JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – CSX Transportation has released its fourth heritage unit, a salute to Conrail. “Okay rail fans. Here is a sneak peak of the fourth CSX Heritage Locomotive. #1976 celebrates our Conrail heritage. Look for this one out on the road soon. Another great job for our ONE CSX team in Waycross, GA. Enjoy,” […]
Type of Train: Diesel Locomotives
Gleaming SD9 reminds us of Nickel Plate Road’s big switch
Just when you think recent progress in railroad preservation can’t get any better — I’m thinking here of everything from Big Boy to Reading & Northern 2102 to Silvis Shops to Michigan Central Station — along comes another milestone that, if not quite a blockbuster, is still remarkable. Especially if you’re interested in diesel […]
Arcade & Attica acquires Alco RS3, will relegate center cabs to lesser roles
ARCADE, N.Y. — The Arcade & Attica Railroad is set to replace its distinctive GE center-cab locomotives, a hallmark of the railroad for almost 80 years, with the arrival of Alco RS3U No. 406. The Alco, acquired earlier in the year from the Western New York & Pennsylvania Railroad in Olean, N.Y., arrived on the […]
New York Central’s first E unit
E7 No. 4000, the first of New York Central’s eventual fleet of 112 E units (36 E7As, 14 E7Bs, and 62 E8As) stands at the road’s Englewood engine terminal in Chicago on Aug. 13, 1946. L. V. Lucy photo […]
Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum BL2 nears operation (with video)
NORTH JUDSON, Ind. — After two years of restoration work using an all-volunteer labor force, the Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum in North Judson is close to beginning operations with one of its two former Bangor & Aroostook Railroad BL2s. BL2s No. 52 and No. 56 came to the museum in June of 2021 after private […]
Troubleshooting a diesel locomotive
In 1981, I was a locomotive engineer for the Chicago & North Western Railway based out of Council Bluffs, Iowa, and operating an interdivisional run to Sioux City, Iowa. I made this run many times, but one trip taught me a lesson about troubleshooting a diesel locomotive — and about railroading. Most of the trains […]
Bachmann N scale Siemens SC-44 Charger
The Bachmann Trains N scale Siemens SC-44 Charger diesel locomotive recently visited our Milwaukee, Racine & Troy State Line Route layout. Model Railroader editor Eric White and senior editor Cody Grivno discuss the features on the modern engine and take it for lap on our 4 x 12-foot layout. Paint schemes on the Bachmann N […]
Bachmann N scale Siemens SC-44 Charger
The Bachmann Trains N scale Siemens SC-44 Charger diesel locomotive recently visited our Milwaukee, Racine & Troy State Line Route layout. Model Railroader editor Eric White and senior editor Cody Grivno discuss the features on the modern engine and take it for lap on our 4 x 12-foot layout. The Bachmann N scale Siemens SC-44 […]
A look at the Lionel 2023 Volume 2 catalog
The Lionel 2023 Volume 2 catalog is here! Sometimes Christmas does come twice a year, in the world of toy trains this celebration is typically associated with a catalog drop. For Lionel, that takes place in January and July. I typically can find something in each catalog that gets me excited for what’s to come. […]
Trains announces photo charter with historic Minnesota Transportation Museum diesels
OSCEOLA, Wis. — Trains Magazine has announced an exclusive photo charter to be held Sept. 11-12 at the Minnesota Transportation Museum’s Osceola & St. Croix Valley Railway featuring three historic diesels. The tentative schedule for the two-day event includes a Sept. 11 passenger train with freshly painted Great Northern SDP40 No. 325 and Great Northern […]
A look at the Atlas P42 locomotive
The latest Premier locomotive from Atlas has hit the shelves! The P42 Genesis locomotive was developed from a previous MTH tooling that Atlas O acquired during the MTH tooling sale three or so years ago. This O gauge Premier line model sports some great Amtrak paint schemes The P42 was expected to be announced in […]
NKP SD9 returned to as-built appearance by Progress Rail
MUNCIE, Ind. — Nickle Plate Road SD9 No. 358 is nearing the end of a lengthy process of restoration to operation by the Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society, with Progress Rail returning the locomotive to its appearance as built in 1957. The locomotive, donated by Norfolk Southern to the Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society in […]