The Greenville 73-foot wood-chip hopper has returned to the Wm. K. Walthers Inc. HO scale freight car lineup. The model, part of the Mainline series, is based on a prototype designed for transporting wood chips between sawmills and paper mills. Prototype history Greenville Steel Car Co., located in its namesake in Pennsylvania, produced the 7,000-cubic-foot […]
Era: 2000 - Present
LCCA announces custom Lionel set and Brakeman car
LCCA announces custom Lionel set and Brakeman car: The Lionel Collectors Club of America (LCCA) announces some Lionel custom-run products. The LCCA announces a custom-run Southern Pacific train set with “Black Widow” livery (No. 2401200). The set includes an FT diesel and three passenger cars, (coach, dome, and Hopkins observation). Requires O-31 curves for operation. Price: […]
Railfan Road: The Lone Star State
Amarillo to Fort Worth BNSF Railway’s route from Amarillo to Fort Worth has been twice reinvented — a secondary route rebuilt into a unit coal train conveyor, then repurposed to a primary California-Texas intermodal route. Broad vistas, interesting topography and about 20 trains per day easily viewable from a closely paralleling U.S. highway makes the […]
Atlas N scale SD60E
The Atlas N scale SD60E diesel locomotive is now available in the company’s Master Line. In this video, Model Railroader Senior Editor Cody Grivno shares a brief history of the prototype diesels, rebuilt by Norfolk Southern at its Juniata Locomotive Shop in Altoona, Pa.; points out the various freestanding and molded detail parts; and demonstrates […]
Atlas N scale SD60E
The Atlas N scale SD60E diesel locomotive is now available in the company’s Master Line. In this video, Model Railroader Senior Editor Cody Grivno shares a brief history of the prototype diesels, rebuilt by Norfolk Southern at its Juniata Locomotive Shop in Altoona, Pa.; points out the various freestanding and molded detail parts; and demonstrates […]
Tar Branch building sources
Q: On the Winston-Salem Southbound Tar Branch project layout there were three small industries in the middle. Do you have the brands and descriptions of the structures used? — Andy Sestak Before I answer your question, Andy, I want to back up a step to catch everyone up to speed. The Winston-Salem Southbound Tar Branch […]
5 tips for great urban scenery
Contrary to popular belief, modeling an urban scene doesn’t require a bunch of space. Want proof? Check out the Winston-Salem Southbound, our 2018 project layout, shown in the photo above. The 2’-9” x 8’-2” HO scale shelf layout depicted the railroad’s Tar Branch in Winston-Salem, N.C. It featured more than a half-dozen rail-served industries, as […]
Atlas HO MPI MP36PH-3C diesel locomotive
The Motive Power Industries (MPI) MP36PH-3C, a modern four-axle commuter diesel locomotive, is now available from Atlas Model Railroad Co. The HO scale Master Line model, based on True Line Trains tooling, features injection-molded plastic and die-cast metal construction, light-emitting-diode lighting, and metal knuckle couplers. The prototype Our sample is decorated as Metra 403, part […]
Renfe Alvia high-speed train ride in Spain
Join Trains.com staff member Sean Kirby as he rides onboard a Renfe Alvia high-speed train for the first leg of his return trip from Spain. Under the first light of the day, you’ll venture with Sean to the modern Segovia Guiomar station, 40 miles north of Madrid. After scanning your ticket, you’ll descend to the […]
Model steam locomotive driver flanges
Q: Why are the flanges on model steam engine drive wheels so much larger than on the prototypes? Is it because the models don’t weigh very much? Or is it because they have to navigate tight curves? And do larger scales (like G scale and live-steam models) have flanges that are closer to the prototypes? […]
Commuter rail systems along the Northeast Corridor
In addition to Amtrak’s long-distance, regional, and high-speed Acela trains, the Northeast Corridor (NEC) hosts multiple commuter entities across different sections. From Boston to Washington D.C., find out where each of these services travel along this highly active main line. These are the commuter rail systems along the Northeast Corridor. It’s important to note that […]
Rapido Trains HO GE Dash 8-40CM
The General Electric Dash 8-40CM diesel locomotive is back in the Rapido Trains product lineup. The redesigned six-axle road locomotive features a newly tooled fuel tank, cab interior, and trucks; railroad-specific details; and full underbody details. Prototype history General Electric (GE) produced the Dash 8-40CM from February 1990 through March 1994. During the course of […]
