I grew up in rural northeastern Wisconsin where pickup trucks were (and still are) a common part of the landscape. From farms to small businesses, and downtowns to construction sites, trucks were everywhere. Ford designed the first generation F-100 in 1953 to meet the demand for durable vehicles that could be reliable workhorses, yet comfortable […]
Tag: Chicago & North Western
Hobbyshop Window for January 30th 2026
For many years Hobbyshop Window was a popular department in the pages of Model Railroader magazine. We’re excited to bring it back as an occasional feature on Trains.com. Here’s a recap of some of the items that arrived at our offices for the week ending January 30th 2026. Keep up to date on the latest […]
Atlas O 1973 Ford F-100 truck
Scale: O (1:48) Price: $29.95 Manufacturer: Atlas Model Railroad Co., 378 Florence Ave., Hillside, NJ 07205; 908-687-0880; shop.atlasrr.com Atlas O 1973 Ford F-100 truck features: 1:48-proportion model Chrome plated grill and rear bumper Clear headlight lenses and window glazing Detailed interior with dashboard, bench seat, and steering wheel Molded exhaust system and spare tire […]
Atlas O 1973 Ford F-100 truck
Atlas O 1973 Ford F-100 truck Scale: O (1:48) Price: $29.95 Manufacturer: Atlas Model Railroad Co., 378 Florence Ave., Hillside, NJ 07205; 908-687-0880; shop.atlasrr.com Atlas O 1973 Ford F-100 truck features: 1:48-proportion model Chrome plated grill and rear bumper Clear headlight lenses and window glazing Detailed interior with dashboard, bench seat, and steering wheel Molded […]
ScaleTrains HO EMD SD38-2
ScaleTrains HO EMD SD38-2 Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: Direct-current model with 21-pin connector, $199.99; with ESU LokSound V5 sound decoder, two cube-type speakers, and an ESU-designed “PowerPack” with two super capacitors, $324.99. Manufacturer: ScaleTrains, 4901 Old Tasso Road NE, Cleveland, TN 37312; 844-987-2467; scaletrains.com ScaleTrains HO EMD SD38-2 features: All-wheel drive and electrical pickup Detailed […]
Tangent HO PS2-CD 4750 covered hopper
Tangent HO PS2-CD 4750 covered hopper Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: $67.95 (quantity discounts for direct purchases from manufacturer) Era: 1980 to present (Varies depending on paint scheme) Manufacturer: Tangent Scale Models, P.O. Box 6514, Asheville, NC 28816; 828-412-3886; tangentscalemodels.com Tangent HO PS2-CD 4750 covered hopper features: Barber S-2 100-ton roller-bearing trucks or Barber S-2 100-ton […]
Safety First: A railroad industry slogan
Given the dangers inherent in the railroad industry, it’s no surprise the slogan “Safety First” has a long history with railroading, appearing on posters, signs, and other safety materials — and even turntable bridges like this one in the western Nebraska community of Chadron. According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, the first recorded use of […]
