Atlas O Premier line American Car & Foundry two-bay Center Flow covered hopper

blue hopper

Atlas O Premier line American Car & Foundry two-bay Center Flow covered hopper   Scale: O (1:48) Price: $84.95 Era: 1960s to present (era varies depending on paint scheme) Manufacturer: Atlas Model Railroad Co., Inc., 378 Florence Ave., Hillside, NJ 07205, 908-687-0880, shop.atlasrr.com Features: ABS body Metal wheelsets with needle-point axles Die-cast metal trucks and couplers […]

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Atlas O Master Line 53-foot rebuilt well car

Atlas O Master Line 53-foot rebuilt well car Scale: O (1:48) Price: $114.95 Era: Present Manufacturer: Atlas Model Railroad Co., Inc., 378 Florence Ave., Hillside, NJ 07205, 908-687-0880, shop.atlasrr.com Features: Die-cast metal body Trucks with rotating bearing caps Brake rigging detail Etched metal walkways Minimum radius: 36” Available fourth quarter 2022 Road Names: Florida East Coast […]

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Rainbow bush or variegated elephant bush

A miniature “tree” next to a model house and pickup truck.

Common name: Rainbow bush, variegated elephant bush Botanical name: Portulacaria afra f. variegata Plant type: Perennial Plant size: 4′ high x 4′ wide (easily kept much lower) USDA Hardiness Zones: 10-11 (protected in other zones) Cultural needs: Gravelly, well drained, neutral, or slightly acidic soil; full sun The elephants and deer-like kudu of South Africa […]

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STB seeks ways to quickly ease railroad service problems

Train with blue and yellow locomotives rounds curve

WASHINGTON — There were more questions than answers on Tuesday as federal regulators sought ways to remedy railroad service problems that defy a quick fix because they are rooted in a shortage of train crews. Shippers told the Surface Transportation Board that rail service has deteriorated, with delays mounting as transit times have in some […]

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Norfolk Southern move protects South Carolina wetlands

Aerial view of land covered with trees

DORCHESTER, S.C. — Norfolk Southern will permanently protect 1,105 acres of coastal wetlands in South Carolina through a conservation easement, the company announced Tuesday. The protected land is home to the Coldwater Branch Stream and Westland Mitigation Bank at Brosnan Forest, the company’s 14,400-acre time and wildlife preserve 35 miles northwest of Charleston at Dorchester. […]

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State, federal officials announce agreement for Massachusetts’ East-West Rail project

Map of proposed passenger route in Massachusetts

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — U.S. and Massachusetts officials have reached agreement on a plan to develop the long-discussed East-West Rail project, which will extend existing rail service west from Worcester to Springfield and Pittsfield, Mass. State House News Service reports Gov. Charlie Baker and Rep. Richard Neal (D-Springfield) announced the plan for the state legislature to […]

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Class I CEOs to highlight North American Rail Shippers conference

North American Rail Shippers logo

KANSAS CITY — CEOs Keith Creel of Canadian Pacific, Katie Farmer of BNSF, and Jim Foote of CSX are among those scheduled to appear at the annual meeting of the North American Rail Shippers, set for May 9-11 in Kansas City. Others set to take part are Patrick Fuchs; Anthony B. Hatch of ABH Consultiong; […]

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Reading & Northern No. 2102 hauls coal hoppers in test run (updated)

Steam locomotive spewing black smoke while crossing bridge

NORTH READING, Pa. — It is appropriate that the Reading & Northern, which calls itself The Road of Anthracite, would road-test its recently rebuilt 4-8-4 by putting it on the head end of a 50-car train of coal hoppers. R&N’s 77-year old former Reading Class T-1 No. 2102 departed the railroad’s North Reading yard at 9:00 a.m. […]

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Accurail May 2022 HO scale freight car kits

Illustration of Accurail orange hopper

Accurail May 2022 HO scale freight car kits Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: See individual cars below Era: Varies depending on car type Manufacturer: Accurail, PO Box 278, Elburn, IL 60119, 630-365-1173, accurail@accurail.com Features: Injection-molded plastic kits Plastic wheelsets Solid-or roller-bearing trucks as appropriate Steel weight(s) Screws for trucks and draft-gear box covers Accumate couplers with modeler-installed […]

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2022 National Garden Railway Convention preview

Model steam train with snowplow on tracks

2022 National Garden Railway Convention preview: The Denver Garden Railway Society welcomes you to Denver this June! This year’s event will be held at the Crowne Plaza hotel, and will include an ice cream social, a BBQ at the Colorado Railroad Museum, daily bus tours to the railways on display, and pre- and post-convention tours. […]

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Amtrak restores full Hartford Line service

Cab car leads short passenger train past station

HARTFORD — As of Monday, April 25, Amtrak has restored Hartford Line service — between New Haven and Hartford, Conn., and Springfield, Mass., to pre-pandemic levels, the company announced Monday. The move means the return of seven trains — two on weekdays, one on Saturdays, and four on Sundays. The partnership between Amtrak, Connecticut’s CTrail […]

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