ABILENE, Kan. — The Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad has reactivated one of its vintage diesel locomotives for the first time in over 20 years. No. 34, a GE 44-ton center-cab switcher, was unveiled on Sunday (June 8, 2025) at the tourist railroad’s former Rock Island depot in Abilene. This comes after an extensive restoration […]
A new run of the WalthersMainline HO scale EMD GP9 was recently released. Model Railroader Senior Editor Cody Grivno shares a brief history of the Electro-Motive Division road switcher and Central Vermont No. 4445; highlights the detail parts on the ready-to-run model; and demonstrates some of the sound and light functions on the locomotive, which […]
A new run of the WalthersMainline HO scale EMD GP9 was recently released. Model Railroader Senior Editor Cody Grivno shares a brief history of the Electro-Motive Division road switcher and Central Vermont No. 4445; highlights the detail parts on the ready-to-run model; and demonstrates some of the sound and light functions on the locomotive, which […]
Atlas HO scale Alco RS11 Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: Direct-current model with 21-pin plug, $174.95; with ESU LokSound V5 sound decoder, $289.95 Era: 1970 to 1975 (as decorated) Manufacturer: Atlas Model Railroad Co., 378 Florence Ave., Hillside, NJ 07205; 908-687-0880; shop.atlasrr.com Atlas HO scale Alco RS11 features: Die-cast metal frame Directional, golden-white light-emitting-diode lighting Factory-installed […]
STRASBURG, Pa. — Not even the dreary weather put a damper on the arrival of Chesapeake & Ohio No. 614 at the Strasburg Rail Road on Sunday (June 8, 2025). The Class J3a 4-8-4 arrived in style during the afternoon, as 2-10-0 No. 90 escorted the locomotive along the tourist railroad’s main line from its […]
News & Products for the week of June 9th 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 June 9th, […]
Spring has sprung some big highlights for big steam in 2025. After a two-week stay at the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad, Nickel Plate Road No. 765 made a historic detour along the Wheeling & Lake Erie Railway — plus three employee appreciation trips out of Brewster, Ohio, on May 10 — before heading to the […]
Among the delights of railroad travel is departing and arriving at great stations. I have more than a few favorite stations, so I’ll limit today’s essay to active stations served by regularly scheduled trains. This excludes favorites that are gone but not forgotten, such as Philadelphia’s magnificent Broad Street Station; station buildings that survive but […]
Broadway Limited N scale EMD SW7 Scale: N (1:160) Price: Stealth (no sound), $189.99; with dual-mode Paragon4 sound decoder, $259.99 Era: 1949 to 2000s (varies based on paint scheme) Manufacturer: Broadway Limited Imports, 9 East Tower Circle, Ormond Beach, FL 32174; 386-673-8900; broadway-limited.com Broadway Limited N scale EMD SW7 features: All-wheel electrical pickup Body-mounted couplers […]
SPENCER, N.C. — Former Southern Railway FP7 diesel No. 6133 is turning 75 in 2025, prompting multiple events throughout the year to mark the occasion. The North Carolina Transportation Museum, owner of the vintage streamlined locomotive, initially offered “At the Throttle” sessions on June 7, 8, 21, and 28. Participants would have the opportunity to […]
JAMESTOWN, Calif. — Sierra Railway 4-6-0 No. 3 will make its official public debut on July 12. The locomotive has been out of service since 2021 for its federally mandated 1,472-day boiler inspection. The famed Rogers-built Ten Wheeler-type of Hollywood stardom was returned to steam early in the year. According to a June 3 Facebook […]
The National Steel Car Corp. 50-foot newsprint boxcar is the latest addition to the Master Line from Atlas Model Railroad Co. The model, based on tooling the manufacturer acquired from True Line Trains in 2020, features molded and separate, factory-applied detail parts; 33” metal wheelsets; and body-mounted Accumate couplers. Prototype history Between 1967 and 1971, […]
