharp looking model of the Chicago, North Shore & Milwaukee’s iconic Electroliner interurban, Con-Cor has captured the romance of what some call the golden age of the streamliner. The HO scale ready-to-run model is accurately detailed inside and out and can be easily converted to Digital Command Control (DCC). A desperate gamble. The […]

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M.T.H. HO scale class J steam locomotive

Available in accurate early or late versions, the HO scale Norfolk & Western class J from M.T.H. Electric Trains is a great-looking model of one of the most recognizable locomotives to run on North American rails. The model includes the M.T.H. Digital Control System (DCS) for realistic lights, sounds, and smoke on DC, DCS, or […]

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Roco-Fleischmann HO scale digital passenger train set no. 6041273

Price: $1,169.99ManufacturerRoco-Fleischmann Modelleisenbahn groupSilvergate Distributors Inc.9755 Birch Canyon Place, Suite 200San Diego, CA 92126silvergatedistributors.comComments: The digitally controlled features on this HO scale German-prototype passenger set may make North American-prototype modelers a bit jealous. The locomotive and all three passenger cars feature realistic lights, sounds, and other user-controlled effects. Using a Model Rectifier Corp. Prodigy Advance […]

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Atlas O Phase II GP7

WHEN I WAS A LAD, GEEP 7s AND 9s WERE EVERYWHERE. There were so many that they blended in with the boxcars and hoppers, and often I didn’t bother to photograph a Geep passing by, but waited for either a cab unit or newer power. The truth is that while the Electro-Motive Division’s (EMD) cab-body […]

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