Engines & rolling stock
LGB (Märklin) is celebrating its 50th annniversary this year and the company has released a commemorative “Stainz” steam locomotive in a special paint scheme (#L20216, $289.99) and five add-on 50th Anniversary cars. These are two-axle boxcars in special paint, with metal wheelsets and opening side doors. Each car is imprinted with the most beautiful models for the designated 10-year period, as follows: 1968-1978 (#L40501), 1978-1988 (#L40502, shown), 1988-1998 (#L40503), 1998-2008 (#L40504), and 2008-2018 (#L40505). Price for each car: $149.99.
Also from LGB is a Wolfgang Richter mail car (# L32191) as a tribute to the founder of LGB G-scale trains on the occasion of the company’s 50th anniversary. This car is painted and lettered to go with the Wolfgang Richter Stainz locomotive, and features interior details, sliding doors, lighted marker lanterns, and electrical pickups by means of ball bearing wheelsets. Price: $189.99. The company has also announced an all-new DR roller car set (#L49180), consisting of two DR type Rf4 roller cars as were used to transport standard-gauge cars over narrow-gauge lines in Saxony. The center part of the car floor is constructed of die-cast metal so that the car has sufficient weight to run well on track when the car is not loaded. The chock block restraints can be swung and are adjustable. Even 45mm-gauge LGB cars can be loaded on this car by means of the included restraint blocks. Price: $379.99 Website: www.lgb.com
USA Trains, 662 Cross Street, Malden MA 02148, has released a bulkend flatcar with tank with Bettendorf trucks in the following road names (each has two avalable) road numbers: Norfolk Southern (#R17650A, #R17650B), Union Pacific (R17651A, R17651B), CSX (#R17652A, #R17652B, shown), and TTX (#R17653A, #R17653B). Price: $124.95 ea. Website: www.usatrains.com
EggHaulers.com has released its American Pride EggHauler to go behind your Aristo-Craft or Bachmann Patriotic Eggliner. The red-and-white stripes on the blue base follow the Eggliner’s color scheme. The American Pride EggHauler also includes a removable flag stand and a 4″ x 6″ American flag. The unit comes prebuilt. Price: #39.95 less wheels and coupler. Kadee and USA Trains couplers as well as USA Trains plastic wheels are available at additional cost. See them at www.egghaulers.com
Piko America, 4610 Alvaroad Canyon Rd., Suite 5, San Diego CA 92120, has a number of new large-scale products. These include a D&RGW Mogul Nº 347 with sound, a snow plow, bumble-bee paint, directional LED lights, smoke, and is fully featured on either analog DC or digital DCC (#38225, $599.99); Chessie-B&O rib-side hopper (#38882, $62.99); CB&Q Friendship Train boxcar (#38885, $76.99, shown); UP flatcar with lumber load (#38757, $119.99); DR IV-V BR95 2-10-2 steam locomotive, with 5V smoke unit, directional lighting, motors, and is DCC and sound ready (#37230, $969.99, shown); and a DB IV BR218 diesel loco with directional lighting and is ready for DCC and sound ($374.99, #37509). Website: www.piko-america.com
Accessories & details
NorthWest Short Line, PO Box 1349, Hamilton MT 59840, has released an upgraded version of Aristo-Craft’s three-axle power block geared axle. The measurements are the same as the factory axle but NWSL’s upgraded gear is machined from solid Celcon rod and the upgraded stub axles are CNC machined from solid stainless steel bar. All carry a lifetime warranty. These are available as complete assemblies (#2733-6), an individual gear (#2732-6), or an individual axle (#2731-6). All parts are interchangeable with the factory parts. The two half axles screw into the center gear. Screws to hold the axle to the gear are #1177-5 (included in the #2733-6 assembly). Visit the company’s website for prices and further informtation: www.nwsl.com
USA Trains, 662 Cross Street, Malden MA 02148, is offering a derrick car pipe-load kit (#R1800PK), which turns the derrick car into a pipe-carrying car. One kit required to fill one car. Price: $44.95. ea. Also available is a center I-beam pipe-load kit (#R174PK, shown), which turns a center-beam car into a pipe carrying car. Two kits are required to fill one car. Price: $62.95 ea. kit. The company is also offering scented and unscented smoke fluid in 4 oz. bottles: Unscented (#R50003), Cedar (#R50004), Christmas Pine (#R50005), Diesel Power (#R50006); Coal-Fired Steam (#R50007), and Oil-Fired Steam (#R50008). Price: $17.95 ea. Website: www.usatrains.com
Electronics & software
Isle of the Kakapo, Munich, Germany, has released version 6.0 of its RailModeller Pro layout-design software for Macintosh computers. This latest update introduces Community Layouts, enabling users to easily share and present layouts in the cloud, browse layouts created by the community, “like” great layouts, and get in touch with fellow model railroaders. Price: $39.99. For complete information about the program, visit the company’s website at: www.railmodeller.com
Miscellaneous
Readers.com, an Indiana company, offers over 600 styles of reading glasses, with up to 14 power options from .5 diopters through 8 diopters. Reading glasses may be useful to modelers doing fine-detail work or who would just like to make the subject appear bigger. Prices start at under $15. The company’s website is www.readers.com
