Alco RS3-M “Chop Nose” diesel locomotive from Bowser

Alco RS3-M chop nose: an image of a blue model locomotive

Alco RS3-M “Chop Nose” diesel locomotive from Bowser Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: DC locomotive, $249.95; DCC locomotive with LokSound V5, $349.95 Era: 1975+ Manufacturer: Bowser Manufacturing Co. Inc., 1302 Jordan Ave., Montoursville, PA 17754; 570-368-2379; bowser-trains.com Alco RS3-M “Chop Nose” diesel locomotive features: Prototypically-accurate long hood height Prototypical dynamic brake location Separate, factory-applied air houses, windshield […]

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Procor 5280 covered hopper in HO scale from Rapido

Procor 5280 covered hopper: An image of two gray model freight cars against a white background

Procor 5280 covered hopper in HO scale from Rapido Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: Single car, $54.95; three-pack, $164.85; six-pack, $329.70 Era: Late 1970s+ Manufacturer: Rapido Trains Inc., 500 Alden Road, Unit 21, Markham, Ontario L3R 5H5 Canada; 905-474-3314; rapidotrains.com Procor 5280 covered hopper features: Three styles of roof hatches: round, round with ribs and 20” vented […]

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HO scale modernized gas station from Walthers

Modernized gas station: A greay gas station with a green roof against a white background

HO scale modernized gas station from Walthers Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: $59.98 Era: 1990s+ Manufacturer: Wm. K. Walthers Inc., 5601 W. Florist Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53218, 414-527-0770, walthers.com Walthers modernized gas station features: Printed convenience store interior Modern service island with updated pumps Cashier counter interior detail Includes separate soda and ice machines, wastebasket, tire stands, […]

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Trinity 3281 hopper from Walthers Mainline

Trinity 3281 hopper: A pink model hopper car is shown against a white background

Trinity 3281 hopper from Walthers Mainline Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: $31.98 Era: Late 1990s+ (varies depending on paint scheme) Manufacturer: Wm. K. Walthers Inc., 5601 W. Florist Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53218, 414-527-0770, walthers.com Trinity 3281 hopper features: Separately-applied brake gear, running board, discharge gates, inlet hatches, and end ladder cages Correct 36″ RP-25 metal wheelsets Proto-Max […]

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Bob Cochran’s Vermont Rail System in HO scale

Trains.com Video features layout owner Bob Cochran and his 22’-10” x 25’-7” HO scale (1:87) Vermont Rail System inspired by Rutland Railroad’s Bellow Falls Subdivision. Bob grew up watching trains of Central Vermont and Boston & Maine across from his childhood home in Bellow Fall, Vt., so you’ll be sure to see plenty of Northeastern […]

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Walthers Mainline 60-foot Pullman-Standard bulkhead flatcar

Walthers Mainline 60-foot Pullman-Standard bulkhead flatcar Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: $34.98 Era: 1968+ (varies depending on paint scheme) Manufacturer: Wm. K. Walthers Inc., 5601 W. Florist Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53218, 414-527-0770, walthers.com Walthers 60-foot Pullman Standard bulkhead flatcar features: 8′ 6″ tall bulkheads with bolt attachment details Detailed brake gear with piping 70-ton roller-bearing trucks 33″ […]

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Bob Cochran’s Vermont Rail System in HO scale

Trains.com Video features layout owner Bob Cochran and his 22’-10” x 25’-7” HO scale (1:87) Vermont Rail System inspired by Rutland Railroad’s Bellow Falls Subdivision. Bob grew up watching trains of Central Vermont and Boston & Maine across from his childhood home in Bellow Fall, Vt., so you’ll be sure to see plenty of Northeastern […]

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Locomotives we didn’t get for Christmas

A black and white photo of Soviet steam locomotive

Trains and Christmas go hand-in-hand, and many of us had some special railroad-related gifts on our wish list, but instead of a wish list, this is a list of the locomotives we didn’t get for Christmas. These models either have never been mass-produced in our preferred scale or have not been produced in a decade […]

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Walthers Mainline Electro-Motive Division F40PH

Electro-Motive Division F40PH: white, red and blue model locomotive against a white background

Walthers Mainline Electro-Motive Division F40PH Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: Direct-current model with 21-pin plug, $159.98; with dual-mode ESU LokSound 5 sound decoder, $219.98. Era: 1976+ (varies depending on paint scheme) Manufacturer: Wm. K. Walthers Inc., 5601 W. Florist Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53218; 414-527-0770; walthers.com Walthers Electro-Motive Division F40PH features: Based on Phase-2b prototype Factory-installed vertical handrails […]

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Colorado Model Railroad Museum Display in HO scale

In this visit to the Colorado Model Railroad Museum’s 10,000 square-foot building, you’ll get to explore the HO scale (1:87) model railroad that’s open to the public year-round (visit CMRM.org)! Based on an obscure prototype railroad routing about the Pacific Northwest in 1975, the main display features long trains, museum-quality scenery, captivating animations, and a […]

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Drive-in oil change in HO scale from Walthers

Drive-in oil change in HO scale from Walthers Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: $44.98 Era: 1980s+ Manufacturer: Wm. K. Walthers Inc., 5601 W. Florist Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53218, 414-527-0770, walthers.com Walthers drive-in oil change station features: Two drive-through service bays Inspection pit openings in garage floor Detailed office area Includes separate soda machine, air-conditioning unit, and gas […]

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