2006 National Train Show preliminary report

The 2006 National Train Show is being held July 7-9 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in conjunction with the National Model Railroad Association National Convention in Philadelphia. The following products listed below are just some of the new items announced today. Look for more National Train Show coverage next week.

HO scale locomotives
Richmond Locomotive Works 4-4-0 steam locomotive. Maine Central, Maryland & Pennsylvania, Seaboard Air Line, Southern Ry., and painted black but unlettered. Eight-pin plug for Digital Command Control; die-cast metal boiler, chassis, and frame; prototype-specific cab; cog V-belt drive; metal Walschaerts valve gear; RP-25 contour wheels; and E-Z Mate Mark II couplers. $240. Ready-to-run. Bachmann

Electro-Motive Division F3 A and B units. New paint schemes. Northern Pacific (black and yellow); Chicago Great Western (brown); Delaware, Lackawanna & Western (gray, maroon, and yellow); Missouri Pacific (blue with buzz saw herald); Seaboard Air Line (green and yellow); and Southern Pacific (black widow). With eight-pin plug for DCC decoder. A units $79.98; A-B sets $145. Fall 2006. Proto 1000 series. Life-Like Products Div. of Wm. K. Walthers, Inc.

Electro-Motive Division GP30 diesel locomotive. Indiana & Ohio, Norfolk Southern, Norfolk & Western (three schemes), and Southern Ry. High-nose version with five-pole skew-wound motor, prototype-specific details, and modeler-applied details. DC $125; DCC with QSI Quantum sound system $225. Fall 2006. Proto 2000 series. Life-Like Products Div. of Wm. K. Walthers, Inc.

United States Railroad Administration heavy 2-10-2. Bessemer & Lake Erie; Chicago, Burlington & Quincy; Colorado & Southern; Erie; Illinois Central; Pennsylvania RR; and painted black but unlettered. Five-pole skew-wound motor, RP-25 contour wheels, separate traction tires, and magnetic knuckle couplers. DC $325; DCC with QSI Quantum sound system $425. Fall 2006-winter 2007. Proto 2000 series. Life-Like Products Div. of Wm. K. Walthers, Inc.

4-6-4 Hudson steam locomotive. New York Central class J-3. $259.98. Rivarosi line by Hornby. Distributed by Wm. K. Walthers, Inc.

4-8-8-4 steam locomotive. Union Pacific. $349.98. Rivarosi line by Hornby. Distributed by Wm. K. Walthers, Inc.

HO scale commuter equipment
German Federated RR class 798 and 998 motor and control car. Newly tooled die-cast metal cars with mfx decoder and sound unit in motor car and light-emitting-diode head, marker, and interior lights. $540. Märklin

HO scale freight cars
Association of American Railroads 50-ton offset two-bay hopper. Cambria & Indiana; Chicago, Indianapolis & Louisville; Delaware & Hudson; and Reading. Injection-molded plastic with scale ladders and grab irons, detailed underframe, and removable coal load. $40.95 to $43.95 each. Ready-to-run. Kadee Quality Products Co.

Philadelphia & Reading 36-foot class XMh boxcar. Cast-resin kit with decals but without trucks and couplers. Original, modernized, and with safety appliances. $33 each. Westerfield

Philadelphia & Reading class HTc hopper. Cast-resin kit with decals but without trucks and couplers. Based on Standard Steel Car prototype. $33. Westerfield

HO scale passenger trains
Great Northern 1955 Empire Builder. Proto 2000 series Electro-Motive Division F7 A-B set. Direct-current $269; Digital Command Control and QSI Quantum sound $369. American Car & Foundry (ACF) baggage-mail, $44.98; ACF baggage-dormitory, $44.98; ACF 36-seat Lake-series diner, $44.98; ACF 60-seat coach, $44.98; ACF ranch-coffee shop-lounge, $44.98; Budd 46-seat Vista-Dome/coach, $49.98; Budd View-series Great Dome lounge, $49.98; Pullman-Standard (P-S) River-series 7-duplex-roomette, 4-section, 3-bedroom, 1-compartment sleeper, $44.98; P-S Pass-series 6-roomette, 5-bedroom, 2-compartment sleeper, $44.98; and Coulee-series 6-roomette, 4-bedroom, 1-compartment observation car. Ready-to-run models. Cars with Chicago, Burlington & Quincy and Spokane, Portland & Seattle decals available separately. Cars painted in GN Big Sky Blue and Burlington Northern green and black also available. September 2006-March 2007. Wm. K. Walthers, Inc.

