New model trains for the week of November 5, 2020

Accurail HO scale Milwaukee Road 40-foot ribbed-side double-door boxcar

HO scale locomotives Electro-Motive Diesel/Progress Rail SD70ACU diesel locomotive. Canadian Pacific (red with monochrome beaver herald and maroon-and-gray heritage scheme with script lettering in two road numbers each; Army Arid Regions and Navy schemes in one number each) and Norfolk Southern (Thoroughbred scheme, four numbers). Prototype-specific details, light-emitting-diode headlights, and wire grab irons. Direct-current model […]

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New model trains for the week of October 29, 2020

Wm. K. Walthers HO scale Electro-Motive Division GP7 diesel locomotive

HO scale locomotives Electro-Motive Division GP7 diesel locomotive. Great Northern (Empire Builder scheme); Belt Ry. of Chicago (1950s to 1970s scheme); Chessie System (Chesapeake & Ohio reporting marks); Chicago, Burlington & Quincy (black-and-gray scheme); Erie Lackawanna (gray, maroon, and yellow scheme); and Reading Co. (yellow-and-green scheme). Four road numbers per scheme (two each in direct […]

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Tours, restoration progress highlight ‘Mark Twain Zephyr’ anniversary weekend

TREGO, Wis. — More than 100 visitors, some from as far away as Ohio and Kansas, were on hand at the Wisconsin Great Northern Railroad this weekend to mark the 85th anniversary of the christening of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy’s Mark Twain Zephyr and see progress in the restoration of the shovel-nosed streamliner. The train’s dedication […]

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Digest: Report says CRRC production issues predated pandemic

Monday midday rail news: News report outlines CRRC production issues which have put MBTA subway cars a year behind schedule Production problems at CRRC’s Springfield, Mass., factory were accumulating well before the facility was shut down for several weeks because of the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to delays that mean it will take a decade from […]

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Railroads, carbuilders announce effort to create advanced railcar monitoring

NORFOLK, Va. — A consortium of railroads and freight car companies are combining on a new venture to create advanced monitoring of the North American railcar fleet through GPS and other technologies. Rail Pulse is an effort involving Norfolk Southern, GATX Corporation, Trinity Rail, and shortline holding companies Genesee & Wyoming and Watco Companies. A Norfolk […]

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Digest: FreightCar America to shift all production to Mexico

Tuesday morning rail news: FreightCar America to move production to new factory in Mexico, secures $40 million loan Rail equipment manufacturer FreightCar America will shift all manufacturing to Mexico as part of moves announced Monday. The company has completed purchase of its partner’s 50% interest and now is sole owner of its new Castanos, Mexico, […]

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Winston-Salem Southbound Series: Switching the Winston-Salem Southbound

Having trouble viewing this video?   Please visit our Video FAQ page Work on our Winston-Salem Southbound HO scale layout is complete. Now it’s time to try running it like the real thing! Once the paperwork is order, David Popp walks first-time operator Jenny Maaske through a typical switching sequence. Along the way, David explains […]

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Winston-Salem Southbound Series: Switching the Winston-Salem Southbound

Having trouble viewing this video?   Please visit our Video FAQ page Work on our Winston-Salem Southbound HO scale layout is complete. Now it’s time to try running it like the real thing! Once the paperwork is order, David Popp walks first-time operator Jenny Maaske through a typical switching sequence. Along the way, David explains […]

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Video: History according to Hediger 2

Orange diesel locomotives

Having trouble viewing this video?   Please visit our Video FAQ page Model Railroader Senior Editor Jim Hediger has had many experiences working with the real railroads. In this episode he talks about how he acquired his collection of official paint chips from the Detroit, Toledo & Ironton RR, as well as how the DT&I […]

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