Trains LIVE — Articulated locomotives

Trains LIVE — Articulated locomotives Trains LIVE — 2-1-2023 — Flexible is good, especially when it comes to large steam locomotives negotiating a curve. Today, we are talking about articulated steam locomotives with Trains video producer Kevin Gilliam today. Kevin is currently working on the next DVD in the Great American Steam Locomotive series. This […]

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Trains LIVE — Articulated locomotives

Trains LIVE — Articulated locomotives Trains LIVE — 2-1-2023 — Flexible is good, especially when it comes to large steam locomotives negotiating a curve. Today, we are talking about articulated steam locomotives with Trains video producer Kevin Gilliam today. Kevin is currently working on the next DVD in the Great American Steam Locomotive series. This […]

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Trains LIVE — Articulated locomotives

Trains LIVE — Articulated locomotives Trains LIVE — 2-1-2023 — Flexible is good, especially when it comes to large steam locomotives negotiating a curve. Today, we are talking about articulated steam locomotives with Trains video producer Kevin Gilliam today. Kevin is currently working on the next DVD in the Great American Steam Locomotive series. This […]

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News & Products for the week of January 30th 2023

News & Products for the week of January 30th 2023 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 January 30th 2023.   […]

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Most successful articulated locomotive: The 4-6-6-4 Challenger

The 4-6-6-4 Challenger was the most successful articulated steam locomotive design.     Rating steam locomotives is a risky business. You might easily compare engines by weight or length or lists of accessories, but actual performance — judged by the engineering standards of 2023 — is somewhat subjective. It would be an exaggeration to say […]

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Spotting EMD vs GE diesels

Q: In the good old days, it was fairly easy to distinguish among the major diesel locomotive players, especially the carbody units from Alco, Baldwin, and Electro-Motive Division (EMD). They all had distinctive noses and cabs. My question: Are there some features that will help with spotting EMD vs GE diesels I see on railroads […]

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‘Arizona Spike’ sells for $2.22 million

SALT LAKE CITY — The Arizona Spike, one of four created for ceremonies marking the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad in 1869, sold for $2.22 million in an auction that concluded last week, far more than had been anticipated. KSL-TV reports Christie’s had set a pre-auction estimate of $300,00 to $500,000 for the spike, with […]

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UP cars derail in Idaho yard

POCATELLO, Idaho — Cleanup continued Monday after 25 railcars derailed at Union Pacific’s yard in Pocatello Sunday night, the Idaho State Journal reports. The accident occurred about 11 p.m. No injuries were reported and mainline operations were not affected. No hazardous materials were involved. The railroad said the cause of the derailment was under investigation. […]

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Omaha Lincoln and Beatrice Railway Company profile

Omaha Lincoln and Beatrice Railway Company summary The Omaha Lincoln and Beatrice Railway Company (OLB) is a short line railroad that operates in Lincoln, Nebraska. Known as the “Big Red Line,” it’s owned by NEBCO Incorporated. Roughly 8 miles of standard-gauge track is used as part of a Class III switching operation out of downtown […]

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West Michigan Railroad Company profile

West Michigan Railroad Company summary The West Michigan Railroad Company (WMI) is a short line railroad that operates in southwest Michigan. It’s owned by Hamilton Hartford Group LLC, led by Linus Starring. The railroad traverses a standard-gauge branch line of the former Pere Marquette Railway heading east from Hartford, Mich. History Years before Hamilton Hartford’s […]

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UP Challenger No. 3985 photo gallery

UP Challenger No. 3985 On Jan. 6, Railroading Heritage of Midwest America began work on UP Challenger No. 3985 at its shop in Silvis, Ill. The main focus of the day was first to move the Milwaukee Road turntable from Bensenville, Ill., donated by Canadian Pacific to the Silvis sandblasting booth where it will be […]

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Builder’s plate on a locomotive

Builder’s plate Imagine walking around all of your life with your birth certificate attached to your forehead. Anyone could walk up to you and in one glance (assuming they understood your birth certificate’s cryptic codes) ascertain your age, lineage, weight, maybe how many legs you should have, and possibly how much work you can do. […]

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