Here is the iconic Union Station in Washington, DC. Our private car arrived here from Chicago during the great Pandemic. And during normal times the station is overflowing with people coming and going, but during the virus many stores and restaurants in the station itself are closed. Also, by the time we arrived Amtrak had reduced its work force by 20%. Long distance trains had been reduced to only 3 days a week, instead of daily.
Editor’s note: This blog is part 2 of a series on installing signals for an interlocking plant. You can read part 1 of this series here. We decided to use searchlight signals manufactured by Tomar Industries. We added a 4′ scale base made out of Plastruct tubing to help raise the approach light signal mast…
Model Railroad Academy Editor Ron Marsh shows how adding just a couple of details enhances the realism and prototypical look of a locomotive or piece of rolling stock. These details can also take a nice but ordinary locomotive and make it completely special to your layout. THE LOCOMOTIVE Ron recently bought a brand-new Atlas model…
For over a year my wife and I had planned a trip on a private railroad car for our anniversary, so we were especially excited to arrive at Washington’s Union Station for the beginning of our adventure. The station sees over 100,000 riders daily many on Amtrak trains and many others on the D.C. area…
Kevin Kizer, a retired signal maintainer, starts to drill the pilot hole for the train order signal in front of the train order station at Bridge Junction on the Bluff City Southern. This small but long drill allows us to make sure there are no obstructions below the layout base before we drill the full…
