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Retired Model Railroader Managing Editor Jim Kelly remains active in honing his N scale skills and craftsmanship. The result has been the fourth incarnation of his Tehachapi Pass layout. Set in 1985, both the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe and Southern Pacific traverse the 2% grade between Bakersfield and Tehachapi, Calif., with the famous Tehachapi […]
PITTSBURGH — Wabtec this week introduced its EVO Advantage engine, which features eTurbo technology that improves fuel efficiency by as much as 7%. The EVO Advantage — which is currently undergoing extensive field testing — will be available for Evolution series Tier 3 and Tier 4 locomotive modernizations, the manufacturer said this week. “The heart […]
Given the dangers inherent in the railroad industry, it’s no surprise the slogan “Safety First” has a long history with railroading, appearing on posters, signs, and other safety materials — and even turntable bridges like this one in the western Nebraska community of Chadron. According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, the first recorded use of […]
One of the Interstate Railroad’s ten Alco RS3 diesel locomotives switches hopper cars in the road’s yard at Andover, Virginia, in May 1960. The 88-mile coal-hauler’s diesels wore a colorful gray-orange-silver scheme. The Southern Railway bought the Interstate in June 1961. Photo by Steve Patterson […]
Atlas N EMD GP60 with sound Scale: N (1:160) Price: Direct-current model with factory-installed speaker, $144.95; with ESU sound decoder, $254.95. Subtract $10 for undecorated models. Manufacturer: Atlas Model Railroad Co., 378 Florence Ave., Hillside, NJ 07205; 908-687-0880; shop.atlasrr.com Atlas N EMD GP60 with sound features: Body-mounted Accumate couplers Clear window glazing Factory-applied air horn […]
Follow Model Railroader magazine Editor Eric White as he demonstrates how to scratchbuild generators for the HO scale (1:87.1) East Troy Industrial Park Project Railroad. Using manufactured shipping containers as a guide, Eric constructs the generator structures using .040″ styrene sheets. He details the process of cutting and assembling the frame for the units, and […]
News & Products for the week of August 25th 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 August 25th, […]
Trains.com staff members David Popp and Cody Grivno share their techniques for install printed backdrops on the HO scale (1:87.1) East Troy Industrial Park project layout. They use SceniKing paper backdrops and unique craft scissors to seamlessly blend printed scenes—including a river, barn, and tree line—into the painted sky. All of that, plus more scenery […]
A GP35 and three GP30s lead a 47-car freight up the west side of Denver & Rio Grande Western’s Tennessee Pass at Mitchell, Colorado, in September 1969. Indicative of the severity of the grade, four F units and two older Geeps are cut in as mid-train helpers. […]
A Fairbanks-Morse H16-44 diesel locomotive, based on a Phase III prototype, is now available from Rapido Trains. The HO scale model features injection-molded plastic and die-cast metal construction, prototype-specific details, and body-mounted Macdonald-Cartier metal couplers. Prototype history Fairbanks-Morse, and its Canadian subsidiary Canadian Locomotive Co., produced the H16-44 from April 1950 until March 1963. During […]
SAGINAW, Mich. — Lake State Railway on Thursday (Aug. 21, 2025) unveiled a new heritage locomotive honoring the predecessor Pere Marquette Railway. Lake State Supervisor of Yard Operations Travis Vongrey, a second-generation railroader with the company, developed the concept and design for the “Spirit of Pere Marquette,” newly acquired SD70M No. 6437, one of eight […]
Fairbanks-Morse, the Beloit, Wisconsin-based locomotive manufacturer, was celebrated for its powerful and innovative designs during the transition from steam to diesel. Nevertheless, not all of its creations achieved commercial success. The following examines three Fairbanks-Morse locomotive models that, despite their ambitious engineering, struggled to find a foothold in the market. Fairbanks-Morse H20-44 The H20-44, introduced […]
