ABILENE, Kan. — Santa Fe 4-6-2 No. 3415 took one last bow on Oct. 7. The locomotive wrapped up its duties for not only the 2023 steam schedule on the Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad, but also its 15-year service life following a 2009 restoration. The locomotive is now slated for a federally mandated 1,472-day […]
Type of Train: Steam Locomotive
Grand Canyon Railway No. 4960 concludes 2023 steam schedule
WILLIAMS, Ariz. — The 2023 steam schedule for Grand Canyon Railway and Hotel concluded on Oct. 9 with 2-8-2 No. 4960 making an appearance at the depot in Williams for the Employee Fall Festival. This comes after the final “First Saturday” steam excursion of the year to Grand Canyon National Park a couple of days […]
Olympia & Sand Creek, Episode 15 | All in the details
In this session, Host David Popp promises to finish the work on the passenger car project! That includes paying careful attention to those tiny details on the passenger car and the layout itself…you know, all of the little things he’d notice if he did not take the time to complete them now, including the addition […]
N&W No. 611 debuts for the Virginia Scenic Railway’s ‘Shenandoah Valley Limited’
GOSHEN, Va. — The first weekend of the Shenandoah Valley Limited with Norfolk & Western steam locomotive No. 611 is now in the books. In its first fall excursion through the home state of Virginia since 1994, the J-class 4-8-4 led six half-day trips unassisted out of Goshen along the Buckingham Branch Railroad with diesels […]
Olympia & Sand Creek, Episode 15 | All in the details
In this session, Host David Popp promises to finish the work on the passenger car project! That includes paying careful attention to those tiny details on the passenger car and the layout itself…you know, all of the little things he’d notice if he did not take the time to complete them now, including the addition […]
American classic
Chicago & Illinois Midland American-type 4-4-0 No. 500 hustles a two-car passenger train north under Illinois Route 97 near Petersburg in May 1952. Once ubiquitous, the diminutive locomotive was a real anachronism by mid-century. Photo by Edward Theisinger […]
N&W No. 611 dress rehearsal for the Virginia Scenic Railway
In late September 2023, Norfolk & Western steam locomotive No. 611 operated on the Buckingham Branch Railroad, in preparation for its fall excursions. The J-class 4-8-4 is scheduled to run the Shenandoah Valley Limited as part of the Virginia Scenic Railway, a passenger excursion operator for the short line railroad. […]
News & Products for the week of October 9th 2023
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 […]
Pacific Southern Railway in HO scale
With a mainline run of more than 1,000 feet, this freelanced HO scale (1:87.1) club layout is quite impressive! But the fact that the established Pacific Southern Railway Club 501(c)(3) nonprofit raises funds for a local emergency services definitely makes this model railroad a stand-out/stand-up amongst some of the finest in the hobby! To learn […]
Pacific Southern Railway in HO scale
With a mainline run of more than 1,000 feet, this freelanced HO scale (1:87.1) club layout is quite impressive! But the fact that the established Pacific Southern Railway Club 501(c)(3) nonprofit raises funds for a local emergency services definitely makes this model railroad a stand-out/stand-up amongst some of the finest in the hobby! To learn […]
13 tips for storing your trains
13 tips for storing your trains 1. Modern trains go in their boxes. Be sure you store them out of direct sunlight and fluorescent lighting in a cupboard, drawer, or other dark, dry area. A packet or two of silica gel inside the box helps keep moisture and humidity low so your boxes won’t get […]
Kentucky Steam lands $1.9 million grant for ‘Yard’ project, 2716 restoration
RAVENNA, Ky. — The Kentucky Steam Heritage Corp. has received a $1.9 million grant to aid in the restoration of Chesapeake & Ohio 2-8-4 No. 2716, as well as continue development of the railroad-centered attraction “The Yard” that includes the shop where the steam locomotive is being restored. The funds are in the form of […]