British and European rail enthusiasts travel abroad

steam train with mountains in background

Let’s travel abroad During a Trains Magazine photo charter at the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad in fall 2024, a group of British and European photographers decided to travel abroad to the U.S. to join Trains staff at the D&SNG and, in the days following, the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic with Pete Lerro of […]

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Olympia & Sand Creek, Episode 22 | Build a better barn

Get ready for a barn burner of an episode, when David Popp jumps into high gear to complete various scenery and structure projects on his Olympia & Sand Creek On30 display layout. Efforts include adding fences, installing the Armstrong-type turntable, and revamping the barn a bit. Be sure to explore the entire Olympia series, appearing […]

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Groundbreaking in Watertown, Tenn., for new turntable, yard

Men shoveling dirt in a groundbreaking ceremony with red and white diesel locomotive in background.

Groundbreaking in Watertown, Tenn., for new turntable, yard WATERTOWN, Tenn. — The city, along with the Nashville Steam Preservation Society, the group restoring Nashville, Chattanooga & St. Louis 4-8-4 No. 576, and the Tennessee Central Railway Museum, broke ground for the Watertown rail yard and turntable installation in mid December 2024. The new facility will […]

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Wide-open

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Illinois Central 4-8-2 No. 2606 speeds south with freight CN-3 near Monee, Ill., in June 1953. The tabletop landscape provides for wide-open views, and, often, throttles. Robert R. Malinoski photo […]

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Getting the shot: Bob Krug

steam train going down on steep tracks

Photographer Bob Krug Bob Krug’s visit to the Mount Washington Cog Railway in New Hampshire certainly fits the description of going the extra step to creating a great railroad image. With Mountain Washington transitioning primarily to biodiesel locomotives for motive power, Krug wanted to take advantage of an opportunity to photograph one of its two […]

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History of the USRA

A color photograph of a black steam locomotive in a rail yard

In general terms, America is not a country with great affinity for nationalization. The machinations of the American economy are diametrically opposed to the principles of nationalization. However, that doesn’t mean that the U.S. has never dabbled in the practice. The United States Railroad Administration (USRA) is an example. In the interest of clarity, I’ll […]

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Ted Van Pelt’s Sn3 Rio Grande Southern

Title screen from layout visit video showing steam locomotive and passenger cars passing coal tower and businesses.

In the February 2025 issue of Model Railroader, readers got to learn more about Ted Van Pelt’s Sn3 Rio Grande Southern. The 22 x 22-foot layout, set in Colorado in 1930, features narrow gauge freight and passenger action, many scratchbuilt structures, and photo backdrops of prototype locations in the Centennial State. The walk-in layout has […]

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Ted Van Pelt’s Sn3 Rio Grande Southern

Title screen from layout visit video showing steam locomotive and passenger cars passing coal tower and businesses.

In the February 2025 issue of Model Railroader, readers got to learn more about Ted Van Pelt’s Sn3 Rio Grande Southern. The 22 x 22-foot layout, set in Colorado in 1930, features narrow gauge freight and passenger action, many scratchbuilt structures, and photo backdrops of prototype locations in the Centennial State. The walk-in layout has […]

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