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News & Products for the week of April 15th, 2021

By Cody Grivno | April 12, 2021
steam locomotive pulling a small car

Large scale locomotives  Pennsylvania RR 2-6-0 steam locomotive. Five-pole precision can-type ball-bearing motor; SoundTraxx sound decoder; 5 volt smoke unit; factory-applied piping, handrails, ladders, and cow catcher; engineer figure; and hook-and-loop couplers. $689.99. May 2021. PIKO America, 619-280-2800, piko-america.com Large scale rolling stock  Union Pacific drovers caboose. Positionable side baggage doors; light-emitting-diode marker lamps; factory-applied […]

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Model railroad locomotive, freight car, train set, and detail announcements for April 15, 2021

By Cody Grivno | April 12, 2021
Electro-motive locomotive

Product news 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. Here are the products Model Railroader editors have news on for the week of April 15, 2021. HO scale locomotives  Electro-Motive Division F-series locomotives. Bessemer & […]

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Analysis: By merging, Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern create more potent competitor

By Bill Stephens | April 12, 2021
Side-by-side maps of North America showing respective routes of the railroads mentioned.

Any way you look at it, Canadian Pacific’s proposed acquisition of Kansas City Southern is a blockbuster deal. It creates the first railroad to link the U.S., Mexico, and Canada. It gives shippers from both railroads more single-line service options. And it will boost competition – with other railroads and, more importantly, trucks – in […]

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Kitbash a large-scale gazebo for your garden

By Rene Schweitzer | April 12, 2021
Large-scale gazebo with two female figures next to it.

DIY garden train gazebo While shopping at a local thrift store, I spotted an aluminum tea light candle holder. The shape and size approximated a large-scale gazebo. With minor modifications and spray paint, it would make a weatherproof and inexpensive display piece in the railroad. I added a miniature hanging basket plant, made from a […]

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Video: Pikes Peak snow blower makes debut

By | April 12, 2021
Yellow snow blower and red boxcab locomotive

MANITOU SPRINGS, Colo. — The Broadmoor Manitou & Pikes Peak Railway’s new rotary snow blower made its debut on Friday, April 9, clearing the rebuild cog rail line for the first time. The new snowblower, produced by Zaugg in Eggiwill, Switzerland, has the capability of cutting through drifts up to 10 feet tall and 20 […]

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Digest: DC Metro issues new order on emergency response after March 26 incident

By | April 12, 2021
WMATA logo

New DC Metro order requires full emergency response for all breakdowns DC Metro has issued an order requiring employees to initiate a full emergency response to any breakdown of a train, bus, or MetroAccess vehicle in the wake of several unreported incidents, including a small-scale runaway train incident, the Washington Post reports. An internal memo […]

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Digest: NJ Transit study could lead to end of ‘Princeton Dinky’

By | April 12, 2021
Two-car EMU trainset rounds curve

NJ Transit study considers alternatives to ‘Princeton Dinky’ rail service NJ Transit is conducting a study that could lead to replacement of the “Princeton Dinky,” the 2.7-mile rail operation using two-car Arrow III trainsets to connect the Northeast Corridor’s Princeton Junction station to the Princeton University campus that is the shortest scheduled commuter rail line […]

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Colorado bill would create Front Range Passenger Rail District

By | April 12, 2021
SouthwestChiefStory

DENVER — Four Democrats and two Republicans have introduced a bill in the Colorado Senate to establish the Front Range Passenger Rail District, extending across the state from the Wyoming state line to the New Mexico line, to plan, build, operate and maintain passenger service connecting the major cities along the east side of the […]

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Digest: Former Amtrak official Stadtler named executive director of Virginia rail agency

By | April 12, 2021
Head shot of DJ Stadtler

Stadtler named as first executive director of Virginia Passenger Rail Authority Donald A. (DJ) Stadtler Jr. has been named as the first executive director of the Virginia Passenger Rail Authority, the agency established by the state legislature in 2020 to promote, sustain, and expand passenger and commuter rail service in the state. Gov. Ralph Northam […]

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Diesel locomotive slug profile

By Chris Guss | April 11, 2021
Two orange slugs operate with two orange diesel locomotives

Non-powered slugs help diesel locomotives move trains at lower speeds. Trains move at various speeds for different reasons. Moving trains from coast to coast requires high-horsepower locomotives to maintain high speeds. Local trains serving online customers or switch jobs in yards can use lower horsepower locomotives, since their top speed is much lower than a […]

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