Rod Stewart and model railroads

Glamour shot of Rod Stewart from 2007.

WAUKESHA, WI — Hall of fame rock-n-roller, Rod Stewart, unwinds after a concert by kitbashing and scratchbuilding. These terms may sound like code words that explain the mysterious antics of a world-famous celebrity, but instead they describe techniques for one of the world’s most popular hobbies: model railroading. The acclaimed songwriter of hits like “Forever […]

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Italian Franco Crosti-boilered steam locomotive back in operation NEWSWIRE

Italian steam engine 741.120 is crossing the viaduct 1 mile north of Borgo San Lorenzo, Italy, crossing the main road and a small river on Oct. 13. Ad van Sten FLORENCE, Italy – Freshly overhauled Franco Crosti 2-8-0 No. 741.120 is back in operation. A Franco Crosti boiler consists of a standard boiler and one […]

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Just Plain Folks Figures

Marc Horovitz Vital statistics 1:22.5-scale figuresJust Plain Folk818 Lincoln Ave.Palmyra NJ 08065Price: $8 each (with some exceptions) Fully painted, cast-resin figures in a variety of natural poses Pros and cons Pros: Excellent detail; nicely painted; realistic colors; expressive featuresCons: Some poses a little stiff; mold lines occasionally visible Marc Horovitz Just Plain Folk is coming […]

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One-touch Critter control system

Alan Olson Vital statistics One-Touch Critter ControlG-Scale Graphics4118 Clayton Ct.Fort Collins CO 80525Prices: Critter Control, rotary style with built-in button, $69; reed switch, $5; power switch, $5; charging jack, $5Web site: www.GScaleGraphics.net Electronic unit to manually control speed and direction of battery-powered engine; 11-page instruction manual covers basics of track-power-to-battery-power conversion, installation, and operation; basic […]

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West Coast Precision Diecast used-car lot kit

Kevin Strong Vital statistics 1:24 scale used-car-lot kitWest Coast Precision Diecast21311 Deering Ct.Canoga Park CA 91304Price $225Web site: www.wcpdi.com Cast resin, “almost assembled” kit of a typical 1960s-70s-era used car lot; includes structure, interior and exterior details, and lighting; everything prepainted. Dimensions (building only): Length, 103/8″; width, 8″; height, 10¼”. Included “tarmac” base measures 24″ […]

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Athearn HO GP40X

Athearn HO GP40X

Athearn HO GP40X An Electro-Motive Division GP40X with railroad-specific detail is offered by Athearn Trains. The Ready-to-Roll model, which features an upgraded Rail Power Products shell, is based on the short-lived EMD prototype manufactured from December 1977 through June 1978. Only 23 units were built, all for railroads in the United States. The GP40X was […]

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iHobbyExpo 2007 preliminary show report

Denver & Rio Grande Western class K-27 2-8-2 steam locomotive

The 2007 iHobbyExpo is being held October 18-21, 2007, at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, Ill. The following products listed below are just some of the new items announced today. Look for more iHobbyExpo show coverage next week. HO scale locomotivesElectro-Motive Division SD40-2 diesel locomotive. New paint schemes. Burlington Northern (American Revolution […]

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MTH RailKing O gauge 2-8-0 starter set

EVEN CONSIDERING THE fact that most kids (and adults) have never gotten closer to a steam locomotive than, say, an episode of Petticoat Junction, a steam-powered starter set is tough to beat. The visual elements of moving side rods and puffing smoke, combined with the gift-giving mood around the holidays, make a steam-engine starter set […]

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Atlas HO scale Alco C-420

Atlas HO scale Alco C-420

Atlas HO scale Alco C-420 A great looking, smooth-running model of Alco’s smallest Century-series road locomotive, the 2,000-hp C-420 road switcher, has been released by Atlas. This model represents what railfans call the Phase 1 version, and it’s decorated for all of the prototype’s original owners. Atlas offers the C-420 in a Silver-series DC version, […]

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BLI BlueLine M1a in HO

A powerful workhorse of the Pennsylvania RR, the M1a class 4-8-2, is now available in HO scale as part of Broadway Limited Import’s BlueLine series of DC sound-equipped locomotives. This new model uses the same tooling as the Digital Command Control (DCC) version released a few years ago, but has a new BLI-designed sound system. […]

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