In a view taken halfway up a light tower we see Union Pacific’s modern hump yard at North Platte, Neb., around 1950. At the bottom left is the hump tower, and the two cars just above it are rolling free toward the master retarder. Union Pacific photo […]
The Rapido Trains HO Alco FA1 and FB1 diesels are the subject of our latest Product Review video. Model Railroader Senior Editor Cody Grivno shares a brief prototype history of the freight haulers, points out the various factory-applied details on the units, and demonstrates some of the sound and lights functions on the ESU LokSound […]
The Rapido Trains HO Alco FA1 and FB1 diesels are the subject of our latest Product Review video. Model Railroader Senior Editor Cody Grivno shares a brief prototype history of the freight haulers, points out the various factory-applied details on the units, and demonstrates some of the sound and lights functions on the ESU LokSound […]
Q: How do mechanical passenger car washers work? — Steve Moore A: Keeping passenger cars clean is a never-ending battle as they’re subjected to the same dirt, dust, and grime as locomotives and freight cars. While spot cleaning, such as windows, is handled en route, extensive cleaning is handled at coach yards and larger terminals. […]
What toy train locomotive means the most to you? It just has to be Lionel’s famed 2-6-2 Prairie type locomotive that is still in my collection. How did you acquire it? This adventure started in 1947 at the early age of 5 years old, when Dad unpacked the Lionel train set he’d purchased downtown. We […]
An International Car Co. (ICC) wide-cupola caboose is the latest model to join the ScaleTrains S-Helper Service product range. The S scale model features an injection-molded plastic body and features wire handrails and grab irons, factory-installed and painted crew figures, and illuminated light-emitting-diode marker lights. Prototype history The sample we received is decorated as Reading […]
One of the great things about having a model railroad is that you can populate it with things that evoke happy memories. Menards has tapped into this with buildings that touch both the nuts and bolts of railroading (manufacturing firms, oil wells, and power plants), and the lighter side as well with hobby shops, cow […]
Editor’s note: I’ve found a number of unpublished manuscripts in our file cabinets. This one dates from around 1999. Does it still apply today? Do you think that simplifying or finding a new aspect of the hobby can re-invigorate your love of toy trains? Leave a comment and let us know. As railroad enthusiasts go, […]
A Northern Pacific HO scale 50-foot XM double-door boxcar is the latest release from Moloco Trains. The ready-to-run model features car-number-specific details, Stanray R3-4 ends, and 8-rung ladders on the sides and ends. A railroad-built car The Moloco model is based on full-size cars built at NP’s Brainerd, Minn., shops between 1956 and 1959. During […]
A sample from the latest run of Broadway Limited HO scale EMD GP35 diesel locomotives paid a visit to our Winston-Salem Southbound layout. Join Model Railroader Senior Editor Cody Grivno as he shares a brief history of the four-axle road locomotive and Burlington Northern No. 2510, points out the details on the plastic and die-cast […]
A sample from the latest run of Broadway Limited HO scale EMD GP35 diesel locomotives paid a visit to our Winston-Salem Southbound layout. Join Model Railroader Senior Editor Cody Grivno as he shares a brief history of the four-axle road locomotive and Burlington Northern No. 2510, points out the details on the plastic and die-cast […]
A common question newcomers to model railroading ask is “Why do railroads use signals?” The quick answer is to keep trains moving safely. But the topic of railroad signals deserves more of an explanation. The evolution of railroad signals When trains are running in the same direction on the same line, in opposite directions on […]
