Efficient and well-stocked workshop for the garden railroader

A well-stocked workshop for modeling

Garden railroad workshops come in all shapes and sizes. What is important about the workshop is that the work surface be large enough to accommodate whatever it is you want to work on without knocking into your stash of tools, paint and glue bottles, or anything else. Make sure your workbench is sturdy. The height […]

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Digest: New York to increase overnight subway service

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Tuesday morning rail news: MTA to open subway for two additional hours overnight The Metropolitan Transportation Authority will increase overnight New York subway service, cutting the time the subway is closed nightly from four hours to two as of Feb. 22. The system, currently closed from 1 a.m. to 5 a.m. for nightly cleaning, will […]

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News Photo: New Pikes Peak equipment begins journey from Switzerland to Colorado

New trainsets and a new snow blower for the Broadmoor Manitou & Pikes Peak Cog Railway in Colorado have begun their journey from Switzerland. The Stadler equipment, along with a snow blower built by Zaugg at its Eggiwil, Switzerland, factory, was taken by truck from Stadler’s factory in Erlen, Swtizerland, to Basel, where they will […]

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Railroad Development Corp. wins contract to operate battery regional trains in Germany

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  RDC Deutschland, the German subsidiary of Pittsburgh-based Railroad Development Corp., has won a contract to operate brand new Stadler-built battery-electric multiple unit regional trains on five routes in the north German state of Schleswig-Holstein. RDC won the contract over German national rail company Deutsche Bahn, which currently runs the routes. RDC Deutschland’s “RDC Autozug […]

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Union Pacific shuts down intermodal network because of extreme winter weather

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OMAHA, Neb. — Union Pacific has virtually frozen its entire intermodal network in the face of harsh winter weather. UP notified customers Monday night that, effective at 8 a.m. local time today, it would not accept loads at its intermodal terminals. The railroad expects the closures to last for 72 hours. Exceptions include international shipments […]

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Digest: Charlotte agency sets meetings on proposed Silver Line light rail route

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Tuesday morning rail transit news: Charlotte unveils preliminary Silver Line light rail plan, sets meetings Charlotte’s transit agency has unveiled initial plans for its 26-mile Silver Line light rail project, and is beginning a series of six public meetings to address the potential route. WCNC-TV reports the Charlotte Area Transit System project aims to be […]

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Ask MR: Why are car wheelsets one solid piece?

Spare car wheel sets in a Union Pacific yard accumulate snow during a snowstorm

Q: Have the model railroad manufacturers ever considered making the wheels on car trucks free-wheeling, or more specifically, independent of the axles? It seems to me that trucks would bind less on tighter radius curves if each wheel could rotate independently. – Wilt Nelson, Leesburg, Fla. A: Wheels and axles on model trains are solid […]

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Digest: CN derails train at crossing with UP in West Chicago, Ill.

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CN derailment in West Chicago, Ill., disrupts Metra, UP operations A derailment on Canadian National near its diamond crossing of Union Pacific in West Chicago, Ill., is disrupting traffic on Metra’s UP West line, as well as Union Pacific trains. Metra has canceled some UP West trains earlier this morning, has been busing passengers between […]

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Digest: Draft plan released for Newark AirTrain replacement

Monorail passing over water

Port Authority releases draft environmental report on Newark AirTrain The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey has released the Draft Environmental Assessment for the project to build a new AirTrain system at Newark Liberty International Airport, beginning the 30-day period for public comment. The project, expected to cost about $2 billion, will build […]

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