Atlas N scale S4 diesel locomotive

Screen capture from video with N scale locomotive in blue and yellow paint.

The Atlas N scale Alco S4 diesel locomotive recently paid a visit to our N scale Milwaukee, Racine & Troy State Line Route layout. Join Model Railroader senior editor Cody Grivno and associate editor Bryson Sleppy as they discuss the features on this newly tooled model, demonstrate some of the sound and light functions, and […]

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Atlas N scale S4 diesel locomotive

Screen capture from video with N scale locomotive in blue and yellow paint.

The Atlas N scale Alco S4 diesel locomotive recently paid a visit to our N scale Milwaukee, Racine & Troy State Line Route layout. Join Model Railroader senior editor Cody Grivno and associate editor Bryson Sleppy as they discuss the features on this newly tooled model, demonstrate some of the sound and light functions, and […]

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Dirt and N scale layouts

MRRNS0719_01

Dirt and N scale layouts: A locomotive model won’t run if current doesn’t pass from the rails to the pickup wheels. “Duh,” you may say, but that fact isn’t necessarily obvious, especially to younger people who haven’t tinkered with mechanical or electrical devices to the extent previous generations did. Filthy track can look clean The […]

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BNSF, SMART-TD reach agreement on scheduling, sick days

Logo of SMART-TD union

FORT WORTH, Texas — BNSF Railway and the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers-Transportation Division (SMART-TD) have reached an agreement to allow for more predictable scheduling and paid sick days for all ground service employees, the parties have announced. Thursday’s announcement says the tentative agreement, after several months of negotiations, follows […]

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Norfolk Southern names first director of public engagement

Norfolk Southern logo

ATLANTA — Norfolk Southern has named Will Miller as its first director of public engagement, who the railroad said “will help marshall resources to improve railroad infrastructure and engagement with local leaders and their citizens.” Miller’s job will be to serve as point person for issues such as grade crossings, public events that cross railroad […]

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Young Guns in Preservation: Ryan Gerhardt

Young crew member posing in front of steam locomotive.

Ryan Gerhardt has taken on multiple management roles on the Chesapeake & Delaware, LLC, and the Black River & Western Railroad in New Jersey. He serves as the Steam Committee Chairman who oversees the maintenance and operation of the latter tourist railroad’s Great Western 2-8-0 No. 60. Still in his 20s, Gerhardt – like many […]

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Built by Others: Grant Graeber’s MT&W layout

A the downtown section of a model railroad layout

Built by Others is an article series showcasing layouts constructed by modelers using plans and projects from the pages of Model Railroader and its associated products. The Black River Junction originally appeared in the pages of Model Railroader in 2007. Grant Graeber converted the layout to the space he had available and made adjustments according to his interests […]

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Disassembling N scale diesel locomotives

MRRNS0919_01

Disassembling N scale diesel locomotives: In the 1990s, Kato pioneered its classic, vertically split-frame design. Since then, probably more than 80% of the N scale locomotives made, regardless of manufacturer, have followed (in fact, downright copied) that approach, meaning that if you’ve learned how to work on one of them, you can work on nearly […]

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