The Metropolitan Division of the Train Collectors Association (METCA) recently announced the following custom-run models from Atlas O, Lionel, and MTH Electric Trains. Here’s a rundown of the O gauge models the group is offering. Visit the News & Reviews section of the Classic Toy Trains website for the latest headlines in toy trains. Atlas […]
Tips for Body-mounted couplers on auto racks: When N scale got its start in Europe in the 1960s, its originators conceived it in the tradition of toy trains, with truck-mounted couplers that could negotiate sharp-radius curves. Some N-scalers began switching to body-mounts after Kadee introduced its N scale knuckle coupler in the early 1960s. (Kadee […]
BROOKLYN, N.Y. — The New York Transit Museum’s vintage subway equipment will be featured in the 2023 “Parade of Trains” operation Sept. 9-10 on the New York City Transit B/Q lines — the former BMT Brighton line. Trains will operate from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., operating between the Brighton Beach B/Q platform and the […]
OTTAWA, Ontario — Twenty-eight days after service was abruptly halted, Ottawa’s light rail Confederation Line light rail was slated to resume operation today at 5 a.m. EDT, using shorter trainsets while work continues to address axle bearing issues. CTV News reports plans call for 11 single-car trains to provide service on 5-minute headways over the […]
How do I add lighting to cabooses? Q: I have five modern-era cabooses, four Lionel and one Atlas O, and I would like to add interior lighting to them. How do I do it? A: The first consideration is finding bulbs that glow warmly without getting too hot for the plastic caboose bodies. This shouldn’t […]
THOMASTON, Conn. — Former 20th Century Limited observation car Hickory Creek and New York Central tavern-lounge car No. 43 will return to Connecticut’s Naugatuck Railroad for a series of upcoming holiday excursions including this year’s Northern Lights Limited and Santa Express trips. Tickets for those trips are now on sale; information is available at the […]
How do I remove paint from old plastic freight cars? Q: I have some old Lionel plastic freight cars that I want to repaint in railroad colors. Will you please advise me how to remove the paint from these cars without damaging the plastic. A: The best paint remover I’ve found for use on plastic […]
The first German transportation agency to use hydrogen fuel cell passenger trains is opting for battery-electric trainsets for further replacement of diesel equipment, citing cost considerations. EVB (Eisenbahn und Verkehrsbetriebe Elbe-Weser) began operating 14 Alstom-built hydrogen fuel-cell trains last year between Cuxhaven and Buxtehude, Germany, on behalf of regional transportation authority LNVG [see “World’s first […]
HAMILTON, Ontario — Workers at railcar builder National Steel Car have approved a new contract, ending a 41-day strike by 1,475 members of the United Steelworkers. In a Tuesday vote, 87.4% of the members of Local 7135 approved the three-year agreement, which includes a 13% wage increase over the life of the contract, with 6% […]
CLIFTON FORGE, Va. — The Chesapeake & Ohio Historical Society has begun a fundraising campaign to return historic C&O office car Chessie 29 to operation, organization president Mark Totten has announced. The society will sell a custom, limited-edition, 11-by-17-inch poster of the car from Base Camp Printing of Charleston, W.Va., to fund the hiring of […]
HARTFORD, Conn. — Alstom will build 60 new coaches for Connecticut commuter rail service, Gov. Ned Lamont announced today. Delivery of the first cars under the $315 million contract is expected in 2026. The cars are intended for use on the Hartford Line as well as New Haven Line branches. “Having a modernized transit system […]
A Trinity 3,230-cubic-foot capacity Pressure Differential (PD) covered hopper has joined the Atlas N scale freight car fleet. The newly tooled Master Line model features a plastic body; etched-metal running boards; and many separate, factory-applied parts. Prototype history The 3230 PD covered hopper is based on a design developed by Thrall, which was acquired by […]
