Question: What do the numbers and letters mean on the side of the cab of Union Pacific Challenger 4-6-6-4 No. 3985? — Ben Fairbank, San Antonio, Texas Answer: 21 – 21 4-6-6-4-4-69 ————— 404 UP […]
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New model trains for the week of May 23, 2019
Kadee Quality Products Co. HO scale assorted freight cars HO scale freight cars Assorted freight cars. Toledo, Peoria & Western Pullman-Standard 40-foot PS-1 boxcar with 7-foot, 5-panel Superior doors (built 1953, repainted 6/62), $39.95. Nashville, Chattanooga & St. Louis Association of American Railroads 50-foot standard two-bay hopper with lump-egg coal load (built 1949), $40.95. Injection-molded […]
Ask Trains: What is the meaning behind Union Pacific steam locomotive code numbers?
Question: What do the numbers and letters mean on the side of the cab of Union Pacific Challenger 4-6-6-4 No. 3985? — Ben Fairbank, San Antonio, Texas Answer: 21 – 21 4-6-6-4-4-69 ————— 404 UP […]
Ask Trains: How did railroads use classification lamps and flags?
Classification lights on Dakota, Minnesota & Eastern SD40-2 No. 6090. David C. Schauer Question: When a train displays color flags on the engine indicating “Extra” or “Second” section, how is that information used in the operation of the railroad? — Robert Miller, Hernando, Fla. Answer: A complete answer is available in Trains’ online “ABCs of […]
Ask Trains: What is the purpose of unpowered axles in modern diesel-electric locomotives?
BNSF Railway ES44C4 No. 8338 works at the lead of a freight train. The locomotive’s C4 trucks have only two powered axles in the three-axle trucks arranged in a powered-unpowered-powered arrangement known as A-1-A. Tom Danneman Question: What is the purpose of the A-1-A C4 truck on the BNSF Railway Evolution Series diesels, and how […]
Ask Trains: Why do certain locomotives have reporting marks for different railroads?
What appears to be an Omaha Orange and Pullman Green Great Northern Railway EMD SD9 in 2017 actually is a BNSF Railway unit that had been built in 1959 for Chicago, Burlintgon & Quincy subsidiary Colorado & Southern. For several years, BNSF has assigned Great Northern “GN” reporting marks to some older diesels generally assigned […]
Star of the class of 1959
Members of the Engineering Department at Lionel’s factory in New Jersey, pushed to develop three-rail models of the latest diesel and electric-profile locomotives during the second half of the 1950s, received instructions of a different nature sometime after 1956. They were asked to create a replica of an old-time steam locomotive and tender in response […]
New products from the July 2019 issue of Classic Toy Trains magazine
INDUSTRIAL ICON: The Premier line Alco S-2 diesel switcher returns to the MTH lineup. The O gauge model has a well-detailed ABS plastic shell, metal chassis, two flywheel-equipped motors, and coil couplers and is available in several road names, including Akron, Canton & Youngstown; Archer Daniels Midland; Chessie System; and Great Northern. The O locomotive […]
Make magnificent mountains
Wayne Wesoloski In the Summer 2019 issue, author Wayne Wesoloski documents a mountain-making method perfect by Gary Martin in the Phoenix area. We had more photos and resources than we could fit into the print magazine, so we’re sharing them here! Get some friends together and make mountains! Wayne Wesoloski Tips for peak performance • […]
Atlas N scale GP39-2 diesel locomotive
Atlas N scale GP39-2 diesel locomotive Sound or no sound has been one of the basic questions when buying new locomotives. If you bought an engine without sound, but later wanted to add a Digital Command Control (DCC) sound decoder, one of the hurdles was finding a place for the speaker, especially in N scale. […]
Athearn Ready-to-Roll HO scale SD40T-2
Athearn Ready-to-Roll HO scale SD40T-2 More prototype-specific detail and a dual-mode SoundTraxx Econami decoder highlight this HO scale SD40T-2 “tunnel motor” diesel from Athearn Trains. The plastic model has many enhancements compared to the previous Athearn Ready-to-Roll SD40T-2 that we reviewed back in the January 2008 issue. Prototype. In 1972, General Motors Electro-Motive Division and […]
Quick Look: Kadee HO scale early PS-1 boxcar
Kadee HO scale early PS-1 boxcar Price: $39.95 Manufacturer Kadee Quality Products Co. 673 Ave. C White City, OR 97503-1078 www.kadee.com Era: 1947 to 1980s Road names: Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe; New York Central; New York, New Haven & Hartford (with 7-foot door); Southern Ry.; and Union Pacific Comments: Kadee has released an early-production […]
