Swiss Spectacular, Part 13: Steaming up the mountainside

Steam locomotive and one car on curving line on mountainside, as seen from above

LUCERNE, Switzerland — We went up another mountain today. Once again, our view from the top was almost completely obscured by clouds. And once again, no one minded much. This time around, the Trains/Special Interest Tours “Majestic Switzerland” tour made its way up the Brienz-Rothorn Bahn, a 7.6-kilometer, 800-mm gauge, steam-powered rack railway (that’s 4.7 […]

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Five mind-blowing facts about steam locomotives

Smoking steam locomotive leads freight train. five mind-blwoing facts — Steam locomotives

From the smallest narrow-gauge locomotive right up to Big Boy, steam locomotives capture the imagination and occupy a significant place in world history. The steam locomotive’s story runs far, wide, and deep. It continues to unfold today through preservation and restoration. Around every curve, there is another facet of the story waiting to be discovered. […]

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A unique tender for a Lionel No. 1587 Girl’s Train

pink tender on an orange and blue box

A unique tender for a Lionel No. 1587 Girl’s Train I couldn’t have imagined the excitement that year would bring to me as a collector and a new father. Chasing after postwar Lionel trains for about four years, I had amassed a decent collection. [Anthony’s superb collection was profiled in the special Kalmbach publication, All-Star […]

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Amtrak: Connecting America by Rail DVD Trailer

Amtrak: Connecting America by Rail DVD | 16127 Explore the captivating history and exciting future of Amtrak with our exclusive Amtrak DVD, available at the Kalmbach Hobby Store. Dive into over 50 years of remarkable transit adventures as Amtrak weaves its way through the nation’s most scenic routes, national parks, bustling cities, and charming towns. […]

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Doubleheading up the Front Range

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Denver & Rio Grande Western 2-8-0 1146 helps 2-8-8-2 Mallet 3406 hoist a 27-car freight up the 2-percent grade between Crags and Crescent, Colo., in July 1938. Both engines have tank cars behind them for extra water capacity. R. H. Kindig photo […]

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News & Products for the week of September 18th 2023

A set of five model freight cars

News & Products for the week of September 18th 2023   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 September 18th […]

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The Lionel 700E Hudson steam engine

Lionel 700E Hudson steam engine

The Lionel 700E Hudson steam engine, a super-detailed 1:48 scale model of the J-1e New York Central 4-6-4 Hudson, was a masterpiece. Of museum quality and accuracy, yet functional, it was targeted at O gauge model railroaders, but appealed to just about everyone who saw it. New York Central President Frank Williamson kept a 700E […]

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Swiss Spectacular, Part 10: Steam and a summit

Cog railway train rounds curve with clouds in background

ZERMATT, Switzerland — Finally getting back up to date on events on the Trains/Special Interest Tours “Majestic Switzerland” tour: Sunday, Sept. 17 This was our longest day, leaving Chur at 6:25 a.m. and getting to Zermatt at 6:14 p.m. Those times were dictated by our trip on the Furka Cogwheel Steam Railway, the all-volunteer steam […]

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New large scale products for September/October 2023

New large scale products for September/October 2023 Locomotives and rolling stock Accucraft, 33260 Central Ave, Union City, CA 94587, has a 13T Class A Shay locomotive, available in kit and ready-to-run versions. It features brass and metal construction, is butane fired, two safety valves, and a water level gauge. Price: $1,995. Delivery expected in November […]

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