L&N heavy Mikado 1852 A hostler tends to the fire of Louisville & Nashville class J-4 2-8-2 No. 1852 at South Louisville on Sept. 8, 1951. The 165 J-4 and J-4A USRA heavy Mikados of 1918–27 were the backbone of L&N’s freight fleet. Jack Fravert photo […]
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PHILADELPHIA — One of the oldest surviving steam locomotives in North America – also distinguished as the oldest former Reading Railroad engine – is getting a new home, the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania in Strasburg, Pa. Imported from England in 1838 for the Philadelphia & Reading Railroad, the 8-1/2-ton, 25-horsepower Rocket recently left its home […]
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Pennsylvania Railroad class I1 2-10-0 1753 shoves on the cabin car of a westbound iron ore train at Alexandria, Pa., on PRR’s Hollidaysburg & Petersburg Branch in September 1955. The I1s’ chunky appearance earned them the nickname “Hippo.” Philip R. Hastings photo […]
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ABILENE, Kan. — Steam locomotive No. 3415 is halfway through its 2023 operating season on the Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad, the final year before the locomotive is slated to be taken out of service for its federally mandated 1,472-day inspection. Though the start of the season saw multiple sidelines to the 4-6-2 due to […]
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A Bachmann HO scale J-3A Hudson steam locomotive visited our Wisconsin & Southern staff layout to lead an employee special. Model Railroader editor Eric White and senior editor Cody Grivno talk about the features on the New York Central prototype, demonstrate some of the sound and light functions, and run the train between Troy and […]
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A Bachmann HO scale J-3A Hudson steam locomotive visited our Wisconsin & Southern staff layout to lead an employee special. Model Railroader editor Eric White and senior editor Cody Grivno talk about the features on the New York Central prototype, demonstrate some of the sound and light functions, and run the train between Troy and […]
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News & Products for the week of August 14th 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 August 14th 2023. […]
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An Erie Railroad 2-8-2 works hard with a westbound way freight on a steep grade near Alfred, N.Y., in 1950. R. G. Nugent, Rail Photo Service […]
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Should I quarter the drivers on my Lionel steam locomotive? Q: I have a Lionel No. 1615 steam switcher that runs well, but sometimes I wonder if the drivers are quartered correctly. They are not lined up together on opposite sides. What should I do? – James Thompson, Los Angeles, Calif. A: James, prototype steam […]
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The Lionel Brass Hybrid Challenger is the latest offering in this program for the train maker. First announced in the 2022 Vol. 2 catalog, it’s all-new tooling. This Legacy model is based on Union Pacific’s CSA-2-class 4-6-6-4s, which were the railroad’s earlier, lighter versions. When built in 1937, they were numbered into the 3900 series […]
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CALGARY — Canadian Pacific No. 2816 has now been run for about 700 miles since returning to operation, CPKC’s Jonathan J. Morris, manager, operating practices-steam, says in a post on the locomotive’s Facebook page, and is “running like the wind.” The locomotive was returned to steam June 18 and made its first short run June […]
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What’s the best way to repaint an old Lionel steam locomotive? Q: What is the best way to repaint old Lionel die-cast steamer body shells and diesel frames? I have tried six times with no good result – the paint doesn’t stick very well. What kind of paint should I use? Do I need a […]
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