Mt. Rainier Scenic Railroad returns to operation

Mt. Rainier Scenic Railroad returns to operation. Steam locomotive with passenger cars

ELBE, Wash. — Mt. Rainier Scenic Railroad has begun offering a limited excursion schedule for September and October as stated on its website. The train trips come at least a year or two ahead of the railroad’s timeline for returning to operation [see “Mt. Rainier Scenic Railroad scheduled to reopen by 2025,” Trains, December 2022]. […]

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Last days of the last car on the train: the caboose

A model red caboose leads a shove of hoppers

Cabooses (no, not cabeese) were a common occurrence on freight trains throughout most of the 1900s, yet we rarely see them today. Why is that? When did they stop operating? Where did they go? And lastly, how can I model the last days of the caboose on my layout? Why? In one word: technology. Advances […]

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Swiss Spectacular, Part 1: Tunnel(s) Vision

Interior of concrete tube of rail tunnel with one track

LOCARNO, Switzerland — The trains are new, modern, run on time, and everyone uses them to go everywhere. Clearly, I’m not at home. In fact, and as the dateline has given away, I am in Switzerland. This is night two of my second trip here, this time a three-week adventure. And while I am badly […]

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Santa Fe No. 3415 resumes operations during Labor Day weekend

Steam locomotive with passenger car and gondola for riders in field with trees in background.

ABILENE, Kan. — Santa Fe No. 3415 returned to service on the Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad during the Labor Day weekend. The 4-6-2 received a month-long break and extensive work in August that included check-valve maintenance and a routine firebox cleanout, according to Ross Boelling, the president and general manager of the A&SV. “No. […]

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Schweitzer named new editor for Classic Toy Trains

woman with white sweater

Rene Schweitzer has been promoted to editor of Classic Toy Trains magazine. Rene has been with Kalmbach for nearly 28 years, and has worked for a number of brands, most recently CTT, Model Railroader, Classic Trains, and Books. Rene started her career working for CTT in 1995, and returned to the brand in 2014 as […]

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