News & Products for the week of May 20th 2024

News & Products for the week of May 20th 2024

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 May 20th 2024.

HO scale freight cars

Bowser 70-ton two bay covered hopper 

Price: $29.95

Manufacturer: Bowser Manufacturing Co. Inc., 1302 Jordan Ave., Montoursville, PA 17754; 570-368-2379; bowser-trains.com

70-ton two bay covered hopper features:

• Ready to run
• Metal wheels and couplers

Release date: Spring 2025

Road names: ALCO Aluminum; Chicago Great Western; Delaware, Lackawanna & Western; Delaware & Hudson; Detroit & Toledo Shore Line; Detroit, Toledo & Ironton; Lehigh Cement; Minneapolis & St. Louis; New Haven; Nickel Plate Road; Norfolk & Western; Pennwalt Chemicals; Southern Pacific; Spokane International; Union Carbide Line; Union Pacific; US Phosphoric Products; and Weyerhauser.

Rapido Procor general purpose 20,000 gallon tank car

Price: Single car, $59.95; six-pack, $359.70

Manufacturer: Rapido Trains Inc., 500 Alden Road, Unit 21, Markham, Ontario L3R 5H5 Canada; 905-474-3314; rapidotrains.com

Procor general purpose 20,000 gallon tank car features:

• Photo-etched metal walkways
• Detailed vent stacks, loading hatches, air tanks, and braking equipment

Release date: To be announced

Road names: Canadian National, Irving oil, Mitsui & Co. Canada, Safety Kleen, Sunoco, Texaco, Turbo Resources, and Union Carbide.

WalthersMainline 40-foot steel reefer with dreadnaught ends

Price: $31.98

Manufacturer: Wm. K. Walthers Inc., 5601 W. Florist Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53218; 414-527-0770; walthers.com

40-foot steel reefer with dreadnaught ends features:

• Detailed underbody with separate AB brakes
• See-through roof walk
• Also available undecorated

Release date: Summer 2024

Road names: Armour Refrigerator Lines, Burlington Refrigerator Express, Fruit Growers Express, Pacific Fruit Express, and Western Fruit Express.

HO scale details

Athearn 40-foot trailer

Price: $30.42

Manufacturer: Athearn Trains, 2904 Research Rd., Champaign, IL 61822; 800-338-4639; athearn.com

40-foot trailer features:

• Two door rods
• Rubber tires
• Separate reefer unit and fuel tank

Release date: August 2025

Road names: Canadian Great Western Express, Cornucopia, Illinois Central, Monfort, Pacific Mountain Express, and Western Pacific.

N scale freight cars

Bachmann drop-end gondola

Price: $42.00

Manufacturer: Bachmann Trains, 1400 E. Erie Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19124; 215-533-1600; bachmanntrains.com

Drop-end gondola features:

• Functional drop-end gates
• Detailed underside with separately applied components

Release date: Available now 

Road names: Frisco, Great Northern, New York Central, and Union Pacific.

Z scale locomotives

American Z Line Electro-Motive Division SD40-2

Price: Contact manufacturer

Manufacturer: American Z Line, 6142 Northcliff Blvd., Dublin, OH 43016; 614-764-1703; americanzline.com

Electro-Motive Division SD40-2 features:

• Separately applied sunshades
• Open Grid Radiators
• DCC ready

Release date: To be announced

Road names: Milwaukee Road

Z scale rolling stock

American Z Line wide vision caboose

Price: Contact manufacturer

Manufacturer: American Z Line, 6142 Northcliff Blvd., Dublin, OH 43016; 614-764-1703; americanzline.com

Wide vision caboose features:

• Roller bearing trucks
• AutoLatch couplers

Release date: To be announced

Road names: Burlington Northern

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.