While David and Co. continue construction on the N scale project layout, Steve Sweeney shares his techniques for assembling a cardstock house kit. Follow along, as Steve walks and talks you through all of the essential tools, supplies, and processes — start to finish! […]
Micro Mark HO scale Wheel Tuner For around $10, I can’t think of anything that improves the rolling characteristics of freight cars better. I’ve recently upgraded some of my older rolling stock to metal wheelsets. Invariably the replacements are slightly different in width causing some binding, similarly some RTR stuff also has varying degrees of […]
Intermountain Railway Co. HO scale AC-12 steam locomotive An AC-12 4-8-8-2 articulated Cab-Forward locomotive is the prototype of this ready-to-run HO model from InterMountain. The HO AC-12 has a high level of accurate detail and is available with a SoundTraxx Tsunami Digital Command Control (DCC) sound decoder that operates on DCC and DC layouts. Prototype. […]
Bachmann HO scale Electro-Motive Division GP7 A General Motors Electro-Motive Division GP7 diesel is available in HO scale as a ready-to-run Digital Command Control-equipped model. The Bachmann GP7 includes a dual-mode DCC decoder, which means that it will run on DC as well as DCC layouts. Electro-Motive Division was a relative latecomer to the road-switcher […]
Broadway Limited Imports HO scale SD40-2 diesel locomotive Accurately detailed, this ready-to-run HO scale SD40-2 models a variation of this popular diesel. The Broadway Limited Imports model uses much of the same tooling as the firm’s earlier releases of low short hood SD40-2s. (See the May 2005 Model Railroader). Prototype. The SD40-2, built by General […]
Atlas O 60-foot heavyweight passenger cars Price: $84.95 ManufacturerAtlas O378 Florence Ave.Hillside, NJ 07205www.atlaso.com Era: 1910s to 1960s Comments: Modeled after relatively short cars, these new O scale heavyweight cars from Atlas O’s Trainman line can handle tight-radius curves without compromising prototype fidelity. The scale 60-foot cars are available in baggage, coach, combine (pictured), and […]
Atlas HO scale unit train gondola If you use electricity, chances are at least some of it is generated from coal hauled in aluminum gondolas like this new HO scale Atlas Trainman model. The detailed plastic model includes twin longitudinal tubs beneath the floor for maximum capacity. The car comes assembled and includes a coal […]
Amtrak’s Texas Eagle for Chicago charges through Terrell, Texas, on Oct. 14, 2008. Photo by Steve Schmollinger […]
Traffic density changes in the past 30 years on freight railroads’ main lines to Chicago reflect factors both geographic and corporate. Geographic factors include the shift of manufacturing from domestic to offshore; air quality regulations that closed high-sulfur Western mines; and general population and economic growth. Corporate factors include the desire of railroad managements to […]
Click here to download a PDF version of this article. Don’t miss the other parts to this series! June 2010: Preliminary construction August 2010: Choosing track October 2010: Laying track and ballasting December 2010: Accessories, structures, and lighting […]
A supplement to the Classic Trains Online Look Back e-mail newsletter A B&LE Pacific with train 13 makes a stop at Adamsville, Pa., 9 miles from the end of its run at Greenville. Fred N. Houser photo Several years ago, in 2001, Norfolk Southern completed a $26 million line change through Erie, Pa., ending 120 […]
The undeniable triumph of U.S. railroading can be seen in this graph of revenue ton-miles: the most basic unit of measurement (hauling one ton of freight one mile) for the work railroads perform. The data for this illustration come from the Association of American Railroads, and are confined to Class I railroads, the largest group […]
