News & Products for the week of January 16th 2023
Model railroad operators and builders can get the latest information about locomotives, freight cars, passenger cars, tools, track, and more by reading Model Railroader’s frequent product updates. Here are the products Model Railroader editors have news on for the week of January 16th 2023.
HO scale locomotives
Athearn Electro-Motive Division SD45T-2
Price: Direct current, $169.99; with DCC and sound; $239.99
Manufacturer: Athearn Trains, 2904 Research Rd., Champaign, IL 61822; 800-338-4639; athearn.com
Electro-Motive Division SD45T-2 features:
- Fine scale handrails
- Light-emitting diode lighting
- See-through radiator grills with new rear truck gearbox
- Rubber trainline and m.u. hoses with silver ends
- All-wheel electrical pickup
Release date: January 2024
Road names: Bessemer & Lake Erie; Canadian National; Cotton Belt; Southern Pacific; and Union Pacific. Also available undecorated.
Aurora Miniatures General Motors Diesel SD60F
Price: Direct current, $209.99; DCC and sound equipped, $299.99
Manufacturer: Aurora Miniatures North America Inc., 1122 Brimley Rd, Scarborough, ON, M1P 3G3, Canada, https://na.auroraminiatures.com/
General Motors Diesel SD60F features:
- Prototypically accurate design
- Light-emitting diode illuminated headlights, ditch lights, number boards, tri-color class lights, step lights, ground lights, walkway lights, locomotive gauge lights
- Separately-applied details
- Operating radiator fans
Release date: January 2023
Road names: Canadian National
PIKO America Kraus-Maffei ML4000
Price: Direct current, $269.99; with DCC and sound, $389.99
Manufacturer: PIKO America LLC, 4610 Alvarado Canyon Rd., Ste. 5, San Diego, CA 92120; piko-america.com
Kraus-Maffei ML4000 features:
- RP-25 contoured wheels
- Prototype specific details
- Factory-installed knuckle couplers
Release date: November 2023
Road names: Southern Pacific
Rapido General Electric Dash-8
Price: Direct current, $239.95; with DCC and sound, $349.95
Manufacturer: Rapido Trains Inc., 500 Alden Road, Unit 21, Markham, ON, L3R 5H5 Canada; 905-474-3314; rapidotrains.com
General Electric Dash-8 features:
- Roadname-specific details
- Optional split cooling radiator details for CN versions
- Etched metal, see-through steps
- Light-emitting diode headlights, ditch lights and rear lights
Release date: To be announced
Road names: BC Rail; Canadian National; and Quebec North Shore & Labrador.
WalthersMainline Electro-Motive Division SD60M
Price: Direct current, $169.98; with DCC and sound, $219.98
Manufacturer: Wm. K. Walthers Inc., 5601 W. Florist Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53218; 414-527-0770; walthers.com
Electro-Motive Division SD60M features:
- Mid-production safety cab with Triclops windshield
- Open grating on steps
- Updated shell w/molded drill starter points for grab irons
- WalthersProto drivetrain
Release date: Summer 2023
Road names: Burlington Northern; BNSF Ry.; Canadian National; Norfolk Southern; Soo Line; and Union Pacific.
WalthersProto Electro-Motive Division SD9
Price: Direct current, $219.99; with DCC and sound, $319.99
Manufacturer: Wm. K. Walthers Inc., 5601 W. Florist Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53218; 414-527-0770; walthers.com
Electro-Motive Division SD9 features:
- Road- & era-specific details
- Cab interior with crew
- Wire grab irons
- Etched metal lift rings
Release date: Fall 2023
Road names: Chicago, Burlington & Quincy; Chicago & Illinois Midland; Duluth, Missabe & Iron Range; Great Northern; and Southern Pacific. Also available undecorated.
HO scale freight cars
American Car & Foundry HC-46 2-bay covered hopper
Price: Single, $25; three-pack, $70. Shipping for one car, $9.45; two to three cars, $17.10. Ohio residents add 7.8% sales tax.
Manufacturer: Cincinnati Division 7 Car Projects, c/o Paul Maciulewicz, 9151 Congress Court, West Chester, OH 45069.
American Car & Foundry HC-46 2-bay covered hopper features:
- Accurail HO scale kit produced for the Cincinnati Division of the National Model Railroad Association.
Release Date: Available now
Road Names: Norfolk & Western
Broadway Limited Association of American Railroads 70-ton hopper
Price: Single, $39.99; four-pack, $149.99
Manufacturer: Broadway Limited Imports, 9 East Tower Circle, Ormond Beach, FL 32174 broadway-limited.com
Association of American Railroads 70-ton hopper features:
- Removable coal load
- Prototypically-accurate decoration
- Wire grab irons
- Separate brake line and brake hoses
- Brake shoe and brake beam detail on trucks
Release date: To be announced
Road names: Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe; Baltimore & Ohio; Chicago, Burlington & Quincy; Canadian National; Missouri Pacific; Nickel Plate Road; New York Central; and Southern Pacific.
