Polishing the rails for General Electric

nyc9363

New York Central S3 No. 9363 stands on the West Side line in Manhattan in 1967. Thirteen years earlier and 150 miles to the north, the road used another Alco switcher in a novel attempt to capture special-train business. Elliot Kahn, Louis A. Marre coll. In a lifetime of reading about railroading, I’ve seen the […]

Read More…

O gauge nuclear power Plant from Menards

nuclear_reactor

O gauge nuclear power plant from Menards Price: $99.99  (No. 279-4433) Features: Nuclear reactor building, revolving light, two illuminated power transformers, employee and canine figures, cooling tower. Order online at www.Menards.com/Trains. Behold the No. 279-4433 Oak Point Nuclear Power Facility. While I suppose that nothing should surprise me when I open a large box from […]

Read More…

RailKing O gauge 2-6-6-6 from MTH

black steam locomotive model

RailKing O gauge 2-6-6-6 from MTH Price: $799.95 (No. 30-1728-1) Min Curve: O-31  Cmd Low: 5.74 smph  Cnv Low: 7.0 smph High: 71.1 smph Drawbar pull: 2 lb., 2 oz. Features: Can-style motor, ProtoSound 3.0 command and sound system, smoke unit, coil coupler on tender Current-production road names: Chesapeake & Ohio, and Virginian Ry. Further […]

Read More…

Different paths, same destination

CumminsQSK95testlocomotive1919

Cummins QSK95 test locomotive No. 1919 uses Selective Catalytic Reduction aftertreatment of its exhaust. The system is located in the wing overhang; a urea and water solution tank is inside the forward portion of the fuel tank below the forward air reservoir. Chris Guss With Environmental Protection Agency Tier 4 emission regulations in effect for […]

Read More…

Nitrogen blankets

Q I heard the term “nitrogen blanket” in reference to a tank car. Could you explain what this is and what types of tank cars have these nitrogen blankets? – Mike Riley, Manchester, Mo. A The term “nitrogen blanket” refers to a padding (or a layer) of nitrogen gas put into a tank car to: […]

Read More…

Pennsy T1 comes to life in a St. Louis shop

PPO718PennsyT155501

ST. LOUIS – Gary Bensman walks through Continental Fabricators in St. Louis, holding a washout plug for the boiler of Pennsylvania Railroad T1 No. 5550. Bensman grips the plug much like a judge would hold a gavel, as he holds court over the fabrication of the boiler for a locomotive class whose last member of […]

Read More…

New model trains for the week of March 29, 2018

MRRNP0818_02

Atlas Model Railroad Co. HO scale AEM-7 electric locomotive HO scale locomotives AEM-7 electric locomotive. New road numbers: Amtrak (as delivered or Acela) and NJ Transit. Three numbers each. New fictional paint schemes: Milwaukee Road, Pennsylvania RR, and Reading Co. Two road numbers each. Operating pantographs, separately applied wire grab irons, and Accumate couplers. Direct-current […]

Read More…

Realistic weathering tips for freight car models

Pelle Soeborg freight car weathering tips

This view of the Daneville Yard on Pelle Søeborg’s HO scale Union Pacific layout shows a variety of equipment with weathered roofs. He completed all of the weathering with powdered pastels, hobby paints, and an airbrush Years ago, when I became interested in weathering model trains, I found it extremely difficult to find roof photos, […]

Read More…

Vol. 324: “To the point”

Silver-colored commuter train passes an old-looking passenger train station in the snow.

  This “Trackside with Trains” photo contest result comes from March 8, 2018. The theme was “To the point.” Trackside with Trains was a regular, periodic contest among Trains website visitors from the earlier 2000s until October 2018. Anyone in the world who wanted to participate, could, and with rare exception, have their images judged […]

Read More…