When we start out, we intend to make our dream come true. Our piqued imagination and the enthusiasm of fellow modelers are necessary to sustain us through the long construction process. Long-term and second-go-round railroad gardeners have used strong building materials for their walks, retaining walls, railroad and structures. They researched the plants to find […]
Kato N scale SD402 diesel locomotive When Electro-Motive Division introduced the SD40-2 in January 1972, it quickly became the most popular 6-axle road switcher in history, selling almost 4,000 units to numerous railroads across North America. Kato USA is reissuing an N scale model of the SD40-2 the company originally introduced in 2000. The SD40-2 […]
Broadway Limited Imports HO scale USRA heavy 4-6-2 steam locomotive A dual-speaker sound system with many user-programmable features is the highlight of the Paragon2 HO scale heavy Pacific 4-6-2 from Broadway Limited Imports. Although not a perfect match for its prototype, the model captures the look of a passenger workhorse for the Erie RR. The […]
Exact Rail Evans 5,277-cubic-foot-capacity boxcars in HO and N scales Two versions of the Evans 5,277-cubic-foot-capacity boxcars are now available from ExactRail in HO and N scale. The ready-to-run models have a one-piece plastic body, a separately applied roof, and freestanding underbody brake detail. Evans Products entered the freight car market in the 1960s with […]
Atlas Model Railroad Co. HO scale Alco C-424 diesel locomotive HO scale locomotives Alco C-424 and C-425 diesel locomotives. New paint schemes. C-424 Phase II: Erie Mining (one road number); Springfield Terminal (Guilford scheme); and Toledo, Peoria & Western (two numbers). C-424 Phase III: Canadian National, Canadian Pacific, and Morristown & Erie (two numbers). C-425 […]
Let’s face it. Electrified mainline railway operations in the United States have been small potatoes on the world scene. Sure, the Pennsylvania, New Haven, and Virginian lines were neat and functional, but the rest of the globe embraced electric traction far more extensively than did the United States. Innovation in the realm of electrics belongs […]
FULL SCREEN Top, photo courtesy of Norfolk Southern Corp.; bottom, Robert Palmer photo Top: The first NS heritage unit, ES44AC No. 8098, poses in Conrail blue at Altoona Shops on March 15, 2012. Bottom: Conrail SD60 6702, GP40-2 3220, and an unidentified GE lead a Philadelphia-to-Bethlehem iron ore train out of Black Rock Tunnel near […]
An Alco PA diesel and Berkshire 2-8-4 diesel meet on Tony Koester’s HO scale Nickel Plate Road model train layout. This timeline will help you choose an era for your model railroad. Tony Koester 1950: Dieselization. Ten Class 1 railroads had already dieselized before this year, including the Atlanta & St. Andrews Bay; Chicago, Indianapolis […]
Miniature Garden Guidebook by Nancy Norris Published by Kalmbach Publishing Co. PO Box 1612 Waukesha WI 53187 112 pages, 8¼” x 10¾” Softbound, color photos throughout Price: $21.85 Website: www.kalmbachbooks.com Nancy Norris, Horticultural Editor for this magazine, has put together this handy guidebook that railroad gardeners, from novices to green-thumbers, will find useful. It is […]
Its basic lines may look like just another switcher, but this new Atlas HO scale model is of a 21st century locomotive with a unique, environmentally friendly design. The National Railway Equipment 3GS21B Genset switcher is in service on today’s railroads. The direct-current Atlas Genset has an eight-pin plug for a Digital Command Control (DCC) […]
Marc Horovitz Here are a few of my favorite old model-train books, all published before 1960, in chronological order. There are many more. These are a mix of US and British books. I’ve tried to give a very brief synopsis of each. If you have a favorite old book, drop me a line at mhorovitz@gardenrailways.com […]
Q I’ve read that when some railroads sent their steam locomotives in for a complete overhaul, they changed the main drivers to a disc type. Why would they do this?— Alex Jamieson, Chatham, Ont. A Changing to disc-type drivers was done on a case-by-case basis. The older style spoke drivers had a tendency to break […]
