HOn3 Goose gallops along Click on the chart for a larger image First a bit of history. Let’s roll back the calendar to the early 1930s. The Rio Grande Southern was about to go under unless management could cut costs drastically. Necessity, or in this case desperation, can indeed be the mother of invention. The […]
Read More…
Bachmann HO USRA heavy 4-8-2 Mountain steam locomotive Will fans of HO scale remember 2003 as the year of the steam locomotive? Perhaps – we’ve already seen several outstanding new releases from a variety of manufacturers. Now Bachmann has stepped forward with its second new steamer of the year, a USRA (United States Railway Administration) […]
Read More…
Wabash No. 2924 was the last of the road’s 25 4-8-4s, all built by Baldwin in 1930. Classic Trains coll. The Wabash of 1900 was part of the empire that George Gould inherited from his father Jay. Its lines linked Detroit, Toledo, Chicago, St. Louis, Kansas City, Omaha, and Des Moines, and formed major hubs […]
Read More…
roadway Limited HO N&W Class A 2-6-6-4 steam locomotive Back in the late ’80s, my wife, Cindy, and I went to see Norfolk & Western Class A 2-6-6-4 no. 1218 when it came through Chicago on a fan trip. I’d seen quite a few other steam locomotives by that time, so I didn’t expect to […]
Read More…
MTH Trains 1:32 New York Central J-3a Hudson 4-6-4 steam locomotive MTH Trains has released its long-awaited 1:32-proportion model of a New York Central J-3a Hudson with sound. Some of its features may seem unusual to scale modelers, but the model is, generally speaking, a faithful reproduction of its famous prototype. In 1937, Alco built […]
Read More…
Bachmann’s HO Baldwin 4-6-0 Ten-Wheeler steam locomotive Small enough for most layouts and at home in both freight and passenger service, Bachmann’s new Spectrum line HO 4-6-0 is a well-detailed model of the steam era’s equivalent to the Geep. With detailing that compares favorably to models costing much more, it can stand up to being […]
Read More…
Bachmann 1:20.3 scale Baldwin narrow gauge 2-6-0 Bachmann’s latest 1:20.3 scale steam locomotive is a tiny narrow gauge Mogul that comes ready-to-run. It’s modeled from an industrial 2-6-0 first built around 1910 by Baldwin Locomotive Works. This model is a first cousin to the larger 2-8-0 reviewed in the May 2002 issue of Model Railroader. […]
Read More…
Model Power N scale USRA 4-6-2 light Pacific steam locomotive Model Power has released a United States Railroad Administration (USRA) 4-6-2 light Pacific passenger steam locomotive. The N scale, ready-to-run engine includes a die-cast metal boiler and frame and features some nice additional factory-applied metal and plastic detail parts. According to Linn Westcott’s Model Railroader […]
Read More…
Life-Like N scale USRA Y3 2-8-8-2 Life-Like has released a great looking model of the Norfolk & Western class Y3 2-8-8-2 that’s a bit of a mixed blessing. It’s a smooth runner, but its gearing delivers an excessive scale speed. This 2-8-8-2’s prototype is the largest locomotive built for the United States Railroad Administration during […]
Read More…
LGB G scale USRA Mikado 2-8-2 If you’re a committed G scale operator, a fan of well-designed model steam power, or just a modeler who’d like a very, very impressive locomotive to display on the fireplace mantel, LGB’s new Mikado deserves a look. It’s a great example of several trends in model railroading: more steam […]
Read More…
Life-Like’s Proto 2000 HO USRA 0-6-0 steam switcher Life-Like’s new Proto 2000-series United States Railroad Administration 0-6-0 steam switcher is a sweet little yard engine. It’s accurate, well-proportioned, and an extremely smooth and quiet runner. It’s just the size to be at home in even the most modest model railroad yards and industrial districts. The […]
Read More…