Model railroad locomotive, freight car, passenger car, and structure announcements for December 2, 2021

Product news

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. Here are the products Model Railroader editors have news on for the week of December 2, 2021

HO scale locomotives

Electro-Motive Division SD45 diesel locomotive. Great Northern (Omaha Orange and Pullman Green), Milwaukee Road (orange and black with “Milwaukee Road” on long hood), Norfolk & Western (black and white), Penn Central (black and white), Southern Railway (tuxedo scheme, high short hood), and Wisconsin Central (maroon and yellow). Four road numbers per scheme (two each in direct current and Digital Command Control). Railroad-specific details, die-cast metal underframe, and Proto-Max metal couplers. Direct-current models, $219.98; with dual-mode ESU LokSound 5 sound decoder, $319.98. August 2022. WalthersProto. Wm. K. Walthers Inc., 414-527-0770, walthers.com

Great Northern Electro-Motive Division SD45 diesel locomotive.

HO scale freight cars

70-ton ballast hopper with side chutes. Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe (billboard lettering and with circle-cross and quality heralds, four road numbers each); Conrail (yellow and gray schemes); Dakota, Minnesota & Eastern (yellow, four numbers); Denver & Rio Grande Western (black with “Flying Grande” lettering); Erie Lackawanna (black); Louisville & Nashville (gray); Maine Central (green); Morrison Knudsen (yellow); Ontario Northland (blue and yellow); Penn Central (yellow); Reading & Northern (two-tone gray); and Seaboard Coast Line (oxide red with yellow band). Three numbers per scheme unless noted. Plastic trucks, metal wheelsets, and body-mounted couplers. $29.95. Fall 2022. Executive Line. Bowser Trains, 800-327-5126, bowser-trains.com

Conrail 70-ton ballast hopper with side chutes.

Pennsylvania RR/Penn Central class G43 52’-6” corrugated-side gondola. Penn Central (class G43A as-delivered February 1968 scheme), Conrail (1984+ number paint out in one road number, 1980 C43A repaint, and 1988 G43B coil service with coil racks but no coils), Norfolk Southern (1999+ class GP44 and 2010+ class GP44 repaint, both with coil racks but no coils in one number each), and Pennsylvania RR (original 11-1966 class G43, six new numbers). Twelve numbers per scheme unless noted, also available undecorated (six versions). Prototype-specific details, see-through etched-metal crossover platforms, and Kadee scale couplers. $48.95. Tangent Scale Models, 828-279-6106, tangentscalemodels.com

Penn Central Pennsylvania RR/Penn Central class G43 52’-6” corrugated-side gondola.

N scale structures

Modern steel warehouse. Injection-molded plastic kit with exterior railcar and truck docks, block foundation, and steel upper panels. Includes separate doors and windows, weather bellows for truck dock doors, and printed signs. Measures 10-1/2” x 6-5/16” x 2-13/64”. $59.98. January 2022. Cornerstone Series. Wm. K. Walthers Inc., 414-527-0770, walthers.com

Modern transload terminal. Injection-molded plastic kit with large end door for loading and unloading boxcar inside of structure, truck docks, block foundation, and steel upper panels. Includes separate doors and windows, weather bellows for truck dock doors, and printed signs.
Measures 10-1/2” x 6-5/16” x 2-13/64”. $59.98. January 2022. Cornerstone Series. Wm. K. Walthers Inc., 414-527-0770, walthers.com

N scale passenger equipment

Comet commuter cars. Coach and cab car. Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority, Connecticut Department of Transportation, Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), Metro North Commuter RR, New Jersey Transit (NJT), and Metropolitan Transportation Agency (Montreal). One unnumbered coach and cab car per paint scheme; undecorated coach and cab car also available. Controllable interior and cab car lighting, full underbody and interior detail, inside-bearing trucks with metal wheelsets, tinted window glazing, constant interior lighting in direct current and Digital Command Control, and metal grab irons. Coach, $59.95 (MBTA and NJT, $65.95); cab car, $69.95 (MBTA and NJT, $76.95). Rapido Trains, 905-474-3314, rapidotrains.com

Connecticut Department of Transportation Comet commuter cars.

O scale freight cars

Mt. Vernon Car Manufacturing Co. Denver & Rio Grande Western 61200-61399 series door-and-a-half double-sheathed automobile boxcar. Brass model from Boo-Rim Precision of Korea. Fish-belly underframe, double-sheathed sides, Climax-Cleveland radial roof, 4/5 reversed dreadnaught square corner ends, AB brake system, end-mounted Ajax power hand brake, and Vulcan 50-ton trucks with 5’-6” wheelbase. $358. Protocraft, 707-935-7011, protocraft.com

Ralston Steel Car Co. Nickel Plate Road 87000-87024 series 50’-6” all-steel automobile boxcar with end doors. Brass model from Boo-Rim Precision of Korea. Viking roof with wood running boards, three-panel Creco double doors, recessed 4/5 dreadnaught B end with square corner construction, Champion power hand brake, Bettendorf 50-ton solid-bearing trucks, and 10’-6” Standard Railway Equipment Co. A end doors. $358. Protocraft, 707-935-7011, protocraft.com

Z scale locomotives

Canadian National Electro-Motive Division F7A and F7B diesel locomotives. Green-and-yellow scheme. A-B set and single A unit. Dual flywheels, 7mm motor, directional light-emitting-diode headlights, optional front truck with mounted coupler, and blackened metal wheels. American Z Line, 614-764-1703, americanzline.com

Electro-Motive Division SW1500 diesel locomotive. Burlington Northern (Cascade Green and black). Three road numbers. Prototype-specific details, traction tires, blackened metal wheels, directional light-emitting-diode headlights, and AutoLatch couplers. Includes adapter for replacing AutoLatch couplers with Micro-Trains no. 905 couplers. American Z Line, 614-764-1703, americanzline.com

Burlington Northern Electro-Motive Division SW1500 diesel locomotive.

Z scale freight cars

Pacific Fruit Express R-70-20 mechanical refrigerator car. Santa Fe Refrigerated Despatch (orange with circle-cross herald and “Ship and Travel Santa Fe – All the Way” slogan). Seven road numbers (single car, two-pack, and four-pack). Blackened metal wheels and AutoLatch couplers. American Z Line, 614-764-1703, americanzline.com

Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Pacific Fruit Express R-70-20 mechanical refrigerator cars.]

Books

The Boston & Maine Railroad: Ayer, Mass., to Rotterdam, N.Y. By Stan Trzoniec. Second printing. Updated and improved with new layouts, photos, and captions. Covers the history of the B&M Fitchburg Division between Ayer, Mass., and Rotterdam, N.Y. Most of the towns along the line are featured in an easy-to-follow format. Hardcover. 214 pages and 265 photos complemented with color postcards. $70 plus $5 shipping. Author autograph available upon request. OutdoorPhotoGraphics, 562 South St., Shrewsbury, MA 01545; outdoorphotographics.com