Rock Island Requiem: The Collapse of a Mighty Fine Line By Gregory L. Schneider University Press of Kansas, 2502 Westbrooke Cir., Lawrence, KS 66045; 392 pages, 26 photos; hardcover, 6.125 x 9.25 in.; $37.50 This impressive volume chronicles the long, sad decline of the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad, and illustrates how federal regulation […]
The Ligonier Valley Rail Road by Robert D. Stutzman Arcadia Publishing, 420 Wando Park Blvd., Charleston, SC 29464; 128 pages; softcover, 6.5 x 9.25 in.; $21.99 Pennsylvania is known today for having more than 50 shortline railroads within its borders, most of which are castoff segments of the Class I railroads. In the 19th and […]
The Twilight of Steam: Great Photography from the Last Days of Steam Locomotives in America By Brian Solomon Voyageur Press, 400 First Avenue North, Suite 400, Minneapolis, MN 55401; 192 pages, 128 b&w photos; hardcover, 12 x 10 in.; $50.00 More than 50 years after the last steam engines ran in revenue service, the fascination […]
Dave Goodson 1:29 scale, gauge-1 trolley car Bachmann Industries 1400 E. Erie Avenue Philadelphia PA 19124 Price: $419 Website: www.bachmanntrains.com Mostly plastic model of a Los Angeles Transit streetcar (#91702); also available: Toronto, (#91703), Chicago Surface Line (#91704), Baltimore Transit (#91701); single-end car; all-metal gears; two powered trucks; all axles powered; DCC ready; working trolley […]
Kevin Strong Ballast/binder mix Locomotion Works 205 Mountside Drive Columbus NC 28722 Price: 2 gallons, $29.95; 5 gallons, $59.95; +s&h Website: www.locomotionworks.com Stone ballast mixed with binder for permanent outdoor use Pros: Prototypical appearance; easy to apply Cons: Track must be on a solid foundation for best results—binder has insufficient strength to hold track solid […]
Marc Horovitz DC power pack Model Rectifier Corporation 80 Newfield Avenue Edison NJ 08837 Price: $279.98 Website: www.modelrectifier.com Throttlepack 9950 controller; 15-18V variable DC output; accessory output—15/18V DC fixed; “scale switch” to provide power for N/HO (15V) or 0/large scale (18V) trains; rheostat; LCD screen shows voltage, amperage, and other information; on-off switch; buttons for […]
Alan Olson R/C transmitter for live steam Remote Control Systems PO Box 578 Casino NSW 2470 Australia Price: A$99 (US$93) + A$15 air postage Website: http://rcs-rc.com TX-3 three channel, 2.4GHz, radio-control transmitter for operation of live-steam locomotives Pros: 2.4 GHz spread-spectrum technology; smooth, simple control; small; lightweight; excellent range Cons: None Many years […]
Atlas Model Railroad Co. HO scale Alco RS-3 diesel locomotive Atlas Model Railroad Co. is releasing new HO scale versions of the RS-3, Alco’s most successful road switcher. The RS‑3, powered by a 1,600-hp, 12-cylinder 244 engine, was a reliable and versatile locomotive. Though it didn’t come close to the popularity of its rival, Electro-Motive […]
Kato HO scale Amtrak Budd baggage car Price: $85 Manufacturer: Kato USA Inc 100 Remington Road Schaumburg. Ill, 60173 www.katousa.com Era: 1978 to present Comments: A typical Amtrak 73-foot streamlined baggage car has been released by Kato USA for use with the firm’s Superliner passenger cars.The model represents one of the Budd baggage cars originally […]
Model Rectifier Corp. Digital Command Control starter set For modelers interested in an easy way to try Digital Command Control (DCC) without committing to a full- featured system, Model Rectifier Corp. offers the Prodigy Explorer. This no-frills DCC system makes it easy to get a taste for DCC operation and decoder programming. Using other Prodigy […]
The new ‘Hi-Vis’ cab on a new locomotive. Motive Power & Equipment Solutions GREENVILLE, S.C. — Motive Power & Equipment Solutions Inc. has introduced its “Hi-Vis” locomotive cab. The cab is designed to deliver an unprecedented 360 degree view and improved safety in industrial operations, the company says. “We are always looking for ways to […]
Bachmann Industries HO sale Norfolk Southern fleet diesel locomotives It seems model railroaders can’t get enough of the Norfolk Southern heritage fleet. Dressed in the paint schemes of fallen flag railroads, newly tooled HO scale General Electric ES44AC and Electro-Motive Diesel SD70ACe locomotives are now available in the Bachmann Trains Sound Value series. The accurately […]
