Bangor & Aroostook locomotives remembered

Six red, gray, and black diesel Bangor Aroostook locomotives on train in wilderness

Let’s celebrate the variety and color of Bangor & Aroostook locomotives! The Bangor & Aroostook didn’t purchase its first diesels (EMD F3s) until 1947, but dieselization then came quickly, with the last steam operations in 1949. The railroad kept its older diesels in good shape for a long time, supplanting them with GP38s in the […]

Read More…

1940s Union Pacific steam locomotives

Smoking 1940s steam locomotive approaching with freight train

A childhood memory led me to chasing 1940s Union Pacific steam locomotives around Omaha has a teen. That story had its origin when I was around eight years of age. Like other boys of those times, I was fascinated by the sight and sound of a steam locomotive, but rarely saw one, since there were […]

Read More…

News Photo: NJ Transit’s ‘Bluebird’ diesel

Two GP40 locomotives in heritage paint schemes

KEARNY, N.J. — NJ Transit has unveiled its newest heritage locomotive, GP40PH-2 No. 4101, repainted into the “Bluebird” paint scheme used by New Jersey Department of Transportation’s Commuter Operating Agency, a predecessor of the current transit agency. The locomotive is one of 13 3,000-hp EMD GP40P units specifically designed for the Central Railroad of New […]

Read More…

OmniTRAX finalizes deal for San Luis & Rio Grande

Locomotive at station

DENVER — OmniTRAX has completed an agreement to purchase the assets of the bankrupt San Luis & Rio Grande Railroad, which will become the company’s 26th short line. Bankruptcy trustee William Brandt had said last month that the company had signed an agreement in principle to purchase the 155-mile Colorado railroad, a former Denver & […]

Read More…

In Memoriam: Stephan Lamb

An image of a man wearing a hat.

In Memoriam: Stephan Lamb. The founder and owner of Stephan Lamb Associates, passed away on the morning of October 8th, 2022. He started his business to help his friends which grew into building professional model railroads for so many clients throughout the years. Stephan took a personal interest in every layout that he built and […]

Read More…

50-foot Superior plug-door boxcar from Athearn

Drawing of yellow boxcar with brown ends

50-foot Superior plug-door boxcar Scale: HO (1:87:1) Price: $37.99 Era: 1971+ to late 2000s+ (varies depending on paint scheme) Manufacturer: Athearn Trains, 2904 Research Rd., Champaign, IL 61822; 800-338-4639; athearn.com Features: Separate, factory-installed brake wheel and ladders 70-ton roller bearing trucks 33” machined metal wheels with RP-25 contours Body-mounted McHenry knuckle couplers Injection-molded plastic body […]

Read More…

Reading & Northern 4-8-4 repaired, set for next excursion

Steam locomotive passes through town under cloudy skies

PORT CLINTON, Pa. — Reading & Northern Railroad’s Class T-1 4-8-4 steam locomotive is repaired and ready to pull a sold-out Oct. 29 excursion after a malfunctioning component in its firebox sidelined it during a trip on Saturday, Oct. 8. After a six-year, $2.4 million restoration, the former Reading Co. engine has been performing flawlessly […]

Read More…

Rapido Trains General Motors Diesel F40PH-2D

N scale model of passenger diesel locomotive in VIA Rail paint scheme

Rapido Trains recently released their General Motors Diesel F40PH-2D diesel locomotive. Associate Editor Bryson Sleppy hosts a Product Review video of this new N scale passenger locomotive. He demonstrates the details on the locomotive as well as lighting and sound effects from the dual-mode ESU LokSound 5 sound decoder. Finally, he takes passengers on the […]

Read More…