Schalchia shops, Iraq, March of 2008.. a great place if you were into heavy Ukrainian Lugansk Diesl Works locomotives and a Bryansk Russian TEM. A friend took these... I was back in the IZ at my desk.
Saturday, February 20, 2016
ScaleTrains.com's Big Blow Turbines
Lombard Hobbies is Chicagoland's exclusive distributer for Scale Trains and Jeff the owner is saying there's only a short time left to get your reservation in for the new UP GTEL Turbine.
This is going to be a fantastic model. Don't wait.
This is going to be a fantastic model. Don't wait.
Plano Products Roof Walks added to an Accurail Hopper - part 1
Here's how things look after adding the new supports from Plano.
Next I shaped the new walk and used canopy glue to add the new walk. I used an old door stop as weight.
Haven't made up my mind yet on replacing the ladders. I'm thinking of just using some black paint to make them look a little thinner. Otherwise it's drilling a bunch of holes.
Wednesday, February 10, 2016
REE Modeles Product Review New HO French PLM Class 231 Pacific
My wife wouldn't be keen on the smoke in the house but it's otherwise a perfect model and on my wish list.
....and more on REE Coaches also available at Reynaud's.
....and more on REE Coaches also available at Reynaud's.
Tuesday, August 25, 2015
Thursday, July 30, 2015
Review: Budget Friendly Athearn RTR SD40 w/ RTR Sound
I like this guy's youtube channel. Here's his review of Athearn's new RTR SD40 w/ sound.
Saturday, July 25, 2015
Louisville & Nashville 2551-2563 Smoothside Modernized Heavyweight 48-Seat Coaches
From the folks over at Brass Car Sides comes a nice modernized L&N coach. I'll want a couple of these.
Sides for Louisville & Nashville 2551-2563 Smoothside Modernized Heavyweight 48-Seat Coaches. We have been commissioned by Michael Welborn to produce HO brass sides and separate door pieces for this distinctive series of modernized heavyweight cars. These sides will represent the cars in their earliest years of service and will feature the original full skirting. Jerry Lachaussee has kindly provided these photos.
Because the prototypes were only 70 feet long at the sills, both the Atlas/Branchline and Walthers HO heavyweight plastic cars must be shortened 5-6 feet to be used for the structure. Models from other manufacturers may also be candidates. See L&N 2551 parts for drawings of the left and right sides as well as door pieces sized for both the Atlas/Branchline and Walthers models. Skirt details are rendered as both partial etchings and openings but this difference cannot be seen in the drawings. The material is 0.010" spring brass and the parts are tabbed together. Extra doors are included. Modelers interested in sides with partial skirting could be accommodated since the center skirting can be removed, either by the modeler or by request by us for modest additional charge.
The design and engineering of these brass parts are well along and we expect to begin the first etching run in August and deliver these sides in September. Michael has generously agreed to make these HO sides available to other modelers and Brass Car Sides is soliciting e-mail reservations at this time. The price for these sides on a special-order basis is $39.75 per set, plus flat-rate shipping of $4.50 for any quantity. These items are covered by our quantity discounts (see catalog listing below.) Reservations for an N-Scale version that would cost about $30 per set are also being accepted. Please contact us if you are interested in either the HO or N-scale versions of these sides.
Sunday, June 07, 2015
Sunday, April 26, 2015
Morning Sun Railroad Books on Sale at Lombard Hobbies
Lombard Hobbies selling a huge selection of Morning Sun Books at a nice price of thirty four bucks. I picked up four of them yesterday and will probably be back for more next week. Here's some pictures of what's offered.
Sunday, December 14, 2014
Baureihe VT18.16 Kato ( VT 18.16 05 DR ) 1/4
I picked up the last one of these Eurorail Hobbies has sitting around. They were able to track down a set of the two add-on cars too and those are on their way. Here's a video set to music of the Kato set. Very classy model and the start to my East German prototype collection.
Accurail's Pullman-Standard 4750 CuFt Grain Hopper
Jeff over at Lombard Hobbies had some of Accurail's new PS Hoppers in CNW green. I was a little skeptical how these would come out but note they shot these in green plastic so the paint covers very well and the decal of the herald is very crisp.
