News

The Great Northern Railway Historical Society Company Store announces its Christmas Sale running from now through Christmas 2023.  All H-O Scale 40 foot long Orange and Green refrigerated TOFC trailers, currently available in three road numbers, are sale priced at $4.95, which is 50% off. All H-O scale TOFC decals are marked down to a flat $2.00 from $4.00, $3.50, or $3.00. The Republic Depot in both H-O Scale and N Scale, is marked down 20%. Two books; ‘Rails of the Northwest Through Time,’ and ‘Snowsheds and Train Orders – Marias Pass Operations 1950s – 1980s.’ are marked down 20%....

ALL of our steam era passenger cars are now being closed out. The prices you see are 20% off previous list prices. These cars are all made by Bethlehem Car Works and will NOT be re-run, so if you want them, get them now! Members may take an additional 10% discount off marked price.

  These new models by Moloco are of two ‘oddball’ cars, RBWX 64535 and 64536. The models carry these correct car numbers and a built date of 12-64. The two prototype cars are oddballs because they are three inches narrower and provide a few less cubic feet of interior room than the 535 cars built before them. Western Fruit Express, Great Northern’s wholly owned private refrigerator car line, purchased nominal 50 foot inside length RBL cars with RBWX reporting marks during 1955, 1957, 1960, and 1962. Cars were all in the 64000 number series in ascending order as purchased. The January...

We now have Safety First logos as applied to caboose gates as both 8-inch diameter mouse pads and 4-inch diameter drink coasters.  For many years Great Northern applied this Safety First logo in Scotchlite to the end gates of cabooses. The monogram drawing is dated December 1954. Now you can have one of your own in miniature. Both the mouse pads and coasters are made of rubber and polyester fiber, which feels soft and will not wrinkle easily no matter how it is rolled. The anti-slip rubber base will firmly grip any flat surface and will not easily move around....

The GNRHS Company Store now offers the Wayzata, Minnesota, depot in HO scale. The model is made by Hidden River Models. A brief history of the relationship between the railroad and the town is given below for your enjoyment.  The first train came to Wayzata on August 24, 1867 when the town was the end of the line of the St. Paul & Pacific Railroad, predecessor of the Great Northern Railway. The first depot was located four blocks east of the present depot, near Broadway Avenue. The town grew up on both sides of Broadway. By the 1880’s the railroad...