CHICAGO — Metra’s first bike car — a Pullman-Standard coach with seating removed on half of the lower level, creating space for 16 bicycles — made its debut Saturday, a biking-friendly day of unseasonable temperatures in the 70s. Metra unveiled the car on Thursday, saying its debut had been delayed because of the COVID-19 pandemic […]
Section: News & Reviews
New model trains for the week of November 12, 2020
HO scale locomotives Electro-Motive Division GP38-2 diesel locomotive. Burlington Northern (as-delivered scheme in three numbers, Pacific Pride II in one road number, and 1990s scheme in one number); Conrail (as-delivered scheme in three numbers, with white sill in two numbers, and “Quality” and Operation Lifesaver schemes in one number each); Elgin, Joliet & Eastern (post-delivery […]
Metra debuts new bike car, will allow bicycles on all trains
CHICAGO — Metra will introduce its first bike car — a coach with room for 16 bicycles, instead of the usual five — on Saturday on the Milwaukee District North Line, and will relax its bicycle policy to allow bikes on all trains across its 11 lines as of Monday, Nov. 9. There will still […]
Norfolk Southern slims down to six divisions
NORFOLK, Va. – Norfolk Southern has reduced its number of operating divisions to six from nine, continuing an industry trend toward larger divisional territories. The move was effective Nov. 1, Chief Operating Officer Cindy Sanborn wrote in a memo to employees. The Southern Region, which previously included the Alabama, Georgia, and Piedmont divisions, is now […]
Fleet fillers: The inexpensive and versatile Lionel 6424 flatcar
Consider how many things need to be moved on a railroad. Now think about how many of them are transported (or could be) on flatcars. Lionel’s postwar No. 6424 is really a no-brainer for Fleet Filler status. It comes in a number of iterations, plain or with racks affixed for the lading of various items. […]
New model trains for the week of November 5, 2020
HO scale locomotives Electro-Motive Diesel/Progress Rail SD70ACU diesel locomotive. Canadian Pacific (red with monochrome beaver herald and maroon-and-gray heritage scheme with script lettering in two road numbers each; Army Arid Regions and Navy schemes in one number each) and Norfolk Southern (Thoroughbred scheme, four numbers). Prototype-specific details, light-emitting-diode headlights, and wire grab irons. Direct-current model […]
New model trains for the week of October 29, 2020
HO scale locomotives Electro-Motive Division GP7 diesel locomotive. Great Northern (Empire Builder scheme); Belt Ry. of Chicago (1950s to 1970s scheme); Chessie System (Chesapeake & Ohio reporting marks); Chicago, Burlington & Quincy (black-and-gray scheme); Erie Lackawanna (gray, maroon, and yellow scheme); and Reading Co. (yellow-and-green scheme). Four road numbers per scheme (two each in direct […]
Video: Walthers WiFlyer train set review
Check out Walthers’ new WiFlyer train set using WiFi-based train control on your internet-connected device. […]
Rapido HO scale Alco FA-2 FB-2
This trio of Rapido HO Alco FAs strut their stuff around the Milwaukee, Racine & Troy. […]
Sponsored Product Review: Brother ScanNCut 2 CM350 craft cutter
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Tried and True Tools from the Kalmbach Hobby Store
Want to learn what the editors of Model Railroader and Model Railroader Video Plus use when they head down to the workshop to build the latest model or layout? Check out these Tried and True Tools and other products available at the Kalmbach Hobby Store! […]
Walthers buys Chooch Enterprises
Sale follows Chooch founder’s retirement earlier in 2020 MILWAUKEE, Wis. — Walthers now owns the well-known Chooch Enterprises model railroading company. In an announcement earlier on Friday, Mike O’Connell, founder of Chooch Enterprises, says he sold his company to Milwaukee-based Wm. K. Walthers Inc. O’Connell had announced his retirement earlier in 2020, along with his […]