The 1960s were dark days for railroading in general, and passenger railroading in particular. Government regulation, unwise union contracts, mismanagement by railroad owners, and the transition from a manufacturing economy to an information economy were wreaking havoc in the transportation world. In spite of the fact that customers had largely fled the passenger train in […]
Section: News & Reviews
S gauge American Flyer passenger cars by Lionel
With the invigoration of Lionel’s American Flyer product line and the sale of S-Helper Service to MTH Electric Trains, the S gauge market appears to be entering a new epoch that may permanently divide old school and new school S gaugers. Before we step through the looking glass into this brave new world, I wanted […]
Kato USA HO scale GE P42 diesel locomotive
Kato USA HO scale GE P42 diesel locomotive Are two motors better than one? A typical HO scale locomotive uses a single direct-current (DC) motor mounted on the chassis. Earlier this year, Kato introduced a new approach on one of its HO scale Japanese locomotives by using two compact coreless motors mounted in the trucks. […]
Sunset Models HO scale Northern Pacific 4-6-6-4 steam locomotive
Sunset Models HO scale Northern Pacific 4-6-6-4 steam locomotive A hefty brass model of the last steam engine ordered by the Northern Pacific matches its prototype in both details and pulling power. Sunset Models’ new HO scale class Z-8 4-6-6-4 articulated steam engine also features powerful, realistic sound, thanks to its QSI Titan Digital Command […]
Bachmann HO scale hi-rail truck
Bachmann HO scale hi-rail truck Price: $109.99 Manufacturer Bachmann Trains 1400 E. Erie Ave. Philadelphia, PA 19124 www.bachmanntrains.com Era: 1980s to present Comments: This HO scale hi-rail truck from Bachmann Trains features a dual-mode Digital Command Control (DCC) decoder that operates on both direct-current (DC) and DCC layouts. The truck’s plastic body shell doesn’t represent […]
Atlas Model Railroad O scale Budd short dome car
Atlas Model Railroad O scale Budd short dome car Mention Vista-Dome and most modelers immediately think of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy’s Zephyr fleet. Of these trains, the California Zephyr was the most famous, with five Vista Domes in its regular all stainless-steel consist. Three railroads participated in the CZ’s daily service between Chicago and […]
Union Pacific No. 844, “Centennial” No. 6936 to pull Cheyenne special NEWSWIRE
Nos. 844 and 6936 pull a 2009 “Frontier Days” excursion near Speer, Wyo. Chip Sherman CHEYENNE, Wyo. – Union Pacific 4-8-4 No. 844 and “Centennial” DDA40X No. 6936 will pull a special train for the “Denver Post Cheyenne Frontier Days” and a fundraising special for the Cheyenne Depot Museum this month. No. 844 will lead […]
‘The Lone Ranger’ revels in railroading
FULL SCREEN Courtesy: Disney-Jerry Bruckheimer Productions FULL SCREEN Courtesy: Disney-Jerry Bruckheimer Productions FULL SCREEN Courtesy: Disney-Jerry Bruckheimer Productions Courtesy: Disney-Jerry Bruckheimer Productions The Lone Ranger, the timeless legend of radio and screen, is retold by Disney and Jerry Bruckheimer this summer in an over-the-top, in-your-face movie about the dynamic duo of the Old West. The […]
NS to participate in Railroad Day at Natural Tunnel State Park NEWSWIRE
Southbound NS coal train exits Natural Tunnel in November 2012. Kevin Sadowski DUFFIELD, Va. – Norfolk Southern is partnering with Virginia’s Natural Tunnel State Park to offer “Railroad Day” on July 13. For this event only, guests are allowed to explore the tunnel by foot. Other activities include guided tours of the tunnel, a free railroad […]
Model Railroader Memoriam: John Allen’s 100th birthday
Born on July 2, 1913, John Allen was a model railroading pioneer renowned for his skill at scratchbuilding and scenery work, as well as his thoughts on model railroad operation. His original 3’-7” x 6’8” Gorre & Daphetid HO scale layout debuted in the January 1948 issue of Model Railroader. He built a larger version […]
Norfolk & Western Class J No. 611 will steam again – if the money is there NEWSWIRE
No. 611’s last run at Kings Mountain, N.C., in 1994. Steve Glischinski ROANOKE, Va. – Famed Norfolk & Western Class J No. 611, one of the most famous 4-8-4s in American railroad history, will steam again — if a $3.5 million fund raising campaign is successful. The Virginia Museum of Transportation announced today its intention […]
Video: Broadway Limited Imports Paragon2 HO scale Pennsylvania RR T1
Broadway Limited Imports released a newly tooled version of an “as-built” Pennsylvania RR T1 in HO scale. The steam locomotive model also features a Paragon2 Digital Command Control (DCC) sound decoder. See and hear this locomotive in action hauling a passenger train along the Model Railroader staff’s club layout, the Milwaukee, Racine & Troy. […]