The unmistakable thunder of the massive Union Pacific Big Boy locomotive captivated the Nation last August when locomotive #4014 took to the rails once more, starting the Heartland Tour. That special train followed a route covering 14 of the 23 states served by the Union Pacific. Many news channels both national and local, normally cool …
A Classic on Two Fronts
Seldom does a locomotive become a classic on multiple fronts. But Lionel is reintroducing a greatly improved O Scale model of the prototype subject of this feature that did just that and much more. To the New York Central Railroad, it was the answer to its urgent need for a more powerful and efficient steam …
Christmas Garden
The planning and preparation commenced immediately after Thanksgiving and construction began as soon as the family Christmas tree was in place and fully decorated. The early displays featured country village, a church and a crèche, which were placed under the spreading boughs of pine. Later, lakes, hills, bridges and miniature model railroads were added to …
Thunder of the Railroad and Magic of Bright Lights
The very real voice of the railroad is the commanding thunder of a powerful locomotive. To be sure, the giant steam locomotives that once powered our Nation had an emotional and pictorial edge over electric locomotives or diesel-electrics. But each unique class of motive power has a distinctive and captivating sound that resonates in memory, …
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Celebration of Trains
Nearly 100 years ago, the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad celebrated its first century of service with the expansive and lavish Fair of the Iron Horse. The multi-acre event, that took place in the southwestern Baltimore suburb of Halethorpe, MD, opened to the public September 24th 1927. Originally scheduled to run for two weeks, the event …
America the Beautiful!
The current fast-paced world frequently obscures how impressive our great Nation really is! Despite the urban clutter that we move through daily, cities, suburbs, country side and beyond offer awe-inspiring vistas that we frequently take for granted. The fact that we have so much to admire beyond the magnificence of Nature is due in part …
Orange Blossom Special
To winter weary wealthy from the north, it was once a speedy and fashionable escape from the bitter cold. In the late 1930s it proved to be a savior for a railroad trying to enhance its reputation as a leader in first-class transportation. To bluegrass musicians, it represented a classic folk tune that set the …
Too Many Wheels
The recent development and deployment of high horsepower, high adhesion diesel-electric locomotives represent the culmination of efforts to build a more powerful, efficient and reliable form of motive power. Midway in that technological journey 100 years ago, railroads built larger steam locomotives that featured too many wheels and not enough steaming capacity to make the …
Big Freight Haulers of Today
All too often, the only view the public has of contemporary mainline railroading is when a freight car derails, then tank cars explode and soon an entire town is evacuated. In Baltimore, site of the early MTS, favorite targets for criticism are the aged infrastructures on CSX, including the Howard Street Tunnel and the notorious …
Fun With Trains
The battle rages on between those model railroaders that are perfectionists when creating every aspect of their model railroad and its climate-controlled environment and those satisfied with something less perfect but fully satisfying. The battle started early in the scale movement and was not confined to actual craftsmanship and size of a model railroad empire …