Thimble cactus

Thimble cactus in a garden railroad

Common name: Thimble cactus Latin name: Mammillaria gracilis fragilis Plant type: Perennial USDA Hardiness Zones: 9-11 Cultural needs: Gravelly or sandy well-drained, neutral or slightly acidic soil; full sun Plant size: 1″ high, spreading to 6-12″ As might be expected, this miniature mammillaria cactus hails from south of the border in Central or Eastern Mexico, […]

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NTSB: Failure to follow restricted speed caused fatal Arizona collision

Aerial photo of collision of two trains

WASHINGTON — The National Transportation Safety Board has determined Thursday the failure of a BNSF Railway train crew to operate an intermodal train within restricted speed requirements caused the fatal, June 5, 2018, collision between the intermodal train and a work train, near Kingman, Ariz. The collision occurred when a westbound BNSF intermodal train, operating […]

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Walthers HO scale Railgon gondola

Railgon gondola

A Railgon 53-foot gondola has joined the growing lineup of freight cars in the HO scale WalthersMainline product range. The plastic model, based on a Thrall prototype, features a mix of molded and separate, factory-applied parts; 36″ metal wheels mounted on plastic axles; and body-mounted Proto-Max metal couplers. The prototype. Railgon Co., a nation- wide […]

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Rapido Trains HO scale MLW M420 diesel

Rapido locomotive

Rapido Trains is bringing the comfort, Canadian style. We recently received a sample of the company’s new Montreal Locomotive Works (MLW) M420 loco- motive, and it’s a beauty, eh? The prototype. When Alco locomotive production ceased in Schenectady, N.Y., in 1969, locomotives continued to be built in Canada by former subsidiary Montreal Locomotive Works until […]

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Jon Balka’s American Flyer All Aboard S gauge layout

Overview of track plan

Facts & Features Name: Jon Balka’s S gauge layout Dimensions: 5 1/2 x 10 feet Track and switches: American Flyer All*Aboard panels Motive power: Gilbert American Flyer Rolling stock: Gilbert American Flyer Controls: Gilbert American Flyer nos. 8B and 22004 transformers Structures: Gilbert American Flyer, Littletown, Marx, Plasticville Vehicles: Marx, Renwal Figures: Marx Click here […]

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Gefken family O gauge layout

Overview of track plan

Facts & Features Name: Gefken family’s O gauge layout Dimensions: 10 x 20 feet Track and switches: Lionel (diameters range from 48 to 72 inches) Motive power: Lionel Rolling stock: K-Line, Lionel, Williams by Bachmann Controls: Lionel CW-80 transformer (3), with Lionel Legacy command control Accessories: Atlas O, K-Line, Lionel Structures: Ameri-Towne, Atlas O, JV […]

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Lionel’s Vision Line GS is just spectacular

CTT Lionel Vision line GS

Lionel’s 2020 Vol. 1 catalog celebrated the firm’s 120th anniversary, and what a catalog it was. For me, the most distinctive offering wasn’t a single locomotive, but a single style of locomotive: The Southern Pacific’s venerable GS (General Service or Golden State) line of 4-8-4 Northern steam engines. I don’t believe any manufacturer (in any […]

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Bachmann N scale NYC J-3a 4-6-4 Hudson

Bachmann N scale locomotive

Bachmann’s latest N scale locomotive is a classic. New York Central’s J-3a Super Hudson, designed to lead the railroad’s top streamlined passenger trains, incorporated all the best steam technology available to the Central’s designers. The result was an iconic locomotive that would epitomize the idea of steam power for generations to come. Bachmann’s N scale […]

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N scale UPRR Geneva Subdivision

Overview of track plan

The layout at a glance Name: UPRR Geneva Subdivision Scale: N (1:160) Size: 60′-6″ x 33′-6″ Prototype: Union Pacific Locale: northern Illinois Era: 2014 Style: walkaround Mainline run: 250 feet Minimum radius: 36″ Turnouts: no. 10 (main), no. 8 (secondary and yards) Maximum grade: 0.5 percent Benchwork: open grid Height: 55″ Roadbed: 3⁄16″ cork (main), […]

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