Atlas O Premier Spring 2025 catalog

cover of catalog with red locomotive

The Atlas O Spring 2025 Premier catalog was recently published on the manufacturer’s website. Highlights include: New locomotives ET44 E6 New paint schemes SD40-2 Streamlined passenger car 40′ PS1 Boxcar   View the catalog at shop.atlasrr.com Read more news in our news section. […]

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Websites with freight car photos

Color photo of weathered hopper car painted green and yellow.

Q: What website is best for finding prototype photos of freight cars to help with realistic weathering? — Jim Veronico A: Though some websites are certainly better than others, I’m reluctant to declare a single website as the “best” for finding prototype freight car photos. Over the years, I’ve found that using multiple sites helps […]

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Toy train parts suppliers

model train with screwdriver and assorted parts around it

One of the questions we receive quite regularly is where to find parts. Sooner or later, it’s likely you’ll need a part for your locomotive or rolling stock. It could be as simple as replacing traction tires or as complicated as a postwar rehab project. In either case, we’ve got you covered! For each retailer, […]

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5 tips for starting a toy train collection

Silver and yellow toy boxcar

I began collecting O and 027 gauge trains in middle school. Like many toy train enthusiasts, the trains were eventually packed away for various reasons. Years later, I unpacked my Lionel and Marx collection.  It had been a long time since I had seen these trains. I unpacked mostly postwar and modern 2-4-2 outline steam […]

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Lionel’s No. 671 Pennsylvania RR S2 Steam Turbine

vintage black model steam locomotive

Lionel’s No. 671 Pennsylvania RR S2 steam turbine is one of the classic O gauge locomotives of the postwar era. Lionel released it for the first full product line of the post-World War II era in 1946. But the brilliant minds in the Engineering Department at Lionel were almost certainly taking their first steps in […]

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How do I remove black marks from tubular track?

Sections of track on the table

I recently took out my old toy trains that have been packed away for about 25 years. The tubular track sections that were brand new back then now have black marks on them. How do I clean them and get them usable again? — Joe Rampe If it’s just dry corrosion, a Scotch-Brite pad will […]

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Olympia & Sand Creek, Episode 25 | Details and ground cover

Now it’s time for scenery on David Popp’s Olympia & Sand Creek On30 display layout to take shape! In this episode, the efforts begins by adding a few more details, before David works to cover new ground with static grass and a variety of turf and brush materials. View the complete Olympia series exclusively on […]

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MTH RailKing Alco RSD5

nose of blue and gray model locomotive on a layout

The RSD5 diesel locomotive was produced by Alco from 1952 through 1956. Just over 200 of these units were produced, a small quantity compared to the more than 1,200 RS-3s Alco produced earlier in the same decade. The RSD5s produced 1600 hp with just over 71,000 pounds of tractive effort. The three-axle trucks, each axle […]

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MTH RailKing Alco RSD5

nose of blue and gray model locomotive on a layout

The RSD5 diesel locomotive was produced by Alco from 1952 through 1956. Just over 200 of these units were produced, a small quantity compared to the more than 1,200 RS-3s Alco produced earlier in the same decade. The RSD5s produced 1600 hp with just over 71,000 pounds of tractive effort. The three-axle trucks, each axle […]

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Trains.com Insider Interview | NMRA President Gordy Robinson talks Trainfest 2025

Hear directly from National Model Railroad Association (NMRA) President Gordy Robinson, just how enthused the organization is to now host the world-renowned Trainfest 2025 event in downtown Milwaukee, Wisc., November 1 & 2! When Trains.com staff writer Lucas Iverson recently chatted with Gordy, the conversation revealed numerous insights into the NMRA’s immediate and long-term objectives […]

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