Cape May Seashore Lines acquires predecessor diesel

black train on track

RICHLAND VILLAGE, N.J. — Cape May Seashore Lines is going “back to the future” with its recently acquired GP38 No. 2000. The unit once belonged to predecessor railroad Pennsylvania Reading Seashore Lines. It joins two other ex-PRSL GP38s the railroad is leasing: GMTX 2661 (former PRSL Nos. 2011) and LLPX 2014 (PRSL 2012). Pennsylvania – […]

Read More…

Hilltop light rail extension opens in Tacoma

blue and white transit with people standing in front

TACOMA, Wash. — The 2.4-mile Hilltop Link light rail extension in Tacoma officially opened Sept. 16 to riders. The T Light Rail Line (formerly known as Tacoma Link) formerly operated a 1.6-mile route between the Tacoma Dome station and downtown Tacoma. The new line more than doubled the length of T Line, starting with a […]

Read More…

Swiss Spectacular, Part 10: Steam and a summit

Cog railway train rounds curve with clouds in background

ZERMATT, Switzerland — Finally getting back up to date on events on the Trains/Special Interest Tours “Majestic Switzerland” tour: Sunday, Sept. 17 This was our longest day, leaving Chur at 6:25 a.m. and getting to Zermatt at 6:14 p.m. Those times were dictated by our trip on the Furka Cogwheel Steam Railway, the all-volunteer steam […]

Read More…

New large scale products for September/October 2023

New large scale products for September/October 2023 Locomotives and rolling stock Accucraft, 33260 Central Ave, Union City, CA 94587, has a 13T Class A Shay locomotive, available in kit and ready-to-run versions. It features brass and metal construction, is butane fired, two safety valves, and a water level gauge. Price: $1,995. Delivery expected in November […]

Read More…

3-D print a rail cart porta-potty

A model porta-potty on a railcart chassis with a model figure

3-D print a rail cart porta-potty: A requirement of a modern railroad, besides moving freight and passengers, is addressing the needs of the employees while on the job. This includes, of course, all of the workers, from the office personnel devising service plans to the maintenance-of-way crews doing track upkeep. As modelers, we only become […]

Read More…

Swiss Spectacular, Part 9: Bernina and beyond

Stone viaduct seen through train windows

ZERMATT, Switzerland — The last couple of days on the Trains/Special Interest Tours “Majestic Switzerland” tour have been long but memorable, so it’s going to take a bit of time to catch up. Today, let’s look back on our activity from Saturday, Sept. 16: If you built a model railroad with track like the route […]

Read More…

Columnar Japanese holly

black steam locomotive crosses wooden bridge with tall evergreen trees behind it

Common name: Columnar Japanese holly Latin name: Ilex crenata ’Sky Pencil’; synonym I.c. ‘Sky Sentry’ Plant type: Shrubs & small trees Plant size: 4-6′ high x 4-12″ wide USDA Hardiness Zones: 5-9 Cultural needs: Sun; moist, drained soil Introduced by the National Arboretum in 1985, columnar Japanese holly is usually called Sky Pencil or Sky […]

Read More…

Menards Cripple Creek Beam Pump

oil beam pump model accessory

Menards Cripple Creek Beam Pump is now available on the Menards website. The oil industry has been a part of this country for more than 100 years. A familiar sight in many parts of the country is an oil beam pump. The beam pump, also known as a pumpjack, horse-head, or several other colorful names, […]

Read More…

Georgia Railroad locomotives remembered

Dark blue streamlined Georgia Railroad diesel locomotives

Georgia Railroad locomotives included a mix of small steam designs and EMD models.     By 1914 the Georgia Road was powered by an assortment of 4-4-0s, 0-6-0s, Moguls, Ten-Wheelers, four modern Lima 2-8-2s, and a pair of light Pacifics. A handful of all-steel baggage cars, RPOs, and coaches shared the car roster with a […]

Read More…

Most distinctive articulated: Southern Pacific cab-forwards

Freight train with smoking Southern Pacific cab-forwards

In the steam era, perhaps no sight was as unconventional as an encounter with one of the Southern Pacific cab-forwards. These monstrous AC class 4-8-8-2 steam locomotives turned engine design almost literally on its head by flipping the position of the cab and the firebox to the front. As they would in the diesels that […]

Read More…

Back to the basement time

Freight car boxes, model kits, tools, and scratchbuilding supplies cover a workbench.

It’s getting cooler in the northern latitudes, and for many of us, it will soon be time to put away the garden implements and head back to the basement. If you’re like me and you’ve been letting indoor projects pile up as outdoor opportunities entice you away, you might need to spend a little time […]

Read More…