John Martin has seen gondolas with Fiberglas hoods, and he wants to know what they’re transporting. Those cars also roll through Model Railroader’s hometown. Cody Grivno offers some ideas on what those gondolas are carrying. […]
James Dudzik is looking for the name of the green used on locomotive cab and caboose interiors. Well, it actually goes by a few different names, as Cody Grivno explains in this episode of AskTrains.com. […]
Eric Schrowang wants to know where locomotive crews go to the bathroom. Cody Grivno shows where chemical retention toilets are located on cab and hood units. […]
Rick Bowers wants to know the advantages and disadvantages of Belpair fireboxes. Steve Sweeney uses magazine articles and prototype photos to answer Rick’s question. […]
Ralph Watkins would like to know if train wheels and axles are cast as a unit or separate. Steve Sweeney is in the studio with the answer. […]
Anthony Rebaldo would like to know where he can find information on Casey Jones, a historical railroad engineer who died in a train collision. Steve Sweeney has some resources to check out. […]
Introduction to Clearing Yard in Chicago Clearing Yard in Chicago often operates at 1.8 mph, slower than the speed at which an average adult walks. Compound that brutally slow pace with the idea that this same portion of railroad connects six of the seven Class I carriers, and you soon get the feeling somebody has […]
In the not-too-distant past, Amtrak provided route guides and timetables with a wealth of information about not only sights and points of interest along its routes, but also what to expect on each train: Is there checked baggage service? Are pillows available for coach passengers? What kind of dining options are offered? Through 2017, Amtrak […]
High Speed Rail history The modern concept of high speed rail began in 1964, when the Japanese National Railways launched its first Shinkansen train from Tokyo to Shin Osaka, operating at 130 mph. Following passage of the High Speed Ground Transportation Act of 1965 in the U.S., the Pennsylvania Railroad (and successor Penn Central), in […]
Amtrak passenger trains you can ride Amtrak offers 14 passenger trains in each direction serving end points that allow for overnight travel, most of them operating daily but some on a triweekly basis. In the east, the Lake Shore Limited offers nightly service between New York and Chicago, with a separate section serving the Boston-Chicago […]
Locomotive flue sheets are an important component in a steam locomotive’s design. The steam-generating part of every conventional steam locomotive consisted of three elements — the firebox where the fuel was burned to provide the heat, the boiler itself where water was converted into steam, and the smokebox where the exhaust from the engine was […]
Locomotive horn introduction Locomotive horns are safety appliances installed on locomotives and used to warn both the public and railroad employees. Outside of special areas, such as quiet zones, trains are required to sound their horn before occupying one of the approximately quarter-million public and private railroad crossings in the U.S. Horns used on new […]
