Referring to a class-one railroad as a rip-track – a remote, unmaintained siding in a rail yard where obsolete equipment is broken up and parts are salvaged – is anything but complimentary. But that is how one Great Northern official described a historic Midwestern line in its final days. Another rail authority described the line …
No-Such Turned Fantasy
The great divide between tin-plate “toy trains” and scale model railroading commenced in the early 1930s and had firmly galvanized by 1950, with true scale being the champion winner. The lone wolf that effectively spoke to each sector was Frank Ellison, writer for Model Builder Magazine, who spearheaded efforts to add scale realism to tinplate …
The Last Spike
To those faithful to the rails, May 10th, 1869, will always be remembered for the Driving of the Golden Spike. Countless articles, books, and an epic motion picture have been produced, all celebrating that milestone in U.S. and transportation history. Contemporary trends have altered the concept of popular history, and national focus has shifted to …
A Special Day in May
Mother’s Day is the perfect time to pause and contemplate the positive impact women have had on model railroading. Chronologically, our journey in trains often begins when the family purchases our first train set at Christmas. From that point forward, however, it was usually mom who would sacrifice her own needs and space within a …
Yardmaster makes it happen!
This week, MTS casts the spotlight on the YARDMASTER, the highest level within our rewards program. We take the title of Yardmaster seriously and thought you might be interested in the fuller dimensions of that title. That position in mainline railroading is critical to the business of keeping a railroad fluid and profitable and goes …
Monopoly Cries Foul
Anniversaries are numerous but in railroading, April 13th holds great significance for on that date in 1846, the former titan of the rails was born: the Pennsylvania Railroad. Its legacy continues to hold model railroaders and historians captive long after the passing of its corporate banner 56 years ago. Just witness the number of PRR …
Mystique of Model Railroading
The foundation for scale model railroading in the US began nearly 100 years ago when pioneers like E. P. Alexander, Minton Cronkite, and Fred Iken elevated the global fascination with “toy trains” to a higher level of accuracy, craftsmanship, and enjoyment. Since that time, the hobby we now enjoy has seen unrelenting progress that shows …
Memorial Day 2023
Our message is basic and sincere: This Memorial Day weekend, we take time to honor those who have given their lives for our nation and its greater mission of freedom. We take this time to solemnly dignify the woeful yet unavoidable result of human sacrifice to preserve the value of safety and freedom for all …
The Winning Loser – Pennsylvania Railroad Class S-2
Pennsylvania Railroad Class S-2 It was positioned to forecast modern railroad motive power and to remind the world that the Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR) had not lost its way. It also gave steam locomotive builders and coal mining interests promise that their respective markets would not be decimated by the new Diesel-Electric locomotives that showed early …
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History of the Norfolk and Western Railroad
The Norfolk & Western Railroad (commonly known as the N&W) was a legendary railroad whose legacy lives on today. Its rich history and reputation were built on nicknames such as King Coal and becoming famous for manufacturing its own steam locomotives and hopper cars. The N&W was also the last major railroad in the United …
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