Delaware & Hudson passenger trains remembered

Wooden coaches on Albany–Binghamton train 208 at Albany Union Station, circa 1945–46.

Delaware & Hudson passenger trains     All through July 2023, Classic Trains editors are celebrating the grit and grandeur of the Delaware & Hudson in its bicentennial year. Please enjoy this photo gallery of Kansas City Southern passenger trains selected from the files in Kalmbach Media‘s David P. Morgan Library.   Only from Trains.com! […]

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Sierra Northern receives funding to expand hydrogen locomotive project

Blue, green, and gold locomotive with road-switcher design

WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The California State Transportation Authority will fund an initiative by Sierra Northern Railway to convert three additional diesel switchers to hydrogen power, the railroad has announced. The railroad will receive funding from the transportation authority’s Port and Freight Infrastructure Project through a public-private partnership with the Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management […]

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A to Z: Trains in movies

The Denver and Rio Grande movie

Trains in movies Trains in movies: Looking for a brief retreat that is fun, fairly inexpensive, and easily accessible all year round? Try exploring the world of trains from the comfort of your own home. Enjoy the good, the bad, and the ugly in railroad movies from the past. Robberies, explosions, romance, comedy, suspense … […]

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Illinois chooses Metra to operate Chicago-Rockford service

People speaking with train in background

ROCKFORD, Ill. — With an 1880s bridge over the Rock River supporting a Metra train as a backdrop, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and other officials announced Thursday that Chicago commuter operator Metra had been selected to partner with Union Pacific to provide two daily rail roundtrips between Rockford and Chicago by 2027. The estimated $275 […]

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Modeling transition era railcar brakes

The underside of an HO scale caboose model with brake equipment labeled

Q: I am researching transition era railcar brakes. Were there books written on the subject, and are they still available for purchase? – Ron Buddemeier A: The most complete and detailed reference for transition era railcar brakes is the one used by the railroads themselves – the Car Builder’s Cyclopedia of American Practice. This weighty […]

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A handy N scale uncoupler — good for olives, too

ThisredplasticswordisjustrightforuncouplingNscalecars

A handy N scale uncoupler: If you’re a model railroader, everywhere you go your antennae are out, scanning your environs for anything that might be useful to build with. And that leads me to swizzle sticks. I was having lunch with a tableful of in-laws at Maggiano’s Little Italy, a popular chain with a restaurant […]

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First run of the Lionel Pennsylvania RR L1 Mikado

Lionel Pennsylvania RR L1 Mikado cab detail

With the release of the Lionel Pennsylvania RR L1 Mikado, it seems that we’ve returned to pre-pandemic manufacturing timelines with the manufacturer. This Legacy engine, cataloged in Lionel’s 2022 Volume II edition, has been delivered in less than a year. This is another product made with tooling acquired from MTH Trains a few years ago. […]

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Water plants for the garden railway

Dwarf cattail with black model steam engine on track

Water plants for the garden railway Ah, summer! It’s hot enough for iced tea and watermelon. You’re sitting by your little pond, enjoying the rhythmic chimes of rushing water from your railway’s beautiful falls. Through the haze your eyes rest on a serene lake; you’re imagining that anticipated fishing trip. Mountains reflected in cool, clear […]

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