East Troy Industrial Park Sidetrack | Building a glass plant, Part 6

In this Sidetrack Series departure from the HO scale (1:87.1) East Troy Industrial Park Project Railroad, you’ll learn how to scratchbuild custom brass platforms for industrial glass plant stacks. Model Railroader magazine Editor Eric White demonstrates how to construct a simple, cost-effective assembly jig using pine and masking tape to ensure perfectly aligned soldered joints. […]

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Ohio commission awards $1.9 million for grade crossing projects

Logo of the Public Utiliities Commission of Ohio

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Four short line or regional railroads will receive funds totaling $1.9 million for four grade crossing improvements following approval Wednesday, Jan. 7, by the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio. The Ann Arbor Railroad received the maximum available, up to $500,000, from the state Grade Crossing Projection Fund for a project to upgrade […]

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The Union Pacific Geneva Subdivision layout in HO scale

The track plan for the Union Pacific Geneva subdivision layout

Facts and features Name: Union Pacific Geneva Subdivision Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 17 x 25 feet Prototype: Union Pacific (ex-Chicago & North Western) Locale: West Chicago Yard to Clinton, Iowa Era: late summer 2000-2005 Style: multi-deck walk-in Mainline run: approximately 210 feet (not including helix or staging) Minimum radius: 24″ Minimum turnout: No. 6 Maximum […]

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UP-NS merger likely to be focus of MARS winter meeting

Man at podium

SCHAUMBURG, Ill. — CEOs with strongly opposing views of the Union Pacific-Norfolk Southern merger will be the keynote speakers at the annual winter meeting of the Midwest Association of Rail Shippers, a key annual gathering of railroad officials and customers where discussion of the merger is likely to be the leading topic. The event at […]

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Nolan joins Anacostia as chief legal officer

Head shot of smiling woman

CHICAGO — Anacostia Rail Holdings has appointed Aimee Nolan as chief legal officer, the company announced today (Jan. 7). Nolan will oversee legal, compliance, governance, and risk functions. She most recently was general counsel at Zoro Tools Inc., a subsidiary of W.W. Grainger, and had previously spent 25 years at W.W. Grainger, most recently as […]

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Milwaukee Class A No. 2

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Townsfolk of New Lisbon, Wis., inspect Milwaukee Road Class A No. 2 after the 4-4-2 clipped off 14 miles at a steady 112.5 mph on a Hiawatha pre-inaugural test run on May 15, 1935. MILW photo […]

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Spaces to Places VIII | Modeling a river, Part 1

Host Gerry Leone returns to the upper deck of his HO scale Bona Vista layout to tackle a “flat” problem. Watch as Gerry expands a tiny drainage creek into a wider, deeper river to add much-needed vertical relief. You’ll see him cut through sub-roadbed, repurpose deck girder bridges from a previous layout, and secure a new river […]

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Minnesota’s Northstar commuter rail service makes last run

Blue, yellow, red, and white locomotive leads train of bilevel commuter cars with city skyline in background

MINNEAPOLIS — Minnesota’s Northstar commuter rail line, launched in 2009 with service between Minneapolis and Big Lake, Minn., made its final run Sunday (Jan. 4), with a special-event round trip to the Minnesota Vikings’ season-ending home game against Green Bay. The Metro Transit service was ultimately done in by low ridership along a shorter route […]

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