Exactrail Trinity 6275 plug door boxcar
Price: $39.99
Manufacturer: ExactRail, 525 E. 1860 S., Provo, UT 84606; 866-945-1701, exactrail.com
Trinity 6275 plug door boxcar features:
- Narrow-style draft box
- CNC-machined 36″ metal wheelsets
Release date: Available now
Road names: TTX
Tangent Greenville 86-foot boxcar
Price: $54.95 or $56.95 (varies depending on scheme); undecorated kit, $48.95
Manufacturer: Tangent Scale Models, P.O. Box 6514, Asheville, NC 28816; 828-412-3886; tangentscalemodels.com
Greenville 86-foot boxcar features:
- Under car brake system variations
- See-through etched metal end crossover platforms in three possible options
- 33” or 36” wheels, depending on prototype
- Three rotating roller bearing truck cap options
Release date: Available now
Road names: Ann Arbor; Baltimore & Ohio; Canadian National; Chesapeake & Ohio; Conrail; CSX; Erie-Lackawanna; General Electric Rail Services; Illinois Central Gulf; Indiana Hi-Rail Corporation; Mississippi Delta Railroad; Norfolk & Western; Norfolk Southern; Penn Central; and Pennsylvania Railroad. Also available as undecorated kit.
WalthersMainline Association of American Railroads modified 40-foot boxcar
Price: Single, $31.98; undecorated, $29.98.
Manufacturer: Wm. K. Walthers Inc., 5601 W. Florist Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53218; 414-527-0770; walthers.com
Association of American Railroads modified 40-foot boxcar features:
- Based on taller cars built with 10′ 6″ interior height featuring, 5-5 Dreadnaught ends, Murphy panel roof, wood running board, 6′ Youngstown doors and AAR side sills
- 33″ RP-25 turned-metal wheelsets
- Proto-Max knuckle couplers
Release date: Spring 2023
Road names: Boston & Maine; Central of Georgia; Denver & Rio Grande Western; New York Central – Pittsburg & Lake Erie; Seaboard Airline; and Southern Pacific.
HO scale structures
Rail Scale Models Front Street Series
Price: Contact manufacturer
Manufacturer: Rail Scale Models, 514 Angel’s Way Lane, Horse Shoe, NC 28742; 248-421-6276; rail-scale-models.com
The Front Street Series features:
- Background flat structures
- Four structures, including a service center, hotel, cobbler shop, and combination pawn and liquor shop
- Represents a semi-urban scene
Release date: Two structures available now, two to be released
N scale freight cars
Athearn Genesis National Steel Car 6000
Price: Single, $44.99; two-pack, $79.99
Manufacturer: Athearn Trains, 2904 Research Rd., Champaign, IL 61822; 800-338-4639; athearn.com
National Steel Car 6000 features:
- Separately-applied metal grab irons
- Etched metal crossover platforms
- Metal and plastic brake piping
- Rubber train line hoses
- Includes removable scrap load
Release date: February 2024
Road names: American Iron & Metal; IMRX; and Texas-Louisiana Producing & Carbon Co.
Z scale locomotives
American Z Line ALCO PA1
Price: Contact manufacturer
Manufacturer: American Z Line, 6142 Northcliff Blvd., Dublin, OH 43016; 614-764-1703; americanzline.com
ALCO Company PA1 features:
- Prototype-specific details
- Directionally controlled light-emitting diode lighting
- Blackened metal wheels
- Optional snowplow, and front coupler cover
Road names: Pennsylvania Railroad
Z scale freight cars
American Z Line Iowa Interstate Maxi-IV sets
Price: Contact manufacturer
Manufacturer: American Z Line, 6142 Northcliff Blvd., Dublin, OH 43016; 614-764-1703; americanzline.com
Iowa Interstate Maxi-IV sets features:
- Each set includes six containers
- 53’ and 40’ containers available
- mix of containers from discount stores, online stores, overnight delivery services, shipping companies, moving companies, and railroads
Road names: Iowa Interstate
Z scale structures
Ztrack and Archistories barns
Price: Contact manufacturer
Manufacturer: ZTrack Distribution, 6142 Northcliff Blvd Dublin OH 43016, 614-764-1703, sales@ztrack.com, http://ztrackdistribution.com
Ztrack and Archistories barns features:
- Hand airbrushed advertising
- Rusted metal roof
- Two versions available (Gambrel and Saltbox)
- Available in white, red, gray, and dark brown
Release date: Available now
News & Products is a regular feature of Trains.com for model railroad operators and builders to get the latest information about locomotives, freight cars, passenger cars, tools, track, and more. Model railroad product news may include HO, N, O, S, and Z scales. Product release dates and prices will vary according to each manufacturer.
If you are a manufacturer and have new product releases, please email Senior Editor Cody Grivno at cgrivno@kalmbach.com and Associate Editor Bryson Sleppy at bsleppy@kalmbach.com for more information.
