Loads for a fertilizer blend plant

Color photo showing portion of three-bay covered hopper painted light orange.

Q: I have a question about one of the articles in your special issue Best of Industries. On page 16, Rich Cobb wrote about a fertilizer blend plant. Can you tell me what kind of loads a plant like this would receive? — Markus Russ A: We released that special-interest publication in 2021, so I […]

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WalthersMainline HO EMD SD60

Screen capture from product review video showing HO scale diesel in blue and white paint on layout with title bar in lower left corner.

The WalthersMainline HO EMD SD60 is back, this time with new features. Model Railroader Senior Editor Cody Grivno uses this six-axle road unit to switch cars on our Winston-Salem Southbound Tar Branch project layout. In addition, he shares a condensed history of the Electro-Motive Division road unit and Oakway Leasing No. 9009; highlights the detail […]

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News & Products for the week of April 14th 2025

A yellow model caboose

News & Products for the week of April 14th 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 April 14th, […]

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A new era for the Milwaukee, Racine & Troy

new era Milwaukee Racine Troy: A model train led by three blue and white locomotives proceeds through a town

When Kalmbach Publishing Co. moved from Milwaukee to the western suburb of Waukesha in 1989, the Milwaukee, Racine & Troy had a blank slate. The ink-stained concrete floor; large, drafty windows; and sun-faded scenery were in the past. “Our new layout room is a beautiful place, an open, rectangular space with a tile floor, drop […]

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Rapido Trains HO GE C30-7

Color photo showing side of HO scale diesel locomotive.

The C30-7 is the latest addition to the lineup of General Electric diesel locomotives from Rapido Trains. The HO scale model, offered in eight paint schemes, has a five-pole motor with dual flywheels; a heavy, die-cast metal weight; and prototype-specific details. Prototype history General Electric produced the C30-7 from September 1976 to May 1985. During […]

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News & Products for the week of April 7th 2025

An orange model caboose

News & Products for the week of April 7th 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 April 7th, […]

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Athearn Genesis HO EMD GP38-2

Screen capture of video with orange and black HO scale diesel and title bar in lower left corner.

The Athearn Genesis HO EMD GP38-2 recently arrived at our offices. Join Model Railroader Senior Editor Cody Grivno as he shares a brief history of the four-axle road switcher and Milwaukee Road No. 363; points out the many prototype-specific details on the model; and demonstrates the sound and light functions on our review sample, which […]

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Athearn Genesis HO EMD GP38-2

Screen capture of video with orange and black HO scale diesel and title bar in lower left corner.

The Athearn Genesis HO EMD GP38-2 recently arrived at our offices. Join Model Railroader Senior Editor Cody Grivno as he shares a brief history of the four-axle road switcher and Milwaukee Road No. 363; points out the many prototype-specific details on the model; and demonstrates the sound and light functions on our review sample, which […]

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B&O Museum puts spotlight back on American Freedom Train 1

Red, white, and blue steam locomotive with flags in front of towering passenger station

Has any class of homebuilt, remanufactured mainline steam locomotive ever performed as brilliantly as the Reading T-1 4-8-4? Given the long lives of four from its illustrious class of 30 engines, I’d say no. I came to this conclusion during a recent visit to the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Museum, which has announced that ex-RDG […]

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Magma Arizona railfanning

Square diesel locomotive with freight train with looming mountains

  There is always the story of the locomotive that got away. For years back in the late 1960s, whenever I was in southern Oregon (due to my Air Force status), I stopped by the McCloud Railway and, with camera in hand, one by one knocked off their diesel fleet and cars. Except Baldwin Locomotive […]

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News & Products for the week of March 31st 2025

An orange and black model locomotive

News & Products for the week of March 31st 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 March 31st, […]

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