News & Products for the week of October 9th 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. The following are the products Model Railroader editors have news on for the week of October 9th 2023.
In memoriam: Dr. Brian D. Pate
Dr. Brian D. Pate died on August 28, 2023. He was 95 years old.
A builder of particle accelerators by day, he was also a well-known modeler and builder of at least two layouts, the first being the standard gauge Burrard, Delbrook & Pacific. Brian’s HOn3 Klondike Mines Ry. was featured in Model Railroad Planning 2007 and reappeared in 2019 when it moved to Dawson City in Canada’s Yukon Territory. He was the founder of VanRail, an operating session event that first took place in 2002. His efforts inspired many throughout the hobby.
Brian’s obituary can be found here.
HO scale locomotives
Athearn Electro-Motive Division SD89MAC
Price: Direct-current model, $249.99; with DCC and sound, $349.99
Manufacturer: Athearn Trains, 2904 Research Rd., Champaign, IL 61822; 800-338-4639; athearn.com
Electro-Motive Division SD89MAC features:
- Full cab interior and see-through cab windows
- Wire grab irons
- Detailed fuel tank with fuel fillers, fuel gauges, and breather pipes
- Heavy die-cast frame
- Also available unlettered
Release date: January 2025
Road names: Electro-Motive Division
ScaleTrains Electro-Motive Division SD45X
Price: $279.99; with DCC and sound, $379.99
Manufacturer: ScaleTrains, 4901 Old Tasso Rd. NE, Cleveland, TN 37312; 844-987-2467; scaletrains.com
Electro-Motive Division SD45X features:
- No mirrors, sunshades, or sunshade tracks
- Sliding cab side windows
- Factory-applied wire grab irons, wire lift rings, windshield wipers, trainline hoses, sand hatch covers, and more
- Curved radiator fan grab iron
Release date: June 2024
Road names: Electro-Motive Division Demonstrator, and Southern Pacific.
HO scale freight cars
ClassOneModel Works Thrall 86-foot highcube boxcar
Price: $59.99
Manufacturer: ClassOneModelWorks.com, 8610 NW 107th Terrace, Kansas City, MO 64153; 816-243-0044; ClassOneModelWorks.com
Thrall 86-foot highcube boxcar features:
- Correct Stanray roof and detailed door tracks
- Detailed brake wheel and separately applied metal grab irons
- Metal stirrups, rubber air hoses, detailed brake lines, etched brass cut levers, and metal couplers
Release date: To be announced
Road names: Milwaukee Road, Baltimore & Ohio, Burlington Northern, Chicago North Western, Conrail, Detroit & Toledo Shore Line, Erie Lackawanna, Grand Trunk Western, Illinois Central, Norfolk & Western, Penn Central, Pennsylvania Railroad, Rock Island, Santa Fe, Southern Pacific, and Union Pacific.
Otter Valley Railroad National Steel Car 6400 gondola
Price: C$69.99
Manufacturer: Otter Valley Railroad; 1-877-885-RAIL; ovrtrains.com
National Steel Car 6400 gondola features:
- All-new model design
- Correct size air reservoir and brake levers in ‘release’ position
- Separately applied ladders
- Fully detailed underbody
Release date: Available now
Road names: Oak Ride, American Iron & Metal, Cardella, Coastal Distribution, Combined Metal Industries, Deacero, Interstate Waste Services, Residco Leasing, and Tunnel Leasing Partners.
HO scale cabooses
Rapido Southern Pacific C-40-3 caboose
Price: $119.95
Manufacturer: Rapido Trains Inc., 500 Alden Road, Unit 21, Markham, Ontario L3R 5H5 Canada; 905-474-3314; rapidotrains.com
Southern Pacific C-40-3 caboose features:
- Multiple era-appropriate window styles
- Painted interior
- Full underframe details
Release date: To be announced
Road names: Sierra Railroad, Southern Pacific, and Texas & New Orleans.
O scale freight cars
Tangent GATC 6000-gallon tank car
Price: $524.95
Manufacturer: Tangent Scale Models, P.O. Box 6514, Asheville, NC 28816; 828-412-3886; tangentscalemodels.com
GATC 6000-gallon tank car features:
- Fully riveted body and underframe
- Separately applied tank handrail, grab irons and ladders
- Stunning dome hatches and safety valves
- Visible wood grain detail on the brass walkways
- Also available undecorated
Release date: Available now
Road names: Celanese, Cosden & Company Petroleum Products, GATX, Magnolia Petroleum Company, and Protex Industries.
N scale locomotives
Broadway Limited Pennsylvania Railroad M1a/M1b
Price: Direct-current model, $299.99; with DCC and sound, $399.99
Manufacturer: Broadway Limited Imports, 9 East Tower Circle, Ormond Beach, FL 32174 broadway-limited.com
Pennsylvania Railroad M1a/M1b features:
- Separately applied details such as handrails, grab irons, ladders, piping, whistle, and bell
Release date: To be announced
Road names: Pennsylvania Railroad
Sound decoders
SoundTraxx BLU-PNP8
Price: $162.95
Manufacturer: SoundTraxx, 141 Burnett Dr., Durango, CO 81301; 970-259-0690; soundtraxx.com
BLU-PNP8 features:
- Over 60 individual sound effects in 16-bit sound with 7-band equalizer
- Flex-Map functionality utilizing over 28 functions
- Hyperdrive2 motor control
- 74 x 17 x 5mm Universal Format
Release date: To be announced
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.
