NO ONE LIKES it, but we all must do it: clean our track. We can clean our track by hand with an abrasive pad or a cloth soaked with appropriate cleaning fluid (careful in the tunnels), or we take the easy way out and let our locomotives do the work, pulling or pushing a track-cleaning […]
THE CTT WHIMSEY Department is always looking for new products, and this cute little American-made “Duchess” 2-4-0 fits the bill. Indiana-based Hartland Locomotive Works has been quietly laboring to build a good reputation in the large scale market. Its goal seems to be to produce well made, fun to operate trains made in the United […]
THE TPC3000 FROM IC Controls offers operators a 1-2-3 combination that’s going to shake things up for fans of Lionel’s TrainMaster system: compatibility with MTH ProtoSound-equipped locomotives, the ability to utilize more than 135 watts of transformer power, and refined control of locomotives in conventional mode. The TPC3000 (Track Power Controller) is not a transformer […]
ONE OF THE MOST often asked questions in the hobby is “Do we really need another New York Central Hudson?” And our answer? Sure! The prototype J-class engines had a clean, well-balanced appearance that suggested speed, even without streamlined shrouding. A J-class Hudson at the front of the 20th Century Limited symbolized grace and style […]
YOU CAN TELL that the holidays are upon you when you see Coca-Cola’s charming polar bear ads on television. These have become perennial favorites and have sparked a merchandise line ranging from snow globes to clothing. K-Line has done an exceptional job melding together the popular characters and the firm’s handcar. The handcar itself is […]
THE SOUTHERN PACIFIC Daylight 4-8-4 locomotive is one of railroading’s most easily recognized steam locomotives. Its black boiler, silver nose with over-and-under headlights, and gaily colored streamlined sides make it a hard engine not to notice. The concept for the new Daylight passenger train was born in the middle of the Great Depression. Southern Pacific […]
THIS IS JUST what toy train folks have wanted for some time: a locomotive packing some offensive firepower. Trust me, the snowplow gives this engine a whole different personality from your run-of-the-mill light steamer. At last we have a locomotive that just begs to have Lincoln Log obstacles built across the track, herds of large […]
PART OF THE allure of tinplate trains is their construction material – sheet metal. So what better way to complement operation of those trains than through the use of sheet-metal structures on your layout? But your choices are limited. On one hand you have scarce and expensive prewar structures (primarily railroad stations and right-of-way pieces) […]
THE MOTOR RAIL car, or “doodlebug,” holds an interesting place in railroad history. The concept is rooted in an attempt by railroads to continue to deliver passenger and express service to lines with declining traffic. Shortlines and Class 1 roads alike used motor cars, or doodlebugs, as they’ve become affectionately known. The rail motor car […]
CHANGING TECHNOLOGY allows hobbyists to have more fun with their trains. It also presents an entirely new set of “things to go wrong.” QSI contends that advanced circuit boards and new, high-powered transformers don’t necessarily always go together like peanut butter and jelly, and that you might need the help of PowerGuard to protect your […]
AT A UNION PACIFIC yard in Chicago, I recently saw the face of railroading today side by side with that of yesterday. A huge Chicago & North Western Dash 9 was idling next to a rusty, battered old North Western GP9. The difference was like night and day. Similarly, the difference between 3rd Rail’s brass […]
MORE THAN A YEAR ago Lionel announced its intent to offer portions of its TrainMaster technology to other manufacturers to broaden the reach of Command Control operation. TrainAmerica Studios responded to Lionel’s offer, and now, for the first time, there’s a readily available way to convert any locomotive to TrainMaster Command Control. TrainAmerica Studios is […]
