R.D. Moses layout returns to life
October 26, 2012
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JEFFERSON, TX — A small group of rail enthusiasts with help from local preservationists, merchants and citizens proved in May that sometimes the very difficult can be achieved.
The grand opening of the R.D. Moses Texas & Pacific Railway display at the Jefferson Historical Museum not only culminated one man’s dream for his work to live on but enabled a town to embrace its railroad heritage for the first time in decades.
Following a short ceremony and ribbon cutting to kick off Jefferson Train Days, Fort Worth modeler R.D. Moses’ layout was debuted in a new T&P-style building, and many who doubted that a project of such magnitude could be accomplished – the museum’s largest since a roof was installed in the 1990s – were smiling. In less than a year and with no seed money, the craftsman-like layout was transformed from Moses’ backyard and showcased in style under the guidance of the R.D. and Beverly Moses Foundation.
As part of the celebration, crowds gathered at the HO-scale display before walking along Austin Street to tour Jay Gould’s Atalanta business car, watch trains roll on layouts in the Transportation Center, and ride the Jefferson Historic Railway. More than 500 took in the event.
For the complete story, see the July/August 2012 issue of Cowcatcher Magazine
Ever wonder why railroads chose certain locomotives to pull freight trains? Railroads have practiced multiple-unit train control since the 1890s when Frank J. Sprague developed a system to combine motive power in electric train operation. When assigning power and consisting locomotives today, railroads generally match the horsepower per ton and tractive effort ratings to specific locomotives designed to meet specific network needs. But other factors are involved, and it's not uncommon for railroads to mix makes and models of locomotives when consisting for trains.
Response to the Cowcatcher’s 2025 State of Model Railroading survey was positive and many say the hobby is rolling along fine, maybe a bit complicated for some. The 31-question survey sent to readers across the U.S. in November earned a 42 percent response rate. Questions ranged from personal preferences and skill levels and layouts to how modelers buy and spend.
Whether shuttling power, moving cars through interline carrier agreements or running on joint lines, North America’s largest rail providers interact. One of the more obscure examples is the Milwaukee Road’s Joint Agency Yard in Kansas City, MO, where the Milwaukee Road and Kansas City Southern coexisted for 40 years. On the N-scale Whitehurst & Pine Ridge Railroad, joint yard agreements in Kansas City and Dallas make sense, allowing KCS traffic to move in and out of both ends of the layout to service grain customers without the need for another yard.
BNSF posts record agricultural volumes on the heels of a good harvest. A Milwaukee Road stock car with a storied past is now on display at the Galveston Railroad Museum. And a United Kingdom retailer and manufacturer introduces its camera car, the Eye-Choo, to the U.S. And more!
JEFFERSON, TX — A small group of rail enthusiasts with help from local preservationists, merchants and citizens proved in May that sometimes the very difficult can be achieved.
Following a short ceremony and ribbon cutting to kick off Jefferson Train Days, Fort Worth modeler R.D. Moses’ layout was debuted in a new T&P-style building, and many who doubted that a project of such magnitude could be accomplished – the museum’s largest since a roof was installed in the 1990s – were smiling. In less than a year and with no seed money, the craftsman-like layout was transformed from Moses’ backyard and showcased in style under the guidance of the R.D. and Beverly Moses Foundation.
As part of the celebration, crowds gathered at the HO-scale display before walking along Austin Street to tour Jay Gould’s Atalanta business car, watch trains roll on layouts in the Transportation Center, and ride the Jefferson Historic Railway. More than 500 took in the event.
For the complete story, see the July/August 2012 issue of Cowcatcher Magazine
