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 July 22, 2021.
HO scale locomotives
MT-4 4-8-2 steam locomotive. Without skyline casing: Standard paint scheme with boiler tube pilot, alligator-style crosshead, and 120-C-6 tender and early green boiler scheme with boiler tube pilot, alligator-style crosshead, and 120-C-6 or 160-C-1 semi-Vanderbilt tender. With Skyline casing: Standard black paint scheme with corrugated pressed steel pilot, Laird multiple bearing crosshead, and 160-C-1/C-2 semi-Vanderbilt tender and Daylight paint scheme (one number each with Boxpox-style wheel center on main driver, boiler tube-style pilot, alligator-style crosshead, and 160-C-1/C-2 semi-Vanderbilt tender and corrugated pressed steel pilot, Laird multiple bearing crosshead, and 160-C-1/C-2 semi-Vanderbilt tender). One number each. Improved locomotive-to-tender connection harness, electrical pickup wires, and tire-to-rail contact area; front coupler pocket able to accept an operating coupler; and light-emitting-diode lighting. Direct-current model, $509.99; with dual-mode SoundTraxx Tsunami2 sound decoder and two cube speakers, $599.99. August 2022. Genesis series. Athearn Trains, 800-338-4639, athearn.com
Fairbanks-Morse H16-44 diesel locomotive. Baltimore & Ohio (blue); Canadian National (green-and-yellow and “wet noodle” herald schemes); Canadian Pacific (maroon-and-gray with block lettering and Action Red schemes); Milwaukee Road (orange and black); New York, New Haven & Hartford (McGinnis and Alpert schemes); Norfolk & Western (blue), Penn Central (black), and Virginian (yellow and black). Four road numbers per scheme. Separate, factory-applied grab irons and handrails; Dofasco or Fairbanks-Morse trucks as appropriate; and illuminated number boxes, headlights, and class lights. Direct-current model, $225; with dual-mode ESU LokSound V5 sound decoder, $335. Mid-2022 release. Rapido Trains Inc., 905-474-3314, rapidotrains.com
HO scale freight cars
50-foot SIECO boxcar. Ashley, Drew & Northern (green and white); Boston & Maine (two-tone blue); Norfolk & Western (black); and Virginia Central (green). Primed for Grime: Atlantic & Western (Hutchison Northern patchouts) and Canadian Pacific (brown patchouts). Three road numbers per scheme. Photo-etched metal crossover platform, metal wheelsets, and McHenry scale couplers. $47.99 (Primed for Grime, $52.99). August 2022. Genesis series. Athearn Trains, 800-338-4639, athearn.com
50-foot high-cube plug-door boxcar with exterior posts. Arkansas-Oklahoma RR (Oxide Red); BNSF Ry. (Oxide Red); Coe Rail Inc. (green); Columbia & Cowlitz (navy blue); Illinois Central (gray); Laurinburg & Southern (blue with large GATX lettering in one road number and small GATX lettering in two numbers); and Oregon, California & Eastern (navy blue). Three numbers per scheme unless noted. Separate, factory-applied brake wheel and stirrup steps; RP-25 contour metal wheels; and body-mounted McHenry scale couplers. $34.99. August 2022. Roundhouse line. Athearn Trains, 800-338-4639, athearn.com
American Car & Foundry 33,000-gallon tank car. New paint schemes: Cal Gas (red, gray, white, and black) and Continental Tank Car Corp. (black). New paint schemes: GLNX Corp. (blue), Canadian National (safety training car, one road number), American Car & Foundry (white), and Penn Central (Deepwater Green and white, fictional scheme). Two numbers per scheme unless noted; also available undecorated. Separate factory-applied handrails, 100-ton roller-bearing trucks, and Accumate couplers. $42.95 (undecorated, $34.95). Master Line. Atlas Model Railroad Co., 908-687-0880, atlasrr.com
Sun Belt System 70-ton wood-chip hopper. Solid-bearing trucks, metal wheelsets, and body-mounted couplers. Four road numbers (only 50 of each number will be produced). $29.95. Bowser Trains, 800-327-5126, bowser-trains.com
53-foot Husky-Stack well car. Canadian Pacific (red), Ferromex (grey), and TTX (pink with “On Track for a Cure” slogan [one road number] and yellow [as-delivered, patched with Forward Thinking logo, and Forward Thinking schemes]). Six road numbers per scheme unless noted. Improved see-through etched-metal walkways, 70-ton trucks with 33” metal wheels, and metal knuckle couplers. $34.95. Rapido Trains, 905-474-3314, rapidotrains.com
Trinity 3,281 cubic-foot capacity two-bay covered hopper. Iowa, Chicago & Eastern (gray with GATX lettering in upper right corner); GATX Corp. (gray with blue GATX lettering in upper right corner); Trinity Industries Leasing (gray); and VTG North America (gray). Four road numbers per scheme. Separate, factory-applied brake gear, running board, discharge gates, inlet hatches, and end ladder cages; metal wheelsets; and Proto-Max couplers. $27.98. August 2021. WalthersMainline. Wm. K. Walthers Inc., 414-527-0770, walthers.com
