Porter 0-4-0T

20161108

A diminutive Porter 0-4-0T works in the great north woods of Minnesota. Although not powerful, small Porters like this one enabled small logging operations to get in business quickly and cheaply. Library of Congress photo […]

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Acrylic paints for airbrushing

Two skinny paint bottles, one dark gray, the other gold, next to each other in front of white background

Acrylic paints for airbrushing While there are many different areas of the model railroading hobby that we can all explore, one common theme involved in almost all of these areas is paint. Whether you are painting entire backdrops, buildings, vehicles, or even figures, paint is a product that is necessary for model railroading. If you’re […]

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Freelance Colorado narrow-gauge branch line

Freelance Colorado narrow-gauge branch line: model steam train approaches buildings

Freelance Colorado narrow-gauge branch line The railway at a glance Name: Miller Creek & Moss Rock Railway Size of railroad: 30′ x 40′, approximately Scale: 1:24 Gauge: 45mm (no. 1) Era: Pre-WWII Theme: Freelance Colorado narrow-gauge branch line Age: 6 years Motive power: NiMH-battery-operated Delton Consolidation Length of mainline: 130′, (approximately) Maximum gradient: 3.5% Type […]

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Meet Dirt the Cat: Nevada Northern Railway’s rail cat

dirt the cat laying down

Dirt the Cat One of the world’s most famous cats is a railroader. Dirt, his fur coat stained by a lifetime amid the soot and grease of Nevada Northern Railway’s 114-year-old engine-servicing facility, is nobody’s pet and everybody’s friend. The people-loving shop cat has an international following thanks to a series of widely shared social […]

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2022 holiday toy train photo gallery

close up of steam locomotive on layout

A 2022 holiday toy train photo gallery is just the thing to get you in the Christmas spirit. Please enjoy this selection of holiday-themed photos of toy trains from Lionel and American Flyer in O gauge, S gauge, and Standard gauge (with some bonus N and large scale trains). If you have a photo you’d […]

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Chicago-area pedestrian crossing disappears in Western Springs

Train approaching on long straight

Chicago-area pedestrian crossing disappears I have no idea how long pedestrians have been crossing the railroad right-of-way at the gated crossing on BNSF Railway’s triple-track main line at Central Avenue in Western Springs, Ill., but it’s safe to assume it’s been quite a while. But the way that crossing quickly disappeared is another reminder of […]

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Eight Burlington Northern freight car one-offs

Black-and-white photo of boxcar in white paint with black lettering

I recently wrote “Burlington Northern locomotive one-offs”  featuring five Electro-Motive Division diesels, including unique paint schemes, rebuilds, and test subjects. This time, I dug through my negative collection and found eight Burlington Northern freight car one-offs. Most of the photos are from family travels throughout northwest Minnesota and northeast North Dakota between the early 1980s […]

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News photo: CSX derailment near Toledo, Ohio

Aerial view of derailed cars and spilled corn at rail junction

OREGON, Ohio — Ten railcars of corn from a CSX Transportation train derailed early Friday (Nov. 11) near the Port of Toledo, the Toledo Blade reports. The accident occurred at Ironville Junction, near Oregon’s border with Toledo, about 1:15 a.m. The derailment blocked CSX trackage on the Toledo Terminal Subdivision, the primary gateway to Michigan, […]

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Eastern Seaboard Models HO scale insulated boxcars

two freight cars painted in red, white and blue stripes

Eastern Seaboard Models HO scale insulated boxcars  Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: $84.50 Era: Early 1950s to 1980s Manufacturer: Eastern Seaboard Models Corp., P.O. Box 301, Waldwick, NJ 07463; esmc.com Insulated boxcars feature: Etched-metal running board and brake wheel platform More than 100 freestanding plastic detail parts Hi-Tech Details flexible rubber air hoses Underbody charcoal heater […]

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Broadway Limited Imports HO SD45

Screen shot of product review video

Add some flair to your layout with the Broadway Limited Imports HO SD45. The six-axle road locomotive, based on an Electro-Motive Division (EMD) prototype, is offered in both high and low short hood versions in eight paint schemes. The Broadway Limited Imports HO scale SD45 has an injection-molded plastic body, a die-cast metal frame, all-wheel […]

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Broadway Limited Imports HO SD45

Screen shot of product review video

Add some flair to your layout with the Broadway Limited Imports HO SD45. The six-axle road locomotive, based on an Electro-Motive Division (EMD) prototype, is offered in both high and low short hood versions in eight paint schemes. The Broadway Limited Imports HO scale SD45 has an injection-molded plastic body, a die-cast metal frame, all-wheel […]

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