New Depot Plan Added

Built in 1916-17, combining a passenger station, express office and freight house, Tulia Depot is a single-story brick and stucco building featured mission revival style architecture typical of Santa Fe depots. It included “a deep overhanging ceramic tile roof, prominent brackets, and projecting bays with peaked parapets and the Santa Fe logo. A narrow passageway divided gentlemen’s and ladies’ waiting rooms, with the ticket office facing the railroad tracks. The baggage room was north of the passenger section.”

Oh No! There’s Corrosion on My Locomotive!

Repairing Damage to a Modern-Era

Lionel Hudson 4-6-4 Steam Locomotive

Is it worth a professional restoration?

A few years ago, I picked up a used 1999-built Lionel 4-6-4 Hudson steam locomotive at a price too good to pass up. Without much of a layout to run it on, after testing all the functions, I put it in the same temperature- and humidity-controlled layout room closet with all my other rolling stock and structures.

Toy train, model railroad, repair, Lionel, Steam, Locomotive, tender, floor, corrosion, damage — Oh no! Corrosion on my Lionel locomotive!

Well, I decided to get it out this year for a new holiday layout I built, only to discover CORROSION!

Something had caused corrosion on the floor of the tender, so I tore it apart to see what was going on inside. What I discovered put me in the position of deciding what to do: take it in for professional restoration, or take on the job myself.

I discuss the discovery and the thought process put into deciding whether to tackle the repairs myself on our new Tips and Tricks page Repairing Corrosion on a Lionel Hudson Tender.

Fast Freight Thunders Through Christmas Town

A young couple kissing under the village Christmas tree doesn’t even notice the Lionel 4-6-2 Pacific roaring by with a string of K-Line and IDM freight cars in tow, capped with a Lionel Santa Fe illuminated caboose.

Free Plan of A.T.S.F. Hardeman Pass Depot

Free model railroad plan A.T.S.F. depot Hardeman Pass — A.T.S.F. depot at Hardeman Pass, Texas

Looking for a passenger depot for your model railroad that has lots of Southwest flavor? Check out our plans for the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe railroad passenger depot at Hardeman Pass, Texas.

Originally built for the The Kansas City, Mexico and Orient Railroad in 1909, it became headquarters for A.T.S.F. San Angelo operations when the entire line was absorbed into the A.T.S.F. system in 1929. It was abandoned when passenger service ended in 1965.