In the Nickel Plate Road’s roundhouse at Conneaut, Ohio — one of the last citadels of high-speed steam freight locomotives — Berkshire 731 and another engine rest on March 16, 1957. Classic Trains coll. […]
Inside Nickel Plate’s Conneaut roundhouse
Tag: Midwest
East Troy Industrial Park, Ep. 27 | Depot Platform Prep & Modeling a Hayfield
The guys focus on adding the depot platform and a farm field to theHO scale (1:87.1)East Troy Industrial project layout. David selects a diluted gray stain for the depot platform, and then demonstrates how to correct a scenery mistake. Cody works on the hayfield, sharing his intriguing technique for modeling windrows with yarn, and then […]
NTSB investigating fatal grade-crossing accident in Elgin, Ill.
ELGIN, Ill. — The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating a fatal collision on Thursday in Elgin involving a Union Pacific locomotive and a landscaping company pickup truck, the agency announced on social media. One person was killed and two were injured in the collision at the State Street grade crossing in Elgin, the Daily […]
Lake State Railway introduces locomotive to honor anniversary of American independence
SAGINAW, Mich. — Lake State Railway has introduced a special paint scheme one of its SD70M locomotives to celebrate the upcoming 250th anniversary of American independence. SD70M No. 1776, unveiled earlier this month, wears a paint scheme designed by Travis Vongrey, a second-generation Lake State railroad and currently supervisor of yard operations. His design was […]
A big paint job
Two Union Pacific paint technicians from Jenks Shop in North Little Rock, Ark., spent 7 weeks in Omaha, Neb., repainting Big Boy No. 4023 displayed in Kenefick Park on the grounds of Lauritzen Gardens. The 4-8-8-4 along with DDA40X No. 6900 welcome travelers from their location above I-80. The project involved considerable sand blasting to […]
Temple Lumber Co. No. 20 moves to a new home
Yes, that was a steam locomotive traveling along Texas Route 224. Temple Lumber Co. No. 20 was moved 95 miles from Pineland to Rusk, Texas and its new home in the former Cotton Belt yard. The locomotive was acquired by the non-profit Southern Pine Locomotive Co. It will be restored and placed in a fresh […]
News photos: First Airo trainset visits Chicago on cross-country trek
CHICAGO — Its trials completed at the Federal Railroad Administration’s Transportation Technology Center in Pueblo, Colo., Amtrak’s first Siemens Airo trainset is now headed east to the company’s Philadelphia coach yard, where it will be based for Northeast Corridor testing and commissioning. That trip included a stop in Chicago today (Oct. 22, 2025). The train […]
East Troy Industrial Park, Ep. 26 | Drybrushing & Static Grass Application
In this episode of the HO scale (1:87.1) East Troy Industrial Park project layout, Cody finishes the foundation retaining wall by adding drybrushed weathering effects. Meanwhile, David shares his techniques for applying tall grass on the embankments, using static grass and coarse turf materials. Be sure to keep up with the construction progress by linking into […]
Construction work to alter Metra Electric, South Shore service on upcoming weekends
CHICAGO — Metra Electric will face modified operations on for three of the next four weekends, while South Shore Line operations in to Chicago will also face disruptions on two weekends to accommodate construction work related to South Shore’s coming expansion of service. Plans for the service outages include: — On the weekends of Oct. […]
First CSX train crosses Chicago’s Forest Hill Flyover, major CREATE project
CHICAGO — One of the major pieces of Chicago’s CREATE program marked a milestone on Wednesday, Oct. 15, as the first CSX Transportation train crossed the Forest Hill Flyover on the city’s South Side. The new structure separates CSX’s main line from tracks used by Metra, the Belt Railway of Chicago, and Norfolk Southern. The […]
UP derailment in Missouri leads to Amtrak cancellations
KNOB NOSTER, Mo. — About 20 cars of a Union Pacific train derailed early today (Friday, Oct. 17) west of the town of Knob Noster, closing a major highway and leading to the cancellation of Amtrak’s Missouri River Runner. KMMO Radio reports the derailment occurred about 2 a.m. and led to a closure of a […]
Chicago & North Western 400 passenger trains
Like its Midwest rivals, the Chicago & North Western Railway jumped on the idea of brand-named passenger trains. However, it took a different route with the name in the form of a three-digit number: 400. The name [or number] stuck as the railroad rolled out a prominent fleet of Chicago & North Western 400 passenger […]
