The Pine Belt is a working railroad, but the work is a little different from a regular freight line or even an excursion railway. The Pine Belt is a place to test-run new products, and it also provides a setting for new product photography. The following are some actual product shots used in Model Railroad News, though some are "outtakes", images that didn't get run due to space.

Left is an all-Aristo Craft train with U25B, 53' Evans, 40' PS-1, and 100 Ton hopper. Right is all USA Trains, an SD40-2 plus a pair of 50' PS-1 boxcars. That trains are built of cars by the same manufacturer is no accident. I feel that it is a courtesy to people who provide products for review to show their product with others of the same make.

USA Trains' Husky-Stack carries two containers and passes easily through the over-engineered Victoria Bridge. Passing under is another issue entirely. Many rail lines cannot handle Plate H cars for the very reason we see here. I raised clearances in three places on the Pine Belt in order to clear the situation.

USA Trains' 70 Ton hopper leads the rest of a train across the trestle. Below the bridge, Muella's wonderful Elevated Crossing Shanty kit is all assembled and helping to protect the crossing. 44 Tonner pushing an ice reefer waits for time freight to pass. The operator hollers down to the engine crew from his lofty perch.

The first member of USA Trains' highly-detailed Ultimate Series, B&O PS-1 is on the bar of a long freight struggling up Maiktha Grade. A pair of USA Trains 40' ice reefers cruise the top of Way Ridge.

Running light, USA Trains SD40-2 strolls under Victoria Bridge. Just about a year later, Warbonnet-wearing GP-38-2 draws distributed power duty and proves its reliability in the process. Some locos would push too hard or drag behind, either situation provoking derailments.