Hornby America, Inc. Rivarossi HO scale Big Boy

Hornby America, Inc. HO scale Big Boy steam locomotive

Hornby America, Inc. HO scale Big Boy steam locomotive With a coat of factory-applied grime and rust, this HO scale Big Boy looks like it’s seen years of hard use. Since the late 1960s Rivarossi has manufactured Big Boy 4-8-8-4 locomotives in HO scale. This is the first Rivarossi Big Boy to be weathered and […]

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Athearn and PCM HO scale 4-8-8-4 Big Boy steam locomotives

Black and silver HO scale 4-8-8-4 Big Boy steam locomotive.

Athearn’s model has a highly detailed plastic superstructure that’s nearly filled with a two-piece weight that supports and encloses the mechanism. Precision Craft’s locomotive is made of die-cast metal with excellent detail throughout. This model includes a smoke unit and engine crew. Two impressive new HO scale models of the Union Pacific Big Boy 4-8-8-4 […]

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Where to hike

Trains Magazine placeholder image

Will the U.S. rails-with-trails movement continue gaining momentum? Or will rail safety and congestion issues stop it in its tracks? In the September 2005 issue, Trains Magazine looked at the issues surrounding locations where recreational activities and active rail lines coexist in a shared space. Want to sample some of these trails yourself? Below is […]

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Oakland to Sacramento, Calif.

Amtrak at Pinole, CA

A westbound Capitol Corridor train, led by Amtrak F59PHI No. 464, makes a fine sight as it curves along the shore of San Pablo Bay in Pinole, Calif. Read on to learn about more picturesque train-watching locations between Oakland and Sacramento. Elrond Lawrence So you’re traveling to San Francisco, and have just a few days […]

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Cajon Pass, Calif.

Hot spot: Cajon Pass, California Cajon Pass is profiled in Kalmbach’s Guide to North American Hot Spots by TRAINS Senior Editor J. David Ingles. DescriptionHeavy mountain grade on BNSF Railway transcontinental (Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe) main line with separate rights-of-way for the north and south tracks (Tracks 1 and 2, respectively); Union Pacific operates […]

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Fort Worth, Texas (Tower 55)

Tower 55 map

Tower 55 in Fort Worth, where the T&P crosses UP and BNSF lines, is one of four Texas locations profiled in Kalmbach’s Guide to North American Hot Spots by TRAINS Senior Editor J. David Ingles. Read below for Tower 55 information. DescriptionGrade-level crossing of double-track Union Pacific (ex-Texas & Pacific) and single-track BNSF Railway (ex-AT&SF) […]

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Hutchinson, Kans.

Hutchinson, Kans., is generally thought of as a town to pass through, not a point of final destination. As rail enthusiasts and photographers head west to Curtis Hill, or follow the Union Pacific’s trackage into the southwest, they’re likely to pass through thinking it’s just a good place for gas and food. But “Hutch” offers […]

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Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn.

TRAIN-WATCHING HIGHLIGHTS OF THE TWIN CITIES HIAWATHA LIGHT RAIL TRANSIT LINE Runs from: Warehouse District/Hennepin Ave. in downtown Minneapolis along Hiawatha Avenue to MSP International Airport and Mall of America in Bloomington, 11.6 miles. Train frequency: Trains run daily, every 7-8 minutes during rush hours, every 10 minutes between 9:00 am and 3:00 pm, every […]

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Rio Grande railfanning

Think “Rio Grande” and one imagines long freights grinding through the tunnels and screeching around the tight curves of the Front Range, or coal drags with multiple helpers creeping up Soldier Summit or winding through the double horseshoe at Gilluly. Not as frequently considered, yet almost entirely accessible end-to-end, is the stretch from Dotsero, at […]

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Soldier Summit, Utah

Soldier Summit is one of two sites in Utah profiled in Kalmbach’s Guide to North American Hot Spots by TRAINS Senior Editor J. David Ingles. Read below for Soldier Summit information. DescriptionDouble-track main line of Union Pacific’s ex-Denver & Rio Grande Western line over the Wasatch Mountains, used jointly by UP and the Utah Railway. […]

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