CSX ES44DC No. 5254 pulls the Tropicana Juice Train northbound, crossing the Little Manatee River at Ruskin, Fla., on Aug. 30, 2010. Scott Hartley photo […]
Rushin’ through Ruskin
Type of Train: Freight
Mountain railroad grade profiles
For railroad builders in North America, a 2.2 percent climb was considered the standard maximum grade for a well-engineered mountain railroad. But why this number? And how did its adoption become so widespread? Using modern-day analysis of some famous mountain railroad grades, Trains Magazine’s September 2011 issue explores the origins and adoption of 2.2 percent […]
MTH HO scale ready-to-run train set
MTH HO scale train set Many model railroaders get started in the hobby with a train set. A loop of track, power pack, a locomotive, and rolling stock will have a new model railroader running trains in a matter of minutes. MTH has taken its ready-to-run sets a step further by including its Digital Command […]
Winding through wind
Union Pacific C44AC-CTE No. 5374 leads a mixed-freight train past Milepost 366.7 past wind turbine generators on its way to Monolith, Calif., on April 25, 2011. William Steck photo […]
Cabooses on Norfolk Southern
Norfolk Southern and some other railroads use cabooses or riding platforms to protect shove moves. NS Q I know Class I railroads haven’t used cabooses for some years. On a Roanoke, Va., webcam, though, I have seen Norfolk Southern use a caboose on many occasions. The trains do not look like work trains, but rather […]
“Manifest” in railroading
Q What does the term “manifest” mean in relation to railroading? Where and when did it originate?— Wesley Greer, Castle Rock, Colo. A Manifest comes from the Latin word manifestus, meaning “visible,” or “detected in the act.” It went into Middle English (because the Romans occupied England for a while), and in 1432 the word […]
Through the Selkirk Mountains
Westbound Canadian Pacific train No. 813, led by AC4400CW 8543, exits the west portal of Mount Shaughnessy Tunnel in the Selkirk Mountains of British Columbia, on June 9, 2007. This coal train is bound for Roberts Bank in Vancouver, B.C. Mark Jackson photo […]
Draft-gear slack
Q What is the purpose of having draft-gear slack in the era of diesel locomotives? We all know the steam engines needed slack to start the train, and slack is used to “cushion” coupling, but I’ve always wondered why the modern freight cars don’t “lock” the draft gear when the brakeline is charged up eliminating […]
Gantlet vs. gauntlet
Q Is it gantlet or gauntlet? My dictionary describes the former as a type of railroad track and the latter as an armored glove. But now my railroad guru tells me that all railroads use “gauntlet” to describe the track. Which is it? – D.G. Townsend, Falls Village, Conn. A Always trust your dictionary. Gantlet […]
Railroad air brake systems
Q I just saw the preview for “Unstoppable.” How can a train with no air in the reserve tank and brake cylinders roll away? I thought once all the air is drained the brakes will automatically apply?— Andrew Marino, Lincoln Park, N.J. A Railroad air brake systems need air pressure to function, and it’s held […]
A key connection
A southbound Norfolk & Western freight train approaches the Southern Railway junction at Front Royal, Va., in this undated photo. The junction here will become a key connection when N&W and Southern merge to form the Norfolk Southern Railway in 1982. Photo by Michael S. Murray […]
Freight station operations for the model railroader
Many of our model railroads have freight stations, but we don’t always make the most of their operational possibilities. Especially for cities from medium to larger size, freight stations can be among the busiest industries on our layouts. Freight stations provide rail service to businesses that don’t have their own rail sidings. You can think […]
