News & Products for the week of March 17th 2025
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 March 17th, 2025.
HO scale locomotives
ScaleTrains Rivet Counter Electro-Motive Division GP30 diesel locomotive
Price: Direct-current model, $256.99; with DCC and sound, $381.99
Manufacturer: ScaleTrains, 4901 Old Tasso Rd. NE, Cleveland, TN 37312; 844-987-2467; scaletrains.com
Electro-Motive Division GP30 features:
- Detailed cab interior with separate floor, rear wall, seats, and standard AAR control stand
- Sliding cab side windows
- Wire inertial air intake grills
- Late see-through dynamic brake intake grills with horizontal wires through vertical vanes
Release date: Summer 2025
Road names: Baltimore & Ohio; Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe; Burlington Northern; Chicago Great Western; CSX, Penn Central; and Union Pacific.
WalthersMainline Plymouth ML-8 gasoline locomotive
Price: Direct-current model, $109.98; with DCC and sound, $169.98
Manufacturer: Wm. K. Walthers Inc., 5601 W. Florist Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53218; 414-527-0770; walthers.com
Plymouth ML-8 features:
- Detailed die-cast metal underframe and hood
- See-through etched metal radiator guard
- Separately applied metal handrails
- Also available unlettered in multiple color schemes
Release date: February 2025
Road names: Coastal, M. Lummus, and United States Air Force.
HO scale rolling stock
Athearn Roundhouse 50-foot flatcar
Price: $39.99
Manufacturer: Athearn Trains, 2904 Research Rd., Champaign, IL 61822; 800-338-4639; athearn.com
50-foot flatcar features:
- Separate brake wheel
- Injection-molded body
Release date: September 2026
Road names: Boston & Maine, Great Northern, Milwaukee Road, New Haven, Reading, United States Army, and United States Department of Defense.
ClassOneModelWorks.com Thrall 86-foot four-door boxcar
Price: $72.99
Manufacturer: ClassOneModelWorks.com, 8610 NW 107th Terrace, Kansas City, MO 64153; 816-243-0044; ClassOneModelWorks.com
Thrall 86-foot four-door boxcar features:
- Multiple road numbers per scheme
Release date: Available now
Road names: Chicago, Burlington & Quincy; Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe; Baltimore & Ohio; Chicago & North Western; Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific; Conrail; Missouri Pacific; New York Central; Norfolk Southern; Norfolk & Western; Southern Ry.; Union Pacific; and Western Pacific.
HO scale structures
Minifer Gap pavilion
Price: €64
Manufacturer: Minifer, 25 Bis Chemin du Roy, 41150 Veuzain Sur Loire, France; minifer.fr/en/
Gap pavilion features:
- Based on a prototype found in the south of France
- Laser-cut wood kit
Release date: To be announced
N scale locomotives
Kato Electro-Motive Division NW2 diesel locomotive
Price: Direct-current mode, $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 NW2 features:
- Produced in collaboration with Kobo Customs
- Visible cab interior free of lighting equipment
Release date: To be announced
Road names: Atlantic Coast Line; Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe; Burlington Northern; Canadian National; Grand Truck Western; Kansas City Southern; Seaboard Airline; St. Louis-San Francisco; Union Pacific; and Western Pacific.
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.
