When Trains Magazine author Lou Maxon was invited by the Mt. Rainier Scenic Railroad and Museum in Mineral, Wash. to experience steam railroading from the cab, he knew he was in for a special treat, a peek into a world few non-railroaders will see. He watched as the crew went through their pre-departure routine for […]
Atlas HO scale newsprint boxcar Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: $36.95; undecorated, $29.95 Era: 1967 to late 2000s Manufacturer: Atlas Model Railroad Co., 378 Florence Ave., Hillside, NJ 07205; 908-687-0880; shop.atlasrr.com Atlas HO scale newsprint boxcar features: Body-mounted Accumate couplers Injection-molded plastic body Metal wheelsets Screw-mounted roller-bearing trucks See-through crossover platforms Separate, factory-applied brake wheel, door […]
News & Products for the week of May 19th 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 May 19th, […]
BREWSTER, Ohio — Following its two-week stay at the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad, Nickel Plate Road steam locomotive No. 765 made a historic detour on its way back to the Indiana Northeastern Railroad. On May 5, the 2-8-4, owned and operated by the Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society, departed the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic, heading southbound […]
GOWANDA, N.Y. — Montreal Locomotive Works M636 diesel No. 636 debuted May 17, 2025, in its new paint scheme for the New York & Lake Erie Railroad (NYLE). The 1970-built locomotive was acquired by the short line in 2024 from the Western New York & Pennsylvania Railroad. Initially debuting on the railroad’s Santa Express excursions […]
It’s 7:30 a.m. and our Trains crew has arrived at the Mt. Rainier Scenic Railroad and Museum in Mineral, Wash. for a steam engine cab ride. It’s about a two-hour plus drive from Carnation, Wash. where I run, own and operate my own short line electrified private railway. Today though, I’m a guest crew member […]
WalthersMainline HO EMD GP9 Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: Direct-current model with 21-pin DCC plug and factory-installed 28mm round speaker, $159.98; with dual-mode ESU Sound & DCC, $214.98 Manufacturer: Wm. K. Walthers Inc., 5601 W. Florist Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53218; 414-527-0770; walthers.com WalthersMainline HO EMD GP9 features: Constant, directional light-emitting diode headlights Footboard or plow-equipped pilot […]
DENNISON, Ohio — A location has been chosen to bring the new-build Pennsylvania Railroad T1 No. 5550 to life. The T1 Steam Locomotive Trust announced Friday, May 16, during the Pennsylvania Railroad Technical & Historical Society convention in Harrisburg, Pa., final assembly of the 4-4-4-4 will take place in Dennison. The organization has spent more […]
CHICAGO — For what has become an annual tradition, three privately-owned railcars will be front and center during Pullman Railroad Days this Saturday and Sunday, May 17-18, at Pullman National Historic Park. The historic equipment — two of Pullman heritage and one from American Car & Foundry Co. — will be on display at the […]
Interested in riding the railroad? One of the best windows on the railroad world are passenger trains, and you have plenty of options. Amtrak, a government corporation that took over nearly all U.S. intercity passenger trains from private railroads in 1971, today operates a 21,000-mile network that includes 500 stations in 46 states served by […]
The Electro-Motive Division F40PHM-2 is the latest HO scale commuter diesel from Rapido Trains. The four-axle unit uses plastic and die-cast metal construction and has numerous factory-applied detail parts and an assortment of lighting functions. Prototype history Electro-Motive Division produced the F40PHM-2 between October 1991 and December 1992. Initial assembly was done in London, Ontario, […]
ROANOKE, Va. — Norfolk & Western No. 611 will be turning 75 this month, and Roanoke’s Virginia Museum of Transportation is gearing up for a celebration: May 30, 4-8 p.m.; and May 31, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. The J-class 4-8-4 was built in May 1950 by N&W at Roanoke’s East End Shops. “This milestone not only […]
