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 February 18, 2021.
HO scale locomotives
Electro-Motive Division SD40T-2 diesel locomotive. Southern Pacific (factory-weathered 1990s era units, Roseville repaints, as-delivered 8489 class, and fictional Daylight scheme [one road number]), Denver & Rio Grande Western (black and orange with “Flying Grande” lettering), Ohio Central System (maroon, yellow, and gray), and Wheeling & Lake Erie (Denver & Rio Grande Western and Union Pacific patchouts, one number each). Three numbers per scheme unless noted. See-through radiator grills with new rear truck gearbox, light-emitting-diode lighting, and McHenry scale couplers. Mechanism with upgraded rear truck gearbox (without sound, $124.99; with dual-mode SoundTraxx Econami sound decoder, $194.99). Direct-current model with 21-pin NEM Quick Plug, $169.99; with dual-mode Econami sound decoder, $239.99. January 2022. Ready-to-Roll. Athearn Trains, 800-338-4639, athearn.com
HO scale freight cars
36-foot old-time boxcar. Nickel Plate Road; Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe; Chesapeake & Ohio; Missouri-Kansas-Texas; New York, Ontario & Western; and St. Louis Southwestern (Cotton Belt). Three road numbers per scheme. Archbar 50-ton trucks with 33” machined metal wheels; separate, factory-applied brake wheel; and body-mounted McHenry scale couplers. $34.99. January 2022. Roundhouse line. Athearn Trains, 800-338-4639, athearn.com
Pullman-Standard PS-2 2,600-cubic-foot-capacity two-bay covered hopper. Missouri-Kansas-Texas (green and yellow with “Clean Sand Loading Only” and BKTY reporting marks), Grand Trunk Western (blue), Louisville & Nashville (gray), Norfolk & Western (gray), Northern Pacific (gray), and Union Pacific (gray with shield herald and BKTY reporting marks). Three road numbers per scheme. Flush or overhanging roof as appropriate, etched-metal end platforms, and body-mounted McHenry scale couplers. $49.99. January 2022. Ready-to-Roll. Athearn Trains, 800-338-4639, athearn.com
89-foot enclosed tri-level auto rack. Chicago & North Western, BNSF Ry. (rack, on flatcar with BNSF reporting marks, features white circle-cross herald on black panel), CSX, Norfolk Southern, and Union Pacific (Southern Pacific reporting marks on rack and flatcar). Four road numbers per schemes. All racks are painted yellow and mounted on yellow TTX flatcar with ETTX reporting marks unless noted. Factory-installed grab irons, ladders, and brake equipment; 28” wheels, and Proto-Max metal couplers. $64.98. March 2021. WalthersProto. Wm. K. Walthers Inc., 414-527-0770, walthers.com
Pacific Car & Foundry 57-foot mechanical refrigerator car. Southern Pacific Fruit Express (orange and white), Burlington Northern (white with BNFE reporting marks), Milwaukee Road (orange, brown, and white), Pacific Fruit Express (orange, black, and white with Union Pacific and Southern Pacific heralds), Santa Fe Refrigerated Despatch (orange, black, and white with circle-cross herald and SFRC marks), Union Pacific (white with shield herald, “Building America” slogan, and ARMN marks), and Union Pacific Fruit Express (yellow). Three road numbers per paint scheme. Keystone or Hydra-Cushion underframe detail as appropriate; short ladders; low handbrakes; Stanray peaked, ribbed roof with capped exhaust stack; 70-ton roller-bearing trucks with 33” turned-metal wheelsets; and Proto-Max metal couplers. $31.98. April 2021. WalthersMainline. Wm. K. Walthers Inc., 414-527-0770, walthers.com
HO scale structures
Girder bridge. Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe (black and white); Pennsylvania RR (Tuscan Red); Union Pacific (silver and red); and “Traffic? Next Time Take the Train!” (silver and black). Injection-molded plastic bridge with nickel silver rails. Designed for use with Bachmann E-Z Track system; adaptable for use with other popular track systems. Measures 2-1/2” x 9”. $35. Bachmann Trains, 215-533-1600, bachmanntrains.com
