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 November 4, 2021.
HO scale locomotives
Fairbanks-Morse H-16-44 diesel locomotive. Milwaukee Road (orange and black); Central of New Jersey (blue and yellow); Long Island Rail Road (gray and orange “Dashing Dan” scheme); New York Central (black and white with radio stencil); New York, New Haven & Hartford (post-McGinnis orange and black); Pennsylvania RR (Dark Green Locomotive Enamel and gold); and Southern Ry. (green, white, and gold). Two road numbers per scheme; also available undecorated (early and late body). Bi-directional dual-mode red and green light-emitting-diode marker lamps, die-cast metal underframe, and Accumate couplers. Direct-current model with factory-installed speaker, $169.95; with dual-mode ESU LokSound sound decoder, $279.95. Master Line. Atlas Model Railroad Co., 908-687-0880, shop.atlasrr.com
Whitcomb 65-DE-19A diesel locomotive. U.S. Army Transportation Corp. (black) and Maryland Midland (blue and orange). One road number per scheme; also available painted blue and orange but undecorated. Die-cast metal chassis and hood, metal handrails, and European-style hook couplers (can be replaced with PIKO no. 56043 knuckle couplers). Without sound, $279.99; with PIKO SmartSound 5.1 sound decoder, $379.99. December 2021. PIKO America, 619-280-2800, piko-america.com
Electro-Motive Division F40PH diesel locomotive. Amtrak (phase 2, 3, and 4 schemes) and VIA Rail Canada (Renaissance scheme in two road numbers and Canada scheme). Four numbers per scheme (two each in direct current and with dual-mode sound decoder) unless noted. Factory-installed vertical handrails, molded drill starter points for grab irons (sold separately), and Proto-Max metal couplers. Direct-current model with 21-pin plug for Digital Command Control decoder, $139.98; with dual-mode ESU sound decoder, $199.98. WalthersMainline. Wm. K. Walthers Inc., 414-527-0770, walthers.com
HO scale freight cars
Slab-side covered hopper. Canadian National (red-and-white as-delivered scheme with 12 square hatch covers, gray-and-red scheme with 12 square hatch covers, and gray-and-red scheme with six square hatch covers); Canadian Pacific (black with Multimark herald, six square and eight round hatch cover versions); and Toronto, Hamilton & Buffalo (black with eight round hatch covers). Three road numbers per scheme; also available undecorated (six-, eight-, and 12-hatch cover versions). Injection-molded plastic with open or closed sides as appropriate, solid-bearing trucks, metal wheels, and body-mounted couplers. $54.95 (undecorated, $44.95). Master Line. Atlas Model Railroad Co., 908-687-8857, shop.atlasrr.com
Milwaukee, Racine & Troy 40-foot boxcar. One road number. Limited-run injection-molded plastic kit. One-piece body with factory-installed brake wheel and running board casting; molded doors, ladders, grab irons, and stirrup steps; plastic underbody with molded center sills, draft-gear boxes, crossmembers, body bolsters, floor board detail, and kingpins; modeler-installed brake rod assembly, air reservoir, control valve, and draft-gear box covers; solid-bearing trucks with plastic wheelsets; Accumate couplers with metal trip pins; screws; and unpainted steel weight. $27.99. Produced by Accurail, available exclusively from the Kalmbach Hobby Store, KalmbachHobbyStore.com
Pennsylvania RR class X31A single- and double-door boxcars. Single-door car: circle keystone (1934-1954), shadow keystone (early [1954-1957] and late [1957-1960]), plain keystone (1961-1968), and stores department. Double-door car: circle keystone (with and without “Automobiles” lettering) and shadow keystone (early and late versions). Underbody detail with all piping; blackened, insulated turned-metal wheelsets; Barber PRR 2D-F12 trucks; and separate, factory-applied grab irons and ladders. Single car, $49.95; six-pack, $299.70. Rapido Trains, 905-474-3314, rapidotrains.com
