N scale American Car & Foundry PD3500 Flexi Flo hopper

Drawing of 14 covered hoppers

American Car & Foundry PD3500 Flexi Flo hopper Scale: N (1:160) Price: Single car, $44.95; two-pack, $89.90; three-pack, $134.85; and six-pack, $269.70 Era: 1964 to 2010s (varies depending on paint scheme) Manufacturer: Rapido Trains Inc., 500 Alden Road, Unit 21, Markham, Ontario L3R 5H5 Canada; 905-474-3314; rapidotrains.com Features Early and late body styles 125-ton Barber S-2 […]

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LGB Santa Fe F7 locomotive review

LGB F7 Santa Fe large scale

These LGB Santa Fe F7 locomotives are nice looking and good runners, too. The powered A unit (no. 21576) has many separately applied details and cab doors that can be opened. Both trucks are driven by Bühler motors with ball bearings and the wheels have traction tires. The locomotive has a built-in mfx/DCC decoder with […]

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Rapido 3,800 cubic-foot capacity cylindrical covered hopper

Drawing of 11 different cylindrical hoppers

3,800 cubic-foot capacity cylindrical covered hopper Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: Single car, $54.95; six-pack, $329.70 Era: 1965 to present (varies depending on paint scheme) Manufacturer: Rapido Trains Inc., 500 Alden Road, Unit 21, Markham, Ontario L3R 5H5 Canada; 905-474-3314; rapidotrains.com Features Round-hatch or trough-hatch design as appropriate Dofasco S-2 100-ton trucks 6- or 11-side panel body […]

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Model Train Association Lionel 6464 boxcar hunt

Lionel MTA 6464 timken boxcars

The Model Train Association Lionel 6464 boxcars are the subject of many collectors’ searches. Interest in the near-scale postwar series never flags. Newcomers to the hobby continue to discover the 29 cataloged entries and start tracking down examples. Longtime hobbyists hunt hard-to-find variations. Among the sought after are the Train Collectors Association models sold as […]

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Bachmann HO scale transfer caboose

Red transfer caboose

Transfer caboose Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: To be announced Era: Varies depending on paint scheme Manufacturer: Bachmann Trains, 1400 E. Erie Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19124; 215-533-1600; bachmanntrains.com Features: New and existing tooling E-Z Mate Mark II couplers Blackened metal RP-25 contour wheels Release date: 2023 Paint scheme: CSX (gray, blue, and yellow), Missouri Pacific (red […]

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Bachmann 52’-6” drop-end gondola

Red gondola freight car

52′-6″ drop-end gondola Scale: N (1:160) Price: To be announced Era: Varies depending on paint scheme Manufacturer: Bachmann Trains, 1400 E. Erie Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19124; 215-533-1600; bachmanntrains.com Features: Positionable drop-end gates E-Z Mate Mark II couplers Blackened metal RP-25 contoured wheels Release date: 2023 Paint scheme: Great Northern (Vermillion Red), New York Central (black), […]

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Spokane, Portland and Seattle Railway freight trains remembered

Diesel locomotives with freight train among trees

Spokane, Portland and Seattle freight trains remembered: All through August 2022, Classic Trains editors are celebrating the grit, panache, and charm that was the Spokane, Portland and Seattle. As part of the celebration, please enjoy this freight train photo gallery as the perfect accompaniment. Each month since October 2019, Classic Trains editors have showcase one “Fallen Flag” railroad — […]

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Spokane, Portland and Seattle locomotives remembered

Steam locomotive smoking profusely

Please enjoy this photo gallery of Spokane, Portland and Seattle locomotives selected from files in Kalmbach Media‘s David P. Morgan Library.     The principal Spokane, Portland and Seattle locomotive shop was at Vancouver, Washington. Initially a roundhouse, it was supplemented with a four-track, three-level diesel shop in 1949 that replaced the roundhouse after the last […]

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ClassOneModelWorks.com announces Electro-Motive Division GP40

Black and gold diesel locomotive

Electro-Motive Division GP40 Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: To be announced Era: April 1966 to present (varies depending on paint scheme Manufacturer: ClassOneModelWorks.com, 8610 NW 107th Terrace, Kansas City, MO, 64153; 816-243-0044; ClassOneModelWorks.com Features: Road- and unit-specific body styles Flat cap 48” fans Diamond mesh radiator intake screen Early triangular fuel tank mounts Ribbed cab base […]

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Electro-Motive Division BL2 from Bachmann

Black streamlined diesel locomotive

Electro-Motive Division BL2 Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: To be announced Era: 1947+ Manufacturer: Bachmann Trains, 1400 E. Erie Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19124; 215-533-1600; bachmanntrains.com Features: New and existing tooling Directional light-emitting-diode headlights with Rule 17 dimming Dual-mode decoder E-Z Mate Mark II couplers Blackened RP-25 contour wheels Release date: 2023 Paint schemes: Chesapeake & Ohio […]

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Bowser Alco RS3 “Hammerhead” diesel locomotive

Tuscan red diesel locomotive

Alco RS3 “Hammerhead” diesel locomotive Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: Direct-current, $249.95; with sound decoder, $349.95 Era: 1953 to 1979 Manufacturer: Bowser Manufacturing Co. Inc., 1302 Jordan Ave., Montoursville, PA 17754; 570-368-2379; bowser-trains.com Features: Can motor Light-emitting diode lighting Blackened, nickel-plated wheels Separate, factory-applied detail parts Release date: Fall 2023 Paint schemes: Pennsylvania RR (as-delivered with […]

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