Engines & rolling stock
LGB (Märklin) is offering several items for the Christmas market. A Christmas Train Starter Set (#L72305, shown) includes a Christmas design, old-timer steam locomotive with Bühler motor, working headlight, and built-in smoke unit; two passenger cars; 12 sections of curved track; power supply and controller; and a Santa figure. Price: $419.99. The 2018 Christmas Car (#L72351) is a passenger car with an extensively imprinted Christmas theme and opening doors. Price: $159.99. A “Stainz” locomotive in a Christmas paint scheme (#L20215) has a lighted Christmas tree on the front buffer beam that can be turned on and off with the mode-of-operation switch. The locomotive has a Bühler motor. Price: $329.99. The Christmas Rail Truck (#L24681) is a model of a rail truck currently used in some places on museum railroads. It has a Christmas paint scheme and lettering. Both wheelsets are driven by a Bühler motor. Price: $329.99. LGB has also announced a gondola car containing a Steiff teddy bear with LGB’s logo on its chest (#L42229) as part of the company’s 50th-anniversary celebration, for $189.99. In addition, LGB will be releasing two new cars for their Napa Valley Wine Train, including the “49er” Passenger car (#L36592, $419.99), and the “Champagne” Dome Car (#L36593, $439.99). Both cars feature correct paint and lettering; complete, factory-installed interior details and interior lighting; and metal wheelsets, including two ball-bearing wheelsets for current pickup. These cars will be available in 2019. Website: www.lgb.com
Piko America, 4610 Alvarado Canyon Road, Suite 5, San Diego CA 92120, has a DB IV BR103 electric locomotive (#37440, shown), made with all-new tooling. This six-axle locomotive has movable pantographs, lots of roof detail, and directional LED lighting. It is sound and DCC ready. Price: $699.99. Their DB III V 36 diesel switcher (#37532) has a newly tooled cupola, directional LED lighting, and all-wheel motor drive, as well as numerous fan, lighting, railing, and lantern details. Sound and DCC ready. Price: $439.99. Replacement track-cleaning pads (#35416) to go with the company’s #38501 track-cleaning engine are available for $29.99. Piko is also releasing several new Christmas items, including a Christmas Freight Starter Set (#38122) with a mini-Mogul with analog sound, two ore cars, and a work caboose. The locomotive has directional LED lights, smoke, and analog sound. The set comes with a circle of brass track, a power supply, and more. Price: $649.99. Also available are a Christmas boxcar (#38884), the eighth in Piko’s “Night before Christmas” series ($94.99); a Christmas eggnog tank car (#38759, $109.99); and a Christmas Tree Express gondola (#38762) with trees ($149.99). Visit the company’s website for complete information: www.piko-america.com
Bridges & structures
Ozark Miniatures, 3461 S 5225 W, Cedar City UT 84720, has acquired the Garden-Textures line of structure plans, wooden kits, and finished products. More than 80 plan sets and design guides are available. A new firehouse kit of Canadian cedar has also been released. For more information, visit the company’s website: http://ozarkminiatures.com
Track products
Errata: In our August issue, when we announced Piko’s #35282 Easy Railer Powered Rerailer, we inadvertently said that it was a retooled product. In fact, the rerailer is made with all-new tooling. The price is $109.99. We regret the error and any inconvenience it may have caused. Website: www.piko-america.com
Accessories & details
Iron Creek Shops is a company that has been around for about 15 years, specializing in finescale detail parts for logging (and other freight) rolling stock in 1:20.3 scale. Currently offered are over 700 different castings of various hardware parts for railroad equipment, including the complete Jeff Saxton line of detail parts. The company also takes on custom work, including locomotive detailing, repairs, weathering, and custom builds of rolling stock. For more information, visit the company’s website at www.ironcreekshops.com
Electronics & software
G-Scale Graphics, 5860 Crooked Stick Dr., Windsor CO 80550, has several new products. The Sound Clip Module plays an MP3 sound-effects track, either in a continuous loop, or triggered by a switch. You can choose from a library of sounds (sawmill, saloon, mine blast, etc.), or specify custom sounds. Price: $29. The Sound Box (pictured) houses a Sound Clip Module and speaker, ready to install in your buildings. Price: $44. The Light & Sound Control Module controls individual LEDs, 12V LED strips, and/or Sound Clip Modules in one of your buildings. Room lights turn on/off in a random sequence. Price: $29. TrackSide 4 R/C is the next generation 10 amp, radio-control system for track power. It features improved performance at a lower price: $269. MyLocoSound also has a Light Diesel version of their sound card for track or battery power: $79. Website: www.GScaleGraphics.net
Dallee Electronics, 246 W. Main Street, Leola PA 17540, has issued a new catalog (#68) in full color. The company offers a wide selection of electronics for model-train use, including its HiLine sound systems, speakers, a turntable indexing system, lighting strips, detection products, connectors, and other components. The catalog is free on the company’s website or a hard copy can be had for $10 with order or $15 alone, via US mail. Website: www.dallee.com
Remote Control Systems of New England, 79 Abbott Rd., Penacook NH 03303 offers a R/C battery conversion for the Missouri Locomotive Shay. The firm offers complete kits or sells the R/C and battery components separately. Three different systems with sound are available. Prices for components start at $200. Complete systems cost between $375-$568. Website: www.rcsofne.com
Miscellaneous
McKee Botanical Garden, 350 US Highway 1, Vero Beach FL, is a beautifully illuminated 17-acre garden that will be celebrating Holidays at McKee, 20-23 December, 6-8 p.m., and Nights of Lights, 28-30 December, 6-8 p.m. Inside the Education Building will be a three level, large-scale indoor railway, now in its 15th year, that will include 200′ of track, four trains, a village, a station, a farm, and more. Website: https://mckeegarden.org
Club news
The Redwood Empire Garden Railway Society, on August 11 and 12, 2018, participated in Train Days at the Children’s Museum of Sonoma County, California. The event drew more than 1,700 visitors to see two large-scale display layouts as well as the museum’s own indoor suspended large-scale railway. There was also a live steam, ride-on train for the amusement of the attendees. —Submitted by John Cushman
Ian Stringer has been named Editor of the G Scale Journal, the publication of Britain’s G Scale Society. The Journal is a thick, quarterly, glossy magazine that covers the G-scale garden-railway scene in the UK. For more information about the G Scale Society and its magazine, visit http://gscalesociety.com
