New Jersey ‘Merci Train’ car found, to be restored

BOONTON, N.J. — The long-lost New Jersey car from the post-World War II “Merci Train” has been rediscovered and will be returned to the United Railroad Historical Society of New Jersey for restoration. The URHS reports the car has been donated by the National World War I Museum and Memorial in Kansas City. It was […]

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Sound Transit board to vote on new CEO

Head shot of smiling man in suit

SEATTLE — Sound Transit’s board will vote on the appointment of Dow Constantine as its new CEO at its meeting on Thursday, March 27. The agency announced Monday (March 24) that Constantine, currently King County Executive and part of its 18-member board, was its preferred candidate. The board had selected that top candidate at meeting […]

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News & Products for the week of March 24th 2025

The cab of a model locomotive in black, gray, yellow and red

News & Products for the week of March 24th 2025   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 March 24th, […]

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Union Pacific to serve new Hyundai steel mill in Louisiana

Union Pacific logo with Building America slogan

WASHINGTON – Union Pacific will serve the $5.8 billion steel mill that Hyundai Motor Group will build in Louisiana. The electric arc furnace facility, announced today during a White House ceremony, will supply steel coils for U.S. Hyundai and Kia plants as well as U.S. automakers, Hyundai said. The mill will be built at the […]

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3-D printed U-channel hopper cars

maroon model hopper car

I model the Western Maryland Ry. (WM) from the 1920s to before the start of World War II. Appropriate commercial models of coal hoppers for my modeling era are limited in large scale. I was using LGB two-bay and Bachmann three-bay hoppers as stand-ins, but I wanted accurate, period-specific coal hoppers for my rolling stock […]

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Lionel Legacy U28C diesel locomotive

side view of camouflage locomotive

Lionel has reissued the U28C diesel locomotive for the first time since 2012. The model was announced in the 2024 Volume 1 catalog. This six-axle unit was not that common on prototype railroads, and its unique appearance will allow it to stand out on your layout.  The prototype was produced by General Electric between February […]

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Intramotev names industry veteran Harry Zander as chief commercial officer

ST. LOUIS — Intramotev, the startup company that converts conventional freight cars to battery-electric, self-propelled vehicles, has named rail industry veteran Harry Zander as its chief commercial officer. Zander brings more than 30 years of experience to Intramotev. Most recently, he served as chief revenue officer at shortline railroad holding company Patriot Rail. Zander previously […]

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Recommended N scale track plans for beginners

Caroline Central track plan

Modeling the small and delicate N scale can be intimidating, especially for beginners. However, with the right setup, you can get the most out of the available space you might not find on a much larger scale. Here are five recommended N scale track plans for beginners. Carolina Central The Carolina Central is a great […]

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MBTA launches South Coast Rail service (updated)

People standing on platform waiting to board commuter train

BOSTON — Massachusetts’ South Coast Rail commuter operation is now officially in service. The 37-mile addition to the MBTA commuter rail network launched today (March 24, 2025), with the Fall River Herald News reporting that well over 100 people were on hand to catch the first train, a  scheduled 4:27 a.m. departure from New Bedford. […]

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