Engines & rolling stock
Accucraft Trains, 33268 Central Ave., Union City CA 94587, has announced two new products. The first is a 2-6-6-6 Allegheny in 1:32 scale for gauge-1 track, in both live steam and electric. The electric version runs on 0-24V, has working lights, and is sound ready. The live-steam locomotive features a two flue, gas-fired boiler; four working D-valve cylinders with drain cocks; Baker valve gear; two safety valves; pressure gauge; water glass; lubricator; hand pump in the tender; and an axle pump. Both steam and electric engines are available in three versions. Price (depending upon version) $6,500 or $7,000.
Also from Accucraft is a 1:32 scale, gauge-1 model of a C&O steel cupola caboose. The caboose is constructed of brass and comes painted and decorated in your choice of four road numbers. Price: $450. Website: www.accucraft.com
Bachmann Trains, 1400 East Erie Avenue, Philadelphia PA 19124, has added box vans to its line of large-scale Thomas & Friends rolling stock in three designs: Sodor Fruit & Vegetable Company (#98016), Explosives (#98017), and Great Western (#98018). These each feature international-style hook-and-loop couplers and metal wheels. Price: $99. Website: www.bachmanntrains.com
LGB has announced a variety of new products. A new White Pass & Yukon (WP&YR) gang car, from all-new tooling, is available in two color combinations—orange (#L20060) and green-and-yellow (#L20061). All wheels are driven by a ball-bearing motor. White headlights/red marker lights change with the direction of travel. The gang car has an interface connector for installation of a digital decoder. A special size mfx/DCC decoder is available for this model (#E275227). The regular LGB couplers on this car can be replaced by included link-and-pin couplers. Price: $329.99. A simple flat car for the gang car (#L49191) is also available. Price: $49.99.
Also from LGB is a model of the Durango & Silverton Railroad’s “Rio Grande” open-air observation car in the new dark-red paint scheme. The model is prototypically painted and lettered, with complete interior details and metal wheelsets. Price: $389.99. A companion piece is the new “Yankee Girl” passenger car (#36808), also in the dark-red paint scheme. The doors can be opened and the car has complete interior detail and metal wheelsets. Price: $209.99. Website: www.lgb.com
Hartford Large Scale Products, 3461 S 5225 W, Cedar City UT 84720 is reintroducing their K-30 D&RGW 38’4″ Jackson & Sharp coach kit in 1:20.3 scale for gauge-1 track. Price: $449. Website: www.hartfordlargescale.com
Bridges & structures
Precision Products, 3461 S 5225 W, Cedar City UT 84720, has a Rose Hill station kit, built from Precision Products’ plastic veneer sheets. These sheets can withstand UV rays. The finished station can live permanently outdoors with an life expectancy of 15+ years. Website: www.aiii.biz
Track products
Sunset Valley Railroad LLC is reintroducing their full, dual-gauge 32/45mm #6 switches with 90″ constant curve radius. These are made entirely from code-250 brass rail (no Delrin frogs) and are suitable for battery or live-steam operation. The rail depth will take all flange types, including Aristo-Craft, LGB, etc. Available by special order, the switches normally take three weeks to deliver. Price: $245. Website: www.sunsetvalley
railroad.com
Electronics & software
Massoth Elektronik GmbH, Frankensteiner Str. 28, 64342 Seeheim, Germany, has announced several new products. These include eMotion XXL II decoder (#8153101, shown), which can accept a motor load of eight amps and a total load of 10 amps. Highlights are the new motor-load control with a superb low-speed operation range, the integrated IR control for the new IR train control, and the new standardized SUSI-BIDI functionality. Price: $119. Another new product is eMotion XLS-Onboard Sounddecoder (#8216100). The unit has Onboard-compatibility to fit LGB Onboard-locomotives built since 2002, which can now be retrofitted with a new XLS-Onboard Sounddecoder (analog, DCC, and sound combined). All cable connections (motor, light, etc.) are identical and plug into the new XLS-Onboard Sounddecoder one by one. Price: $219 Also from Massoth is a Pulsed Smoker for Round Boilers (#8415001) that combines pulsed steam and cylinder steam functionality in one unit. The diameter of only 30mm allows the installation even in small steam-locomotive boilers like the LGB Stainz. A new fan and optimized airflow makes more smoke than ever. It connects to track power and operates with DCC speed steps, wheel sensor, or clock signal from the decoder. Price: $119. Website: www.massoth.de
Accessories & details
CDS Lettering Company, 3461 S 5225 W, Cedar City UT 84720, is now offering dry transfers in 1:20.3. The first is the black-and-gold herald, “The Gold Belt Link,” for the Florence & Cripple Creek 30′ boxcar. Also available is the Royal Gorge herald for the Denver & Rio Grande Western’s 30′ or 40′ wooden reefer. Website: www.cdslettering.com
Miscellaneous
The Superstition Mountain Museum, 4087 N. Apache Trail, Highway 88, Apache Junction AZ 85119, will be dedicating a new 4,000-square-foot garden railway on 19 November 2016. The railway, which was built entirely by volunteers, has been three years in the making and depicts life in Arizona during the frontier days. Website: http://superstitionmountainmuseum.org
End of an era
Caboose Hobbies of Denver, an icon in the model-train world, closed its doors for the last time on September 25, 2016. The shop lost its lease when the landlord decided he wanted the property to redevelop. In 1951, Glen Brazelton bought the Hobby House, a mostly airplane store. In 1963, he converted it to all trains and renamed it Caboose Hobbies. At that time it was located in a small space in downtown Denver. In 1981 the store moved to a vastly larger facility on South Broadway, where it remained until September of this year. In 2014, it was certified by the Guinness Book of World’s Records as “The World’s Largest Model Train Store.”
Growing up in Denver, Caboose Hobbies was my go-to place for everything railroad. I can clearly recall Glen Brazelton behind the counter. He always welcomed kids into the store and, along with his knowledgable staff, was always available to kindly answer the questions of even the rankest of beginners. It was the first place I saw brass HO-scale locomotives, which I’d only read about in Model Railroader magazine.
I can still recall the day I first saw an LGB train in the window of Caboose Hobbies. Duane Miller (Glen’s son) kept up the tradition of the store when he took it over. I have always had a good personal relationship with Duane and Joanna, and Garden Railways has been on the store’s shelves since the beginning. Caboose’s closing is a real blow to our hobby. The shop was known and respected throughout the world. We wish Duane and Joanna all happiness in their retirement. —Marc Horovitz
Marc, I received a book in the mail that I ordered from Caboose Hobbies five years go that was damaged in transit due to improper packing. My complaint was respectful but direct. I didn’t receive any compensation and was even placed on their black list as well. I considered reporting the incident to the Denver BBB and Kalmbach but refrained from doing so. Consequently I didn’t give them any additional business. I trust the new owner will provide better customer service and will handle legiitiment complaints fairly. I might just give him a try!