How to visit Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum

steam passenger train in Tennessee

Visiting Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum If you took a major Class I railroad in the early 1950s, shrunk it, and set it aside to show people today what a section of big-time, steam-era railroading was all about, you’d create Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum. Set on a portion of Southern Railway’s original main line into Chattanooga, […]

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So, you want to own a caboose?

Red caboose with extended-vision cupola

After being a ubiquitous part of American railroads for more than 150 years, they went away some 40 years ago. Today, you’ll find a rare and rusty handful on Class I railroads in use as lowly “shoving platforms,” with their windows and doors often welded shut. The lucky ones got away to museums, tourist railroads, […]

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How locomotives operate together in a train consist

Front view of black and white Norfolk Southern locomotive

In the railroad industry, different locomotive models and manufacturers can be found in any train consist operating in different directions from one another. The ability to achieve this is due to a set of uniform standards for both pneumatic and electrical connections adopted by all manufacturers and can be found on almost all freight and […]

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Locomotive model designations explained

Passenger train passes under signal bridge between parked automobiles

Locomotive builders use model designations to differentiate between products, describing major features found on them. Often, these model designations will be used by the railroads who purchase them, or they will be shortened or modified to conform to space limitations on a computer system, uniform naming schemes, or to identify features that are important to […]

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Welcome to garden railroading!

 Get an overview of the garden railroading hobby by watching our introductory video. If you are interested in knowing more about putting trains in your backyard or garden, consider signing up for our welcome email series. […]

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New type of virtual model train show will be held in April

Yellow-black World's Greatest Hobby logo featuring an illustrated steam locomotive and caboose.

 The first virtual model train show to replicate the in-person train show experience, an event dubbed World’s Greatest Hobby Online, will take place on April 17th. The event is sponsored by the World’s Greatest Hobby, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. It will feature digital exhibits and keynote addresses from some of the best-known model train […]

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Member video: Union Pacific tours the S&P lines

Peter Atonna's Seligman and Paulden Lines

Name: Peter Atonna Railroad Name: Seligman and Paulden Lines Location: Arizona Scale: O Theme: Railroad running through Arizona serving its big and little towns Description: Union Pacific officials decided that since the S&P Lines furnish a good amount of traffic to the UP, they would do a tour of the railroad. Join them in the […]

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Member video: Union Pacific tours the S&P lines

Peter Atonna's Seligman and Paulden Lines

Name: Peter Atonna Railroad Name: Seligman and Paulden Lines Location: Arizona Scale: O Theme: Railroad running through Arizona serving its big and little towns Description: Union Pacific officials decided that since the S&P Lines furnish a good amount of traffic to the UP, they would do a tour of the railroad. Join them in the […]

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Ask MR: What do different TTX marks signify?

Model Railroader placeholder image

Question: I have six freshly painted brass O scale auto racks that I need decals for. I’ve found some TTX flatcar sets that might be close. Do auto racks have special letters before or after the reporting mark different from those on a regular TTX flatcar? – Tom Champley, Oregon, Ill. Answer: Yes. Each type […]

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Ask MRVP: Episode 52

Host David Popp has scores of your hobby-related questions to address in his triumphant return to MRVP headquarters! As he tools around the MR workshop, MR&T layout, and other popular project railroads (several are up for sale!), he tackles inquiries regarding benchwork, trackwork, wiring, scenery, and so much more. […]

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