HO scale passenger equipment
Amtrak Surfliner inter-city commuter cars: Cab/baggage/coach car Point San Luis, coach/cafe car Diablo Canyon, business class car Montana de Oro Park, and coach cars Grover Beach and Redondo Beach. Amtrak Surfliner passenger set: Cab/baggage/coach car Point Conception, Pacific business class Balboa Park, coach/cafe Topanga Canyon, and coaches Pismo Beach and Seal Beach. Light-emitting-diode interior lighting, interior stair and luggage rack details, and McHenry scale couplers. Without sound: single car, $149.99; five-pack, $699.99. With SoundTraxx Tsunami SoundCar: single car, $199.99; five-pack, $799.99. August 2022. Genesis series. Athearn Trains, 800-338-4639, athearn.com
HO scale structures
Modern sectional house with garage. Injection-molded plastic kit with non-working porch lights, electric and gas meters, front window shutters, and two styles of doors. Garage can be built with one large or two small overhead doors. House measures 6-7/8” x 3-5/16” x 2”; garage measures 3-1/8” x 3-1/8” x 2”. $34.98. Cornerstone Series. Wm. K. Walthers Inc., 414-527-0770, walthers.com
HO scale details and accessories
Box van. Burlington Northern; Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe; Delta; Denver & Rio Grande Western; United Parcel Service; Western Pacific; and painted white but unlettered. Injection-molded plastic with clear window glazing; cab interior with separate, factory-applied steering wheel; and vinyl tires. $34.99. August 2022. Athearn Trains, 800-338-4639, athearn.com
1993 Ford Explorer. Burlington Northern (white and black); Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe (white and blue); Canadian National (white and red); Chicago & North Western (yellow and red); Conrail (neon lime and blue); Guilford Rail System (orange); RJ Corman (red and silver); and Sperry Rail Service (yellow). One vehicle number per scheme; also available painted (orange, white, or yellow) but unlettered. Simulated rotary beacon, side view mirrors, and head and taillight glazing. $27.95 (painted but unlettered, $24.95). Atlas Model Railroad Co., 908-687-0880, atlasrr.com
M&M UFO scene. Factory-painted and detailed with scenicked base, six M&M characters, two aliens, crate of M&Ms, Jack the German shepherd, and UFO with multi-colored LED lights and animated tractor beam claw. Measures 9-1/2” x 7-1/4” x 4”. Lighting requires 4.5V power source (sold separately). $79.99. Menards, menards.com/trains
N scale freight cars
40-foot three-bay hopper with exterior posts. Chessie System (black and yellow with Baltimore & Ohio reporting marks), BNSF Ry. (Mineral Red with circle-cross herald), Canadian National (Mineral Red with white rotary end and Chicago Central reporting marks), Central of Georgia (black and white with “The Right Way” slogan), Conrail (brown with “can opener” herald), and Norfolk & Western (black and white with centered lettering). Nine road numbers per scheme (single car and two four-packs). Flat or peaked ends as appropriate, removable coal load, and body-mounted McHenry scale couplers. Single car, $29.99; four-pack, $109.99. August 2022. Athearn N. Athearn Trains, 800-338-4639, athearn.com
N scale passenger equipment
Pullman-Standard lightweight coach. New paint scheme: Northern Pacific (1947 North Coast Limited Pine Tree scheme). Injection-molded plastic with painted molded grab irons on the sides, sprung diaphragms, metal wheels, plastic interior, and truck-mounted couplers. Single car (no. 503), $49; two-pack (nos. 503 and 505), $89. RailSmith Models, lowellsmith.net/railsmith
50-foot Airslide covered hopper. ADM Milling Co. (gray with molecule logo), BNSF Ry. (Mineral Red with circle-cross herald and “BUFFER SVC ONLY DO NOT LOAD” stencil), Clinton Corn Processing (gray, red, and white), Corn Products (yellow, black, and white), Denver & Rio Grande Western (gray, blue, and white), and Peavey (blue and red). Two road numbers per scheme; also available undecorated. ABS body, die-cast metal trucks and couplers, and metal wheelsets. $79.95. Fourth quarter 2021. Atlas O Premier line. Atlas O, 908-687-0880, altasrr.com
Large scale freight cars
Wascosa era VI Shimmns tarp car. Hook-and-loop couplers, simulated tarp cover molded in closed position, and plastic wheelsets. $174.99. September 2021. PIKO America, 619-280-2800, piko-america.com
Large scale passenger equipment
Deutsche Reichsbahn era III Reko second-class diner Mitropa. Hook-and-loop couplers, molded interior seats, and plastic wheelsets. Interior lighting can be added using PIKO lighting kit (no. 36138) and metal wheels (no. 36165), both sold separately. PIKO America, 619-280-2800, piko-america.com
