When the train left, the fun paled

CofG500

Central of Georgia’s 500-series Consolidations possessed good lines accented by interesting detail: visored headlight, capped stack, serif numerals, striped sandbox, generous cab. Classic Trains collection An alligator crosshead moving back and forth on its greased guides to the dictates of a hot piston rod; the hurried, hollow sighs up the stack as a pair of […]

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InterMountain Value Line HO scale coal gondola

MRRPR0419_10

InterMountain Value Line HO scale coal gondola Price: Single car, $26.95; six-pack, $159.95 Manufacturer InterMountain Railway Co. P.O. Box 839 Longmont, CO 80502-0839 www.intermountain-railway.com Era: 1995 to present (as decorated) Road names: Burlington Northern, BNSF Ry., Canadian National, and Procor. Two six-packs and one single car per scheme; also available with data only and blue, […]

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New model trains for the week of February 14, 2019

Bachmann HO scale test car

HO scale locomotives General Electric AC4400CW diesel locomotive. BNSF Ry. (Heritage II scheme, repair patch in one road number and faded paint in two numbers), Canadian Pacific (white lettering with gold herald on long hood, three numbers), CSX (Chessie System, Louisville & Nashville, and Seaboard Coast Line heritage units, one number each), Norfolk Southern (black-and-white […]

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Atlas Classic HO scale Alco RS-11 diesel

MRRPR0419_01

Atlas Classic HO scale Alco RS-11 diesel Atlas Model RR Co. has re-released its HO scale model of a well-known Alco workhorse, the four-axle RS-11 road switcher, with an upgraded ESU LokSound Select dual-mode Digital Command Control decoder. The decoder features realistic sounds and smooth motor control under both DCC and direct current (DC). History. […]

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Piko SmartControl Light HO ICE 3 train set

PIKOICE3cropped

PIKO SmartControl Light HO ICE 3 train set Zooming by in a flash of red and pale gray, Deutsche Bahn (DB) Intercity-Express (ICE) trains are 21st century icons of high-speed rail travel in Germany and its surrounding countries. PIKO has upgraded its HO scale ICE 3 passenger train set to include the firm’s new SmartControl […]

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Walthers HO scale Trinity two-bay covered hopper

MRRPR0419_07

Walthers HO scale Trinity two-bay covered hopper The Walthers car features separate end cages and brake appliances. A TrinityRail 39-foot, 3,281-cubic-foot-capacity two-bay covered hopper has been added to the WalthersMainline. The HO scale model is based on a contemporary freight car used to haul frac sand, roofing granules, cement, and other dense materials. Our sample […]

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Rapido N scale New Haven 8600-series coach

MRRPR0419_09

Rapido N scale New Haven 8600-series coach Price: $59.99 Manufacturer Rapido Trains Inc. 500 Alden Rd., Unit 21 Markham, Ont. L3R 5H5 Era: 1947 to 1988, depending on paint scheme Road names: New York, New Haven & Hartford (delivery with skirts, McGinnis with skirts, McGinnis without skirts); Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) without skirts; Penn […]

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A guide to plant-hardiness zones

Garden Railways

To a novice gardener, the topic of plant-hardiness zones can be as confusing as gauge and scale terminology is to the beginning model railroader. With gauge and scale, there are different standards used by various manufacturers. In gardening, growers and publishers utilize different hardiness-zone ratings. The main confusion comes from the fact that there are […]

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Garden railroad electrical/electricity questions and answers

Garden Railways

Garden railroad electrical/electricity questions and answers Is it safe to power your trains outdoors? Will I get electrocuted? It’s completely safe to run track power outdoors! Our trains, like those in the smaller scales, run on low-voltage DC, usually 18-24V. Thus, it is perfectly safe to run your trains outdoors, even in the rain or […]

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