With its fast-moving, extensive-length, and often technicolor appearance, intermodal freight transportation along the rails of North America is interesting to view anywhere! But when set amongst a dramatic backdrop of the Mountain West region, you’ll find it hard not to be completely captivated by the magical culmination of engineered efficiency and striking natural beauty. That’s […]
Era: 2000 - Present
Montana Rail Link Requiem
Montana Rail Link, for all intents and purposes, is over. Simply awaiting STB approval before the final chapter is written and the company fades into the history books. The story began in 1987, when a new company was formed to lease the former Northern Pacific mainline, then owned by Burlington Northern, from Sandpoint, Idaho, to […]
Big Skies & Iron Rails, Season 2 Official Trailer
Did you think railfan/professional photographer Tom Danneman would end his unique treks to the American West after one year? Not a chance! In this new phase of his explorations, you’ll enjoy an even more scintillating look at expansive western scenery and the full scope of trains running through it. Look for a mix of short-form, […]
Guilford Rail System’s Bishop Street Branch in HO scale
Enjoy this exclusive Trains.com Video highlighting the processes veteran layout builder and frequent author Lance Mindheim uses to build and deliver top-notch layouts to clients throughout the world. In this instance, you can glean rare insights from the construction of the 10’-6” x 22’-0” HO scale (1:87) Bishop Street Branch inspired by Guilford/Pan Am Railways […]
Guilford Rail System’s Bishop Street Branch in HO scale
Enjoy this exclusive Trains.com Video highlighting the processes veteran layout builder and frequent author Lance Mindheim uses to build and deliver top-notch layouts to clients throughout the world. In this instance, you can glean rare insights from the construction of the 10’-6” x 22’-0” HO scale (1:87) Bishop Street Branch inspired by Guilford/Pan Am Railways […]
Large scale boxcars and graffiti in an art exhibit
Large scale boxcars and graffiti in an art exhibit: The Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles (MOCA) opened its Art in the Streets show on April 17, 2011. It is the first major US museum exhibition on the history of graffiti and street art, tracing its development from the 1970s to the global movement […]
Big Skies & Iron Rails, Season 2 Official Trailer
Did you think railfan/professional photographer Tom Danneman would end his unique treks to the American West after one year? Not a chance! In this new phase of his explorations, you’ll enjoy an even more scintillating look at expansive western scenery and the full scope of trains running through it. Look for a mix of short-form, […]
How to graffiti a freight car
Many hobbyists strive to model freight cars accurately. Selecting the right doors, installing the correct hatch covers, and using the proper ladders and stirrup steps are just some of the things freight car enthusiasts focus on. Those re-creating earlier eras may even add chalk marks to the car sides. How to graffiti a freight car […]
The Polar Express train set from Lionel in O gauge
The Polar Express train set from Lionel in O gauge (and S, for that matter) evolves with the technology. The train itself, celebrating the Christmas book and movie, has been in the catalog for years. The train maker continues to find ways to keep it fun and fresh with each iteration. The latest version of […]
“Cabooses” or “cabeese”?
One piece of rolling stock I can bet almost every model railroader owns is a caboose. These cars are a staple in both real life and the model form, to the point where many people who don’t know much about trains at all know what a caboose is. Along with the existence of the word […]
Conrail diesels in large scale
Conrail diesels in large scale: Mark Bottrill’s Bishopstown Subdivision is designed to summon up memories of Conrail’s heyday in the Northeast, but it’s located in the Buckinghamshire county in the south of England! The railroad has a 600-foot double-track mainline, and features a number of rail-served industries, including a steel recycling facility and a large […]
What are those gray SPMX covered hoppers?
Q: What are the gray SPMX covered hoppers for? I see them everywhere, but never moving. – Carol Schuler A: SPMX is a relatively new reporting mark – so new that it doesn’t show up yet on many of the websites I use for reference. But that reporting mark belongs to Shell Polymers. That’s a […]
