News & Products for the week of November 11th 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 November 11th 2024.
HO scale locomotives
Broadway Limited Imports Baldwin RF-16 “sharknose” diesel locomotive
Price: Direct-current A unit, $199.99; direct-current B unit, $189.99; single unit with DCC and sound, $299.99; A-B set with DCC and sound, $399.99
Manufacturer: Broadway Limited Imports, 9 East Tower Circle, Ormond Beach, FL 32174 broadway-limited.com
Baldwin RF-16 “sharknose” features:
- ABS body with die-cast chassis
- Separately applied details include handrails, grab irons, horn, bell, wipers, and etched metal grills
- Also available in United States Air Force or United States Army Air Force fantasy schemes
Release date: To be announced
Road names: Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe; Baltimore & Ohio; Central Railroad of New Jersey; Conrail; Delaware & Hudson; Duluth, Missabe & Iron Range; Missouri Pacific; New York Central; Pennsylvania RR; and Southern Pacific.
HO scale rolling stock
ClassOneModelWorks Thrall 86-foot boxcars
Price: $65.99
Manufacturer: ClassOneModelWorks, 8610 NW 107th Terrace, Kansas City, MO 64153; 816-243-0044; ClassOneModelWorks.com
Thrall 86-foot boxcars features:
- Road specific details
Release date: Fiscal quarter one 2025
Road names: Baltimore & Ohio; Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe; Chicago, Burlington & Quincy; Chicago Northwestern; Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific; Conrail; Missouri Pacific; New York Central; Norfolk Southern; Norfolk & Western; Southern; Union Pacific; and Western Pacific.
InterMountain Railway Company Fruit Grower’s Express reefer cars
Price: $42.95
Manufacturer: InterMountain Railway Company, P.O. Box 839, Longmont, Colorado, 80502, 800-472-2530, intermountain-railway.com
Fruit Grower’s Express reefer cars features:
- Multiple road numbers
- Also available in N scale
Release date: To be announced
Road names: Canadian National, Century Beer, Dubuque, Fort Worth & Denver, Fruit Grower’s Express, Lion Brand Milk, Milwaukee Road, and Swift.
ScaleTrains Rivet Counter Thrall 48-foot two-hood coil steel car
Price: $69.99
Manufacturer: ScaleTrains, 4901 Old Tasso Rd. NE, Cleveland, TN 37312; 844-987-2467; scaletrains.com
Thrall 48-foot two-hood coil steel car features:
- Dual-trough design with center divider, 16 walkway side supports and simulated wood trough interior
- Four wireform side grab irons and four wireform end grab irons
- See-through etched metal walkway
Release date: June 2025
Road names: BNSF; Burlington Northern; CSX; Chicago Height Terminal Transfer; Elgin, Joliet & Eastern; and Norfolk Southern.
Athearn wide vision caboose
Price: $39.99
Manufacturer: Athearn Trains, 2904 Research Rd., Champaign, IL 61822; 800-338-4639; athearn.com
Wide vision caboose features:
- Clear windows
- Separately applied smoke jack and brake wheel
- Fine end handrails and ladders
Release date: March 2026
Road names: BNSF; Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe; Fracht; Illinois Central Gulf; Maine Central; Missouri-Kansas-Texas; and Seaboard Coast Lines/Family Lines.
Rapido Denver & Rio Grande Western steel riveted caboose
Price: $129.95
Manufacturer: Rapido Trains Inc., 500 Alden Road, Unit 21, Markham, Ontario L3R 5H5 Canada; 905-474-3314; rapidotrains.com
Denver & Rio Grande Western steel riveted caboose features:
- Detailed underbody includes all separate air and brake piping
- See-through etched metal steps and walkways
- Full end detail includes uncoupling levers
- Separate grab irons installed at factory
Release date: To be announced
Road names: Denver & Rio Grande Western
N scale locomotives
Kato Electro-Motive Division SD70M diesel locomotive
Price: Direct-current model, $135.00; with DCC, $235.00; with DCC and sound, $335.00
Manufacturer: Kato USA Inc., 100 Remington Rd., Schaumburg, IL 60173; katousa.com
Electro-Motive Division SD70M features:
- Blackened metal wheels
- Kato magnetic knuckle coupler
- Directional headlight
Release date: Spring 2025
Road names: CSX, Norfolk Southern, and Union Pacific.
N scale freight cars
Athearn 30,000-gallon ethanol tank car
Price: Single car, $37.99; three-pack, $99.99
Manufacturer: Athearn Trains, 2904 Research Rd., Champaign, IL 61822; 800-338-4639; athearn.com
30,000-gallon ethanol tank car features:
- Separately applied brake wheel, walkway platform, manway, outlet, ladders, brake rigging detail, safety rail supports and tank saddles
- Photo-etched metal walkways and end platforms
- Wire safety rails and end handrails
Release date: March 2026
Road names: Chevron, Chief, Nebraska Corn Processing, Procor, Reeve Agri Energy, and U.S. Department of Defense.
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 e-mail Senior Editor Cody Grivno at cody.grivno@firecrown.com and Associate Editor Bryson Sleppy at bryson.sleppy@firecrown.com for more information.