HO scale structures
200,000-gallon water tower. All American City; Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe; Baltimore & Ohio; Pennsylvania RR; painted silver but unlettered; and painted white with red roof but unlettered. Assembled and painted cold-cast-resin model with etched metal details. $89.98. Athearn Trains

Grain elevator. Assembled, painted, and weathered cold-cast-resin building. Based on prototype in Kansas City. Measures 3-½” x 4″ plus 1-½” x 2-¼” office. $79.98. Athearn Trains

John Deere dealership building. Assembled and painted cold-cast-resin building with separate sign but no tractors. Measures 6″ x 8″. $69.98. Athearn Trains

Fulton Street Hose and Steam Firehouse no. 2. Laser-cut wood Victorian-style firehouse kit with resin detail castings. Features Mt. Albert lumber and Jordan Highway Miniatures fire engine. Only 100 kits produced (first 50 packaged in engraved wood box). $179. Memory Lane Studios

Brick building with modern front. Injection-molded plastic kit. $29.98. Fall 2006. Cornerstone Modulars. Wm. K. Walthers, Inc.

Operating intermodal container terminal. Push-button control for crane operations, built-in electromagnet for holding containers during lifting, and modular base plate. Measures 13-3/16″ x 22-13/16″. Can be used on DC and Digital Command Control layouts. $769.98. Late 2006. Produced by Heljan, distributed by Wm. K. Walthers, Inc.

Wood coal tower. Injection-molded plastic kit. $49.98. Cornerstone Series. Wm. K. Walthers, Inc.

HO scale details and accessories
Libherr A900C rail and road bucket loader. Die-cast metal with extra bucket. Ready-to-use. $79.95. Images Replicas

Coal loads. For Kadee Association of American Railroads twin hopper. Mine run, large lump, and lump/egg. Six-pack $14.99. Weights for loads available separately. Three-pack $4.95. Kadee Quality Products Co.

Insulated draft-gear box. Compatible with Kadee whisker; nos. 5, 58, and 118; and 20- and 40-series couplers. Twenty-pack $2.95. Kadee Quality Products Co.

Metal whisker couplers. Short, medium, and long center-set shank. With scale coupler head. Four-pack $3.95. Kadee Quality Products Co.

Picnic tables. Laser-cut wood. Three-pack $4.25. Memory Lane Studios

Assorted signals. Three-light D-type, $17.99; two-light D-type, $14.99; three-light G-type, $19.99; and semaphore, $19.99. Painted brass with illuminated aspects. For use on signal bridges and other structures. HO scale. N.J. International Inc.

Over-the-road grade-crossing signal. Painted and assembled brass model with see-through walkways. Factory wired with light-emitting-diode flashers. $59.95 each. N.J. International

Assorted vehicles. 26-foot Fruehauf Aerovan trailer with side doors, 1941-1946 ($16.25) and 1935 Pontiac convertible ($12.30). Cast-resin kits with one-piece hollow-cast body and rubber tires. Sylvan Scale Models

N scale locomotives
Budd Rail Diesel Car. RDC-1 passenger car decorated for Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe (ATSF); Budd Demonstrator; Canadian National (CN); Canadian Pacific (CP); Chicago & North Western (C&NW); Jersey Central (CNJ); and New York, New Haven & Hartford (NH). RDC-2 passenger/baggage car lettered for Alaska RR (ARR), ATSF, C&NW, CN, CP, New York Central (NYC), Northern Pacific (NP), and Western Pacific (WP). RDC-3 passenger/baggage/Railway Post Office painted for CN, CP, NH, NP, NYC, and Rock Island. RDC-4 Railway Post Office painted for CN, CP, and NH. Silver but unlettered versions of each prototype also available. Split-frame mechanism, directional light-emitting diode headlights and taillights, and magnetic knuckle couplers. $80. Ready-to-run. Kato USA, Inc.

