Railroad tell-tales At one time, railroad tell-tales were placed along the track on either side of low structures such as bridges and tunnels to warn crew members on top of the cars that they could not remain in a standing position while passing under the structure. Before the adoption of the air brake, and for […]
Also in this issue: EDITOR’S DESK, pg. 4 LETTERS, pg. 6 VIEWS FROM THE UNDERGROUND, pg. 8 PHOTO ALBUM, pg. 10 NEWS & PRODUCTS, pg. 14 LCCA custom cars, Menards products, RMT ore car, and more MODERN ERA NOTES, pg. 20 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS, pg. 22 S GAUGE NOW AND THEN, pg. 26 WEEKEND WORKSHOP, […]
Transfer locomotives Transfer runs are trains that move cars from one freight yard usually to a nearby yard of another railroad (but not always). Early in dieselization, three of the major builders marketed locomotives built specifically for such service, called transfer locomotives, which demanded a lot of pulling power but not much speed. Transfer units […]
The ScaleTrains S gauge 40-foot boxcar, based on a United States Railroad Administration (USRA) rebuilt steel prototype, is in hobby shops now. The model, the company’s second release in its S-Helper Service line, is offered ready-to-run in 10 paint schemes and as a kit in two versions. The prototype The sample we received is decorated […]
Q I noticed rust on the trucks of my Lionel No. 646 steam engine. When I tried to run the postwar locomotive, operation was sluggish. The engine needed an unusual amount of transformer voltage to go around the track. I removed the cab and discovered the aluminum crosshead guide, where the valve gear linkages are […]
We’re always adding new content to our website. Here’s some recent items you may have missed. Lionel No. 3474 boxcar upgrades any collection Add a colorful car to your collection. Learn more from Roger Carp. Use Lionel’s Bluetooth tower to add sound Add sound effects, music, and more on your layout. Learn more. Meet […]
Locomotives and rolling stock Burlington Northern (1991 scheme), Montana Rail Link (blue 2009 scheme), TTX (gray patchout with TOFX reporting marks, yellow-and-black as-delivered scheme, and yellow-and-black with Forward Thinking patch), and York Rail (brown) are the new paint schemes on the Atlas O Premier line Gunderson 50-foot high-cube boxcar. The paper-hauling boxcar, priced at $79.95, […]
Layout designer: William Holt Scale: S Layout size: 3.5 x 6 feet Track type: MTH S-Trax Minimum curve: R-19 curve Originally appeared in the November 2013 issue of Classic Toy Trains. An S gauge starter set oval with add-ons An S gauge starter set oval with add-ons schematic An S gauge starter set oval […]
One of the joys of modern model railroading is incorporating new technology. Using a familiar mobile device, for instance, can add more life and realism to a layout. About five years ago, as I was building my 4 x 8 O gauge layout, I read about Lionel’s No. 84611 Bluetooth Radio Tower and its functionality […]
The Shay dates back to the 1870s, when logger Ephriam Shay was looking for a more efficient way to move timber from the woods to the mill. More than 2,700 units were built by Lima Locomotive Works between 1880 and 1930. The geared locomotives came in many variations in four different classes. To learn more […]
The Lionel No. 3474 Western Pacific Operating Boxcar upgrades any collection of postwar trains. It was another great model introduced in the outstanding year of 1952, which is covered in detail in Lionel Trains of the 1950s, a special interest publication from Classic Toy Trains. Over the past few years on Trains.com, I’ve been suggesting […]
Storing locomotives Changing traffic levels affect the amount of equipment in operation, from freight cars to locomotives. When events occur such as a softening of the economy, losing a major contract to haul goods, or the end of a cyclical demand such as a grain harvest, a railroad will occasionally have to store equipment when […]
