SAN FRANCISCO — San Francisco’s Transportation Authority board has postponed $62 million in funding for new light rail vehicles, reflecting a series of problems with the new Siemens equipment. And the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Authority has announced a dramatic safety measure with the new equipment, requiring operators to lock the rear doors open so passengers […]
David Bontrager of Elnora, Ind., died on Feb. 24. He was 74 years old. David penned more than 130 articles for Model Railroader, Mainline Modeler, and Model Railroading magazines between 1988 and 2001. Among his contributions to MR were several HO scale diesel locomotive articles, including detailing a Burlington Northern General Electric (GE) C30-7, a […]
Robert “Bob” Kingsnorth of Medford, Ore., died on Oct. 8. He was 73 years old. Bob’s journey in model railroading began when he received a Lionel set at age 6. He made the switch to HO scale when Kix breakfast cereal began giving freight cars as a promotion. Bob’s first byline in Model Railroader came […]
WASHINGTON — Companies bidding on a contract to build the next generation of railcars for Washington’s Metro system — a contract expected to be worth more than $1 billion — are being asked how they would spend some of the money in the region, an effort which could include building an assembly plant. The Washington […]
Wm. K. Walthers Inc. HO scale Electro-Motive Division Phase II GP9 with low short hood HO scale locomotives Electro-Motive Division Phase II GP9 with low short hood. Chicago & North Western, Burlington Northern, Milwaukee Road, Canadian Pacific, Norfolk Southern, and Wisconsin & Southern. Four road numbers per scheme (two each in direct current and Digital […]
The latest name train from Wm. K. Walthers is the HO scale Milwaukee Road Twin Cities Hiawatha. Walthers HO scale Milwaukee Road 63-foot Railway Post Office Walthers HO scale Milwaukee Road 75-foot express car Walthers HO scale Milwaukee Road 498-series 52-seat coach Walthers HO scale Milwaukee Road 535-series 52-seat coach Walthers HO scale Milwaukee Road […]
ROMULUS, N.Y. — An employee of a railcar repair firm was killed on the job Thursday when struck by a train. The Rochester Democrat & Chronicle reports that 46-year-old Thomas J. Horn of Romulus was struck and pronounced dead at the scene at 10:17 a.m. Thursday, according to a Seneca County Sheriff’s Office report. Horn […]
Rail-Scale-Models acquired the design and production rights to Rusty Stumps Scale Models’ Laser-Cut Craftsman Kits product line in March 2019. The structure line features more than 20 buildings in HO, S, and O scales. The deal follows Rail-Scale-Models’ 2018 acquisition of Rusty Stumps Scale Models Laser-Cut Details line. Rusty Stumps Scale Models will continue to […]
LAKE OSWEGO, Ore. — Railcar manufacturer The Greenbrier Companies has agreed to purchase American Railcar Industries from its current owner, ITE Management. Press releases at 6 a.m. EDT from Greenbrier and ITE to announce the deal say Greenbrier will buy American Railcar for $430 million in cash and convertible debt. ITE had completed purchasing American […]
CHICAGO — Metra’s board of directors on Wednesday approved contracts totaling $13.6 million to two consultants to assist the commuter rail agency in purchasing locomotives and coaches. One contract, for $10 million, was awarded to STV Inc. of Philadelphia, Pa., to provide quality assurance, engineering, and administrative assistance for Metra’s planned purchase of new commuter […]
Visitors look at models of CRRC equipment at InnoTrans in Berlin during the 2016 trade show. New legislation would block Washington’s Metro from buying equipment from CRRC. TRAINS: David Lassen WASHINGTON — Legislation proposed by Washington-area senators would authorize 10 years of funding for the DC Metro system — but only if Metro agrees not […]
HO scale locomotives Electro-Motive Division GP39-2 diesel locomotive. Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe (“Kodachrome” and blue-and-yellow warbonnet); Burlington Northern (Cascade Green with nose stripes, four road numbers); CSX (D&H Guilford scheme patchout); Delaware & Hudson (Guilford scheme, four numbers); Missouri-Kansas-Texas (green and yellow, four numbers); and Soo Line (Candy Apple Red). Two numbers per scheme […]
