Jack Routledge’s HO scale Alberta Pacific Ry.

Color image of a steam locomotive and tank cars in a town scene.

As part of our 90th anniversary celebration, we’re featuring never-before-published articles from our archives on Trains.com. This story is from 1994. Products mentioned in the article may no longer be available. I’ve had an active interest in model railroading for more than 45 years. My ultimate goal was to build a layout of my own […]

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EMD NW5: a light road-switcher diesel that didn’t

Orange-and-green diesel locomotive approaching street crossing

Although some units proved long-lived, the EMD NW5 sold just 13 copies.     Although the pre-World War II EMD NW3 was not a stellar seller, after cessation of hostilities in 1945, the builder was keen on revisiting the idea in order to mine the light switcher market dominated by the Alco RS1 and Baldwin […]

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Gary Wronkiewicz’s American Flyer layout

scene on toy train layout

At a glance Name: Gary Wronkiewicz’s S gauge layout Dimensions: 10 x 16 feet Track: GarGraves flextrack (diameters range from 40 to 80 inches) Switches: Gilbert American Flyer Motive power: Gilbert American Flyer, S-Helper Service Rolling stock: Gilbert American Flyer Controls: Gilbert American Flyer No. 12B transformer Accessories: Gilbert American Flyer, Marx Structures: Atlas O, Plasticville U.S.A., Wm. K. Walthers Figures: Barclay, Ertl See more […]

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CSX CEO Joe Hinrichs unveils Seaboard Coast Line heritage locomotive

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — CSX’s latest heritage locomotive honors Seaboard Coast Line. “Excited to share with you all our latest CSX Heritage Locomotive #1967 – the Seaboard Coast Line (SCL). Established in 1967, the Seaboard Coast Line railroad was a result of the merger of the Seaboard Air Line Railroad and the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad,” […]

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Nickel Plains Road

20190515

Two Nickel Plate Road GP9s handle a local freight through the tabletop landscape near Madison, Ill., in 1958. EMD built 4,257 of the 1.750-h.p. model beginning in 1953. M.L. Powell, J. David Ingles collection […]

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News & Products for the week of May 20th 2024

A model locomotive in a black and orange paint scheme

News & Products for the week of May 20th 2024   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 May 20th […]

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CPKC Final Spike Steam Tour | Upper Midwest Chase

The chase is on! Canadian Pacific 4-6-4 No. 2816 is on an epic journey from Canada to the U.S. to Mexico – all to celebrate the one-year anniversary of the CPKC railroad! After the vintage locomotive steamed crossed the U.S. border, Trains.com staff members (Lucas Iverson, Bryson Sleppy, Sean Kirby, and others) were there to […]

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Lionel Legacy SD50

side view of blue model locomotive

Just as EMD needed to develop the SD50 to compete with GE’s Dash 7, Lionel developed new tooling to add to their lineup. The SD50, announced in the Lionel 2023 Volume 2 was advertised as a new product and all new tooling. Ryan Kunkle of Lionel verified that this product was not made from former-MTH […]

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Archives center dedicated as part of C&NW Historical Society meeting, museum’s C&NW Days

Two green and yellow diesels meet

UNION, Ill. — Dedication of the Chicago & North Western Historical Society’s Archives Research Center at the Illinois Railway Museum highlighted the society’s 50th anniversary celebration during its three-day 2024 convention at Union and Crystal Lake, Ill. The research center joins the replica 1950s street scene on the museum’s Main Street, and replaces the society’s […]

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Atlas HO scale EMD GP38

Atlas HO scale EMD GP38 in Rock Island Rail paint.

Are you ready to rock? In our latest Product Review video, Senior Editor Cody Grivno takes a look at the Atlas HO scale EMD GP38 decorated for Mississippi’s Rock Island Rail. In the video, Cody provides a brief history of the full-size 4310, points out the various details on the model, demonstrates the sound and […]

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Riverside running

20190531

A Chicago, Burlington & Quincy freight hugs the Mississippi River north of Davenport, Iowa, in 1966. Lead GP7 No. 204 lacks dynamic breaks, while trailing SD7 No. 313 is so equipped. R. Ball photo […]

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Rock Island locomotives remembered

Maroon Rock Island locomotives on freight train

Rock Island locomotives displayed a remarkable lack of diversity in the steam era. In contrast, during the diesel era, the Rock hardly met a locomotive model it didn’t like. In the 20th century, the Rock made heavy use of the 0-6-0 (171), 2-8-0 (562), 2-8-2 (234), 4-6-0 (242), and 4-6-2 (175), types. Perhaps the best-remembered […]

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