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Pacific Fruit Express class R-40-27 and R-40-28 ice cooled refrigerator cars are now available in HO scale from Rapido Trains. The models, offered for the first time in plastic, are scaled from prototype blueprints and field measurements. Product features include wire grab irons; prototype-specific brake wheel, running boards, and cooling fan housings; and body-mounted Lincoln-Washington […]
News & Products for the week of July 21st 2025 Model railroad operators and builders can get the latest information about locomotives, freight cars, passenger cars, tools, track, and more by reading Model Railroader’s frequent product updates. The following are the products Model Railroader editors have news on for the week of July 21st, […]
The Atlas Summer 2025 HO and N catalog was recently posted on the manufacturer’s website. The 60-page PDF includes new models and signals in both scales, as well several items in new paint schemes and road numbers. All of the offerings are scheduled for release in the third quarter of 2026. N scale In N […]
Q: How do Tightlock couplers work? — Thor Clemens A: Longtime staff member Jim Hediger provided an explanation of the Type H, or Tightlock, coupler in a sidebar that appeared with his article “HO knuckle coupler guide” in the November 2007 Model Railroader. He wrote, “The need to reduce slack and improve passenger train safety […]
Titans of Steel, a collectible trading card series honoring the legacy of railroading, was unveiled by Wm. K. Walthers Inc. during the National Train Show in Novi, Mich., in July 2025. “This is a celebration of the railroads that connected a nation and powered America’s growth,” said Travis Goodwin, senior manager of product and brand […]
Broadway Limited HO UP Big Boy Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: Stealth (no sound), $749.99; with dual-mode Paragon4 sound decoder, $849.99 Era: 1941 to present (varies based on paint scheme) Manufacturer: Broadway Limited Imports, 9 East Tower Circle, Ormond Beach, FL 32174; 386-673-8900; broadway-limited.com Broadway Limited HO UP Big Boy features: Back-electromotive-force decoder Built-in capacitor pack […]
A newly tooled American Car & Foundry 5,250-cubic-foot capacity four-bay Center Flow covered hopper has joined the WalthersMainline product range. The injection-molded plastic HO scale model features prototype-specific hatches and outlet gates, 36″ metal wheels on plastic axles, and body-mounted Proto-Max couplers. Prototype history American Car & Foundry introduced the 5250 Center Flow in 1964. […]
I found this manuscript from the late John Grams in our manuscript files. There was no date on the envelope but it’s likely from the early 1990s. The article discusses 12 Lionel products that, while great inventions, were fraught with problems or didn’t work exactly as advertised. He included the following disclaimer: “Lionel trains were […]
Are you searching for inspiration for your next model railroad project? Whether you’re just starting out, have some experience, or are an advanced modeler, we’ve gathered a collection of creative track plans for every skill level to get your creative juices flowing. Based on designs from our staff and fellow model railroad enthusiasts, these plans […]
News & Products for the week of July 14th 2025 Model railroad operators and builders can get the latest information about locomotives, freight cars, passenger cars, tools, track, and more by reading Model Railroader’s frequent product updates. The following are the products Model Railroader editors have news on for the week of July 14th, […]
The late 1950s and early 60s were a time of the Cold War, Sputnik, and the Mercury and Gemini space programs. Lionel’s entry into space-related toys was a sign of our nation’s early endeavors with space exploration. One of the first space train accessories appeared on the cover of the 1958 Lionel catalog. Towering over […]
It might be a warm summer morning in the early 1950s on the Illinois Central near Clinton, Ill.; or maybe a cold January day along the Pere Marquette outside of Grand Rapids, Mich. There’s the sound of a fast-running steam locomotive in the distance … the railroad’s in a hurry with something today. Shortly an […]
