Denver & Rio Grande Western class C-19 2-8-0 steam locomotive. HOn3. Denver & Rio Grande Western (Flying Grande lettering, Royal Gorge Route herald, or flared top tender), Denver & Rio Grande, Rio Grande Southern (“Rising Sun” herald or “41” on tender), painted black but unlettered with diamond stack, flared top tender, and Russian Iron boiler, and painted black but unlettered with straight side tender. Includes SoundTraxx Digital Command Control sound decoder and Kadee no. 714 knuckle couplers. $499.95 (weathered, $554.95). Ready-to-run. Blackstone Models, 907-259-0690, www.blackstonemodels.com
East Broad Top three-bay covered hopper. 1930s lettering, 1940s era herald, 1940s rock car, and painted black but unlettered. Injection-molded plastic model with Vulcan-style trucks and factory-installed knuckle couplers. $54.95 (weathered, $59.95). Ready-to-run. Blackstone Models, 907-259-0690, www.blackstonemodels.com
Government of Saskatchewan 4-bay cylindrical covered hopper. Canadian National (SKNX reporting marks) and Canadian Pacific (SKPX marks). 2008 version with exclamation mark and 2011 version without. Twelve road numbers per scheme. Prototype-specific details, North American Railcar Corp. low-friction trucks with metal wheelsets, and Kadee knuckle couplers. $39.95. Early 2013. Ready-to-run. North American Railcar Corp., distributed by Pacific Western Rail Systems, 866-840-7777, www.pwrs.ca
Denver & Rio Grande Western “Chili Line” Jackson & Sharp passenger cars. Detailed interiors, bay windows, and underbody brake details. Three-pack, $280. Ready-to-run. Blackstone Models, 907-259-0690, www.blackstonemodels.com
no. 20 (Santa Fe Green or shadow line); Central of Georgia Savannah; Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Blackhawk; New York Central no. 19; Pullman (Henry Standley, David Livingston, Defense Special, Marco Polo, second Pioneer, or Robert Peary); and Seaboard Air Line Jacksonville. Factory-painted ready-to-run brass models. Price to be announced. The Coach Yard, www.thecoachyard.com
Bull’s Salvage. Laser-cut wood kit with white-metal castings, color signs, and detail parts. $44.95. Bar Mills Scale Model Works, 207-929-3400, www.barmillsmodels.com
Assorted laser-cut wood and plastic kits. Bartlett freight house ($39.95), Bartlett roundhouse ($120), Carrigain dwelling section house ($32.95), The Dairy Association building annex ($21.95) and building no. 1 ($67.95), Frank J. Schultz & Son Precision Manufacturing Co. ($30.95), garage ($11.95), hotel ($34.95), houses (two styles, $29.95 or $30.95), Larry’s Welding ($32.95), Locust Grove Barn ($99.95), log cabin (two styles, $22 or $23.95), long barn ($54.95), Lyndon freight house ($65.95), Maine Central motorcar shed ($14.95), Mitchell dwelling section house ($35.95), motorcar shed ($10.95), New England barns (three barns, $28.95), New England farm house ($69.95), New England sugar house ($22), Quincy station ($15.95), Teamster’s barn ($5.95), and Vern’s Repair ($28.95). Creative Laser Design Inc., 802-626-9254, www.creativelaserdesign.com
Pipe loads. Pre-production samples shown. Factory-assembled injection-molded plastic pipes with prototypical load configuration and simulated metal banding and wood cradles. Two versions available. For BLMA’s PTTX class F89-J 89-foot flatcars. Price to be announced. BLMA Models, 562-712-7085, www.blmamodels.com
Ballast King ballast spreading car. Steel and brass construction with flow control. Works on code 83 and 100 track. $239. Track protectors (for covering rails while scenery glue is applied). Two three-foot sections and one foot section, $6.95. Russ Boersma, ogaugeconnection.com
Alco S-2 diesel locomotives. All-wheel drive and electrical pickup, motor with dual flywheels, 6-pin plug for Digital Command Control decoder, directional lighting, prototype-specific grills, and Accumate knuckle couplers. Road names and price to be announced. Ready-to-run. Atlas Model Railroad Co., 908-687-0880, www.atlasrr.com
Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Silver Streak passenger train. Electro-Motive Division E5A and five-car bookcase set. Car names, details, and price to be announced. Kato USA Inc., 847-781-9574, www.katousa.com
TrinityRail 64-foot mechanical refrigerator car. Pre-production model shown. New paint scheme: CIT Group (CEFX reporting marks). Twenty-four road numbers. Injection-molded plastic model with Thermo King reefer unit, prototype-specific doors, 36” metal wheelsets, and body-mounted knuckle couplers. $24.95. Ready-to-run. BLMA Models, 562-712-7085, www.blmamodels.com