Ford central office building. Injection-molded plastic kit based on prototype built by Ford Motor Co. in Dearborn, Mich., and used as central offices from 1920s through late 1990s. Measures 13-1/2” x 6-1/2” x 7-1/4”. $64.98. March 2021. Cornerstone Series. Wm. K. Walthers Inc., 414-527-0770, walthers.com
Modern bus shelter. Injection-molded plastic kit builds one each open and enclosed shelters. Includes two bike racks with bikes. Open shelter measures 3-1/2” x 1-5/8” x 1-1/4”. Enclosed shelter measures 3-3/4” x 1-3/8” x 1-1/4”. Bike racks each measure 2-3/8” x 1” x 7/16”. $24.98. Cornerstone Series. Wm. K. Walthers Inc., 414-527-0770, walthers.com
HO scale details and accessories
40-foot corrugated-side trailers. Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe (silver and red with “Piggy-Back Service” lettering); Chesapeake & Ohio (silver, blue, and yellow “Piggyback Service” lettering); Fruit Growers Express (silver and green with refrigeration unit); Kansas City Southern (silver and red); Northern Pacific Ry. (silver with side door, silver with refrigeration unit, and two-tone green [unnumbered] with side door and refrigeration unit); Northern Pacific Transport (silver); Rio Grande Motorway Inc. (silver and brown); and Southern Pacific (silver and red with “Truck Service” lettering). Three trailer numbers per scheme unless noted. $31.95. Fourth quarter 2021. Trainworx Inc., 970-874-9747, train-worx.com
N scale freight cars
F89-F bi-level auto rack. Southern Ry. (with side panels); Chicago, Burlington & Quincy (brown); Illinois Central (brown with orange rack); New York Central (Century Green); Northern Pacific (brown); and St. Louis-San Francisco (Frisco, yellow). Three road numbers per scheme. Die-cast metal underframe, detailed deck, and body-mounted McHenry couplers. $49.99. December 2022. Athearn N. Athearn Trains, 800-338-4639, athearn.com
Bay-window caboose. St. Louis-San Francisco (Frisco, Mandarin Orange and white), Erie (red), Milwaukee Road (orange and black), Illinois Terminal (green and yellow with “The Road of Personalized Service” slogan), New York Central (Century Green and black, one road number), Nickel Plate Road (red, white, and black with “Nickel Plate High Speed Service” slogan), Northern Alberta Ry. (gray, yellow, and blue), Pennsylvania RR (Freight Car Color with keystone herald, one number), and RJ Corman (solid red and red-and-gray schemes, one number each). Three numbers per scheme unless noted. Axle-mounted generator where appropriate, clear window glazing, and McHenry scale couplers. $34.99. January 2022. Athearn N. Athearn Trains, 800-338-4639, athearn.com
N scale structures
La Maison du Roy. Laser-cut cardboard kit. Measures 2.75” x 2.36” x 2.16”. $47.29. Price may vary based on exchange rate. Minifer, minifer.fr/en
N scale details and accessories
40-foot corrugated-side trailers. Fruit Growers Express (silver and green with side door and refrigeration unit), Northern Pacific Ry. (silver with side door, silver with refrigeration unit, and two-tone green [unnumbered] with refrigeration unit), Pacific RR (silver and blue), and Sonora-Baja California. Three trailer numbers per scheme unless noted; also available painted silver but unlettered. $24.95. Fourth quarter 2021. Trainworx Inc., 970-874-9747, train-worx.com
Decals
Chesapeake & Ohio class L-1 4-6-4 Hudson steam locomotive. HO scale. Set includes road names, road numbers, “donut” heralds, striping, number boards, and tender data in Enchantment Blue and white. Set based on After Hours Graphics no. AHG-31N artwork. $13.99 postpaid. Virginia residents add sales tax. PayPal accepted. Bill Mosteller, Great Decals, 3306 Parkside Terrace, Fairfax, VA 22031; greatdecals.com
