Burlington Northern locomotive one-offs. Burlington Northern (BN) had more than 2,000 diesel locomotives on its roster. With a fleet of that size, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that there were more than a few Burlington Northern locomotive one-offs. Paint scheme variations, wreck rebuilds, and test subjects were among the examples I found when searching […]
Why I love the Electro-Motive Division SD40-2 Many modelers have a locomotive that they are fond of, probably one of their first models that they received as a kid. My first engine was an O gauge F7, a far cry from the locomotive that I love, the Electro-Motive Division SD40-2. In fact, nine years later […]
The Frank Sinatra Lionel collection and his O gauge layout have fascinated Trains.com and Classic Toy Trains readers for years. Let’s use the photograph snapped long ago by Rebecca Saliture to explore what the “Chairman of the Board” owned and ran. The Frank Sinatra Lionel collection After World War II, Sinatra visited the Lionel showroom […]
Fourteen states on Amtrak I’ve been riding on trains since I was 2 years old. Although those trips were short and on scenic railroads, my love for trains increased as I got older. From watching high-speed Acela and Northeast Regional trainsets fly by while visiting the Northeast Corridor to watching videos of the stunning views […]
Small O and S gauge layouts are how the hobby began. To demonstrate the wonders of layouts designed to fit into small spaces, let’s travel back to when most current enthusiasts were youngsters. This most likely means we’re talking about the 25 years immediately following World War II. These men and women can trace their […]
Meeting the Electro-Motive Division SW1 The time-tested Electro-Motive Division SW1 has long been one of my favorite diesel locomotives. My fascination with the 600hp end-cab switcher didn’t start when the locomotives were earning their keep on the big railroads. Instead, my introduction came at the Crookston (Minn.) Farmers Co-op Elevator, less than a block from […]
Exploring the Illinois Central Gulf Sioux Falls District. In the August 2022 issue of Model Railroader, I shared how I built an American Model Builders HO scale Illinois Central Type A depot kit. In the story, I noted that the Illinois Central Gulf (ICG) Sioux Falls District is my latest modeling interest. The 96-mile line […]
Berkshire 2-8-4 locomotive: When I was a kid, my dad once showed me his childhood Lionel set. He had a Lionel no. 726RR Berkshire set with a few extra pieces stored in a metal crate. I never got to see it set up or operate, unfortunately. I had no idea what a Berkshire was back […]
Tom Barker’s S gauge layout is inspired by a vintage American Flyer dealer display. It features a lot of action and fun! It appears in the July-August issue of Classic Toy Trains. Subscribers can see how he built the circular four-tier structure that’s the centerpiece of the layout here. […]
Pennsylvania RR GG1 electric locomotive My favorite locomotive has long been the Pennsylvania RR GG1 electric. This goes back to my childhood when I would visit my maternal grandparents in Aberdeen, Md., along what’s now known as the Northeast Corridor. After dinner at grandma and grandpa’s, we’d walk a few blocks to the grade crossing […]
I hope the main picture here demonstrating non railroad freight car uses is sufficiently absurd to indicate why I selected this for an article. In case it is not: A former Missouri Pacific hopper, shorn of trucks and belly gear, modified with sheet metal or plate steel, no doubt, and masquerading as a semi-truck trailer […]
Locomotives and freight cars in fresh paint Locomotives and freight cars in fresh paint. Many modelers, myself included, enjoy accurately weathering locomotives and freight cars. I’ve written several articles on weathering for Model Railroader in my time with the magazine, including “How to weather with acrylics” in May 2016 and “How to weather a covered […]
