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 March 18, 2021.
HO scale locomotives
General Electric U30C diesel locomotive. Chessie System with Chesapeake & Ohio reporting marks (yellow, blue, and vermillion), Conrail (blue and white), Delaware & Hudson (blue, gray, and yellow), Reading Co. (yellow and green), Pennsylvania RR (Dark Green Locomotive Enamel and gold), and Seaboard Coast Line (black and yellow). Three road numbers per scheme; also available undecorated (with and without nose headlight). New tooling based on Phase I prototype. Features etched-metal grills; railroad-specific cab, headlight, and nose light variations; newly tooled Adirondack truck sideframes; and metal couplers. Direct-current model with 8-pin plug for Digital Command Control decoder, $189.95; with dual-mode ESU LokSound sound decoder, $299.95. Fourth quarter 2021. Master Line. Atlas Model Railroad Co., 908-687-0880, atlasrr.com
Electro-Motive Division SD45 diesel locomotive. Burlington Northern (Cascade Green and black); Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe (blue-and-yellow warbonnet); Conrail (blue with “can opener” herald); and Norfolk & Western (high short hood; Pevler Blue in five numbers, American Revolution Bicentennial in one number). Six numbers per scheme unless noted; also available undecorated (Burlington Northern, Conrail, Norfolk & Western, and Santa Fe body styles). Light-emitting-diode headlights, number boxes, and marker lights; see-through dynamic brake intakes with resistor grid; and detailed cab interior. Direct-current model, $184.99 (N&W Bicentennial, $189.99); with dual-mode ESU LokSound 5 sound decoder, dual cube-type speakers, and ESU PowerPack with two super capacitors, $274.99 (N&W Bicentennial, $279.99). Rivet Counter line. ScaleTrains.com Inc., 423-299-3689, scaletrains.com
Electro-Motive Division SD45 diesel locomotive. Penn Central (black); Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe (pinstripe scheme); Burlington Northern (Cascade Green); and Chicago & North Western (yellow and green). Four road numbers per paint scheme; also available undecorated. Directional light-emitting-diode headlights, illuminated number boxes, see-through steps, and holes for detail parts (Detail kit no. SXT81180 with wire grab irons, trainline hoses, m.u. hose clusters, uncoupling levers, windshield wipers, and more sold separately). Direct-current model with 21-pin connector, $104.99; with dual-mode Essential Sound Unit, $154.99. Operator line. ScaleTrains.com Inc., 423-299-3689, scaletrains.com
Montreal Locomotive Works M420 diesel locomotive. Canadian National (as delivered “stripes” scheme and stripes with red/orange cab roof). MR-20b and MR-20c classes. Detailed cab interior with optional open front door; two- or three-panel radiators; louvered or large opening electrical cabinet door; open or closed truck bearings; and operating headlights, rear lights, tri-color class lights, and illuminated cab control stand. Direct-current model, $225; with dual-mode ESU LokSound sound decoder, $335. Rapido Trains Inc., 905-474-3314, rapidotrains.com
HO scale freight cars
Assorted freight cars. Denver & Rio Grande Western American Car & Foundry two-bay Center Flow covered hopper (gray with “The Action Road” slogan), $20.98. Chesapeake & Ohio wood-side two-bay hopper (black with “C&O for Progress” herald (single car, $18.98; three-pack, $55.98). Lehigh Valley Pullman-Standard 40-foot PS-1 boxcar (“Route of the Black Diamond” slogan), $19.98. Louisville & Nashville 36-foot double-sheathed boxcar with metal ends and straight underframe (Boxcar Red), $19.98. Nashville, Chattanooga & St. Louis 36-foot Fowler wood boxcar (Boxcar Red with “To and From Dixieland” slogan), $19.98. Pacific Fruit Express 40-foot double-sheathed refrigerator car (orange with brown roof and ends), $20.98. Soo Line 40-foot riveted-side boxcar (Boxcar Red with billboard lettering), $19.98. Injection-molded plastic kits with plastic wheelsets, Accumate couplers, and steel weight(s). Accurail, 630-365-1173, accurail.com
40-foot modernized boxcar. North Stratford RR (dark green); Gulf, Mobile & Ohio (red); Louisville & Nashville (blue); Missouri-Kansas-Texas (red); Penn Central (Deepwater Green); Rock Island (brown); and Southern Pacific (brown). Five road numbers per name (two single cars and one three pack). Underbody brake system details, RP-25 contour machined metal wheelsets, and body-mounted McHenry scale couplers. Single car, $34.99; three-pack, $99.99. March 2022. Ready-to-Roll. Athearn Trains, 800-338-4639, athearn.com
85-foot flatcar. Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe (white); Denver & Rio Grande Western (black); Trailer Train (brown); Rock Island (brown); Pacific Fruit Express (orange); and Soo Line (brown). Three road numbers per scheme. Trailer hitches, wire grab irons, metal underframe, swing-mount coupler boxes, and McHenry scale couplers. $44.99. March 2022. Ready-to-Roll. Athearn Trains, 800-338-4639, athearn.com
