News & Products for the week of August 14th 2023

An image of multiple model passenger cars

News & Products for the week of August 14th 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 August 14th 2023. […]

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News photo: Reading & Northern diesel marks 40th anniversary

Green and yellow diesel with "Our 40th Anniversary" lettering

PORT CLINTON, Pa. — Reading & Northern (formally, the Reading Blue Mountain & Northern Railroad) has painted GP38-2 No. 2023 to commemorate the railroad’s 40th anniversary. R&N began as the Blue Mountain & Reading in 1983, operating a 13-mile former Conrail Branch, and has grown to a 400-mile route with some 300 employees and a […]

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Norfolk Southern to restore its popular heritage locomotive fleet

Yellow and black diesel

Norfolk Southern’s heritage locomotive fleet will get a refresh in the coming years, the railroad announced when it shared a video of a shiny Virginian SD70ACe No. 1069 rolling out of the paint shop at Juniata, Pa. “Drumroll pleaseeee….. the Virginian restoration is complete! It took 10 carmen 550+ hours to restore and repaint NS1069. […]

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Where can I find Marx locomotive parts?

two Marx trains from the 1930s

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 […]

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Why are my 1950s Lionel Geeps smoking?

Lionel prewar Burlington GP7

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? […]

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Better as a Model: The Fairbanks-Morse Train Master

Lionel Fairbanks-Morse Train Master

The Fairbanks-Morse Train Master is one of the most popular locomotives of all time in toy traindom. This hulking engine, introduced to the model world in 1954 by Lionel, is right up there with the F3 and GP7/9 as one of the best-loved and most-produced diesels in the hobby. Multiple companies make or have made […]

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From the Cab: Freight locomotives on passenger trains

A dark-colored freight engine is coupled ahead of a silver Amtrak locomotive next to a concrete walkway.

Freight locomotives on passenger trains can happen for a variety of reasons and make for memorable images. Early in Amtrak’s history, locomotives painted in the colors of freight-hauling railroads were common. In Amtrak’s “rainbow era” days, 50 years ago, the then-new National Railroad Passenger Corporation operated with leased or hand-me-down equipment, inherited from — and […]

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Short Amtrak consists of the 2000s

A model passenger train crosses a bridge over water and a freight train

I hope you’ve enjoyed the tour we’ve taken of Amtrak’s short consists throughout the railroad’s history. Starting with the modern era, we then went back in time to the 1970s, then the 80s and 90s. This month, we’re looking at my favorite era of short Amtrak consists. Is it because that’s when I grew up? […]

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News & Products for the week of August 7th 2023

August 7th: An image of multiple model freight cars in different color scheems

News & Products for the week of August 7th 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 August 7th 2023. […]

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Beech Mountain, likely nearing end of operations, leases SW1500s

Blue and yellow end-cab switcher

ALEXANDER, W.Va. — Beech Mountain Railroad has leased two former CSX SW1500s from LTEX Rail to continue moving coal from Carter-Roag Coal Co.’s Star Bridge processing plant to the railroad’s interchange with the Appalachian & Ohio at Alexander. United Coal Co. subsidiary Carter-Roag has closed its Morgan Camp mine, which fed the Star Bridge preparation […]

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