How do you remove a locomotive’s shell to replace couplers?

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Removing a locomotive’s shell? Cody answers this question in this video of Ask Trains. Are you looking to learn more about your model railroad, or do you have questions about full-size trains? Send us an email at: AskTrains@trains.com ………………………………… Ask Trains is a regular video feature of Trains.com for magazine subscribers and Trains.com members, where editors […]

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How do you renumber Union Pacific and Southern Pacific steam locomotives?

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Cody answers this question in this video of Ask Trains. Are you looking to learn more about your model railroad, or do you have questions about full-size trains? Send us an email at: AskTrains@trains.com ………………………………… Ask Trains is a regular video feature of Trains.com for magazine subscribers and Trains.com members, where editors answer the questions readers […]

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After the air horns were removed, what is that part on the Union Pacific GP9’s roof?

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Cody answers this question about the Union Pacific GP9 in this video of Ask Trains. Do you have questions about details on diesel locomotives, or would you like to learn more about your model railroad? Send us an email at: AskTrains@trains.com ………………………………… Ask Trains is a regular video feature of Trains.com for magazine subscribers and Trains.com […]

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Speed matching DCC locomotives for better consisting

A trio of consisted Southern Ry. F units pull together on Larry Puckett’s HO scale railroad

Q: Can you provide a simple procedure for pairing locomotives in a consist? One locomotive is pulling or pushing the one in front. – Stephen J. Szypula A: An important part of making your consist work is speed-matching the locomotives so they don’t fight each other. If your locomotives respond to the same throttle speed step […]

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Which Trains Magazine issue has an article on the Kansas City Southern line from Kansas City to Shreveport, La.?

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Cody answers this question in this video of Ask Trains. Click the link to order a downloadable copy of the August 1979 issue, “Kansas City Southern and Amtrak.” Do you have a question? Would you like to learn more about full-size trains? Send us an email at: AskTrains@trains.com ………………………………… Ask Trains is a regular video feature […]

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How are wood-chip gondolas unloaded?

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If there is no opening on the bottom, how are wood-chip gondolas unloaded? Cody answers this question in this video of Ask Trains. Do you have a question? Would you like to learn more about full-size trains? Send us an email at: AskTrains@trains.com ………………………………… Ask Trains is a regular video feature of Trains.com for magazine subscribers […]

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Should sidings inside a reversing loop be their own wiring district?

A section of a track plan shows a town inside a reversing loop on the end of a peninsula

Q:  I’m planning a reversing loop on my layout. Must isolated sidings inside a reversing loop be part of the reversing section? Or can they be part of the main power bus? – R. John Kohlbrand A: There are three potential ways to wire up separate sidings and spurs that connect to a reversing section […]

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How to repair or replace broken/missing couplers?

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How to repair or replace broken/missing couplers? Cody shares ways to take care of couplers in this video of Ask Trains. Do you have questions about model railroading? Would you like to learn more about prototype trains? Send us an email at: AskTrains@trains.com ………………………………… Ask Trains is a regular video feature of Trains.com for magazine subscribers […]

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