I'll be back for more once the budget recovers from Jeff's Athearn Genesis deals. Here's a pic. Not bad for around fifteen bucks.
I'll be back for more once the budget recovers from Jeff's Athearn Genesis deals. Here's a pic. Not bad for around fifteen bucks.
Wednesday, December 11, 2013
Sunday, December 08, 2013
more Lombard Hobbies Deals: Athearn Genesis GP9s at $100
More stuff on sale.....
And Broadway California Zephyr cars...
And Branchline Freight Cars for $6.99
And Broadway California Zephyr cars...
And Branchline Freight Cars for $6.99
Wednesday, August 07, 2013
Branline Passenger Car Sale at Lombard Hobbies
Lombard Hobbies offering Banchline Pullman and Coach kits for $9.99. Hard deals to pass up. Kits only available in the store or by mail with check payment. They won't be available on their Website.
Here's about have the inventory (I think). They were unpacking yesterday and I think about half way through it. They have 150 different road schemes available.
And here's my haul. A lifetime of building ahead of me 'cause I'll be back for more.
Here's about have the inventory (I think). They were unpacking yesterday and I think about half way through it. They have 150 different road schemes available.
And here's my haul. A lifetime of building ahead of me 'cause I'll be back for more.
Thursday, July 11, 2013
Bowser’s Hi Hood Century C-628s
Bowser’s doing Hi Hood Centuries in C&NW in both paint schemes. I’ve waited a long time for this.
Sunday, May 05, 2013
Saturday, April 06, 2013
Glendower - Spectacular OO gauge model railway layout in a 4ft high basement!
Check out how he enters his layout room....
Sunday, March 24, 2013
OFFICIAL Paragon2 PRR T1 As Delivered, HO Promo Video by Broadway Limited Imports, LLC
Mixed feelings on the smoke but it's a beautiful piece.
Friday, February 08, 2013
Atlas HO REA Steel Express Reefer
From Atlas’s announcement (link) below. Not new I’m sure, gotta be the Branchline version, but a very nice model to see. Thanks Atlas!
New Model!
(Click thumbnail to enlarge)
In 1947, REA ordered 500 of these all new steel express reefers from ACF, in an effort to handle express and parcel traffic. During the same time period, Atlantic Coast Line purchased 50. These cars were added to the front of passenger trains traveling coast-to-coast on all major railroads. These new steel express cars utilized welded construction and a new high speed truck design. They were able to carry both refrigerated loads as well as parcel loads due to their collapsible ice bunkers that were stored away when not in use.
Sunday, January 27, 2013
3D printing - Bob's Workbench
Great post on 3d printing! I’ve got the CAD software downloaded and want to give this a try…
Passenger Car Window Tinting | Model:160 N Scale Model Railroading
Good post on tinting Passenger Car windows. It’s N scale but the concept’s the same across scales.
Passenger Car Window Tinting | Model:160 N Scale Model Railroading
Model Railroad News: HO-scale InterMountain Railway Paducah GP10 Diesel
Old news but still exciting… lets home for some in Chicago Central red; Model Railroad News
Saturday, December 08, 2012
Milwaukee Road 1946 - "A Railroad at Work" - American freight & passenger trains
More old promotional video... I love these.
Thursday, December 06, 2012
Athearn Genesis 57' FGE Mechanical Reefer
I'm sort of old school and make my own sounds but these have a generator sound that turns on randomly just like the prototype. Kind of cool... considering you need whole blocks of these cars, I doubt I'll buy many with sound though.
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
CNW Flambeau 400 in 1963
Some great video of a long gone train (and time). Check it out and leave Gerry a thanks for sharing.
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Treasure Island Special
This will be a spectacular but awfully expensive model. Were Walther’s only to do it in plastic…..
Over at Coach Yard: Treasure Island Special
Wednesday, November 21, 2012
IHB and BRC Gensets
I didn't even know the IHB or BRC had any Gensets but sure enough here are pictures on the IHB and more of the BRC's trio.
