By 1840, the nation had 2,800 miles of railroad track. In his book American Notes, novelist Charles Dickens captured the flavor of an 1842 trip on the Boston & Lowell Railroad. “On it whirls headlong, dives through the woods again, emerges in the light, clatters over frail arches, rumbles upon the heavy ground, shoots beneath […]
Q: In your special issue Best of Industries, Harold W. Russell wrote about the R.B. Crowell & Son Grain Co. He stated that the rail-served industry received grain in bulk loads, but in the photos and drawings it seems to me that they would ship grain instead of receiving it. What are your thoughts? — […]
The RSD5 diesel locomotive was produced by Alco from 1952 through 1956. Just over 200 of these units were produced, a small quantity compared to the more than 1,200 RS-3s Alco produced earlier in the same decade. The RSD5s produced 1600 hp with just over 71,000 pounds of tractive effort. The three-axle trucks, each axle […]
News & Products for the week of May 12th 2025 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 May 12th, […]
Classic Trains Film Archive | Midwestern Missouri Pacific Journey, J. David Ingles Reel 0052 – Journey through the heart of 1960s Midwest railroading in this colorful film from former Trains Magazine Editor J. David Ingles. Ride a classic Missouri Pacific passenger train from St. Louis to Kansas City and witness historic rail action along the […]
The RSD5 diesel locomotive was produced by Alco from 1952 through 1956. Just over 200 of these units were produced, a small quantity compared to the more than 1,200 RS-3s Alco produced earlier in the same decade. The RSD5s produced 1600 hp with just over 71,000 pounds of tractive effort. The three-axle trucks, each axle […]
Walthers HO 40-foot single-sheathed boxcar Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: $31.98 Era: 1920s to 1950s Manufacturer: Wm. K. Walthers Inc., 5601 W. Florist Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53218; 414-527-0770; walthers.com Walthers HO 40-foot single-sheathed boxcar features: Newly tooled model 33” turned-metal wheelsets with RP-25 contour Body-mounted Proto-Max metal couplers Factory-applied plastic running boards with molded corner grab […]
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A 52’-6”, 15-panel gondola with factory-dented sides is now available from Bluford Shops. The N scale injection-molded plastic model, offered with light, medium, and heavy denting, features metal wheelsets, body-mounted couplers, and railroad-specific end and hand brake options. Prototype history The Bluford Shops model is based on a design developed by the Erie RR and […]
Facts and features Name: Buffalo & PittsburghScale: N (1:160)Size: 27 x 31 feet plus 14 x 14 feetPrototype: Buffalo & PittsburghLocale: western New York and PennsylvaniaEra: 1988Style: multi-deck walk-inMainline run: 187 feetMinimum radius: 16″Minimum turnout: No. 5Maximum grade: 2.5%Benchwork: open grid and modularHeight: 44″ to 62″Roadbed: cork over plywood and extruded-foam insulation boardTrack: Atlas code […]
Facts and features Name: NorthbrookScale: O gaugeSize: 29 x 36 feetPrototype: freelanceLocale: Northeast and Midwest U.S.Era: 1956Style: donutMainline run: 155 feetMinimum radius: 45″Minimum turnout: No. 5Maximum grade: noneBenchwork: open gridHeight: 42″Roadbed: corkTrack: Atlas O three-railScenery: painted extruded-foam insulation boardBackdrop: painted 1∕8” tempered hardboardControl: Lionel TMCC and Legacy; Sound Traxx Blunami Click the link to download […]
In Boston, a two-car train of Metropolitan Transportation Authority PCC cars rounds the loop at Riverside in 1963. G. Mac Sebree photo […]
