Ruling Grade: The maximum meaningful grade on a line; the grade that limits train tonnage. Traditionally, a ruling grade was the grade up which the standard road locomotive assigned to that division could just stagger with a maximum-tonnage train. This grade may not have been the steepest on the division, however. There may have been […]
Magazine: Model-Railroader
Outfit cars
Outfit cars Cars equipped with facilities for feeding and housing construction and maintenance employees in the field are known as outfit cars or camp cars. Over the years they have taken a number of forms. Because outfit cars are not revenue-producing equipment, railroads have tended to not spend much money on them, and a common […]
Rack and cable railways
Virtually all the railways in the world employ the same system for moving the vehicles that travel over them: Power is applied to some or all of the wheels that support and guide the vehicle along the rails. Adhesion between the wheels and running rails then allows the vehicle to move along the track, often […]
Rail
Perhaps no part of railroading is as important as that which gave the industry its name: rail. Together with flanged-wheel vehicles, rails allowed the development of a transport system quite distinct from the conventional roadway. Though rails of steel are standard today, iron and even wood found widespread use in the 19th century. Many early […]
Railroad’s traffic control systems
Traffic control systems Running a safe operation is not as simple as you might think. Every train must have authority to occupy the main track before it can begin moving. There are several types of authorities, but usually only one type is in effect on any given piece of track. Maintenance people must also have […]
Trackage and haulage rights
Because shippers’ distribution patterns are rarely congruent with any one rail carrier, railroads have developed two traditional methods of extending their reach over each others’ lines. The first is the joint rate and route. Two railroads, by agreement, establish one rate from an origin on the first to a destination on the second. One of […]
HO Tower 55 GE ES44AC is a detailed powerhouse
Tower 55 HO GE ES44AC This superbly detailed model of a General Electric ES44AC heavyduty road diesel is the initial offering in a new line of HO plastic locomotives from Tower 55. Tower 55 is a subsidiary of Overland Models, a manufacturer of brass locomotives and rolling stock. The Explorer-series locomotive reviewed here includes an […]
The Atlas HO scale EMD MP15 is a powerful diesel switcher
Atlas HO scale EMD MP15 Here’s a great looking, smooth-running model of Electro-Motive Division’s versatile MP15 heavy-duty yard switcher. At first glance it may look like any other EMD switcher, but this one is a hauler capable of moving up to 42 free-rolling cars on straight, level track. Atlas offers the MP15 in a Silver-series […]
Con-Cor’s N scale Zephyr is a winner
Con-Cor N scale Zephyr An excellent replica of a famous early streamlined passenger train – the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy’s Zephyr is now available in N scale. The drawbar-coupled, articulated three-car model combines fine detail, clever construction, and jaw-dropping performance – our sample crept at just 1 mph! The train. A joint project by the […]
A first look at MTH’s HO scale Pennsylvania RR K4 4-6-2 Pacific steam locomotive
MTH’s HO scale Pennsy K4 4-6-2 Model Railroader has just received a production model of MTH’s first HO scale locomotive, the Pennsylvania RR’s K4 4-6-2 passenger steam locomotive. While we are in the process of putting the new engine through its paces for a future review, we thought you’d like to see the new model […]
Micro-Trains to release GP9 in Z scale
Micro-Trains Line Co. announced that it will be releasing a Z scale Electro-Motive Division GP9. The model, scheduled for release in early 2007, will feature a Maxon 8 mm coreless motor with dual flywheels, golden-white light-emitting-diode headlights, etched-metal handrails, and Magne-Matic couplers. Road names and pricing information yet to be released. […]
Broadway Limited’s HO scale AC6000CW diesel is a big-time hauler
Broadway Limited’s HO AC6000CW diesel Here’s a powerful model of General Electric’s massive six-axle AC6000CW heavy-duty road diesel. The ready-to-run locomotive from Broadway Limited Imports is offered for the first time in plastic. It features an injection-molded plastic body shell with many freestanding details. The model also has a lot of heft (27 ounces) thanks […]