Atlas is announcing these in HO due spring of 2013.
And here's some video to enjoy until then.
Atlas is announcing these in HO due spring of 2013.
And here's some video to enjoy until then.
Thursday, September 27, 2012
The correct RPO for those Walther’s Pere Marquette Cars
The RPO car coming out with the new Walther’s Pere Marquette cars is all wrong. Now, if I can only get the guys over at NKP Car Sides to give us the sides for the correct car shown below from the Pere Marquette Historical Society. Link below.
Monday, July 16, 2012
Broadway Limited’s IC E6A
This looks like a very nice model in a much needed scheme.
2339 EMD E6A, IC #4002, Chocolate & Orange Scheme, Paragon2 Sound/DC/DCC, HO
Your Price: Order from your dealer today!
Item Number: BLI-2339
Product Line: Diesel, HO
Expected Delivery: Feb-13
A BRIEF HISTORICAL OVERVIEW OF THIS MODEL
EMD built the E-Units between 1937 through 1963. Originally the name E unit referred to the fact that these units boasted of eighteen hundred horsepower. This designation remained throughout the E unit production even though later models incorporated higher horsepower ratings. Due to the technology of the time, E units like many locomotives used multiple units to achieve the required power. EMD offered cabled units called B or booster units. Some railroads ordered AB, ABB or ABA units depending on power needs.E6s were manufactured by EMD in La Grange, Illinois, between the years 1939 and 1941. To achieve 2,000 horsepower, EMD combined two 1,000 horsepower, 12 cylinder, model 567 engines inside of the engine compartment.
2339 EMD E6A, IC #4002, Chocolate & Orange Scheme, Paragon2 Sound/DC/DCC, HO
Friday, July 13, 2012
HO Single Window and Paired Window Heavyweight Coaches
Nice to see Atlas bringing these Branchline Coaches back. I hope they do the UP Overland scheme.
Friday, July 06, 2012
Santa Fee Railroad Historical and Modeling Society Books
A pretty impressive sounding book from the Society.
Sleeping Cars of the Santa Fe is the final installment in our Passenger Car Reference Series. A comprehensive overview of Santa Fe sleeping cars from the wood car era through the heavyweights to the end of the lightweight era, this volume covers Wooden Sleeping Cars, Wooden Sleepers Acquired from the Pecos Valley and Northeastern, Wooden Emigrant Sleeping Cars, Wooden All-Section Tourist Sleepers, Wooden Sleeping Car Assignments, Heavyweight Sleeping Cars, Heavyweight Cars Purchased for Work Service Only, Heavyweight Cars purchased for Business or Special Purpose Use, Foreign-Line and Pullman-Owned Heavyweight Sleepers used on AT&SF Scheduled Trains, 1950-1959, Lightweight Sleeping Cars, Lightweight Sleeping Cars Not Built, Lightweight Sleeping Car Assignments, Foreign Road Sleepers on the Santa Fe, Santa Fe Sleepers on Foreign Roads and Dormitory Cars.
11" x 8 1/2" library found with dust jacket, 406 pages, 459 photos (41 in color), 101 drawings, 58 maps and ephemera, Appendix (including Glossary of Santa Fe Lightweight Sleeping Car Names and Reservation Cipher Code), Bibliography. ISBN: 978-1-933587-27-1.
Thursday, June 14, 2012
Wisconsin Southern, Madison, June 2012
Shot these Sunday in Madison by my kid's dorm. Hard to get a good shot from this angle but it was all that was available to me without stepping into a busy street.
Sparkling clean SD40-2's in Wisconsin Southern's classic scheme.
Sparkling clean SD40-2's in Wisconsin Southern's classic scheme.
Friday, May 25, 2012
Athearn Good News / Bad News????
via Trainorders.com
Just got a call from my Horizon rep and found out that the retail prices on products will most likely hold where they are but the discount to dealers will be lowered by 8%. That is a big hit for the hobby stores. First Walthers with their 10% hit to dealers, now Horizon on Athearn products.
