Scale: Large scale (1:24) Price: Two-pack, $79.99 Manufacturer: PIKO America LLC, 4610 Alvarado Canyon Rd., Ste. 5, San Diego, CA 92120; piko-america.com Features: Rib-side design, open top, two-bay hopper Includes simulated and lightweight coal load Numerous molded-on details including handrails and stirrup steps Hook and loop type couplers Crisp and clean lettering and logo designs […]
I have always liked narrow gauge. In my early 20s I tried my hand at modeling a bit of the South Pacific Coast RR in HOn3. But truthfully, I didn’t have the skills or the time. Frankly, my first love was the 2-foot gauge Sandy River and Rangeley Lakes. I remember talking to Bob Brown, […]
Storing locomotives Changing traffic levels affect the amount of equipment in operation, from freight cars to locomotives. When events occur such as a softening of the economy, losing a major contract to haul goods, or the end of a cyclical demand such as a grain harvest, a railroad will occasionally have to store equipment when […]
Track ballast Down below the trains, below the rails, the tie plates, and the ties, is a lowly yet vital component of railroading — track ballast. While ballast may not be at the top of anyone’s list of rail topics, it’s literally part of the foundation of railroads, and it can comprise more than 80% […]
Common name: Maidenhair spleenwort Latin name: Asplenium trichomanes Plant type: Perennial Plant size: 3-12″ high x 3-12″ wide USDA Hardiness Zones: 2-11 Cultural needs: Moist, rich, well-drained soil or rock crevices; partial to full shade In the wilds of the Pacific Northwest, maidenhair spleenwort grows under overhanging rock ledges, in moist crevices at high elevations. […]
Railroading Railroading is violent business. Freight cars coupling sound like small explosions, diesel engines reverberate like distant thunder, and horns at grade crossings are so loud that even deaf people can feel them. So, with all of this violent sound going on, how do you get the attention of a railroader at work? Use more […]
The dynamics of dynamic braking A half-century ago, when diesel locomotives were replacing steam engines, a revolutionary breakthrough — dynamic braking — was making freight operations safer and more efficient. Dynamic braking is the method of train braking whereby the kinetic energy of a moving train is used to generate electric current at the locomotive […]
Train orders The train order, variously called the “flimsy” or the “tissue” — together with its attendant operators, train order offices, and order hoops — has been rendered obsolete by the radio, the computer, and amended work rules. With its passing in the late 1980s, so did a whole concept of railroad traffic control that […]
Railroad reporting marks Railroad cars are identified by two, three, or four letters and by a number of up to six digits. The letters, known as reporting marks, indicate the owner of the car, while the number places it in the owner’s fleet. Reporting marks ending in X indicate ownership by a private concern as […]
The inspiration for this structure came to me as I was driving through a small town and a water tank came into view. It was one of those old-fashioned styles of water tanks. I stopped to take some pictures, and later I did research on these types of tanks. This type of structure is referred […]
The San Diego Garden Railway Society will be hosting a 2024 West Coast Regional Meet from August 10-15, 2024. The event will feature open houses of garden railways, operating sessions, clinics, and a farewell luncheon. According to a press release sent to Garden Railways, the clinic sessions will include: • Succulents and Plants for Garden […]
While we may no longer be printing Garden Railways magazine, we’re adding new content to Trains.com every week! Here’s a few recent items, and a preview of what’s coming in the next month. Become a Trains.com member so you don’t miss any of this great content! If you have a story suggestion, email editor@gardenrailways.com Meet […]
