On September 6, George Sellios announced that he and his company, Fine Scale Miniatures, will retire from the craftsman-kit manufacturing business. For 48 years Fine Scale Miniatures (FSM) has made wood craftsman kits for model railroaders. The last kit offered by the firm will be the HO scale Jamestown Water Stop. For more information, visit […]
Section: News & Reviews
In-depth Product Review: Hornby’s HO scale Heisler steam locomotive with sound
Having trouble viewing this video? Please visit our Video FAQ page The subject of this month’s In-Depth Product Review is Hornby’s HO scale Heisler steam locomotive, updated with an ESU Digital Command Control sound decoder. Dana Kawala shows you what makes the model tick in this video, and he takes the engine for a […]
Texas Big Boy makes final move to new museum site NEWSWIRE
FRISCO, Texas – Former Union Pacific 4-8-8-4 Big Boy No. 4018 finally reached the Museum of the American Railroad’s new site in Frisco on Sunday. The locomotive had been moved from Dallas to Irving on Aug. 18. Due to the late hour of arrival in Irving, officials decided to tie the train down for the […]
Trains exclusive: Union Pacific Big Boy search began two years ago, led to 4014 NEWSWIRE
LOS ANGELES — Union Pacific’s quest to return one of its famous 4-8-8-4 Big Boy locomotives to steam began about two years ago and soon focused on No. 4014. That rebuild could take five years or more to complete, as Trains News Wire learned in a wide-ranging interview with UP’s steam chief. He says the […]
Accucraft 0-4-0T Dora locomotive
Jeff Young Gauge 1, 1:20.3 scale, live steam 0-4-0T Accucraft Trains 33268 Central Avenue Union City CA 94587 Price: $435 Website: http://accucraft.com 1:20.3 scale, gauge 1, freelance 0-4-0T live-steam locomotive; gas fired; powered by a two cylinder, oscillating, double-acting steam motor (3⁄8″ bore x ½” stroke); geared 2:1 to the axle; rotary-valve reversing with lever […]
Ballast King track-ballasting car
Kevin Strong Functional track-ballasting car Ballast King 12817 Briar Dr. Leawood KS 66209 Price: $259 + $16.80 s&h Website: www.ogaugeconnection.com Steel and PVC hopper car for ballasting large-scale track; can be used indoors or out. Dimensions: length (excluding coupler), 11 ½”; width, 5 ½”; height (without extension tube), 7″ Pros: Car automatically provides neatly-dressed ballast […]
DP Supplies steam-sound enhancement pipe
Marc Horovitz Steam-sound enhancement pipe DP Supplies Unit 19 Jubilee Enterprise Centre Jubilee Close, Weymouth DT4 7BS, UK Website: www.summerlands-chuffer.co.uk Available in the US from: The Train Department Price: $45, postpaid Website: www.thetraindepartment.com Steam-sound enhancement pipe (#SCAC18) for Accucraft Emma; copper and brass construction; 5½” long; replaces engine’s original exhaust pipe; instruction sheet […]
Iron Horse Engraving caboose kit
Kevin Strong Gauge 1, 1:20.3-scale caboose kit Iron Horse Engraving 207 Canterbury Dr. State College PA 16803 Price: $400 Website: www.ironhorseengraving.com Gauge 1, 1:20.3 scale, East Broad Top steel-frame caboose kit; laser-cut wood; interior details; trucks and couplers not included; suitable for novice builders or beginners who like a challenge. Dimensions: length, 27″; width, 4 […]
Model Building with Brass book review
Model Building with Brass by Kenneth C. Foran Schiffer Publishing Ltd. 4880 Lower Valley Road, Rte. 372 Atglen PA 19310 8¾” x 11¼”, 160 pp; 320+ color photos; hardbound Price: $34.99 Website: www.schifferbooks.com Learning to build models from durable materials (i.e., metals) is one of the most satisfying avenues of model construction. This book can […]
Old Iron Designs gladhands
Kevin Strong 1:20.3-scale gladhands Old Iron Designs, LLC 203 Afton Ave. Trenton NJ 08618 Price: $20/package of 8 (enough for 4 cars) Website: www.oldirondesigns.com 1:20.3 scale, nickel-silver castings of air brake gladhands; magnetic connections; air hoses included; 1:32-scale version coming soon Pros: Highly detailed castings; prototypical operation; easy to install Cons: None Kevin Strong Kevin […]
Piko 0-6-0 with DCC sound and control
Kevin Strong Freelance gauge-1 0-6-0 with DCC sound and control Piko America, LLC 4610 Alvarado Canyon Road, Suite 5 San Diego CA 92120 Price: $469.99 (decoder available separately: $144.99) Website: www.piko-america.com Plastic, gauge 1, freelance, steam-outline 0-6-0; integrated DCC control and sound; also compatible with traditional analog DC track power; directional lights; whistle blows correct […]
Proxxon miniature chop and miter saw
Marc Horovitz Miniature chop and miter saw Proxxon Prox-Tech, Inc. PO Box 1909 Hickory NC 28603 US Price: $310 Website: http://shop.prox-tech.com Miniature chop and miter saw (#KGS80); will cut non-ferrous metals, plastics, and wood, as supplied; swiveling table, indexable at 15° intervals; built-in work vise; built-in work stop for multiple cuts of the same […]