Will Canadian Pacific’s proposed acquisition of Kansas City Southern be the spark that ignites the final round of railroad consolidation in North America? It’s a question that’s been coming up since CP and KCS announced their blockbuster $29 billion deal on March 21. Most analysts agree that CP+KCS won’t lead to the creation of two […]
Q: I model some small industries and businesses in the early 1950s. Were pallets and forklifts in common use at that time? – Chris Gabel, Loveland, Colo. A: As you alluded to, the development of the pallet went hand-in-hand with the development of the hand-operated pallet jack and its motorized version, the forklift. Prior to […]
The stainless steel finish for passenger cars made of plastic is typically silver paint that lacks the mirror sheen of real stainless. Even the plated finishes of the brass models don’t have a realistic stainless look, and plated cars from different makers don’t match. I hadn’t found a finish I really liked, though, until I […]
Large scale locomotives Pennsylvania RR 2-6-0 steam locomotive. Five-pole precision can-type ball-bearing motor; SoundTraxx sound decoder; 5 volt smoke unit; factory-applied piping, handrails, ladders, and cow catcher; engineer figure; and hook-and-loop couplers. $689.99. May 2021. PIKO America, 619-280-2800, piko-america.com Large scale rolling stock Union Pacific drovers caboose. Positionable side baggage doors; light-emitting-diode marker lamps; factory-applied […]
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 15, 2021. HO scale locomotives Electro-Motive Division F-series locomotives. Bessemer & […]
Any way you look at it, Canadian Pacific’s proposed acquisition of Kansas City Southern is a blockbuster deal. It creates the first railroad to link the U.S., Mexico, and Canada. It gives shippers from both railroads more single-line service options. And it will boost competition – with other railroads and, more importantly, trucks – in […]
DIY garden train gazebo While shopping at a local thrift store, I spotted an aluminum tea light candle holder. The shape and size approximated a large-scale gazebo. With minor modifications and spray paint, it would make a weatherproof and inexpensive display piece in the railroad. I added a miniature hanging basket plant, made from a […]
MANITOU SPRINGS, Colo. — The Broadmoor Manitou & Pikes Peak Railway’s new rotary snow blower made its debut on Friday, April 9, clearing the rebuild cog rail line for the first time. The new snowblower, produced by Zaugg in Eggiwill, Switzerland, has the capability of cutting through drifts up to 10 feet tall and 20 […]
New DC Metro order requires full emergency response for all breakdowns DC Metro has issued an order requiring employees to initiate a full emergency response to any breakdown of a train, bus, or MetroAccess vehicle in the wake of several unreported incidents, including a small-scale runaway train incident, the Washington Post reports. An internal memo […]
NJ Transit study considers alternatives to ‘Princeton Dinky’ rail service NJ Transit is conducting a study that could lead to replacement of the “Princeton Dinky,” the 2.7-mile rail operation using two-car Arrow III trainsets to connect the Northeast Corridor’s Princeton Junction station to the Princeton University campus that is the shortest scheduled commuter rail line […]
DENVER — Four Democrats and two Republicans have introduced a bill in the Colorado Senate to establish the Front Range Passenger Rail District, extending across the state from the Wyoming state line to the New Mexico line, to plan, build, operate and maintain passenger service connecting the major cities along the east side of the […]
Stadtler named as first executive director of Virginia Passenger Rail Authority Donald A. (DJ) Stadtler Jr. has been named as the first executive director of the Virginia Passenger Rail Authority, the agency established by the state legislature in 2020 to promote, sustain, and expand passenger and commuter rail service in the state. Gov. Ralph Northam […]
