Ask MR: Tracking changes in railroad practice

A crossbuck with a stop sign stands at a rural grade crossing with a grain elevator in the distance

Q: I’ve given up counting rivets; now I’m into what I call chronological accuracy. My layout is set in 1956. I’m OK with choosing appropriate vehicles and diesels for that era, and I learned that yellow stop signs were replaced by standardized red signs in the late 1950s, but other questions remain. When were roof walks […]

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Model railroad locomotive, freight car, structure, detail, tool, and club announcements for April 29, 2021

Three bay covered hopper

Product news  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. Here are the products Model Railroader editors have news on for the week of April 29, 2021. HO scale freight cars  Association of American Railroads 50-ton […]

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News & Products for the week of April 29, 2021

Ruler squares

Tools Assorted machines squares. 4” ($19.99), 6” ($24.99), 8” ($29.99), and 10” ($34.99). Carbon steel construction with inch and metric measurements. Produced by Excel Blades Corp., available from Kalmbach Hobby Store, KalmbachHobbyStore.com Snap blade knives. K10 9mm ($3.49) and K13 18mm ($3.99). Both knives have a plastic handle, push lock, and replaceable blades (replacement blades […]

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News & Products for the week of April 29, 2021

Two model gas pumps

O scale details and accessories 1950s-1960s gas pumps. 1:43.5 scale. Laser-cut cardboard kit with nozzles, hoses, and volumetric display. Each pump measures .78” x .39” x 1.57”. Platform not included. Two-pack, $17.92. Price may vary based on exchange rate. Minifer, minifer.fr/en Tools Assorted machines squares. 4” ($19.99), 6” ($24.99), 8” ($29.99), and 10” ($34.99). Carbon […]

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News and Analysis: Colorado commission advances Front Range plans

Electrified commuter train at station platform

DENVER – The last vestige of north-south passenger trains serving the Mile-High City disappeared 50 years ago when Santa Fe’s ragamuffin round trip to the east-west main line at La Junta, Colo., didn’t transition to Amtrak. But work is well under way to change that. The Southwest Chief and Front Range Passenger Rail Commission is […]

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Digest: Amtrak adds carbon-savings information to NEC tickets

Amtrak logo.

Amtrak tickets on Northeast Corridor will now show carbon-emission savings Amtrak will add information on carbon-emission savings to Northeast Corridor tickets, showing how much they saved by not driving and by not flying. On the electrified route between Boston and Washington, D.C., Amtrak says use of its trains produces 83% less emissions than driving and […]

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Digest: Aberdeen Carolina & Western, Savage combine on locomotive rebuilds

Two locomotives nose-to-nose

Aberdeen Carolina & Western rebuilds six locomotives for Savage North Carolina’s Aberdeen Carolina & Western Railway and rail operations and logistics company Savage Services have combined to rebuild six locomotives for a Houston industrial facility. The four SD40-2 and two MP15 were rebuilt at the AC&W’s shops under the direction of Steven Weathers, the railroad’s […]

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Windy City excursion

Diesel locomotives with passenger train at brick station in snow

Windy City excursion A Michigan Railroad Club special from Detroit to Chicago pauses for a crew change at Battle Creek, Mich., in February 1967, following a 28-inch snowfall. The two locomotives, Nos. 4900 and 4901, were the GTW’s first passenger diesels, acquired as Nos. 1750-1751 in 1954. Photo by J. David Ingles […]

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EMD SD70MAC diesel locomotive profile

Diesel locomotives power a coal train around bend in rolling hills

The 1990s were a decade of change for the rail industry. One of the biggest changes was ushered in by the introduction of the EMD SD70MAC diesel locomotive. The transformation of railroad rosters from D.C. traction locomotives to A.C. traction began, and the results have revolutionized railroads big and small. EMD’s SD70MAC was the first […]

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