Electro-Motive Division E8 A and B diesel locomotives. A-B sets ($195) decorated for Baltimore & Ohio, Illinois Central, Union Pacific, and undecorated. A units only ($95) lettered for Atlantic Coast Line, Erie, New York Central, Pennsylvania RR, Rock Island, Seaboard Air Line, Southern Pacific, and undecorated. Proto N series. Fall 2006. Wm. K. Walthers, Inc.

Fairbanks-Morse C-Liner A-B set. New York Central, Milwaukee Road, and Pennsylvania RR. $99.98 each. November 2006. Proto N series. Wm. K. Walthers, Inc.

Electro-Motive Division GP38-2 diesel locomotive. With 88″ nose. Norfolk Southern, Burlington Northern Santa Fe, Clinchfield, Louisville & Nashville, Pittsburgh & Lake Erie, Rock Island, Seaboard System, Soo Line, and undecorated. $99.98 each. Fall 2006. Proto N series. Wm. K. Walthers, Inc.

N scale freight cars
Evans three-bay covered hopper. Missouri-Kansas-Texas. Injection-molded plastic model with ladders, brake detail, molded running boards, and square hatches. Price to be announced. Fall 2006. Ready-to-run. Micro-Trains Line Co.

Provincial boxcar. British Columbia. Injection-molded plastic with Magne-Matic couplers. First car in Canadian provinces series. $18.25. Ready-to-run. Micro-Trains Line Co.

United States Navy boxcar. USS Missouri. Injection-molded plastic car with Magne-Matic couplers. First car in Navy series. $18.95. Ready-to-run. Micro-Trains Line Co.

N scale structures
Single-track lenticular pin-connected truss bridge. Etched-brass kit. Includes structural parts, lattice bracing, and cross-bracing wires with turnbuckles. Measures 197 scale feet. $89.95. TrainCat Model Sales

N scale details and accessories
Pedestal-type crossing gates. Brass details with light-emitting-diode flashers. Available with red-and-white and black-and-white gate stripes. Two-pack $29.99. N.J. International

Assorted vehicles. Pennsylvania RR 26-foot Fruehauf Durvan trailer ($9.75), cab-over-engine tractor with regular and long wheelbase, 1948-1953 ($9 each), cab-over-engine tractor with stake body, 1948-1953 ($11.45), Railway Express Agency delivery truck, 1948-1953 ($9.75), White Super Power tractor with regular and long wheelbase, 1940-1958 ($9), and White Super Power tractor with stake body, 1940-1958 ($11.45). Cast-resin with one-piece hollow-cast body and black rubber tires. Sylvan Scale Models

Vehicle details. 12- and 15-foot stake bodies ($4.75), etched-stainless-steel grab irons and truck mirrors ($3.75), and tank body ($4.75). Sylvan Scale Models

O scale locomotives
Baldwin 2-4-4T Forney steam locomotive. On2-1/2. Sandy River & Rangeley Lakes and painted black but unlettered. Digital Command Control-equipped, five-pole skew-wound motor, light-emitting-diode headlight, separately applied details, and vestibule cab with operating doors and interior detail. Inside- and outside-frame versions available. $275. Bachmann

O scale details and accessories
Weserhutte W180 dragline. Assembled metal model with operating parts. $289.95. TrainCat Model Sales

Large scale locomotives
2-6-0 Mogul with Vanderbilt tender. Southern Pacific. Bühler motor, sound unit, detailed cab interior, directional lighting, and smoke generator. $767.99. Ready-to-run. LGB of America

Davenport 30-ton diesel-mechanical switcher. Denver & Rio Grande Western. Bühler motor, twin traction tires, and Digital Command Control-decoder interface. $267.99. Ready-to-run. LGB of America

Harzer Schmalspurbahnen 2-6-2 steam locomotive no. 99 6001-4. Upgraded model made with new molds. Features new wheels and cab detail, onboard Multi-Train System electronics, directional lighting, sound, and a steam generator. Produced only during 2006. Price to be announced. LGB of America

