Final days of steam in western China

A steam locomotive billows smoke and steam under a twilight sky in an industrial rail yard.

Editors’ note: The author and photographers are graduates of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign’s rail engineering program. This is their first Trains byline. In North America, the days of steam railroading are a distant memory, and coal traffic is slowly headed the way of steam. In Europe and Japan, steam enthusiasts eagerly attend steam […]

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Methods to wiring your toy train layout

MTH’s Digital Command System transmits signals through the track system, unlike Lionel’s TrainMaster and Legacy systems, which transmit through the air.

It isn’t an exaggeration to observe that the CTT staff is frequently asked basic questions such as “How do I connect my power and lockon to the track?” However, we get even more questions related to adding operational capability beyond running one train in a circle – taking a step beyond the starter outfit. Aside […]

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Remembering Clinchfield Railroad locomotives

A train sitting on the tracks

Classic Trains editors are celebrating the heritage, history, and lore of famed (and infamous) railroads. In March 2020, we celebrate the Clinchfield Railroad. Please enjoy a collection of locomotive images located in the David P. Morgan Library archives at Kalmbach Media that include the Clinchfield’s iconic locomotives and classic scenic photos. You might also enjoy […]

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Remembering Clinchfield Railroad freight trains

A black and white photo of K-4 2-8-2 Mikado heading down the tracks

All this month — March 2020 — Classic Trains editors are celebrating the heritage, history, and images of the Clinchfield Railroad. Please enjoy this photo gallery of images from the David P. Morgan Library archives at Kalmbach Media that include Clinchfield diesel- and steam-powered freight trains through time. You might also enjoy this Clinch history […]

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Remembering Clinchfield Railroad passenger trains

A black and white photo of Clinchfield 4-6-2 No. 154 coming down the tracks

In March 2020, Classic Trains is celebrating the history, heritage, and splendor of the Clinchfield Railroad. Enjoy this photo gallery, selected from the David P. Morgan Library collections, as the perfect salute to the Clinchfield. Return each week for another salute to the railroad of the month! See what we did last week for the […]

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Howard Zane’s HO scale Piermont Division photo gallery

  Forrest Nace took plenty of fascinating photographs of Howard Zane’s spectacular HO scale Piermont Division. Enjoy this exclusive gallery of selected scenes from the 60 x 70-foot HO scale model railroad, including many of Howard’s superdetailed brass steam locomotive models. A full article on Howard Zane’s layout appeared in the February 2020 issue of […]

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Jack Varadi’s HO scale Greenville & Ohio

  Please enjoy this photo gallery of Jack Varadi’s HO scale Greenville & Ohio, firmly planted in Appalachia. Photographs of this 13.5 by 23-foot layout are by Bruce Gathman. A full article on this railroad appeared in the December 2019 issue of Model Railroader. […]

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Atlantic & Southern trackside photo gallery

Howard Gallagher’s HO scale Atlantic & Southern Railroad fills an 11 x 13-foot spare bedroom with scenes of heavy industry and mainline railroading. Enjoy this gallery of trackside photos of the A&S, including some of Howard’s custom-painted and detailed locomotives and rolling stock. This layout was also featured in the June 2019 issue of Model […]

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Vol. 334: “Stations”

Rounded, old-style passenger train station in low-angle sunlight at a track diamond.

  This “Trackside with Trains” photo contest result comes from August 2018. The theme was “Stations.” Trackside with Trackside was a regular, periodic contest among Trains website visitors from the earlier 2000s until October 2018. Anyone in the world who wanted to participate, could, and with rare exception, have their images judged by viewers with […]

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