Model Railroader project plans: A freelanced factory

Freelancedfactory

Many of us have hobbies within this hobby. Some like history, some collect freight cars or locomotives. Me? I read old issues of Model Railroader. In the past 15 years I’ve gone through my entire 50-year collection four times. Because my tastes and interests evolve over time, I inevitably find something new with each re-reading. […]

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Jammed doors lead to service woes on new Ottawa light rail line

ottawa_o_train

OTTAWA, Ontario — Ottawa’s recently opened light rail Confederation Line experienced major operating issues because of jammed doors on Wednesday, with some passengers reportedly walking more than two miles to reach work as they abandoned the backed-up rail system. It was the second straight day the rail line was plagued by jammed doors on the […]

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Ask Trains: What are the rules on when locomotive bells should ring?

An eastbound BNSF Railway train passes a stopped BNSF freight at “Summit” in California’s Cajon Pass in 2013 — this meet is one of several conditions which might require a locomotive bell to be sounded. Trains staff Q: What are the rules concerning when a train should ring its bell at a crossing or elsewhere? […]

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Ask Trains: What is the Chicago-area yard that rhymes with ‘Marks’?

Illinois Central locomotives lead a train at Chicago's Markham Yard.

A Canadian National train with Illinois Central-painted locomotives departs Chicago’s Markham Yard in 2017. TEH-17089-16 Jacob Metzger Q: When I was in the second grade, we took a field trip to what was then the largest freight yard in the country. That was over 50 years ago, when I lived in a Chicago suburb. I […]

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How to solder and conceal track feeder wires

trackfeederslead

Soldering track feeders isn’t that difficult. Learn this easy method for making reliable wiring connection that are also easy to conceal on a model train layout. Soldering feeders to the rails is a wiring method modelers have used since the hobby began. By soldering feeders directly to the rails instead of using other types of […]

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New model trains for the week of October 10, 2019

Wm. K. Walthers Inc. HO scale Electro-Motive Diesel SD70ACe diesel locomotive

HO scale locomotives Electro-Motive Division GP7 diesel locomotive. Chicago, Burlington & Quincy (black-and-gray scheme with “Everywhere West” slogan); Chicago & North Western (repaint in two road numbers and passenger service with “Route of the Streamliners” slogan); Denver & Rio Grande Western (orange-and-black scheme with Flying Grande lettering, four numbers); Maine Central (gold-and-green scheme, four numbers); […]

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HO scale Cajon Pass

HOscaleCajonPass

Name: Cajon Pass Layout owner: Pat Smith Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 33′-2″ x 40′-7″ Prototype: Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe; Union Pacific; and Southern Pacific Locale: Southern California Era: Early 1950s to early 1960s strong>Style: walkaround Mainline run: 475 feet Minimum Radius: 30″ Minimum turnout: no. 5 Maximum grade: 3 percent Benchwork: open grid Height: […]

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