I DON’T HAVE a bond with postwar American Flyer. My grandfather had Flyer trains, my uncle had Marx trains, and I had Lionel trains. So I have a pretty broad view of postwar trains, and my S gauge interests aren’t driven by nostalgia, but rather by what I think will look cool on my layout. […]
I’VE HAD A SOFT spot for Cab-Forward steam locomotion since buying a book called Southern Pacific Steam Locomotives about 40 years ago. To me, even the early versions of the locomotive, with a square, boxy cab mounted in front of the boiler looked amazingly futuristic. Though the Southern Pacific adopted the Cab-Forward design to ensure […]
WHILE THUMBING THROUGH the ads in CLASSIC TOY TRAINS, I discovered a diesel that I’d missed when it originally came out: MTH’s version of the Baldwin AS-616 road switcher. Why? For me, the Pennsy is a secondary road name. But when I saw it offered at a bargain price, I reached for my wallet. The […]
ABOUT 10 YEARS AGO, a friend I knew through non-train circles called me on the phone. He knew of my interest in model railroading, and he said he had a Lionel train set, and could I tell him if it was worth anything. “It’s a bit strange,” he began, “the locomotive is pink. We got […]
Bachmann 1:20.3 three-truck Shay This three-truck 1:20.3-proportion three-foot gauge Shay from Bachmann gives large scale fans an action-packed logger complete with Digital Command Control. A SoundTraxx Tsunami decoder adds realistic steam sound effects to this Spectrum series locomotive. Built to order. Beginning around the turn of the 20th century Lima Locomotive Works built Shay geared […]
IHC HO freelanced 2-10-2 steam locomotive This freelanced 2-10-2 Santa Fe- type steam locomotive is a big HO scale freight engine that performs well. It comes ready-to-run and has a DCC socket for easy conversion to Digital Command Control. A mixed heritage. This 2-10-2, from International Hobby Corp., combines parts from several different prototypes. The […]
Con-Cor N “Galloping Goose” N scale “Galloping Goose” motor car Price: $179.98 Manufacturer Con-Cor International 8101 E. Research Court Tucson, AZ 85710-6750 www.all-railroads.comDescription: N standard gauge ready-to-run motor carComments: This tiny DC motor car is made as an N standard gauge DC model even though its Rio Grande Southern prototype was narrow gauge. A second […]
Replacement drives for Bachmann 4-6-0sBarry’s Big TrainsPO Box 1119Tolleson AZ 85353Contact the builder for pricingWeb site: www.barrysbigtrains.com Replacement drive units for a variety of different Bachmann 4-6-0 locomotives; conversions offered for 4-6-0s or 2-8-0s;Pittman seven pole, ball-bearing motor; ball bearings on flanged-driver axles; anodized aluminum frames; vertical motor mount; 29.8:1 countershaft gear drive to minimize […]
oundhouse HO 4-4-0 with dual-mode DCC and sound Roundhouse is offering a hard-pulling HO scale 4-4-0 featuring road-specific details, sound, and a dual-mode DC and Digital Command Control decoder. The ready-to-run locomotive also comes with a wireless handheld DC sound controller. The prototype. The 4-4-0 wheel arrangement dates to 1837, the year Henry Campbell invented […]
Ohio Central 2-8-0 No. 33 is running like gangbusters on the point of a coal train at Adams Mills, Ohio, on Dec. 13, 2006. The former Lake Superior & Ishpeming locomotive pulled the train (including three shut-down diesels) from Coshocton to Trinway, Ohio. John B. Corns COSHOCTON, Ohio – Ohio Central Rail System used its […]
Broadway Limited HO Santa Fe 2-10-2 steam locomotive with sound This HO scale Santa Fe-type 2-10-2 from Broadway Limited not only looks like its Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Ry. prototype, its solidly built to perform like it, too. The model’s QSI Quantum control and sound system operates on both direct current and Digital Command […]
Walthers HO 2-8-4 Berkshire with sound This classic Nickel Plate 2-8-4 Berkshire by Walthers is an accurate, medium-sized locomotive that delivers smooth performance with excellent sound. It’s an upgraded version of the Life-Like Proto 2000 model that was reviewed in the March 2004 Model Railroader. The new model includes different prototype-specific details and a dual-mode […]
