Atlas O Master Line 53-foot rebuilt well car

Atlas O Master Line 53-foot rebuilt well car Scale: O (1:48) Price: $114.95 Era: Present Manufacturer: Atlas Model Railroad Co., Inc., 378 Florence Ave., Hillside, NJ 07205, 908-687-0880, shop.atlasrr.com Features: Die-cast metal body Trucks with rotating bearing caps Brake rigging detail Etched metal walkways Minimum radius: 36” Available fourth quarter 2022 Road Names: Florida East Coast […]

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Rainbow bush or variegated elephant bush

A miniature “tree” next to a model house and pickup truck.

Common name: Rainbow bush, variegated elephant bush Botanical name: Portulacaria afra f. variegata Plant type: Perennial Plant size: 4′ high x 4′ wide (easily kept much lower) USDA Hardiness Zones: 10-11 (protected in other zones) Cultural needs: Gravelly, well drained, neutral, or slightly acidic soil; full sun The elephants and deer-like kudu of South Africa […]

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STB seeks ways to quickly ease railroad service problems

Train with blue and yellow locomotives rounds curve

WASHINGTON — There were more questions than answers on Tuesday as federal regulators sought ways to remedy railroad service problems that defy a quick fix because they are rooted in a shortage of train crews. Shippers told the Surface Transportation Board that rail service has deteriorated, with delays mounting as transit times have in some […]

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Norfolk Southern move protects South Carolina wetlands

Aerial view of land covered with trees

DORCHESTER, S.C. — Norfolk Southern will permanently protect 1,105 acres of coastal wetlands in South Carolina through a conservation easement, the company announced Tuesday. The protected land is home to the Coldwater Branch Stream and Westland Mitigation Bank at Brosnan Forest, the company’s 14,400-acre time and wildlife preserve 35 miles northwest of Charleston at Dorchester. […]

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Deadline approaches for CPRA photography contest

Logo of Center for Railroad Photography and Art

MADISON, Wis. — Sunday, May 1, is the submission deadline for entries in the Center for Railroad Photography & Art’s 2022 John E. Gruber Creative Photography Awards Program. Up to three images, color or black and white, can be entered with the theme of “Weather Effects.” Prizes include $750 for first place, $500 for second […]

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Accurail May 2022 HO scale freight car kits

Illustration of Accurail orange hopper

Accurail May 2022 HO scale freight car kits Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: See individual cars below Era: Varies depending on car type Manufacturer: Accurail, PO Box 278, Elburn, IL 60119, 630-365-1173, accurail@accurail.com Features: Injection-molded plastic kits Plastic wheelsets Solid-or roller-bearing trucks as appropriate Steel weight(s) Screws for trucks and draft-gear box covers Accumate couplers with modeler-installed […]

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2022 National Garden Railway Convention preview

Model steam train with snowplow on tracks

2022 National Garden Railway Convention preview: The Denver Garden Railway Society welcomes you to Denver this June! This year’s event will be held at the Crowne Plaza hotel, and will include an ice cream social, a BBQ at the Colorado Railroad Museum, daily bus tours to the railways on display, and pre- and post-convention tours. […]

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Amtrak restores full Hartford Line service

Cab car leads short passenger train past station

HARTFORD — As of Monday, April 25, Amtrak has restored Hartford Line service — between New Haven and Hartford, Conn., and Springfield, Mass., to pre-pandemic levels, the company announced Monday. The move means the return of seven trains — two on weekdays, one on Saturdays, and four on Sundays. The partnership between Amtrak, Connecticut’s CTrail […]

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