On a murky winter night, a Chicago & Eastern Illinois 4-6-2 on a northbound passenger train waits for a signal at Dalton in south-suburban Chicago. Classic Trains collection […]
Chicago & Eastern Illinois nocturne
Type of Train: Steam Locomotive
What could a Big Boy West Coast Steam Tour be?
On the same route of the proposed Big Boy West Coast Steam Tour, Union Pacific 4-8-8-4 No. 4014 leads a matched UP office car train westward through Speer, Wyo., in 2019. Jim Wrinn photograph There was a collective groan that could be heard from many railfans west of the Rockies in 2022 when the Union […]
Pennsy J1a at the Columbus coal dock
Pennsylvania J1a 2-10-4 6483, one of 125 J1’s and J1a’s the PRR built at its Altoona shops in 1942–44 to the plans of Chesapeake & Ohio’s class T-1, stands under the coal dock at Columbus, Ohio, in July 1950. Classic Trains coll. […]
2-8-0 with a streamliner
After unloading at Seattle Union Station, the Milwaukee Road’s Olympian Hiawatha was towed south behind steam, backward and with diesels still attached, to a wye, where the train was turned to head for its ultimate destination, Tacoma. Eastbound, the process was reversed. In this late-1940s scene, 2-8-0 No. 1225 does the honors. Stuart B. Hertz photo […]
News & Products for the week of April 3rd 2023
News & Products for the week of April 3rd 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 April 3rd 2023. […]
2-8-0 with a fraught history
Duluth & Northeastern 2-8-0 No. 16, pictured without her smokebox door inside the short line’s enginehouse in September 1954, went into a river in 1916, was caught in a wildfire in 1918, and was inside the old enginehouse when it burned down in 1952. Philip R. Hastings photo […]
Pennsy 0-6-0 at Williamsport
Pennsylvania Railroad class B6sb 0-6-0 No. 4027 has a small audience as it switches cars in Williamsport, Pa., in 1950. A. C. Kalmbach photo […]
C&O steam turbine
Chesapeake & Ohio 500 was one of three class M-1 steam-turbine-electric locomotives built by Baldwin-Westinghouse in 1946–47 for the new Chessie streamliner. But the road de-emphasized its passenger business, the Chessie never ran, and the M-1’s led short lives. Classic Trains coll. […]
An HO Olympic logging layout in less than 64 square feet
By Greg Privette Vacationing near the Olympic mountains of Washington state birthed a vision for my new HO scale layout. Logging was the industry and Shelton, Wash., was home to the last logging railroad in the United States. Old-growth timbers harvested near Camp 5 were delivered by the Simpson Railroad to Shelton starting around the […]
Wheelset, track problems led to Missouri theme park derailment, report says
BRANSON, Mo. — A series of wheelset and track issues led to the derailment of a theme-park railroad in October 2022, according to a report released by the Missouri State Fire Marshal’s Office. One employee and six passengers were injured in the derailment on the 2-foot gauge“Frisco Silver Dollar Line Steam Train” at the Silver […]
Kansas City Southern Shay locomotives
Kansas City Southern Shay locomotives were oddballs on a steam locomotive roster of non-conformity. Ephraim Shay came up with the design for the geared locomotive in the 1870s. The Lima Locomotive Works popularized the design and sold almost 2,770 copies. Throughout the Leonor F. Loree administration, Kansas City Southern was a loyal Alco […]
Industries in northern Ohio
Industries in northern Ohio: The track and buildings are relatively level, but the walking area follows the contour of the ground. The entrance at the east is the highest, with the track and buildings being about one foot higher than the path. As you proceed to the west end, the path descends a little, so […]