Canadian 4,000-cubic-foot-capacity coal gondola. BC Rail (three paint schemes), Canadian National (four schemes), Canadian Pacific (two schemes), CSX, Herzog, Procor (two paint schemes), and Sultran. Multiple road numbers per paint scheme. Prototype-specific sides, ends, and underframes; metal grab irons; etched-brass crossover platforms; Magne-Matic body-mounted couplers; and BLMA trucks. Price to be announced. Ready-to-run. North American Railcar Corp., distributed by Pacific Western Rail Systems, 866-840-7777, www.pwrs.ca
Government of Saskatchewan 4-bay cylindrical covered hopper. Canadian National (SKNX reporting marks) and Canadian Pacific (SKPX marks). 2008 version with exclamation mark and 2011 version without. Twelve road numbers per scheme. Prototype-specific details, Micro-Trains trucks, and Magne-Matic knuckle couplers. 2008 version, $26.95; 2011 version (available in early 2013), $29.95. Ready-to-run. North American Railcar Corp., distributed by Pacific Western Rail Systems, 866-840-7777, www.pwrs.ca
Hawker Siddeley 4,550-cubic-foot-capacity round hatch covered hopper. Canadian National (www.cn.ca without herald, boxed or unboxed reporting marks, six car numbers each), Canpotex, and Potash Corp. of Saskatchewan. Twelve car numbers each unless noted. Micro-Trains trucks and Magne-Matic knuckle couplers. $26.95. Ready-to-run. North American Railcar Corp., distributed by Pacific Western Rail Systems, 866-840-7777, www.pwrs.ca
Billing’s Baked Goods. Laser-cut wood kit. Limited run of 100 kits. Direct-orders only. $89.95. Bar Mills Scale Model Works, 207-929-3400, www.barmillsmodels.com
Assorted laser-cut wood and plastic kits. Bartlett freight house ($23.95), Bartlett roundhouse ($40.95), Carrigain dwelling section house ($15.95), The Dairy Association Building annex ($12.95), Frank J. Schultz & Son Precision Manufacturing Co. ($22), garage (two styles, $9.75 or $10.75), hotel ($18.95), Laplant’s sugar house ($12.95), Larry’s Welding ($18.95), log cabin (two styles, $15.95 or $16.95), long barn ($26.95), Lyndon freight house ($27.95), motorcar shed ($6.95), Maine Central motorcar shed ($6.95), Mitchell dwelling section house ($16.95), New England farm house ($21.95), New England barns (three barns, $16.95), New England sugar house ($13.95), store ($13.95), Quincy station ($11.95), Teamster’s barn ($3.95), and Vern’s Repair ($16.95). Creative Laser Design Inc., 802-626-9254, www.creativelaserdesign.com
Pipe loads. Pre-production samples shown. Factory-assembled injection-molded plastic pipes with prototypical load configuration and simulated metal banding and wood cradles. Two versions available. For BLMA’s PTTX class F89-J 89-foot flatcars. Price to be announced. BLMA Models, 562-712-7085, www.blmamodels.com
Assorted laser-cut wood and plastic kits. The Dairy Association Building annex ($71.95), garage ($24.95), hotel ($61), Larry’s Welding ($59.95), Mitchell dwelling section house ($94.95), motorcar shed ($21.95), New England barns (three barns, $58.95), New England sugar house ($42-$49), Quincy station ($32.95), store ($45.95), Teamster’s barn ($13.95), and Vern’s Repair ($59.95). Creative Laser Design Inc., 802-626-9254, www.creativelaserdesign.com
Electro-Motive Division SD45 diesel locomotive. Pre-production model shown. Injection-molded plastic body shell with photo-etched-metal fans, plastic truck sideframes, and a prototype-specific cab and short hood. Road names, availability, and price to be announced. Ready-to-run. S Scale America, 847-297-2118, www.desplaineshobbies.com
Bangor & Aroostook 50-foot boxcar. State of Maine scheme. Four numbers. Injection-molded plastic model. Factory-installed American Flyer knuckle couplers and wheels; scale wheels included. Ready-to-run. S Scale America, 847-297-2118, www.desplaineshobbies.com
S scale structures
Assorted laser-cut wood and plastic kits. Bartlett freight house ($72.95), Carrigain Dwelling section house ($52.95), hotel ($51.95), log cabin ($38.95), motorcar shed ($15.95), New England barns (three barns, $43.95), New England sugar house ($33), Quincy station ($23.95), and Vern’s Repair ($43.95). Creative Laser Design Inc., 802-626-9254, www.creativelaserdesign.com
Z scale structures
Assorted laser-cut wood kits. Laplant’s sugar house ($12.95) Vern’s Repiar ($11.95). Creative Laser Design Inc., 802-626-9254, www.creativelaserdesign.com
