Atlas N scale General American 3,500-cubic-foot capacity Dry-Flo covered hopper

red and white covered hopper illustration

General American 3,500-cubic-foot capacity Dry-Flo covered hopper Scale: N (1:160) Price: $46.95 (undecorated, $39.95) Era: 1960 to 1980s+ (varies depending on paint scheme) Manufacturer: Atlas Model Railroad Co., 378 Florence Ave., Hillside, NJ 07205, 908-687-0880, shop.atlasrr.com General American 3,500-cubic-foot capacity Dry-Flo covered hopper features: 33” metal wheels American Steel Foundries 70-ton Ride Control trucks Body-mounted scale couplers Etched-metal brake […]

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A postwar Lionel haul unboxing

Postwar Lionel haul unboxing with Hal Miller and Roger Carp

A postwar Lionel haul unboxing featuring Roger “Professor” Carp and CTT editor Hal Miller. The trains belong to a co-worker who received them from her father. He received his first Lionel train in 1941 – in fact, we have his original no. 1089 set box! Have a look at some of the well-loved and time-worn […]

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ClassOneModelWorks.com announces first HO scale models

Illustration of HO scale yellow well car.

Thrall Corp. TTX class TWF10 single-unit double-stack well car ClassOneModelWorks.com recently announced its first HO scale models. Leading things off is a Thrall Corp. TTX class TWF10 single-unit double-stack well car. The model will be offered in the as-delivered, intermediate, and late schemes in two to four numbers each. The ready-to-run car will feature formed, […]

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Athearn American Car & Foundry 2,970-cubic-foot capacity two-bay Center Flow covered hopper

illustration of yellow hopper

American Car & Foundry 2,970-cubic-foot capacity two-bay Center Flow covered hopper Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: Single car, $49.99; three-pack, $124.99 Era: 1966+ through 1989+ (varies depending on paint scheme) Manufacturer: Athearn Trains, 2904 Research Rd., Champaign, IL 61822, 800-338-4639, athearn.com American Car & Foundry 2,970-cubic-foot capacity two-bay Center Flow covered hopper features: Body-mounted McHenry scale couplers Injection-molded plastic body […]

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Atlas General American Transportation Corp. 20,700-gallon tank car

black tank car illustration

General American Transportation Corp. 20,700-gallon tank car Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: $54.95 (undecorated, $42.95) Era: 1965 to present (varies depending on paint scheme) Manufacturer: Atlas Model Railroad Co., 378 Florence Ave., Hillside, NJ 07205, 908-687-0880, shop.atlasrr.com General American Transportation Corp. 20,700-gallon tank car features: A end pipe stubs where applicable Bottom outlet, safety vent, and see-through end walkways Brake […]

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Belt Railway of Chicago locomotives

Close side-view of a black and gray diesel locomotive in a shop at night.

Belt Railway of Chicago locomotives: I recently photographed an ex-Belt Railway of Chiacgo Alco in, of all places, Olean, N.Y., on the Western New York & Pennsylvania. That old Alco and I go back to the mid 1980ss when I first laid eyes on her and a stable of other exotic beasts at BRC’s Clearing […]

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Cowl locomotives in North America

A bright red locomotive appears well-lit in a nighttime photograph.

Cowl locomotives: Six-axle cowl locomotives purchased for freight service have been rostered continuously on Class I railroads since Santa Fe first purchased EMD’s F45 model in 1968. More than a half century later, the industry is down to a single Class I railroad operating this locomotive design, Canadian Pacific. Although cowls have been hauling freight […]

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