Q On page 57 of January TRAINS is a magnificent photo of a BNSF train about to hit the diamonds at Savanna, Ill. What intrigues me is thepattern on the railheads within the diamond. They appear to be deliberate and not just from wear. Is there a reason for them, or are my eyes deceiving […]
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Ask Trains from September 2007
Q Lately I have noticed that many freight cars, including tank cars, boxcars, and hoppers, have five to seven vertical reflective strips on their sides. What’s the deal? — Frank C. Darling Jr., Wolcott, N.Y. A The objective is better nighttime visibility. In January 2005, the Federal Railroad Administration issued “The Final Rule on Reflectorization […]
A look back in time: November 1958
Rock Island buys GM’s two Aerotrains for suburban service out of Chicago, where they join RI’s own Jet Rocket Talgo train, powered by an Aerotrain-style locomotive. . . . Illinois Central buys eight sleeping cars (four 10-5’s, four 4-4-2’s) from New York Central for City of Miami service. . . . Pullman-Standard’s first 85-foot flatcar […]
Ask Trains from May 2008
Q As a boy, I used to watch the magnificent Southern Pacific cab-forward steam locomotives on their way to Donner Summit in Northern California. Someone referred to them as Mallets. What’s the true definition of a Mallet? — C.W. Haffey, Bakersfield, Calif. A By definition, a Mallet (mal-LAY) is an articulated, meaning the two engine […]
TRAIN CONSISTS: Champion and Auto-Train
In his article “One Day at . . . Sanford, Fla.” in the Winter 2008 issue of Classic Trains, author George Hamlin presents his photos of the northbound Auto-Train and Amtrak’s northbound Champion. Here are the consists for those trains. Amtrak No. 88, the Champion, at Sanford, Fla., on November 15, 1975: SDP40F 641; baggage […]
Build a 1:24-scale combine PDF
Download the PDF of this project here. Note: This PDF is formatted to print on your home printer. Most pieces are formatted to fit on a 8.5″ x 11″ piece of paper. For larger parts of the plan, you will see “break lines.” Line up the break lines to create the larger piece. Despite our […]
Full-size plans for a 1:20.3-scale structure
Download the PDF of this project here. Please note: Despite our best efforts to compress this file, it is graphically intense and may take a few minutes to download. NOTE: Please make sure that “none” is selected for “page scaling” and “auto-rotate and center” boxes are NOT checked when you print this file. […]
Accucraft’s Southern Pacific caboose
Marc Horovitz 1:32 scale, gauge-1 brass Southern Pacific cabooseAccucraft Trains33268 Central Ave.Union City CA 94587Price: $399 Web site: www.accucraft.com All-brass model of a Southern Pacific C-30-1 caboose; interior detail; lighted. Dimensions: length, 133/8″; width, 33/4″ (exclusive of marker lamps); height, 57/8″. In 1:32 scale, this works out to 35’8″ x 10’0″ x 15’8″, respectively. Minimum […]
Bachmann side rod gas-mechanical locomotive
Kevin Strong 1:20.3-scale, gauge 1, side rod, gas-mechanical locomotiveBachmann Industries1400 East Erie Ave.Philadelphia PA 19124Price: $275Web site www.bachmanntrains.com Plastic and die-cast-metal industrial gas-mechanical switcher; two powered axles; cab interior; smoke unit; directional lighting; two sets of knuckle couplers; polarity switch; DCC-ready using NMRA standard 8-pin plug. Dimensions: length, 7¾” (over footboards); width, 3¾”; height, 5″. […]
Sunset Valley Railroad #6 turnout
Marc Horovitz Gauge 1, code 250, stainless steel, #6 turnoutSunset Valley Railroad21616 23rd St. Ct. ELake Tapps WA 98391Price: $118.50Web site: www.svrronline.com Stainless-steel rails spiked to plastic ties; scaled for 1:32 scale; length, 26¼” Pros: Sturdy construction; accurate gauge; smooth operation Cons: None Marc Horovitz Marc Horovitz Sunset Valley Railroad has long been the manufacturer […]
Timberline Station’s log-cabin kit
Marc Horovitz 1:24 scale, “Prospector” log-cabin kitTimberline StationPO Box 874Hartselle AL 35640Price: $27.95Web site: www.timberlinestation.com Cedar log-cabin kit, suitable for beginner to intermediate builders. Dimensions: length, 8″; width, 7″; height, 8″. In 1:24 scale, this works out to 16′ x 14′ x 16′, respectively Pros: Precut logs make construction relatively simple; excellent illustrated instructions Cons: […]
NCE Corp. PowerCab Digital Command Control (DCC) system
NCE Corp. PowerCab Model railroaders face many options when choosing their first Digital Command Control (DCC) system. The NCE Corp. PowerCab has enough power for a modest-sized layout and is easy to install and operate. The PowerCab has recently been upgraded to support 29 decoder functions. Easy set up. Setting up the PowerCab was extremely […]
