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Adding diesel sound to American Flyer trains is easier than ever thanks to ready-made electronics. If you can accomplish basic wiring tasks, you can install the needed components. I run a mix of postwar American Flyer and Flyer produced by Lionel. That means with newer stuff I’m quite used to the sounds of modern electronics […]
In the shadows of Mount Rushmore National Memorial, South Dakota, you can find one of America’s oldest tourist railroads. Welcome to the Black Hills Central Railroad (BHC). Operating between Hill City and Keystone, S.D., tourists can ride behind articulated steam locomotives over some of the steepest grades in the country. As highlighted in the August […]
While the California Zephyr name continues today under the Amtrak banner, much has changed since the final run of the streamlined predecessor in 1970. What hasn’t changed since the original 1949 debut is the premise from vintage advertisements to “look up, look down, and look all around” when taking the Chicago-Emeryville, Calif. trip. Especially when […]
In June 2023, Union Pacific’s No. 4014 “Big Boy”, a 4-8-8-4 steam locomotive, ventured out from Cheyenne, Wyo., to Omaha, Neb., for a display date at the 2023 College [Baseball] World Series. While any big steam run is noteworthy in this day and age, it was the routing that made this especially appealing. Instead of […]
The Rapido Trains HO scale RTL Turboliner paid a visit to our Milwaukee, Racine & Troy staff layout recently. Join Model Railroader editor Eric White and senior editor Cody Grivno as they take a look at the features on this ready-to-run model and take it for a tour of the Milwaukee, Racine & Troy. How […]
The Rapido Trains HO scale RTL Turboliner paid a visit to our Milwaukee, Racine & Troy staff layout recently. Join Model Railroader editor Eric White and senior editor Cody Grivno as they take a look at the features on this ready-to-run model and take it for a tour of the Milwaukee, Racine & Troy. How […]
The Atlas O Master Gunderson Multi-Max Auto Carrier is out after an almost two-year wait. The company announced the newly tooled cars in its Summer 2021 catalog. For modern operator-collectors with the real estate on their layout, having an autorack train is a virtual must. Before the announcement of these the only scale option was […]
ScaleTrains, a manufacturer of N, HO, and S scale model trains based in Cleveland, Tenn., announced has acquired ExactRail, a producer of freight cars and bridges in N and HO scales. The announcement came in a press release titled “ScaleTrains acquires ExactRail” on June 9, 2023. “We’re excited about the future of our favorite hobby,” […]
The Menards Caboose Coffee Shop accessory has dropped, and it’s going to make your O scale caffeine lovers very happy. I love coffee. I also enjoy cabooses. This accessory mixes both very successfully. Really, what better use for an old crummy than a shop like this? Like a lot of other Menards model railroad buildings, […]
There’s a lot of behind-the-scenes-work to make the cover of Classic Toy Trains. Here’s an inside look into how the image came about for the Jul-August 2023 issue. The feature story showcases the 41×60-foot O gauge layout built by the Train Masters of Babylon club in Farmingdale, N.Y. The image, shot by Kalmbach Media Co.’s […]
When we drove off Illinois Route 92 onto former Rock Island property recently at Silvis, I was singularly focused on seeing steam locomotives. Three of them, to be specific, including one very special engine, former Union Pacific 4-6-6-4 Challenger No. 3985. The Challenger was among equipment that made headlines last year as Railroading Heritage […]
Back by popular demand! James McNab has returned to host all-new video episodes of his previous Model Railroader Video Plus modeling series, The Hills Line with James McNab. This series featured layout construction insights and expert tips he shared while working to complete an HO scale (1:87) rendering 0f the IAIS Hills Industrial Spur. Take […]
