Lionel no. 362 barrel loader

Roger Carp with Lionel no. 362 barrel loader

The year 1952 was a spectacular one for Lionel operating toy train accessories. An enduring favorite to come out of it was the no. 362 barrel loader. Professor Carp gives the history of the item and discusses changes and variations, while Classic Toy Trains Editor Hal Miller looks at how it operates. You can get […]

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Walthers Cornerstone HO scale Modern Suburban Station

Front of a modern train station with bollards lined out front.

If you’re in the market for a station to accompany a passenger line on your layout, this kit may be the perfect addition you’ve been waiting for. The Walthers Cornerstone HO scale Modern Suburban Station is a relatively quick and easy build, and the end result is a clean, modern station with lots of room […]

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ScaleTrains.com HO scale Pullman-Standard 4785 covered hopper

Side view of ScaleTrains.com HO scale Burlington Northern 4785 covered hopper.

ScaleTrains.com is back with a third run of Pullman-Standard 4,785-cubic-foot capacity three-bay covered hoppers. The Rivet Counter line model features prototype-specific details; see-through stainless steel running boards with wire corner grab irons; and Barber S-2 100-ton trucks with raised foundry data, truck-mounted brake beams, and rotating bearing caps. Prototype background. Pullman-Standard (PS) produced the 4785 […]

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Rapido HO scale 40-foot double-sheathed United States Railroad Administration boxcar

Three Rapido USRA double-sheathed 40-foot boxcars, clockwise from top left Spokane, Portland & Seattle; New York Central; and Pere Marquette

With about 25,000 built, the United States Railroad Administration 40-foot double-sheathed boxcar is one that deserves a place on any transition-era or earlier model railroad. Rapido’s model will help you fill your roster with highly detailed examples fitted with the correct style of brake for the paint schemes offered. War babies The double-sheathed boxcar was […]

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Product Review: ScaleTrains.com N scale standard turbine locomotive

Fire up the turbine, it’s time to melt some bridges on your N scale layout with ScaleTrains.com’s Rivet Counter line Union Pacific (UP) Standard Gas Turbine locomotive. These models come with an optional ESU LokSound 5 mini Digital Command Control (DCC) dual-mode sound decoder. Prototype history You can’t really melt any bridges with this model, […]

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Model Railroader’s Beginners’ email series

Screen image showing text and images from Model Railroader's beginner email series pitch.

Learn the fundamentals from Model Railroader with our FREE Basic Training E-mail Series! For beginners and those who could use a refresher on key model railroad fundamentals, Model Railroader’s Basic Training E-mail Series is for YOU! This series of six e-mails includes: •a clear explanation of scales and gauges •a demonstration of model train sets […]

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Tangent Scale Models HO scale Pullman-Standard 40-foot combination-door boxcar

Tangent Scale Models HO scale Northern Pacific Pullman-Standard 40-foot combination-door boxcar no. 3087.

As a fan of the immediate post-merger Burlington Northern, I was excited by a recent email from Tangent Scale Models in which the company announced its release of a 40-foot Pullman- Standard combination-door boxcar in HO scale. The company offers the model decorated for Northern Pacific (NP), Milwaukee Road, and Union Pacific in 12 road […]

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Accurail HO scale American Car & Foundry 2,970-cubic-foot-capacity two-bay Center Flow covered hopper

Accurail HO scale Chicago & North Western American Car & Foundry 2,970-cubic-foot-capacity two-bay Center Flow covered hopper no. 175070.

Well, it’s an exciting day in the workshop. We’ve got a brand new HO scale kit from Accurail. It’s the American Car & Foundry 2,970-cubic-foot capacity two-bay Center Flow covered hopper. Let’s take a closer look at the model. This is an easy-to-build injection-molded plastic kit. It features a mix of molded and modeler-installed parts. […]

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Lionel No. 97 Remote Control Coal Elevator

Roger Carp with Lionel No. 97 coal elevator

Professor Roger Carp discusses the origin and evolution of the vintage Lionel Trains motor-driven coal conveyor accessory. CTT Editor Hal Miller also chimes in with operating insights and helpful tips. Learn even more about this unsung classic in the May 2021 issue of Classic Toy Trains magazine. […]

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Rapido Trains HO scale MLW M420 diesel locomotive

Red, black, and white Rapido HO scale Montreal Locomotive Works M420 diesel locomotive shown on scenicked track facing right

Rapido Trains is bringing the comfort, Canadian style. We recently received a sample of the company’s new Montreal Locomotive Works (MLW) M420 locomotive, and it’s a beauty, eh?   The prototype When Alco locomotive production ceased in Schenectady, N.Y., in 1969, locomotives continued to be built in Canada by former subsidiary Montreal Locomotive Works until […]

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The Odyssey of UP 2488 on the Jericho & Mt. Zion Railway

The Odyssey of UP 2488 on the Jericho & Mt Zion Railway

Name: Ray Wheeler Railroad Name: Jericho & Mt Zion Railway Location: Lynnwood, WA Scale: G scale Theme: Tourist railroad with freight operations in the modern era. Description: The Odyssey of UP 2488 on the Jericho & Mt Zion Railway. AristoCraft 2-8-2 live-steam Mikado makes the run with a local freight.   […]

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