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The St. Paul & Southern layout in HO scale

By | June 5, 2023
An image of the st paul and southern trackplan

Facts & features Name: St. Paul & SouthernScale: HO (1:87.1)Size: 24 x 28 feetPrototype: Chicago & North Western’s “Spine Line”Locale: Minnesota, Iowa, and MissouriEra: 1995Style: Walk-inMainline run: 200 feetMinimum radius: 36″Minimum turnout: No. 6Maximum grade: FlatBenchwork: Open gridHeight: 47″Roadbed: CorkTrack: Micro Engineering flextrackScenery: Extruded-foam insulation boardBackdrop: Painted tempered hardboardControl: Switchable between DC cab control and MRC Prodigy […]

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Union Pacific and BLET reach paid sick time agreement

By | June 5, 2023
Two men standing by train watch as another train goes by

OMAHA, Neb. — Union Pacific and the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen have reached a paid sick time agreement, the railroad and union announced today. UP’s 5,600 engineers will have up to seven paid sick days. Five days will be considered paid sick time, while two additional paid leave days can be converted to […]

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Amtrak announces grant applications for NEC, long-distance projects

By | June 5, 2023
High speed trains meet on S curve

WASHINGTON — Amtrak today has announced applications for nearly $7.3 billion in Federal Railroad Administration funds for 14 projects to improve infrastructure and service on the Northeast Corridor, as well as $716 million for 16 projects to address long-distance network needs and expand service. The two announcements come the day before Amtrak CEO Stephen Gardner […]

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News & Products for the week of June 5th 2023

By | June 5, 2023
An image of a model freight car

News & Products for the week of June 5th 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 June 5th 2023. […]

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The Norfolk & Western layout in HO scale

By | June 5, 2023

Facts & features Name: Norfolk & Western Scale: HO (1:87.1)Size: 12 x 25 feetPrototype: Norfolk & Western with Baltimore & Ohio and Chesapeake & OhioLocale: Virginia and West Virginia Era: 1950sStyle: Around-the-wallsMainline run: 240 feetMinimum radius: 22″Minimum turnout: No. 4Maximum grade: 4%Benchwork: open gridHeight: 38″ to 66″ Roadbed: corkTrack: Atlas code 100 flextrackScenery: Plaster-impregnated paper […]

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CPKC employees will select railway’s new locomotive livery

By Bill Stephens | June 5, 2023

CALGARY, Alberta – CPKC employees will select the railway’s new locomotive livery through an online survey, a company spokesman says. The SurveyMonkey poll asks the railway’s 20,345 employees to choose one of five proposed paint schemes for CPKC locomotives. Canadian Pacific SD70ACU No. 7001 serves as the model for the liveries. Each of the five […]

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The Train Masters of Babylon O gauge layout

By | June 5, 2023

Name: The Train Masters of Babylon Gauge: ODimensions: 41 x 60 feetTrack: GarGraves (diameters range from 128 to 180 inches)Turnouts: Ross Custom SwitchesMotive power: Atlas O, K-Line, Lionel (postwar, modern), MTH, Weaver, WilliamsRolling stock: Atlas O, K-Line, Lionel (postwar, modern), Menards, MTH, Weaver, WilliamsControls: Lionel Type-ZW (5), MTH Nos. Z-1000 (2) and Z-4000 (11) transformers […]

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7 tips for your roadbed and right-of-way

By | June 5, 2023
paint rolling tool with nails attached

7 tips for your roadbed and right-of-way: Keep your trains rolling with these easy tips. Learn how to store ballast nearby, easily pick up leaves, clear switch points, and more! Piping under the roadbed When we built our garden railroad, we found that we needed to provide water to plants on the far side of […]

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From the Cab: I ran EMD E8 locomotives

By Doug Riddell | June 5, 2023
An image of the nose of a red-painted streamlined diesel with gold stripes

When the Amtrak car inspector standing in the doorway of one of Bennett Levin’s majestically restored EMD E8 locomotives asked if I used to run them, I replied, “You bet I did.” “Remember how to do a brake test on one?” he asked, hinting that he didn’t. “If anyone does, it has to be you.” I reminded him that […]

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Norfolk & Western No. 611 returns to Roanoke

By Lucas Iverson | June 5, 2023
Steam locomotive pulls into yard while crew watches

ROANOKE, Va. — Norfolk & Western steam locomotive No. 611 returned to its hometown of Roanoke for the first time in nearly 5 years. The J-class 4-8-4 steamed into the yard of the Virginia Museum of Transportation on June 2 after extended stays at both the Strasburg Rail Road in Ronks, Pa., and the North […]

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Steam locomotive No. 4960 heads June “First Saturday” excursion to Grand Canyon

By Lucas Iverson | June 5, 2023
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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Canada’s GMD1 diesel locomotive

By Brian Schmidt, Classic Trains Editor | June 5, 2023
GMD1 diesel locomotive with passenger train and banner on nose

Canada’s GMD1 diesel locomotive was the first to be completely designed by General Motors Diesel Ltd., Electro-Motive’s subsidiary at London, Ontario. GMD built 101 copies in two variants between 1958 and 1960. The locomotive was powered by a 12-cylinder, non-turbocharged 567 prime mover producing 1,200 hp. A news brief in Trains’ July 1959 issue called […]

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