Kitbash a large-scale bunkhouse

Model boxcar scene

  I like to spend my Saturday mornings going to garage sales. Occasionally I find something I can use for my large-scale railroad.  At one sale, I found a damaged Christmas Workshop sold by USA Trains. I paid the dollar asking price and brought my prize home. I had recently kitbashed a yardmaster’s office from […]

Read More…

Arizona museum acquires former Santa Fe U-boat rebuild

Train with three red locomotives as seen from high angle

WILLIAMS, Ariz. — The Arizona State Railroad Museum Foundation in Williams, Ariz., has acquired the sole U.S. example of the SF30C rebuild program from Santa Fe’s Cleburne (Texas) Shops. No. 9501 was built as a U36C by General Electric in March 1973 as construction No. 3990 and Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe No. 8728. It […]

Read More…

New Jersey law increases penalty for transit-worker attacks

NJ Transit trains meet at Elizabeth, N.J., in August 2019

TRENTON, N.J. — After assaults on transit employees more than tripled in each of the last two years, New Jersey has enacted a law that increases penalties for such attacks. New Jersey 101.5 FM reports the Motorbus and Passenger Rail Service Employee Violence Prevention Act will make attacks on NJ Transit workers at least third-degree […]

Read More…

Ohio city set to approve new contract with tourist railroad

Logo of Lebanon Mason & Monroe Railroad

LEBANON, Ohio — The city of Lebanon is preparing to approve a new eight-year agreement with the nonprofit Lebanon, Mason & Monroe Railroad, which operates a tourist railroad on city-owned tracks in the community. The Hamilton Journal-News reports the current agreement expires next year. The new contract will address replacement of two of the five […]

Read More…

Model railroad products for the week of February 10, 2022

Five HO scale barrel ore cars in various Canadian National and Ontario Northland paint schemes on white background.

Product news Model railroad operators and builders can get the latest information about model railroad products like locomotives, freight cars, passenger cars, tools, track, and more by reading Model Railroader’s frequent product updates. Here are the products Model Railroader editors have news on for the week of February 10, 2022.   HO scale locomotives   […]

Read More…

Canadian Pacific 2816 The Empress steam locomotive profile

Steam locomotive with short passenger train in low angle sunlight.

Introducing The Empress Canadian Pacific 2816 The Empress: Canadian Pacific President and CEO Rob Ritchie set the steam preservation world on its ear when in 1998 he revealed the railway’s plan to repatriate CP H1b Hudson No. 2816 from its long-time home at the National Park Service’s Steamtown museum and rebuild the 1930-vintage locomotive for […]

Read More…

9 oddball diesel locomotives in North America

blue locomotive with orange stripe

9 oddball diesel locomotives: Just when we think we understand the rationale behind particular railroad locomotive fleets, they like to throw us a ringer or two. Standardization is the key to a streamlined and efficient operating department, and while an endless parade of one particular model may become a little monotonous for fans, railroad accountants […]

Read More…

Ask MR: What does a scale test car do?

A yellow scale test car with green signs on the top is pulled behind a train.

    Q: What was the purpose of a scale car? Was it to check the track, and where was it located in the train? Were all Class 1 railroads required to have these cars? Were there measuring instruments in those cars? I do realize that with today’s technology they are obsolete. – Gilles Bouthillier […]

Read More…