After viewing photos of trestles, this reader noticed water barrels on platforms spaced along the trestle, which then sparked a series of questions. Were these used only on wooden trestles? Or were they also needed on steel trestles? How were the barrels kept filled? And did they have covers to reduce evaporation? Cody answers all […]
Amtrak Capitol Limited adventure My family roots run deep in Wisconsin. For the last three or four generations, virtually all my relatives have been born and raised in Wisconsin. Only a few have slipped in from Illinois or out to Iowa and Ohio, but that’s alright. The college years and beyond In my youth, […]
“The Lionel Acela exposed” was originally published in the May 2013 Classic Toy Trains. Noted Kalmbach illustrator Rick Johnson produced numerous cutaway illustrations for various brands during his career, but few were this detailed. Along with text by toy train mechanical expert Matt Troester and based on photography by Bill Zuback, this is a […]
Amtrak Hiawatha service highlights Amtrak runs daily trains called the Hiawatha Service between Milwaukee and Chicago. This service provides easy access for those living in Southeastern Wisconsin and Northern Illinois to the downtown centers of both cities. There are six daily trains in both directions, an additional train at peak morning commute times during weekdays, […]
Amtrak roomette experience While I’ve ridden a lot of trains, until this summer, I’d never tried any of Amtrak’s sleeping car services. So when my wife and I recently traveled to Minnesota to visit friends, we decided to book a roomette on Amtrak’s Empire Builder between Chicago and St. Paul as a test, before considering […]
Amtrak Empire Builder dining is among the more pleasant experiences on passenger trains these days. Join David Popp for a look at eating on a moving train in Summer 2022. When traveling on Amtrak’s premier long-distance trains, sleeping car passengers are provided complementary meals in the dining car, including breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Amtrak’s website […]
Small O and S gauge layouts are how the hobby began. To demonstrate the wonders of layouts designed to fit into small spaces, let’s travel back to when most current enthusiasts were youngsters. This most likely means we’re talking about the 25 years immediately following World War II. These men and women can trace their […]
What is the purpose of the round, concave metal discs located on the frame of locomotives just inside the stairs, both front and rear, four altogether facing fore and aft on locomotives of the GP9 era? Cody answers this question in this video of Ask Trains. Do you have questions about details on diesel locomotives, […]
Cody answers this question about the Union Pacific GP9 in this video of Ask Trains. Do you have questions about details on diesel locomotives, or would you like to learn more about your model railroad? Send us an email at: AskTrains@trains.com ………………………………… Ask Trains is a regular video feature of Trains.com for magazine subscribers and Trains.com […]
Cody answers this question in this video of Ask Trains. Click the link to order a downloadable copy of the August 1979 issue, “Kansas City Southern and Amtrak.” Do you have a question? Would you like to learn more about full-size trains? Send us an email at: AskTrains@trains.com ………………………………… Ask Trains is a regular video feature […]
If there is no opening on the bottom, how are wood-chip gondolas unloaded? Cody answers this question in this video of Ask Trains. Do you have a question? Would you like to learn more about full-size trains? Send us an email at: AskTrains@trains.com ………………………………… Ask Trains is a regular video feature of Trains.com for magazine subscribers […]
Looking for the loneliest Amtrak station in California? Consider Lompoc-Surf, population: zero, an alternative to crowded California passenger stations. You won’t worry about parking your car, long walks to trackside, or even other people. There may be about 40 million people in California, but unless they are waiting for the train, or someone on it, […]