Large scale passenger cars
Amtrak Amfleet coach. Phase III paint. Metal wheelsets and interior lighting. Café car also available. $284.99. Ready-to-run. LGB of America

Large scale train sets
Ernst Paul Lehmann Patentwerk factory trainset. Models of narrow gauge train parked in front of LGB factory in Nuremberg, Germany. Set includes Franzburg County Ry. 0-4-0 steam locomotive with Bühler motor, directional lighting, smoke generator, and Digital Command Control-decoder interface; Upper Rhine Ry. covered gondola with opening hatches; and two Upper Rhine Ry. boxcars. $839.99. Ready-to-run. LGB of America

Large scale details and accessories
Nickel-plated brass track components. Assorted straight and curved sections, left- and right-hand turnouts, double-slip switches, three-way switches, and crossings. $6.49 to $196.99. LGB of America

Z scale freight cars
PS-2 70-ton two-bay covered hopper. Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe. Injection-molded plastic. Two road numbers. Märklin couplers $16.15; Magne-Matic couplers $17.95. Ready-to-run. Micro-Trains Line Co.

FMC 50-foot exterior-post boxcar. Norfolk Southern (pre-1982 company). Injection-molded plastic ready-to-run model with separately applied brake wheel, 10-foot Youngstown sliding door, and Magne-Matic couplers. Price to be announced. Micro-Trains Line Co.

Z scale train sets
Illinois Central Diamond Special. 4-6-0 steam locomotive with five-pole motor, powered driving axles, and dark nickel-plated wheels; three coaches; and one combine. $565. Ready-to-run. Märklin

Z scale structures
Masonry structures. 1930s industrial building, batch plant, coal dump shed, country gas station, fire station, freight depot, hospital, intermodal yard office, large industrial building, library, modern dump shed, modern industrial building, police station, post office, and pump house and water tower. Structures have fused-in color and include undecorated vehicles and landscaping. $34.99 to $49.99 each. Searails

Z scale details and accessories
Left- and right-hand turnouts. Manually operated 13-degree (490mm radius) turnouts. Turnout includes 13-degree transition track and 110mm straight track section. Price to be announced. Micro-Trains Line Co.

Assorted vehicles. 20-, 40-, and 53-foot chassis, dry-van container, and flatbed container, $4.99 each; 24-foot trailer, $4.99; 40- and 53-foot trailer, $4.99; backhoe with movable boom and pivoting cab, $19.99; cement truck, $12.99; dump truck, $12.99; four-wheel dolly, $2.99; folded backhoe, $14.99; grader $14.99; one-, two-, and three-yard bulldozer, $9.99 to $14.99 each; Peterbilt 379 10-wheel tractor with long and short sleepers, $7.99 each; and transfer dump truck and hauler, $14.99. Cast-resin models. Searails

Multiple-scale structures
Electrical transmission tower. Etched-brass kit. Z scale tower 85 scale feet tall, N tower 60 scale feet tall. $27.50. TrainCat Model Sales

Three-in-one building no. 2. Injection-molded plastic kit that can be assembled in three ways. Includes new windows, walls, and roof. HO and N scales $39.98. Winter 2006. Cornerstone Modulars. Wm. K. Walthers, Inc.

Track
Curved turnout kits. For no. 6 through 10 turnouts and codes 40, 55, 70, 83, and 100 rail. Kits include assembly jig and QuickSticks laser-cut wood ties. Enough materials for five turnouts. Prices start at $139.95. Fast Tracks

Third rail for commuter and subway lines. Kit includes 216 scale feet of code 70 nickel silver rail. Includes base plates, insulators, C brackets, cover boards, and splice plates. HO scale. $18 plus $5 shipping. Images Replicas

Tools
Large scale track and wheel gauge. For checking track and wheel gauge, determining track grade, measuring flange widths and depths, and switch points. $10.50. Aristo-Craft Trains

Coupler-height gauge. On2-1/2. Includes On2-1/2 coupler. $6. Kadee Quality Products Co.

Under-the-ties delayed-action uncoupler kit. Fits under any HO scale track. $15.95. Kadee Quality Products Co.

