News & Products for the week of October 9th 2023 Model railroad operators and builders can get the latest information about locomotives, freight cars, passenger cars, tools, track, and more by reading Model Railroader’s frequent product updates. The following are the products Model Railroader editors have news on for the week of October 9th […]
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Lionel E8/E9 AA unit set
The Lionel E8/E9s were one of several amazing announcements coming out the Volume 1 2023 catalog. If you’re into passenger trains, these engines are definitely for you! With speeds of up to 117 mph thanks to 2,250 hp [2,400 hp for the E9s—Ed.] , these E units were a staple for leading passenger trains over […]
Playmobil and kids in the garden railway
The Oberammergau, Ogden & Olomana Railroad (a.k.a. the Triple O) operates across eras and continents on a small piece of land on Oahu’s windward coast (see Garden railroading in Hawaii – Trains). We have employed the German toy line Playmobile) to bring it to life in all its incarnations, whether European, Wild West, or Hawaiian […]
Alco RSD15 road switcher: An imposing diesel locomotive for its day
Alco RSD15 road switcher Some locomotive models seem to come and go and hardly get noticed. Nobody can say that about the Alco RSD15. The six-axle mainline road switcher concept was still in its infancy in the mid-1950s, with many railroads sticking with various four-axle locomotive designs that had been popular for decades. But a […]
Meet Andrew Dodge
What was your first train set (or locomotive)? I was four or five when I got my first train set, which included a wooden steam locomotive with four or five cars that ran on wooden track. When I was nine, I got my first HO electric Snap-Track set with a Varney F3 diesel and a […]
Colorado considering legislation to limit train lengths, introduce other regulations
DENVER — A Colorado legislative committee has advanced a bill that would limit train lengths within the state and draws other elements from the federal Railway Safety Act, which has failed to pass Congress, the website Colorado Newsline reports. If approved by the Transportation Legislation Review Committee, the bill will be introduced in the state’s […]
Engineers’ union backs sale of Cincinnati Southern to Norfolk Southern
COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen Ohio State Legislative Board is backing the proposed sale of municipally owned Cincinnati Southern Railway to Norfolk Southern. The board’s executive committee announced on Friday that it voted unanimously to back the $1.6 billion sale, which will go before Cincinnati voters on Nov. 7. Norfolk […]
California governor signs legislation requiring LOSSAN agency to assess impact of climate change on rail route
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed legislation requiring the organization overseeing Amtrak’s Pacific Surfliner trains to assess the effects of climate change on its operations as part of its annual business plan. SB677, introduced by state Sen. Catherine Blakespear (D-Encinitas), requires the LOSSAN Rail Corridor Agency to identify projects to increase resiliency […]
Why do the milk cans get jammed on my Lionel No. 3662 operating milk car?
I really enjoy using my Lionel postwar No. 3662 operating milk car, but lately I have found this great car is giving me some trouble. Specifically, the milk cans never come all the way down the chute. One or two of them get through before they get jammed. What do you suggest to fix things? […]
News photo: NJ Transit’s latest heritage locomotive
NJ Transit has unveiled its latest heritage unit, painted for the Erie Railroad, one of its commuter-rail predecessors. The commuter operator released the photo of GP40PH-2B No. 4210 this weekend in Erie’s black-and-gold paint scheme, noting the railroad “held a large presence in the North Jersey commuter rail scene” and operated on what are now […]
Canadian National releases Winter Plan
MONTREAL — Canadian National Railway has released its 2023-24 Winter Plan, a document required by the Canadian Transportation Act in which the railroad details plans for operations during the winter months. “The plan serves as our compass, providing clear direction and objectives,” CEO Tracy Robinson says in an introductory statement. “It will enable us to […]
Operation Toy Train sets schedule for 2023
DINGMANS FERRY, Pa. — New stops in western Connecticut, eastern Pennsylvania, and southern New Jersey will highlight the 15th season of Operation Toy Train, the special train collecting toy donations for the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve’s Toys for Tots Foundation to benefit underpriviledged children. The train will operate for more than 200 miles across seven […]