WAYCROSS, Ga. — CSX Transportation took the wraps off its fifth heritage locomotive today, No. 1869 that wears the classic Chesapeake & Ohio passenger scheme, complete with script lettering and the “C&O For Progress” logo. The locomotive joins units that celebrate the history of the Baltimore & Ohio, Seaboard System, Chessie System, and Conrail. CSX […]
Rail operations in Switzerland have been disrupted by a derailment in the Gotthard Base Tunnel, the world’s longest rail tunnel. The English-language Swiss news site TheLocal.ch reports the derailment involving a freight occurred about noon Thursday at the Faido multifunction station, one of two locations within the 35.5-mile-long tunnel including emergency-stop facilities and ventilation equipment. […]
SAVANNAH, Ga. — Two Genesee & Wyoming short lines in Georgia today asked the Federal Railroad Administration to allow them to conduct a pilot program that would test Parallel Systems’ zero-emission autonomous container cars. The 211-mile Georgia Central Railway and 233-mile Heart of Georgia Railroad would like to test the battery-electric cars – which can […]
CALGARY — Canadian Pacific No. 2816 has now been run for about 700 miles since returning to operation, CPKC’s Jonathan J. Morris, manager, operating practices-steam, says in a post on the locomotive’s Facebook page, and is “running like the wind.” The locomotive was returned to steam June 18 and made its first short run June […]
Do I need to add a circuit-breaker? Q: I have three postwar Lionel ZW transformers powering my layout. Until recently, I have run only postwar Lionel motive power on it. Now I also have some newer MTH locomotives. I was cautioned by a fellow operator to install a circuit breaker that will trip instantly in […]
Where can I find Marx locomotive parts? Q: I own a Marx no. 6000 Southern Pacific A-A diesel and would like to find new bushings for the axles. Do you know where I can locate these parts? A: I’ve found parts for Marx locomotives at local train meets. There always seems to be plenty of […]
How do I remove paint from old plastic freight cars? Q: I have some old Lionel plastic freight cars that I want to repaint in railroad colors. Will you please advise me how to remove the paint from these cars without damaging the plastic. A: The best paint remover I’ve found for use on plastic […]
Why do the brass wheels on my Flyer tender spark? Q: I have an American Flyer No. 300AC Atlantic 4-4-2 steam locomotive. The brass wheels (only on one side of each tender truck) spark badly when they roll along my vintage American Flyer track. Could you tell me if the wheels need regular cleaning? I […]
How do I clean old Lionel trains? Q: I have a number of Lionel locomotives, freight cars, accessories, and track sections that have been stored in boxes for 55 years. Everything is covered with dust and dirt. What’s the best way to clean these items without ruining the paint and detail? A: For cleaning Lionel […]
What’s the best way to repaint an old Lionel steam locomotive? Q: What is the best way to repaint old Lionel die-cast steamer body shells and diesel frames? I have tried six times with no good result – the paint doesn’t stick very well. What kind of paint should I use? Do I need a […]
Why are my 1950s Lionel Geeps smoking? Q: I have a couple of Lionel Geeps from the 1950s. I took them out of the back and ran them for the first time in a long while the other night. All of a sudden, smoke started coming out of the cab windows. Are they junk now? […]
Fan won’t work on Lionel No. 3530 Generator Car Q: I’ve been have difficulty getting the “fan” to operate correctly on my Lionel No. 3530 Generator Car. It usually takes maximum transformer voltage, and even then the fan turns extremely slowly and stops on every full revolution. The vibrator motor has a rubber washer with […]