Electronics/controls
E-Z Command 5 amp power booster. Provides extra track current to increase the number of Digital Command Control (DCC)-equipped locomotives that can operate on a layout. For N, HO, S, O, OO, On2-1/2, and large scale. Price to be announced. Bachmann

ECoS Command Station. Multi-protocol command station. Supports Digital Command Control, Märklin/Motorola, and Selectrix operating systems. Two integrated cabs with throttle knobs, eight-click function keys, and touch screen. Can control up to 20 functions per engine. National Model Railroad Association DCC duplex communication built in. October 2006. $699. Electronic Solutions Ulm

Caboose interior lighting kit. For DC and Digital Command Control. Six light-emitting diodes (spaced equally) with a draw of 36mA. Caboose stays illuminated up to four minutes after power is turned off. Additional units can be added. Electrical pick-ups and double-sided mounting tape included. $22.95. Miniatronics

Digital Command Control (DCC) decoders. MX620 series for N scale. Features asymmetrical signal stop and constant stopping distance. Includes 0.6amp motor output and four functions. Decoder is updatable. MX620 with seven wires, $48.43; MX620N and MX620F with six-pin connector on decoder, $48.43; and MX620R with eight-pin connector on wires, $51.13. Produced by Lenz, distributed by Model Railroad Solutions

Prodigy Advance Digital Command Control (DCC) system. Two- or four-digit addressing; advanced and universal consisting; 14, 28, and 128 speed steps; and recall and stack features. $329.98. Model Rectifier Corp.

Prodigy Express Digital Command Control (DCC) system. Two- or four-digit addressing; 14, 28, and 128 speed steps; advanced consisting; and 16 accessory functions to handle multi-function sound systems. $184.98. Model Rectifier Corp.

Sound decoders. MX690S. For large scale. Sound effects include steam chuff, whistles, bells, compressor, and shoveling coal. Decoder measures .70″ x 1.14″ x 2.16″. Produced by Zimo, distributed by Model Railroad Solutions

Sound decoder. N scale. MX690V. For modern non-turbocharged Electro-Motive Division diesel locomotives. Includes speaker. $84.98. Model Rectifier Corp.

Sheer Brilliance diesel locomotive sound decoder. HO scale. For modern non-turbocharged Electro-Motive Division diesel locomotives. Includes speaker. Rated at 1.5 amps. $84.98. Model Rectifier Corp.

Servo Master activation system. For operating two crossing gates with flashing lights or two semaphores. Kit contains one control board, two servos (including linkage hardware), one 10-wire output cable, one 10-wire input cable with four sensors, and installation manual. Compatible with all scales. $119.99. N.J. International

Scenery
Premium Trees. Birch, basswood, beech, aspen, dead elm, dead maple, fall beech, fall maple, hickory, juniper, locust, maple, oak, paper birch, pine, poplar, royal palm, spruce, sweetgum, sycamore, and walnut. Handcrafted trees with planting pins. Sizes range from 1-½” to 5-¾”. Woodland Scenics

8557 (already in system)
ReadyGrass vinyl scenery mats. Forest grass, green grass, spring grass, and summer grass (not shown). Non-shedding, non-staining, tear-resistant, colorfast, and reusable. Can be molded to shape with heat gun. Turf is removable with water. Project sheet (12-½” x 14-¼”) $2.98; small (33″ x 50″), $9.98; and large (50″ x 100″), $24.98. Woodland Scenics

Decals
Apache Ry. wood-chip hopper (HO $3.60); Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe class SK-Q, R, S, T, U, 2, 3, 4, and 5 stockcars; BNSF Ry. General Electric ES44DC diesel locomotives; BNSF Ry. hood unit repaints, 2005; Chessie System class HC-44 two-bay covered hoppers (HO $3.60); Elgin, Joliet & Eastern SD38 diesel locomotives; Farmland Industries Trinity covered hoppers (HO $3.60); Great Northern white and silver steam locomotive lettering; National Railway Equipment lease locomotives; Minnesota Soybean Processors Trinity 5,461-cubic-foot-capacity covered hoppers (HO $3.60); Pennsylvania RR class F30A, D, and E flatcars; Santa Fe Refrigerator Dept. 40-foot ice-refrigerator cars; Southern Pacific (SP) and St. Louis Southwestern (SSW) American Car & Foundry Center Flow covered hoppers; SP 86-foot hi-cube automobile parts boxcar lettering; SP 86-foot hi-cube automobile parts boxcar stripes and arrows; and SP and SSW hood unit lettering. HO scale $6, N $4.80 (unless noted). Microscale Industries

