Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad to resume normal operations

Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad logo

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio — After a lengthy period of modified operations because of riverbank erosion along its route, the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad will return to its regular schedule this Saturday, July 16. Since March, the railroad had been running 16-mile trips instead of offering its full 52-mile round trip, and departing only from its Rockside […]

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New owner for industrial park, short line near Houston

Map of Houston area showing location of Gulf Inland Logistics Park

DAYTON, Texas — Liberty Development Partners has purchased a 1,158-acre industrial park near Houston, as well as the railroad that serves the facility. Liberty says it plans to turn the Gulf Inland Logistics Park into a manufacturing, distribution, and storage hub. The purchase includes the CMC Railroad, a Class III short line which has been […]

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Norfolk Southern train derails in Georgia

Aerial view of derailed tank cars

WARNER ROBINS, Ga. — No injuries are reported and no hazardous materials are said to be involved after a Norfolk Southern train derailed Tuesday afternoon, closing a highway and an entrance to Robins Air Force Base. About 20 railcars are involved, Houston County Fire Chief Chris Stoner told WMAZ-TV. At least some of those are […]

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BLET votes overwhelmingly to authorize national strike

Logo of Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen union

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio — By a resounding margin, members of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen have authorized a strike — a move that could come as soon as Monday, July 18. The union — which represents more than 57,000 U.S. rail employees — reports 99.5% of its members voted to authorize a strike if […]

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How can I restore the wet water look on my layout?

How to restore the wet water look: A scrap of paper towel is used to wipe dust from the surface of a modeled river

Q: Years ago, I used Liquitex Gloss Medium to create the water in two rivers on my layout. Now, I’ve noticed that they’re not as glossy as they once were. I periodically use a Woodland Scenics Dust Dabber and a wide, soft paintbrush to remove dust from the surface. How would you recommend that I clean the […]

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Cutting up a 4×8 table

A sheet of graph paper with four sketches showing ways to cut up a sheet of plywood

A lot of model railroads – and model railroaders – start out with that old standby, the 4 x 8-foot train table. The main reason is convenience; 4 x 8 feet is the size of a standard sheet of plywood. Extruded-foam insulation board, a popular train layout scenic foundation material, also comes in that size. […]

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Atlas HO scale General Electric Dash 8-40C diesel locomotive

red illustration of locomotive

General Electric Dash 8-40C diesel locomotive Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: Direct current with factory-installed speaker –front ditch lights, $199.99; front and rear ditch lights, $209.99; and undecorated with front ditch lights (Phase I and II), $179.99. With dual-mode ESU LokSound sound decoder – front ditch lights, $309.95; front and rear ditch lights, $319.95; and undecorated with front […]

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Trinity 30,145-gallon modified tank car from Walthers

black tank car

Trinity 30,145-gallon modified tank car Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: $49.98 Era: Modern Manufacturer: Wm. K. Walthers Inc., 5601 W. Florist Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53218, 414-527-0770, walthers.com Trinity 30,145-gallon modified tank car features: Based on cars updated with reinforced ends, revised end platforms, and multi-valve housing to comply with Federal Railroad Administration mandates Photo-etched metal end […]

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Why I love the 2-8-4 Berkshire locomotive

Berkshire 2-8-4 locomotive: When I was a kid, my dad once showed me his childhood Lionel set. He had a Lionel no. 726RR Berkshire set with a few extra pieces stored in a metal crate. I never got to see it set up or operate, unfortunately. I had no idea what a Berkshire was back […]

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Athearn Genesis Union Pacific collector’s set

illustration of locomotive in red, white and blue

Union Pacific collector’s set Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: Direct-current model with 21-pin NEM connector, $529.99; with dual-mode SoundTraxx Tsunami2 sound decoder, $699.99. Both versions include caboose with dual-mode NCE light decoder. Era: 1969+ Manufacturer: Athearn Trains, 2904 Research Rd., Champaign, IL 61822, 800-338-4639, athearn.com Electro-Motive Division DDA40X diesel locomotive features: All-wheel electrical pickup Celcon handrails and stanchions Detailed fuel […]

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