Atlas HO scale Alco RS11

Color photo of HO scale diesel locomotive painted black, yellow, and red on white background.

Atlas HO scale Alco RS11 Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: Direct-current model with 21-pin plug, $174.95; with ESU LokSound V5 sound decoder, $289.95 Era: 1970 to 1975 (as decorated) Manufacturer: Atlas Model Railroad Co., 378 Florence Ave., Hillside, NJ 07205; 908-687-0880; shop.atlasrr.com Atlas HO scale Alco RS11 features: Die-cast metal frame Directional, golden-white light-emitting-diode lighting Factory-installed […]

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News & Products for the week of June 9th 2025

A model passenger train on elevated track

News & Products for the week of June 9th 2025   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 June 9th, […]

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A 2025 Big Steam Summer

Big steam locomotive rounds curve during late summer

Spring has sprung some big highlights for big steam in 2025. After a two-week stay at the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad, Nickel Plate Road No. 765 made a historic detour along the Wheeling & Lake Erie Railway — plus three employee appreciation trips out of Brewster, Ohio, on May 10 — before heading to the […]

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More easy ways to add realism to your layout

freight yard scene on model train layout

My layout, The “Casey” Line, was published in the September 2021 Classic Toy Trains. My 30-year project was based on reading a boxful of 1950’s Model Railroader magazines and compiling a list of the best features on model railroads from those articles.  Fortunately, I was able to include all the scenic features recommended in those […]

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Phoenix light rail system opens 5.5-mile addition

Light rail trainset in downtown Phoenix

PHOENIX — The Phoenix light rail system has grown by 5.5 miles, and gone from a single route to a two-line system, after the opening of the South Central Extension and Downtown Hub on Saturday, June 7. The opening of Valley Metro’s seven-station extension southward along Central Avenue from downtown to Baseline Road is projected […]

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MTH Premier Norfolk & Western J-class 4-8-4

O scale streamlined steam locomotive set in front of a scene

MTH Electric Trains continues its presence in the model railroad world, focusing on O, Standard, and One Gauge products. The O gauge lineup has mainly been previously-offered locomotives and rolling stock from the tooling that’s in a shared agreement with Atlas or wasn’t sold to Lionel. Among their offerings, the Norfolk & Western J-class 4-8-4 […]

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Some of my favorite train stations

Sunlight lights the interior of a glass and steel arched train shed where three passenger trains await departure

Among the delights of railroad travel is departing and arriving at great stations. I have more than a few favorite stations, so I’ll limit today’s essay to active stations served by regularly scheduled trains. This excludes favorites that are gone but not forgotten, such as Philadelphia’s magnificent Broad Street Station; station buildings that survive but […]

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Trump budget greenlights more National Network investment: Analysis

Passenger train with mix of single and bilevel equipment

WASHINGTON — Although the Trump Administration’s budget for fiscal 2026 provided little rationale for boosting Amtrak’s National Network funding by almost 23% while decreasing Northeast Corridor money by 25.5%, the proposal provides insight for Congress and company leadership on what their priorities should be. The recent release of budget details [see “Trump budget calls for […]

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Broadway Limited N scale EMD SW7

Color photo of N scale end-cab switcher painted silver and black with red, white, and blue stripes.

Broadway Limited N scale EMD SW7 Scale: N (1:160) Price: Stealth (no sound), $189.99; with dual-mode Paragon4 sound decoder, $259.99 Era: 1949 to 2000s (varies based on paint scheme) Manufacturer: Broadway Limited Imports, 9 East Tower Circle, Ormond Beach, FL 32174; 386-673-8900; broadway-limited.com Broadway Limited N scale EMD SW7 features: All-wheel electrical pickup Body-mounted couplers […]

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