50-foot postwar double-door boxcar. New paint schemes: Canadian National (brown, white, and green); Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe (brown, black, and white with El Capitan and Super Chief lettering in two road numbers each); Chesapeake & Ohio (brown and white); Erie Lackawanna (gray and maroon); Great Northern (Big Sky Blue); Illinois Central Gulf (orange, white, and black); Michigan Northern (green and white, two numbers); and Missouri-Kansas-Texas (green and white). Three numbers per scheme unless noted; also available undecorated. Separate, factory-applied ladders and grab irons; prototype-specific roof and ends; and metal wheelsets. $39.95 (undecorated, $29.95). Fourth quarter 2021. Master Line. Atlas Model Railroad Co., 908-687-0880, atlasrr.com
General American Tank Car welded tank car. New road names: Northern Pacific (as delivered in four road numbers, “Assigned to Mtrl. Mgr. Interbay Was.” stencil in three numbers) and Spokane, Portland & Seattle (eight numbers). Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe (BNSF fire support in one number; with new lading bands (six numbers each): journal oil service [1970s lettering], reclaimed diesel fuel service [1970s lettering], solvent service [early lettering], diesel fuel service [early and 1970s lettering], gasoline service [early lettering]). Road name and era-specific details, solid-bearing or roller-bearing 70-ton trucks, and conventional or lower-shelf couplers. $64.95. American Limited Models, division of San Juan Model Co., sanjuanmodelco.com
N scale locomotives
General Electric Dash 8-40B and Dash 8-40BW diesel locomotives. New paint schemes: Dash 8-40B with deck-mounted ditch lights: RJ Corman (red and silver with Nashville & Eastern lettering), one road number), Providence & Worcester (Genesee & Wyoming scheme), and Pan Am (dark blue). Dash 8-40BW with pilot-mounted ditch lights: Amtrak (phase 5 with white sill), BNSF (Heritage III, two numbers), and RJ Corman (red and silver with Nashville & Eastern lettering, one number). New numbers. Dash 8-40B: Conrail (blue), Susquehanna (yellow and black), Southern Pacific (scarlet and gray), and LMX (gray and red). Dash 8-40BW with pilot-mounted ditch lights (two numbers per scheme): Amtrak (“Pepsi can” and phase 5 [red sill stripe] schemes) and Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe (red-and-silver warbonnet). Three numbers per scheme unless noted; also available undecorated in both body styles. Scale Speed motor, golden-white light-emitting-diode headlights, and Accumate couplers. Direct-current model with wired speaker and enclosure, $129.95 to $149.95; with dual-mode ESU LokSound sound decoder, $239.95 to $259.95. Fourth quarter 2021. Master Line. Atlas Model Railroad Co., 908-687-0880, atlasrr.com
N scale freight cars
Pullman-Standard PS-2 two-bay covered hopper. New paint schemes: Burlington Northern (yellow with “Scale Monitor Car” lettering, two road numbers), Boston & Maine (gray, white, and orange Guilford scheme), Central of Georgia (gray and black), Penn Central (Deepwater Green), and Smith Douglass Fertilizer (gray and black). New numbers: Norfolk & Western (green and white), Northern Pacific (gray and black), and Pennsylvania RR (gray and black with shadow keystone). Three numbers per scheme unless noted; also available undecorated. Accumate couplers, 50-ton solid-bearing or 70-ton roller-bearing trucks as appropriate, and plastic wheelsets. $25.95 (undecorated, $19.95). Fourth quarter 2021. Trainman line. Atlas Model Railroad Co., 908-687-0880, atlasrr.com
N scale structures
The house of the labyrinth. Laser-cut cardboard kit with PDF instructions. Measures 4.33” x 2.16” x 2.16”. $46.76. Price may vary based on exchange rate. Minifer, manifer.fr/en
Decals
Southern Ry. Greenville 100-ton hopper decals. HO scale. Set, designed for cars painted black, includes Southern road name in “Claytor font,” road numbers, capacity data, consolidated lube plates, and reflector stripes. Additional lettering to re-stencil car with Norfolk Southern (NS) and Vulcan Materials (VULX) reporting marks included. Completes two cars. $4.77, postpaid. Virginia residents add appropriate sales tax. PayPal accepted. Bill Mosteller, Great Decals, 3306 Parkside Terrace, Fairfax, VA 22031; greatdecals.com
Roadbed
Roadbed. EVA closed-cell foam with pre-scored track centerline and shoulders beveled to 60-degree angle. Can be cut with snap-off knife. Strips (100 feet, cut in 2-foot pieces): HO scale (3mm and 5mm) and N scale (3mm). Sheets (11.8” x 23.6”): 3mm 10-pack and 5mm six-pack. Strips, $29.91; sheet, $19.93. Price may vary based on exchange rate. DCC Concepts, +44 (0)1729 821080, dccconcepts.com
