Ask MR: Tracking changes in railroad practice

Q: I’ve given up counting rivets; now I’m into what I call chronological accuracy. My layout is set in 1956. I’m OK with choosing appropriate vehicles and diesels for that era, and I learned that yellow stop signs were replaced by standardized red signs in the late 1950s, but other questions remain. When were roof walks […]

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Trains Magazine launches ‘Steam the Stripe’ campaign

WAUKESHA, Wis. — For only the second time in the 81-year history of Trains Magazine, the publication, website, and special events brand will sponsor a year-long fund-raising partnership with a non-profit to advance a landmark project in American railway preservation. The 2021-2022 Trains Magazine Preservation Partner is the Nashville Steam Preservation Society, home of the […]

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Model Railroader’s 2021 Essential Product Guide

Model Railroader’s 2021 Essential Product Guide Sponsored By: Industry Partners of Model Railroader magazine There has never been a better time to be a model railroader. Advancements in product technologies have made the hobby more realistic, easier to operate, and frankly more fun than ever before! This article highlights some of the top products on […]

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CN acquisition of CSX Massena Line remains in limbo

Canadian National’s proposed acquisition of CSX Transportation’s Massena Line linking the Syracuse, N.Y., area with Montreal remains in limbo, two weeks after the Surface Transportation Board refused to reconsider a condition it placed on the deal. The railroads have declined to comment and they have not updated U.S. regulators. The railroads previously said they would […]

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How to create a believable large-scale scene

Structures are the easiest way to bring a scene to life. As with anything on the railroad, scale is the primary concern. You’ll want to find structures that match the scale of your trains. That’s not always as easy as just looking on the box. Even in commercial kits where a scale is designated, architectural […]

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Burlington Northern and the Grain Industry

    Sure thing, Angela. Since the Baltimore & Ohio began hauling flour from Ellicott’s Mills to Baltimore in 1830 — grain, flour, and seeds have been an important part of railroading. Grain moved in boxcars for decades, but in the early 1960s, Southern Railway’s new, 100-ton — Big John — covered hopper revolutionized grain […]

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Burlington Northern and the Grain Industry

    Sure thing, Angela. Since the Baltimore & Ohio began hauling flour from Ellicott’s Mills to Baltimore in 1830 — grain, flour, and seeds have been an important part of railroading. Grain moved in boxcars for decades, but in the early 1960s, Southern Railway’s new, 100-ton — Big John — covered hopper revolutionized grain […]

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The Lionel Legacy 4-6-6T commuter steam locomotive

O gauge Legacy 4-6-6T locomotive by Lionel Price: $1,099.99 Stock no.: 2031020 Features: O-31 operation, Lionel Legacy command system, Legacy and TrainMaster control, conventional or Bluetooth operation with the Lionel Universal Remote Controller or the LionChief App, can-style motor, directional lighting, rear remote-control coupler, three-speaker sound system, crew talk Low speed (Cmd): 2.11 smph Low […]

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Class I railroad executives tout growth prospects, customer focus

Top executives from Canadian National, Canadian Pacific, CSX Transportation, and Norfolk Southern last week touted the industry’s growth prospects and the ways they are working to make railroads better able to compete against trucks. Their remarks, made at the RailTrends 2020 conference, came a day after consulting firm Oliver Wyman released a survey that showed […]

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Trix HO scale Union Pacific Big Boy no. 4014

The excitement created by Union Pacific when it brought Big Boy no. 4014 back to life can now reach your HO scale layout with this specially detailed locomotive model from Trix, the two-rail, DC subsidiary of Märklin. The prototype. Union Pacific’s 4-8-8-4 Big Boy steam locomotives are some of the most famous in the world. […]

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September 2009

In the pages of CLASSIC TOY TRAINS magazine you’ll find information about building, operating, and enhancing toy train layouts; track plans, repair and maintenance tips, profiles of collectible postwar and prewar trains, and more. SUBSCRIBE | RENEW | DIGITAL EDITIONS | GIVE A GIFT | BUY THIS ISSUE Features BUILD A RETRO RAILROAD By John […]

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