Two-bay hopper with exterior posts. Reading Co. (black and red with “America’s Largest Anthracite Carrier” slogan), Clinchfield (black), Louisville & Nashville (brown with “The Old Reliable” slogan), Southern Pacific (brown), and Union Pacific (Boxcar Red with yellow lettering). One road number per scheme. Separate, factory-applied brake wheel; RP-25 contour metal wheels; and body-mounted couplers. $19.98. WalthersTrainline. Wm. K. Walthers Inc., 414-527-0770, walthers.com
HO scale passenger equipment
Pullman-Standard 74-foot baggage car. BNSF Ry. and Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe. One road number per scheme. Both cars painted in silver business train scheme. Separate, factory-applied grab irons; RP-25 contour metal wheels; modeler-installed extended drawbars for 22” radius curves; and Proto-Max metal couplers. $84.89. Wm. K. Walthers Inc., 414-527-0770, walthers.com
N scale freight cars
Trinity 64-foot mechanical refrigerator car. Union Pacific (white with “Building America” slogan and high ARMN reporting marks in 12 numbers, with ARNM marks in one number), CIT Group/Capital Finance (white and black, six numbers), Naked Juice (white and blue, one road number), and Tropicana (white, orange, and black in 12 numbers). Carrier reefer unit as appropriate, BLMA 100-ton trucks with 36” metal wheels, and brown couplers. $39.95. Master Line. Atlas Model Railroad Co., 908-687-0880, shop.atlasrr.com
Milwaukee, Racine & Troy 40-foot boxcar. One road number. Injection-molded plastic body with positionable doors and factory-installed brake wheel and running board casting; molded ladders and grab irons; die-cast metal underbody with body bolster and floor board detail and mounting pads for body-mounted couplers; plastic stirrup steps; one-piece plastic casting with center sills, crossmembers, brake appliances, and related rods and pipes; pin-mounted solid-bearing trucks; plastic wheelsets; and truck-mounted Magne-Matic couplers. $39.98. Limited quantities available. Produced by Micro-Trains Line Co., available exclusively from the Kalmbach Hobby Store, KalmbachHobbyStore.com
S scale freight cars
Southern Pacific class A-50-6 single-sheathed 50-foot boxcar. Cast-resin kit features one-piece body, separate floor/underframe with parts for brake details, wood running board, wire grab irons, 3-D printed details, and decals, but no couplers or trucks. $95. Pre-Size Model Specialties, pre-size.com
Z scale freight cars
1917 8,000-gallon tank car. The Texas Co. (black and white). Seven road numbers (single car, two-pack, and four-pack). Blackened metal wheels, Bettendorf trucks, and AutoLatch couplers. American Z Line, 614-764-1703, americanzline.com
Track
Assorted code 83 turnouts. No. 4 right-hand turnout, no. 5 right-hand turnout, and no. 6 left-hand turnout, $29.98 each. No. 10 left-hand turnout, $37.98. Thin-profile plastic ties molded dark brown with woodgrain detail, spike-mounting holes positioned next to rail, molded starter points on underside of ties for fasteners, and nickel silver rail. Additional features include snap-action points, solid rail points, insulated frogs with built-in jumper for powering as desired, current jumpers entering and leaving the frog, and insulated tie bar. Wm. K. Walthers Inc., 414-527-0770, walthers.com
Code 83 nickel silver bridge track set. Includes one 36” section of bridge track, two bridge track end pieces, and two end piece “wood” filler ties. Thin-profile plastic ties molded dark brown with woodgrain detail, spike-mounting holes positioned next to rail, molded starter points on underside of ties for fasteners, and nickel silver rail. $39.98. Wm. K. Walthers Inc., 414-527-0770, walthers.com
Club offerings
Chicago & North Western American Car & Foundry two-bay Center Flow covered hopper. Accurail HO scale kit custom-decorated for the Chicago & North Western Historical Society. Three road numbers. Includes Accurail trucks, plastic wheelsets, and Accumate couplers. Single car, $34; three-pack, $85. Prices are postpaid to addresses in the United States. Illinois residents include 9-1/2 percent sales tax. CNWHS, P.O. Box 1068, North Riverside, IL 60546. Online orders available at cnwhs.org/wp1/cnwhsstore/
I am wondering when Walthers will off a No.4 left hand turnout.