Atlas HO scale GP39-2 diesel locomotive

Atlas HO scale GP39-2 diesel locomotive Atlas has added to its growing Trainman line of HO scale diesel locomotives with the Electro-Motive Division (EMD) GP39-2. This ready-to-run direct-current (DC) model uses Atlas’ proven five-pole skew-wound motor and features railroad-specific details. Prototype history. When Santa Fe needed a turbocharged four-axle road switcher designed for operations in […]

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The Warbonnet visits … Austria?

Eichholz Rail V170 No. 1125, a Swedish-built diesel, shows off its “Warbonnet” markings on an excursion train at Traiskirchen, Austria. Raimund Wyhnal BNSF may have given up the famous “Warbonnet” scheme it inherited from predecessor Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe, but a German company is keeping the classic scheme alive. Eichholz Rail, a German railroad […]

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Wired up: The stages of U.S. railroad electrification

U.S. railroad electrification In 1939, the United States was the global leader in railroad electrification, with over 20% of the world’s total. Today, electrification is a non-factor on almost all American railroads outside the Northeast Corridor. How did this happen? The heady projects from the early 20th century that propelled the U.S. to world leader […]

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Locomotive 2009 rosters

Arkansas & Missouri Railroad roster Legendary among Alco operators, the Arkansas & Missouri Railroad is an independent Class III railroad operating 139-miles of onetime Frisco trackage between Monett, Mo., and Fort Smith, Ark. In addition to freight service, the road also operates passenger excursions. The road’s all-Alco fleet is dominated by 16 C420s of various […]

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Ask Trains from September 2009

Q How do railroads figure how much power is necessary for a train?– Richard Panarese, Mesa, Ariz.A Railroads determine power needed for a train based on the route, and the train’s weight and priority. BNSF, for instance, considers the “horsepower per ton” required based on what officials call the train’s “transportation service plan.” The transportation […]

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News & Products for August 13, 2009

HO scale locomotives Electro-Motive Division SD40 diesel locomotive. Detroit Edison Co. (DEEX reporting marks), First Union Rail (FURX), Montana Rail Link, Penn Central, Soo Line, and Wheeling & Lake Erie. Two road numbers each. Plastic handrails, wire grab irons, prototype-specific dynamic brakes, and McHenry scale magnetic knuckle couplers. $109.98 December 2009. Ready-to-Roll. Athearn Trains General […]

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Walthers HO scale GP15-1 diesel locomotive

Walthers HO scale GP15-1 diesel locomotive A smooth-running mechanism and accurate lettering are just two of the highlights of this HO scale GP15-1 by Proto 1000 from Walthers. The ready-to-run locomotive is based on the Electro-Motive Division (EMD) prototype built between June 1976 and April 1983. The prototype. In just under seven years, EMD built […]

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News & Products for July 23, 2009

HO scale locomotives Electro-Motive Division GP38-2 diesel locomotive. BNSF Ry., CSX, Illinois Central, Iowa Interstate, Louisville & Nashville, and Penn Central. Two road numbers each. Factory-installed wire grab irons and McHenry scale magnetic knuckle couplers. $69.98. November 2009. Ready-to-Roll. Athearn Trains Bachmann HO scale Union Pacific Electro-Motive Division DD40ax Centennial diesel locomotive Union Pacific Electro-Motive […]

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National Train Show 2009 preliminary report

Once again, Model Railroader magazine is reporting from the National Train Show, which this year is being held in Hartford, Conn., from July 10-12. What follows is a list of new products being announced by model railroad manufacturers exhibiting at the show. This is a preliminary list, including items revealed to Model Railroader before the […]

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M.T.H. Electric Trains HO scale 60-foot flatcar

M.T.H. Electric Trains HO scale 60-foot flatcar A nicely detailed reproduction of a 60-foot flatcar is M.T.H. Electric Trains’ first entry into the HO scale freight car market. The MTH car is based on a prototype Pullman-Standard built in the 1960s and ’70s for Trailer Train, and accurately matches photos and dimensions printed in the […]

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News & Products for June 18, 2009

HO scale freight cars Heinz ketchup boxcar. Walthers Proto 1000 newsprint car customized with alcohol heater details to match cars leased to Heinz Canada. Eleven car numbers available. Metal wheelsets, separately applied ladders and grab irons, and magnetic knuckle couplers. $60 Canadian. Ready-to-run. Action Hobbies R-70-20 refrigerator car. Nordic Warehouse Inc. (Cold Train logo), Union […]

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Ask Trains from May 2007

Q On page 57 of January TRAINS is a magnificent photo of a BNSF train about to hit the diamonds at Savanna, Ill. What intrigues me is thepattern on the railheads within the diamond. They appear to be deliberate and not just from wear. Is there a reason for them, or are my eyes deceiving […]

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