Passenger car lighting with a decoder

A closeup of a model train decoder with a button being pressed with a small wooden rod

Passenger car lighting with a decoder: People have been installing light-emitting diodes (LEDs) inside passenger cars for years. It’s nothing new. There are plenty of articles written about it, but I wanted to go further. When operating my trains in the yard, I want the lights in my passenger car to be off, but when […]

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Airbrush cleaning tips and techniques

Color photo showing how to flush siphon on a color bottle assembly.

Airbrushing is a facet of the hobby I really enjoy. I’m sure some of my interest in painting is because my father and grandfather were auto body repairmen. I grew up around paint and paint equipment. One of the many lessons I learned from them was to take care of your tools. That’s true whether […]

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Penn Central history remembered

Black-and-white locomotives on Penn Central history freight train curving through mountains

Penn Central history began existence on Feb. 1, 1968. More accurately, it was incorporated in 1846 as the Pennsylvania Railroad; changed its name to Pennsylvania New York Central Transportation Co. on Feb. 1, 1968, when it merged the New York Central; and adopted the name Penn Central Co. on May 8, 1968. On Oct. 1, […]

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Model Railroader Video Vault highlights

An image of two men standing behind a modeling workbench

Model Railroader Video Vault highlights: Kalmbach has been producing model railroading videos for a long time, longer even than some readers realize. Luckily for us contemporary model railroaders, some of these videos have been digitized, and range from how-to videos to layout visits. These videos contain a wealth of knowledge from model railroading stars of […]

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News photos: Flooding along the Mississippi

A BNSF train tiptoes through high water at Savanna, Ill., on April 29, 2023. Jeremy J. Schrader.

Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers said high water and flooding may have been a factor in last week’s derailment of a BNSF derailment near De Soto, Wis., although investigation is continuing. That incident sent some cars into the Mississippi River [see “BNSF reopens track at site of Wisconsin derailment,” Trains News Wire,” April 29, 2023]. But […]

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Everett Railroad to hold fundraiser for PRR K4s No. 1361

Steam locomotive with train on curve

HOLLIDAYSBURG, Pa. — The Everett Railroad will run a steam-powered fundraiser trip to support the restoration of  the Railroaders Memorial Museum’s Pennsylvania Railroad Class K4s steam locomotive No. 1361. On Saturday, May 6, the railroad will operate a 1-hour passenger excursion as part of the museum’s “Juniata Jewel Jubilee” to mark the 105th anniversary of […]

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New York’s MTA quits using Twitter for service updates

Electric multiple-unit trainset approaches station

NEW YORK — The Metropolitan Transportation Authority has stopped using Twitter to post service updates “as the reliability of the platform can no longer be guaranteed,” an MTA official said late last week. The MTA Twitter account will remain active for other forms of messaging, and customers will be able to tweet to MTA accounts […]

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BNSF reopens track at site of Wisconsin derailment (updated)

BNSF Railway logo

DE SOTO, Wis. — BNSF Railway operations resumed today (Saturday, April 29) past the site of a Thursday derailment that injured four crew members and sent some cars into the Mississippi River. Clean-up at the site is continuing. The derailment occurred about 12:15 p.m. Thursday between the towns of De Soto and Ferryville, Wis., blocking […]

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