Intermodal haulage on railroads initially resembled loose-car railroading: Cities of varying sizes had ramps that originated a few flatcars, which were added to merchandise freights. A trucker, though, could beat that service easily. Larger cities generated solid intermodal trains, but the cost of terminals, equipment, and operations made the business lucrative only in lanes of […]
In the early 1970s, economic growth was transforming the South and West, and Western railroads surpassed Eastern roads in ton-miles carried for the first time in 1971. Traffic declines in the East heped trigger a rash of bankruptcies, which spurred Congress to commission detailed studies of railroad lines and operations. The results warned that, absent […]
Chesapeake & Ohio B30-7 No. 8242 is sandwiched between SD45s, with 4383 in the lead, as they pass through Thurmond, W.Va., on July 26, 1984. Kermit Geary Jr. photo […]
Jeff Wilson and Robert Wegner This Map of the Month appeared in the February 2007 issue of Trains magazine. Twenty-five years separate these two maps showing the busiest freight railroad lines in the United States. The 1980 map depicts American railroads at the end of regulation — the Staggers Rail Act of 1980 was signed […]
Name: Santa Fe & Pacific Scale: N (1:160) Size: 16 x 27 feet Prototype: Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe,Southern Pacific, and Union Pacific Locale: Cajon Pass (San Bernardino to the Lower Narrows of the Mojave River) Era: 1985 to 1995 Style: linear walkaround Mainline run: 110 feet (excludes run-through staging) Minimum radius: 18″ Minimum turnout: […]
Name: Great Northwestern Ry. Warm Springs District Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 2′-6″ x 20′-0″ long with a 2′-0″ x 8′-0″ staging yard Theme: Regional feeder line Locale: Colorado Era: 1976-1980 Style: L-shaped shelf layout Mainline run: 28 feet Minimum radii: 30″ (main line), 24″ (yards and branches) Minimum turnouts: no. 6 (main line), no. 4 […]
Name: Santa Fe Ry. Southern District Scale: N (1:160) Size: 13′-6″ x 19′-6″ Prototype: Atchison Topeka & Santa Fe Ry. Locale: Kansas and Oklahoma Period: 1988 to 1990 Style: linear walkaround Mainline run: 107 feet Minimum radius: 16″ Minimum turnout: no. 6 Maximum grade: none Originally appeared in the October 2009 issue of Model Railroader. […]
Name: Cat Mountain & Santa Fe Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 29′-6″ x 35′-6″ Prototype: Fourth District, Plains Division, AT&SF Ry. Locale: Lubbock to Slaton, Texas Era: 1978 Style: linear walkaround Mainline run: 210 feet Minimum radius: 32″ Minimum turnout: no. 6 Maximum grade: none Originally appeared in the August 2009 issue of Model Railroader. See […]
Name: Haysi RR Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 9 x 11 feet Prototype: Haysi RR (Clinchfield RR) Era: 1976 to 1980 Style: Walk-in Mainline run: 47 feet Minimum radius: 28″ Minimum turnout: no. 6 Maximum grade: 2 percent Originally appeared in the July 2009 issue of Model Railroader. See a PDF version of this track plan […]
Name: Montana Northland Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 20 X 26 feet, plus adjacent staging Prototype: freelance Locale: Western Montana/Central Idaho Era: late 1970s Style: three-level mushroom Mainline run: 495 feet Minimum radius: 30″ Minimum turnout: no. 6 Maximum grade: 2 percent Originally appeared in the August 2009 issue of Model Railroader. See a PDF version […]
Name: CP Slocan Lake Division Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 9′-0″ x 11′-0″ Prototype: Canadian Pacific Era: 1970s Mainline run: 40 feet Minimum radius: 20″ Minimum turnouts: no. 4 Maximum grade: 2.3 percent Originally appeared in the April 2009 issue of Model Railroader. See a PDF version of this track plan by clicking here. […]
Name: Virginian & Ohio Scale: HO (1:87) Layout size: 43 x 54 feet Prototype: free-lanced, Ohio to Virginia Locale: Virginia and West Virginia Period: 1975 Style: linear walkaround Layout height: 45″ to 63″ Benchwork: open grid Maximum grade: 1.77 percent Originally appeared in the January 2009 issue of Model Railroader. Click here to download a […]
