Special train, ceremony mark restoration of Trout Run Bridge

Passenger train with two Shay locomotives

CASS, W.Va. — West Virginia state dignitaries were among the passengers Friday on a special Durbin & Greenbrier Valley Railroad train to dedicate the opening of the Trout Run Bridge and with it, reopening of the northernmost 15 miles of the former Chesapeake & Ohio Durbin route. Shay No. 5, West Virginia’s official state locomotive, […]

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Largest 2-6-2 Prairie fleet: Chicago, Burlington & Quincy

Member of Largest 2-6-2 Prairie fleet parked in grass covered rail yard

Unsurprisingly, the largest 2-6-2 Prairie fleet operated on the U.S. prairies with the railroad that originated the type.     As the railroad industry approached the late 19th century, it became obvious that what had been considered the preferred locomotive — the 4-4-0 American — could no longer provide the horsepower nor the speed necessary […]

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Meet Jack Burgess

turntable on model railroad

Meet Jack Burgess What was the best decision you made regarding model railroading? In the late 1960s I built a freelance layout. I soon met a modeler who was photographing freight cars in the local SPRR yard and scratchbuilding models of them. I thus got hooked on modeling prototype equipment rather than freelancing. I decided […]

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Five former steam excursion locomotives that left an impact

Articulated steam locomotive rounds curve with passenger excursion train

Steam excursions in the United States are like taking center stage. Star-studded locomotives arrived with some staying while others received curtain calls. Of those that have taken their final bow, here are five former U.S. steam excursion locomotives that left an impact. Grand Trunk Western No. 5629 Excursion service 1959-1973: The class K-4a, 4-6-2 No. […]

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Grand Canyon Railway No. 4960 continues centennial year into May

GC4960

WILLIAMS, Ariz. — As part of the 2023 steam schedule of operating the “First Saturday” excursions, Grand Canyon Railway and Hotel’s 2-8-2 No. 4960 was fired up for the special occasion. The former Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad locomotive, with assistance from F40 diesel No. 4128, headed the railway’s round-trip excursion train from Williams to […]

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News & Products for the week of May 8th 2023

News & Products for the week of May 8th 2023: Image of a model locomotive

News & Products for the week of May 8th 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 May 8th 2023. […]

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News photos: Santa Fe 2926 takes a short trip

Large crowds around steam locomotive

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Restored Santa Fe 4-8-4 No. 2926 made about a half-mile move down the spur track from its restoration site to a local brewery on Saturday, May 6, 2023, drawing thousands of onlookers for a fundraising event. The movement was the first time in 20 years the engine, built by Baldwin in 1944, […]

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Clearing a Rio Grande rotary

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During an epic battle to reopen Cumbres Pass after a late December 1951 storm, a worker uses a shovel to clear the discharge chute of Denver & Rio Grande Western narrow gauge rotary OM of heavy, wet snow. John Norwood photo […]

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EBT opens its first steam-powered season in 12 years

Steam locomotive and train at station

ROCKHILL FURNACE, Pa. – The East Broad Top Railroad opened its first steam-powered season in 12 years with the return of regularly scheduled excursion trains for weekend operations Friday, May 5, through today, May 7. EBT 2-8-2 engine No. 16 (Baldwin Locomotive Works, 1916) easily handled its six-car train.  Freshly overhauled, the 81-ton engine broke […]

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Sneak peek: Broadway Limited Imports T-1 4-8-4

Color photo of N scale steam locomotive

After looking at the photos, you might be asking, “Hey, where is the paint and lettering?” Well, this isn’t a production model. Instead, Broadway Limited Imports sent us a pre-production sample of its N scale Reading Co. class T-1 4-8-4 steam locomotive. The model, scheduled for release this fall, features a dual-mode Paragon4 sound decoder, […]

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