Software
Software upgrade for Zimo MX31 and MX31FU Digital Command Control (DCC) cabs. New features, including address input menu, expert mode (displays information for selecting and activating locomotives and accessories from preview recall memory list), and soft keys for lining turnouts in run mode without switching to accessory mode. Free for Zimo users. Can be downloaded from Zimo Web site. Produced by Zimo, distributed by Model Railroad Solutions

Books/catalogs
LGB 2006 Product Catalog: 125 Years of Ernst Paul Lehmann Patentwork. Includes new products for 2006, company history, locomotives, rolling stock, and accessories. More than 370 pages. English and German text. Hardcover. $14.99. LGB of America

Multi-Train System Guidebook. Explains and shows each component of LGB’s Multi-Train System. Includes examples of how to use and install components. English and German text. $15.99. LGB of America

Services
Locomotive chassis milling. For Digital Command Control (DCC) decoders and speakers. Atlas GP40 shown. Send stripped chassis and $10. Aztec Manufacturing

Manufacturers featured in the 2006 National Train Show preliminary report

Aristo-Craft Trains, S. 698 S. 21st St., Irvington, NJ 07111; www.aristocraft.com

Athearn Trains, 1550 Glenn Curtiss St., Carson, CA 90746; www.athearn.com

Aztec Manufacturing, 2701 Conestoga Dr., no. 113, Carson City, NV 89706; www.aztectrains.com

Bachmann, 1400 E. Erie Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19124; www.bachmanntrains.com

Electronic Solutions Ulm, P.O. Box 77, Upsala, MN 56384; www.loksound.com

Fast Tracks, 5 Bonny Bank Ct., Kitchener, ON, Canada N2E 3B8; www.fast-tracks.net

Images Replicas, P.O. Box 99, East Norwich, NY 11732; www.imagesreplicas.com

Kadee Quality Products Co., 673 Ave. C, White City, OR 97503; www.kadee.com

Kato USA, Inc., 100 Remington Rd., Schaumburg, IL 60173; www.katousa.com

LGB of America, 6444 Nancy Ridge Dr., San Diego, CA 92121; www.lgboa.com

Märklin, P.O. Box 510559, New Berlin, WI 53151; www.marklin.com

Memory Lane Studios, 99 Deppiesse Rd., Random Lake, WI 53075; www.memorylanestudios.us

Microscale Industries, 18435 Bandilier Cir., Fountain Valley, CA 92708; www.microscale.com

Micro-Trains Line Co., P.O. Box 1200, Talent, OR 97540; www.micro-trains.com

Miniatronics, 561-K Acorn St., Deer Park, NY 11729; www.miniatronics.com

Model Railroad Solutions, Zimo, 1195 Velrose Dr., Kelowna, B.C., Canada V1X 6R7; www.mrsonline.net

Model Rectifier Corp., 80 Newfield Ave., Edison, NJ 08837; www.modelrectifier.com

N.J. International, P.O. Box 1029, Higley, AZ 85236; www.njinternational.com

Searails, Box 366, Valley Ford, CA 94972; www.searails.com

Sylvan Scale Models, 32229 Sylvan Rd., Parkhill, ON, Canada N0M 2K0; www.isp.ca/Sylvan

TrainCat Model Sales, 3709 Heron Ridge Lane, Weston, FL 33331; www.traincat2.com

Westerfield, 53 River Ln., Crossville, TN 38555; www.westerfield.biz

Woodland Scenics, P.O. Box 98, Linn Creek, MO 65052; www.woodlandscenics.com

Wm. K. Walthers, Inc., P.O. Box 3039, Milwaukee, WI 53201; www.walthers.com