T5000 wireless throttle. Bright graphical liquid-crystal display screen, 16 frequencies, 28 functions, and 11 transmit power levels. Works with T9000 and RF13000 throttles and is compatible with AirWire900 decoders, Linkers, and drop-in decoders. Requires two AAA batteries. $159 (with backlight, $179). Belt clip with mounting screws, $6. CVP Products, 972-238-9966, www.cvpusa.com
The Converter. Ultra-miniature radio receiver and Digital Command Control booster circuit connects to any National Model Railroad Association-compliant Digital Command Control decoder and converts it to an AirWire900-compatible decoder. Can be controlled from any AirWire900 wireless throttle. Uses any addresses from 1 to 9,999; 1.5 amp protected DCC output; and 16 frequencies. Convtr (standard version with built-in internal antenna), $99; Convtrex (with antenna jack for use with included plug-in 3” wire antenna or optional external plug-in antenna), $105. CVP Products, 972-238-9966, www.cvpusa.com
Z scale Digital Command Control decoder replacement boards. DZ123MK0 (Fits Märklin Mini Club 88455), $44; DZ123MK1 (Fits Märklin Z 88584), $44; and DZ123Z0 (Fits American Z Lines GP30 and others), $39. One amp, two-function boards. Digitrax, 850-872-9890, www.digitrax.com
LokSound Select 8-ohm micro speakers. 14mm x 16mm with self-adhesive speaker, $9.97. 16mm x 35mm with enclosure, $7.49. ESU LLC, www.loksound.com
LokSound 4.0XL. Sound and motor decoder for O and large scale locomotives. $244.90.
ESU LLC, www.loksound.com
Sound files. Alco 16-cylinder 251 engine; Electro-Motive Division SD50 diesel locomotive and 16-cylinder 645 (non-turbocharged) and 710 engines; Motive Power Industries MP36; and Southern Pacific Cab-Forward steam locomotive. Works with all LokSound Select V4.0 decoders. Free download. ESU LLC, www.loksound.com
QSI Emulator sound decoder software upgrade. Prototypical sound and lighting effects and motor control for diesel and steam locomotives. Compatible with direct current and Digital Command Control in multiple scales (large scale locomotives have some limitations on DC). Additional information and price to be announced. Produced by QSI, available from Tony’s Train Exchange, 800-978-3472, www.tonystrains.com
Adapt-A-Board. For converting USA Trains diesel locomotives to Digital Command Control or radio control. Boards are available for Alco PA and PB diesel locomotives and Electro-Motive Division GP7 and GP9, GP38-2, F3A and B, SD70MAC, SD40-2, and GP30. $39.95 each. Adapt-A-Board with light-emitting diode kit for EMD GP7 and GP9, $64.95. Price for other locomotives to be announced. Traintek LLC, 888-339-8734, www.traintekllc.com
LaserActive. Handheld laser for activating switch machines, couplers, building lights, sound effects, and animation. Sensors may be hid in scenery or rolling stock. No control panels necessary. Works for N through large scales. Laser pointer, $18; LA-10 sensor, $24; and LA-10-C sensor, $27. Unionvilledepot.com, www.unionvilledepot.com
Weathering Mix. New colors: Driftwood, Cordovan Brown, Hunter Green, Yellow Cream, and “Greige”. Eight-ounce bottle, $7. Hunterline, 866-934-4174, www.hunterline.com
PanPastel weathering kit. Rust and earth colors; grays, grime, and soot; and scenery. Each kit contains seven colors in pan (cake-like) format, palette tray with cover, and Sofft applicators. $49.99 each. Individual colors (9ml pans), $6.99 each. Assorted Sofft applicators, $2.99 to $11.99 each. Colorfin LLC, 484-646-9900, www.modelingcolors.com
ProTraxx HOn3 snap-together track. Code 70 nickel silver rail, molded plastic roadbed, and Kato UniJoiners. Four-pack 9” straight track or four-pack 19”-radius curves, $18.25 each. Starter set (four straight sections, 16 curved sections), $89.95. Blackstone Models, 907-259-0690, www.blackstonemodels.com
Decals
Illinois Central boxcars. 50-foot single-door PS-1 (1968+) and 50-foot combination-door PS-1 (1967+). Each set completes one car. $7 each. Daniel Kohlberg, paducah.home.mindspring.com
DVDs
Building an HO Layout: From Benchwork to Running the Trains. Topics include track plan and benchwork, scenery, track, ballast, wiring, building a trestle bridge, and more. 70 minutes. $14.99. TM Books & Video, 219-879-2822, www.tmbv.com
I am glad to see the Pro-traxx 'snap-together' track for HOn3. This is has been talked about since the 1960s and brings HO narrow gauge modeling within the skills capability of anyone who can create an HO layout using the modern track systems from Atlas, Walthers and Bachmann. Good choice on the curve radius too — it should handle anything up through the D&RGW K-series Mikados!