General Electric’s U30C Up in the north woods of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula sits the last serviceable U30C — LSI No. 3009, dead and drained outside Lake Superior & Ishpeming’s diesel shop in Eagle Mills. This locomotive and its cousin, LS&I C30-7 No. 3073, had been filling in on ore trains when not enough LS&I AC4400CWs […]
Looking to take your modeling techniques to new heights while adding a cool factor to your layout? How about the unique challenge of recreating a winter wonderland full of ice and, of course, snow. From railroading landmarks to end-to-end railroads, consider these 10 snowy places you could model. If you have another place in mind, […]
I became a railfan at age three, near the end of World War II. Awaiting the return of my naval officer father, I sat in our West Philadelphia kitchen window facing one of the busiest divisions of the Pennsylvania Railroad — the four-track electrified main line to Harrisburg. The parade of wartime tonnage, plus express […]
Although most model railroads are set in the verdant summer or colorful autumn, the snow-covered landscapes of a northern winter offer an unmatched visual drama. From paint to grout to powdered stone to commercial modeling products, there are many possible answers to the question of how to model snow on a model railroad layout. Modelers […]
Q: What is the rule of thumb for the transition from a grade back to level when laying track? — Carl Angdahl A: Gradual transitions between track grades, called vertical track easements, can help prevent problems on your model railroad. If a train suddenly goes from a steep grade to flat track or vice-versa, couplers […]
SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah counties backing the proposed Uinta Basin Railway have asked the state to help fund an appeal of recent court decisions to the U.S. Supreme Court, the Salt Lake Tribune reports. The Seven County Infrastructure Coalition has asked for $750,000 from the state’s general fund, with Keith Heaton, the coalition’s […]
LINCOLN, Neb. — A filibuster has halted the Nebraska Legislature’s consideration of a proposal requiring two-person train crews within the state, the news site Nebraska Examiner reports. The filibuster, carried out over parts of three days, stalled the bill when a Friday vote was unable to obtain the 33 votes needed to invoke cloture, the […]
Every six months, photos of O gauge trains traversing the snowy hills and quaint villages of a sprawling layout arrive at the office. What a treat! And they represent the outstanding modeling done by Gordon Hough with help from his mother, Jeannie, who finishes the scenery and paints the backdrops. No matter fast I try […]
CLEVELAND — The American Steam Railroad Preservation Association has reached a milestone in restoration of Reading Co. T-1 4-8-4 No. 2100, conducting the first hydrostatic test on the locomotive, the 501c3 non-profit organization reports. The locomotive is also known as AFT 250 because of plans for it to wear an American Freedom Train paint scheme […]
The San Diego Garden Railway Society will be hosting a 2024 West Coast Regional Meet from August 10-15, 2024. The event will feature open houses of garden railways, operating sessions, clinics, and a farewell luncheon. According to a press release sent to Garden Railways, the clinic sessions will include: • Succulents and Plants for Garden […]
WASHINGTON — The parties involved in the agreement to allow the launch of Amtrak Gulf Coast service have filed a joint update on that agreement requested by the Surface Transportation Board, asking that the board scrap a hearing planned for Feb. 14 “as the Parties have no further information to offer.” The STB last month […]
The Lionel 2024 Big Book catalog is here! At 228 pages, there’s a lot of products to sort through. I’ve given it a good luck and have thoughts and observations. Maybe you do too. If so, leave a comment or send an email to editor@classictoytrains.com Roger Carp explained the history of when Lionel releases catalogs […]