Bottom line good news for the model railroader bad news for the local hobby shop.
Athearn Good News / Bad News????
It’s bad news for everyone concerned with the hobby. The prices are killing Model Railroading. What’s bad news for the retailer is bad news for all of us, because it’s the retailers who grow the hobby.
Monday, April 02, 2012
Important Update: ExactRail Dealer Network
An email from ExactRail. I’m expecting others to follow suit and I’m not happy about what this means for the hobby. The Hobby Shop plays a critical role promoting our hobby. I can’t imagine a business model that works without them.
Important Update
As of May 1, 2012, ExactRail will no longer offer a dealer discount and will discontinue our dealer network. Cost of production has increased considerably for ExactRail over the last two years. We have absorbed most of these increases through our margins, however this is not a supportable model for our business. Our conclusion is that we can keep prices reasonable by serving you directly. We believe we can both benefit from having direct interaction.
The future of ExactRail is bright with many exciting and innovative new products coming soon. Over the past year we have been busier than ever in new product development, the quality and authenticity of our products will exceed anything that ExactRail has released to date. You have a lot to look forward to from ExactRail.
Keep an eye on ExactRail.com and our Facebook page for some exciting upcoming announcements!
Happy Railroading,
The ExactRail Team
Saturday, March 10, 2012
Welcome to French and European Model Trains
Check it out…. saw their ad in Rail Road Model Craftsman
Welcome to French and European Model Trains
The SNCF steam is really impressive.
Update: and some nice video of French trains....
Sunday, February 26, 2012
MTH SD70ACe ExactRail BLMA Trinity '64 Reefer Union Pacific Produce Train
A lot of BLMA Trinity reefers! All spanking clean.... I've seen this often on the UP West Line but never ever once without plenty of graffiti on 'em. All that white surface just too tempting.
Johnsonville Tower by Railway Heritage Models
They had an ad in the latest Railroad Model Craftsman for this kit.
It'll be in HO and N versions and their site is: http://www.thenarch.com
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Indiana Harbor Belt GP40-2 by Atlas at Lombard Hobbies
Test running one of the Atlas GP40-2's in the IHB scheme with sound (it's loud).
It's http://www.lombardhobby.com by the way. They're fussy about that. Not lombardhobbies...
Also, a couple of shots of a Santa Fe step-up coach I bought. Walther's has outdone themselves here. The pictures don't do the piece justice.
It's http://www.lombardhobby.com by the way. They're fussy about that. Not lombardhobbies...
Also, a couple of shots of a Santa Fe step-up coach I bought. Walther's has outdone themselves here. The pictures don't do the piece justice.
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Lombard Hobbies Feb 14, 2012 Checking out new Athearan RTR
Checking out some of the new Atheran RTR SW1500's at Lombard Hobbies. Here's Illinois Terminal 1510,
And in Indiana Harbor Belt,
Here's some of the specials: Athearn Genesis SD70ACe's in UP Heritage schemes,
And some video....
And in Indiana Harbor Belt,
Here's some of the specials: Athearn Genesis SD70ACe's in UP Heritage schemes,
Saturday, February 11, 2012
Ashmore Hotel - Kit (Plastic) -- Walthers Model Railroading
Walthers just announced this: Ashmore Hotel - Kit (Plastic) -- 8-5/8 x 4-7/16 x x 13-7/8" 21.9 x 11.2 x 35.3cm (933-3764) -- Walthers Model Railroading
Reminds me of the Hotel Gayon at Pulaski and Washington Blvd in Chicago, Nice feature is the kit comes with three different facades for different eras. That means you'll have to buy three kits and then swap them out depending on what era's trains your operating. Maybe a fourth kit to modify for the boarded up era.
...and a fifth for the coming renewal?
Test running an Intermountain CN ES44DC units at Lombard Hobbies
Testing out my Adroid Phone Camera over at Lombard Hobbies. John was testing running one of the new Intermountain units for a customer. Results below...
Saturday, February 04, 2012
PRODUCT ANNOUNCEMENT: HO California Zephyrs are coming Summer 2012! Don't miss them, PREORDER today!
