Classic Toy Trains new products for April 2025

red, white, and blue model locomotive

Locomotives & rolling stock MTH Electric Trains, 7393 Washington Blvd. Ste. 101, Elkridge, MD 21075, is selling O gauge Depressed Center Flatcars as part of the RailKing line. The engines feature O-27 operation and are available in six paint schemes (30-76933 shown). Expected delivery in July 2025. Price: $64.95. To order, contact your local MTH […]

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News & Products for the week of March 31st 2025

An orange and black model locomotive

News & Products for the week of March 31st 2025   Model railroad operators and builders can get the latest information about locomotives, freight cars, passenger cars, tools, track, and more by reading Model Railroader’s frequent product updates. The following are the products Model Railroader editors have news on for the week of March 31st, […]

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The 122-year-old Fore River RR thrives in Massachusetts

A black diesel locomotive surrounded by industrial buildings

The Fore River Railroad, a 2.5-mile short line in Quincy, Massachusetts, has defied the odds by surviving and thriving for 122 years. Originally established in 1903 to serve a new shipyard, the railroad was formally incorporated in 1919. Despite the shipyard’s closure in 1986, the Fore River Railroad continues to operate, thanks to a combination […]

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East Troy Industrial Park, Ep. 6 | Installing subroadbed

David keeps the hammer down and drill humming, as he works to install the joists and subroadbed sections across the entire HO scale East Troy Industrial Park (ETIP) model railroad. Watch, learn, and discover clever insights to adding the critical components used to create realistic trackwork and scenery set at various elevations. Be sure to […]

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Wabtec lands order for 50 locomotives for Brazil

Three-quarters view of C-C locomotibe with green, gray, and yellow paint

PITTSBURGH — Global mining company Vale has finalized an agreement with Wabtec to purchase 50 new Evolution Series locomotives for two railways in Brazil, the companies have announced. The order calls for 36 EVOBBW locomotives for the Vitória a Minas Railroad (EFVM) and 14 ES58ACi locomotives for the Carajás Railroad (EFC). The locomotives will be […]

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Measuring locomotive speed

Color photo of blue-and-yellow diesel locomotive on track passing under speedometer.

Q: In Model Railroader product reviews, locomotive speed is often measured and compared with the prototype. I was wondering how this is done so I can run my trains at prototypical speeds. — George Smitton A: When we test locomotives at the workbench, we use the Model Railroad Technologies Accutrak II train speedometer for measuring […]

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E5 diesels on the Texas Zephyr

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Colorado & Southern’s Denver–Dallas Texas Zephyr, led by a pair of rakish E5s from parent Burlington Route, speeds southward through Colorado foothill country in July 1965. The train will cross a corner of New Mexico and then switch to Fort Worth & Denver rails at Texline on the Texas/New Mexico state line. Roger Meade photo […]

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News & Products for the week of March 24th 2025

The cab of a model locomotive in black, gray, yellow and red

News & Products for the week of March 24th 2025   Model railroad operators and builders can get the latest information about locomotives, freight cars, passenger cars, tools, track, and more by reading Model Railroader’s frequent product updates. The following are the products Model Railroader editors have news on for the week of March 24th, […]

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East Troy Industrial Park, Ep. 5 | Transferring a track plan

In this episode, David demonstrates a simple process for plotting the track plan for the HO scale East Troy Industrial Park (ETIP) model railroad onto the essential layer of subroadbed material. After measuring twice, he then shows the next steps to carefully cutting out the parts and pieces needed to assemble a foundation for layout […]

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Lionel Legacy U28C diesel locomotive

side view of camouflage locomotive

Lionel has reissued the U28C diesel locomotive for the first time since 2012. The model was announced in the 2024 Volume 1 catalog. This six-axle unit was not that common on prototype railroads, and its unique appearance will allow it to stand out on your layout.  The prototype was produced by General Electric between February […]

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Diesel lineup at New Orleans

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Illinois Central, Texas & Pacific, and Kansas City Southern E units plus (barely visible) Louisville & Nashville and Southern Pacific F units) idle in the engine terminal outside New Orleans Union Passenger Terminal in 1954, when the facility was new. James G. La Vake photo […]

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ScaleTrains HO EMD GP40

Screen shot from product review video with green and yellow HO scale diesel and title bar in lower left corner

Check out the all-new ScaleTrains HO EMD GP40 diesel locomotive in our latest product review video. Model Railroader Senior Editor Cody Grivno shares a brief history of the four-axle road switcher and explains why Chicago & North Western 5525 is historically significant; points out the many prototype-specific details on the Rivet Counter line model; and […]

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