Reimagining a freelanced narrow gauge shelf layout

I’ve had a fondness for narrow gauge modeling since I was a teenager reading Model Railroader stories by John Olsen and Malcolm Furlow in the early 1980s. So when it came time to build my first real layout, it’s no surprise that I chose HOn3 scale. It’s also no surprise I chose a freelanced route, […]

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Nebraska bill would limit train lengths, require wayside detectors

LINCOLN, Neb. — Less than two weeks after the Nebraska legislature killed a bill to require two-person train crews, a legislative committee has heard testimony on another rail regulation bill, this one including limits on train length. The unicameral legislature’s Transportation and Telecommunications Committee on Tuesday heard testimony on LB1212, introduced by Sen. Lynne Walz […]

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Meet Cody Grivno, Q&A with the Editors

Meet Cody Grivno, Model Railroader Senior Editor in this Q&A with the Editors. Trains.com Unlimited Members can see the video in the Trains.com Video section. Steve Sweeney: Ladies and gentlemen, welcome again for another Q&A with the Editors. I’m so pleased to have Cody Grivno with us today. Cody Grivno: Thank you, it’s nice to […]

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Crossties 101

Crossties Back in 1830, track structure was different from today: stone blocks supported wood stringers (or rails) surfaced with strap iron. During the harsh winter of 1832, shipments of stone blocks to the Camden & Amboy Railroad in New Jersey were curtailed. John L. Stevens, president and chief engineer of the railroad, ordered the substitution […]

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News & Products for the week of February 12th 2024

News & Products for the week of February 12th 2024   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 February 12th […]

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The evolution of EMD’s GP60-series locomotives

GP60-series locomotives EMDs GP60 model was the last of a series of four-axle locomotives built with ever-increasing horsepower, designed to lead a railroad’s priority trains. Short, fast intermodal trains were perfect for a GP60s 3,800 horsepower V-16 to send 950 horsepower to each axle. Unfortunately, the double stack era was underway, with longer heavier trains […]

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UP coal train derails in Feather River Canyon

BLAIRSDEN, Calif. — Fourteen cars of a Union Pacific train derailed this afternoon (Sunday, Feb. 11) in the Feather River Canyon, sending cars and coal into the Middle Fork of the Feather River, KOVR-TV reports. The California Office of Emergency Service’s Office of Spill Prevention and Response said it was assessing the environmental impact. Union […]

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7 ways to break out of an operating rut

I recently bought a Weaver O gauge E8 A-A pair online. Eagerly, I waited for its delivery. Once it arrived, I quickly put it on my layout. Sadly, it was “Dead as a brick.” The pair was sold as “functional.” Contacting the seller, I was told, “We didn’t have any reason to think they didn’t […]

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Indiana Northeastern Railroad photo gallery

Indiana Northeastern Railroad The Indiana Northeastern Railroad is a shortline railroad running in Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio. It is owned and operated by a close-knit family and friendly employees. The railroad has an all-Electro-Motive Division locomotive roster, which is maintained in a state-of-the-art shop at Hudson, Ind. The shop forces have rebuilt several of the […]

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