That’s a lot of Zephyr cars. Nice stuff, great product, but how about a C&NW 400 instead?
PRODUCT ANNOUNCEMENT: HO California Zephyrs are coming Summer 2012! Don't miss them, PREORDER today!
Monday, January 16, 2012
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Saturday, December 24, 2011
Fox Valley Models Hiawatha at Logan
Proof for those who doubted that little Atlantic could pull the train.
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Saturday, December 17, 2011
Check Out The Details And See It In Action: The HO GG-1 Electric |
Over at Mike’s Train House. I didn’t realize they were doing them. Check Out The Details And See It In Action: The HO GG-1 Electric
Great time for Eastern and New England modelers with Con Cor doing a Reading Crusader, a New Haven Blue Comet, and PPR MU Cars. Now how about some IC electrics for us Chicagoans?
Video below….
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Bachman Trains' FAs
Saturday, December 10, 2011
Eddie's Rail Fan Page: The original Snackville Junction restaurant. Located on South Western Avenue near west 115th street. Chicago Illinois. January 1976.
Eddie's Rail Fan Page: The original Snackville Junction restaurant. Located on South Western Avenue near west 115th street. Chicago Illinois. January 1976.
I remember my folks bringing me to Snackville as a kid. I had a cheese sawndwich as I remember.
I remember my folks bringing me to Snackville as a kid. I had a cheese sawndwich as I remember.
Saturday, November 26, 2011
Accurail's Trainfest Specials
I'll probably buy a few of these Milw cars and some of the PFE ones when they come out. I remember long lines of the PFE cars on the C&NW through Oak Park in the 60s.
Finding the Perfect Model Railroad Set | Model Railroad Blog
Finding the Perfect Model Railroad Set | Model Railroad Blog
A helpful link for Christmas time when people are searching for sets for their kids.
A helpful link for Christmas time when people are searching for sets for their kids.
Rapido HO "The Canadian" Tour Blog
Rapido HO "The Canadian" Tour Blog:
Rapido using the kind of technology that's made it the best of times to be a Model Railroader.
This past Monday, November 7, 2011 Rapido made model railroad history by commissioning from Creaform to perform the first-ever 3D scan of a real MLW/ALCO FA locomotive: FPA4 #6765 at Exporail, Canada's national railway museum in Montreal, Quebec. Jason, Dan and I all were in attendance as were about 30 of our customers who came up to join in the day's events.
Rapido using the kind of technology that's made it the best of times to be a Model Railroader.
HorizonHobbyTrains.com - Trainfest 2010: Fox Valley Models
The Fox Valley Models guys at trainfest in Milwaukee. I've got a Hiawatha plus extra cars, a bunch of the seven post Boxcars, and three out of the four B&O Wagon Top cars. Amazing products and Lombard Hobbies has them at a nice discount.
I hope they do a C&NW 400. There logical ones to do it!
I hope they do a C&NW 400. There logical ones to do it!
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Lombard Hobbies goes online
Hey, they're finally online here!
Congratulations to a great store on a great site. Wish you the best!
Congratulations to a great store on a great site. Wish you the best!
Saturday, August 27, 2011
What a consist!
Nice video of the odd power combinations we'e blessed with now around Chicago since the EJ&E sold to CN.
...but geez I just noticed this was shot up in Trout Lake Michigan! The EJ&E up in Trout Lake!
...but geez I just noticed this was shot up in Trout Lake Michigan! The EJ&E up in Trout Lake!
Sunday, July 31, 2011
40' Steel Plug Door Refrigerator Cars from Accurail
Accurail has some good looking stuff on their website. Forty foot plug door steel reefers. I'll try and zip over to Elburn with my camera and see if I can snap a few pictures of Accurail at work on 'em.
Can you find All Nation's Hobby Shop below?
Stumbled accross this photo of a long gone Madison Street. I remember my Dad telling me not to walk any further west because I'd walk into skid row.
Lombard Hobby's website
Jeff over at Lombard Hobbies said he's got a guy working on a new webpage for the job, and he'll also be selling over the site. About time! Should be a great way of keeping up with he what he's got on stock.
Monday, June 13, 2011
New C&NW/UP Pool Cars from Walthers
A friend assures me the 400 can’t be far behind if Walthers is doing these cars. Just announced this Month and due Feb 2012.
Sunday, May 08, 2011
Sunday, May 01, 2011
Fox Valley Model's HO B&O Wagontop
More pictures over at Facebook from Fox Valley Models...pretty impressive. I'll need a lot more than one!
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Saturday, March 12, 2011
A pair of C&NW GE C44-9W at Proviso Yards - Feb 2011
Saw these at Proviso on the way into the city and took the picture through the window of the bi=level hence the green tint.
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Chicago West Towns down under
How does a guy in Australia get hooked on the Chicago West Towns system? Visit the models at Transit Classics.
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Mike's Train House: Little Joes in HO
Finally, someone is doing an Electric in HO for the midwest modeler and they couldn't have started with a better model. MTH will be doing them in both Milwaukee Road and South Shore schemes. From MTH on the O scale version,By the late 1940s, the engines on the Milwaukee Road's electrified Rocky Mountain Division were nearly three decades old and tired, and diesels were the wave of the future. Management was intending to pull down the overhead wires and dieselize the entire division. Then along came a big electric named Little Joe, and the wires stayed up for another quarter-century.
The Joes were actually built for another customer half a world away, Russia's Trans-Siberian Railroad. But by the time they were ready to deliver in 1948, the Cold War had frozen sales to the Soviet Union, and builder General Electric was stuck with twenty 5,500 hp locomotives designed to run on 3,300 volts DC - most built to Russian 5' track gauge. As the Milwaukee Road was one of the few American railroads with overhead DC power (at 3,000 volts), GE offered the entire order, including spare parts, to the Milwaukee at the fire sale price of one million dollars. At least one unit, painted in GE demo colors, was tested on both of the road's electrified divisions in 1948 and acquired the nickname "Little Joe" after Joe Stalin.
But the Milwaukee came up with reasons not to make the purchase, and in 1949 three units went to the Chicago, South Shore and South Bend Railroad for freight service. They lasted until 1983, earning the honor of last electric engines in US mainline common-carrier freight service. Brazil's Paulista Railroad bought five more Joes, nicknamed them Russas and operated them until 1999.
An upsurge of traffic from the Korean War convinced the Milwaukee it had made a mistake, and in August 1950 it purchased the remaining 12 Joes, without spare parts, for the original million-dollar price. All went to the Rocky Mountain Division between Harlowton, Montana and Avery, Idaho - ten designated EF-4 for freight service and two as EP-4s for Olympian Hiawatha passenger trains. Engineers loved the new Joes because they were more reliable than the road's ancient boxcabs and much less stressful to operate.
Originally the freight units worked in pairs, with a boxcab helper added on the division's tougher grades. But later in the 1950s a GP9 was attached to the Little Joe pairs and controlled from the lead Joe; this combination could run straight through electrified territory without adding or dropping helpers. By the following decade, Joes were simply cut in ahead of the freight diesels at the beginning of electrified territory, with the Joe's engineer controlling all units. Eventually, however, second-generation diesels brought an end to electrification, and on June 15, 1974, the last Little Joes folded their pantographs - ending 58 years, 6 months, and 16 days of Milwaukee main line electrification. While most of the Joes were scrapped, three survive today: one Milwaukee Road unit in Deer Lodge, Montana, and South Shore units at the Illinois Railway Museum in Union, Illinois and the Lake Shore Railway Historical Museum in North East, PA, just ten miles from the GE plant where it was built.
New for 2010, the M.T.H. Little Joe duplicates the brute strength and dependability of the original, complete with a detailed die-cast metal body and, for the first time in HO, operating pantographs that raise and lower automatically according to the direction of travel.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Daily Life Along the Chicago Burlington and Quincy Railroad (Newberry Library)
Huge collection of images. I can spend hours with this site.
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Sunday, December 21, 2008
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