Product news
Model railroad operators and builders can get the latest information about model railroad products like 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 10, 2022.
HO scale locomotives
Electro-Motive Division GP18 diesel locomotive. Lehigh Valley (1964-era Tuscan Red scheme in two road numbers, 1971-era Cornell Red scheme in one number), Conrail (Primed for Grime Lehigh Valley Cornell Red patchout, one number), Grand Trunk Western (orange and black with “wet noodle” herald in three road numbers), Missouri Pacific (Jenks Blue scheme, three numbers), Rock Island (as-delivered scheme in two numbers, later simple repaint in one number), and Seaboard Coast Line (black-and-yellow scheme in two numbers). Wire grab irons, detailed cab interior, and light-emitting-diode lighting. Direct-current model with 21-pin NEM connector, $219.99; with dual-mode SoundTraxx Tsunami 2 sound decoder, $319.99. Add $10 to Primed for Grime models. March 2023. Genesis series. Athearn Trains, 800-338-4639, athearn.com
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. Master Line. Atlas Model Railroad Co., 908-687-0880, atlasrr.com
HO scale freight cars
Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Sterlingworth hopper. 3-D printed kit with assembly hardware and photo-illustrated instructions but no trucks or couplers. $29.99 plus shipping. Concept Models, con-sys.com
National Steel Car barrel ore hoppers. 35-foot car: Canadian National (Mineral Brown and Scale Test Car [single car and three-pack]) and Ontario Northland (Progressive Green). 42-foot car: Canadian National (Mineral Brown) and Ontario Northland (Chevron scheme). Also available undecorated in both body styles. Detailed underbody including all separate air and brake piping, 100-ton Barber S-2 trucks with metal wheels, prototype-specific details, see-through etched-metal end platforms, factory-installed grab irons, and Kadee no. 158 couplers. $59.95 each; three-pack, $179.85; and six-pack, $359.70. Rapido Trains, 905-474-3314, rapidotrains.com
HO scale details and accessories
Wood decks for Athearn and Roundhouse 30-foot flatcars. Laser-cut three-ply birch plywood decks with laser-scribed plank and bolt hole detail, cutouts for stake pockets, and peel-and-stick backing. Two-pack, $7.95. American Model Builders Inc., 314-646-8588, laserkit.com
N scale locomotives
General Electric Dash 8-40C and Dash 8-40CW diesel locomotives. New paint schemes. Dash 8-40CW: Canadian National (red, black, and white with Illinois Central reporting marks), CSX (Atlantic Coast Line, Chessie System, and Monon heritage decals, one road number each), and Norfolk Southern (black and white). Dash 8-40C: Consolidated Railway Equipment (Union Pacific patchout), Kansas City Southern (Southern Belle scheme), Lancaster & Chester (blue and white, one number), Pan Am (blue and white). New numbers. Dash 8-40CW: Conrail (“Quality” scheme). Three number per scheme unless noted; also available undecorated in both versions. Golden-white light-emitting-diode headlights; separate, factory-applied uncoupling levers; and Accumate couplers. Direct-current models with factory-installed speaker, $139.95; with dual-model ESU sound decoder, $249.95 (undecorated, $239.95). Master Line. Atlas Model Railroad Co. 908-687-0880, shop.atlasrr.com
N scale freight cars
FMC 50-foot combination-door boxcar. Burlington Northern (Cascade Green herald over three lines scheme); Minnesota, Dakota & Western (white and green); Railbox (early, late, and Primed for Grime late); and Missouri Pacific (brown). Three road numbers per scheme. Screw-mounted roller-bearing trucks, machined metal wheels, body-mounted McHenry scale couplers. $29.99 (Primed for Grime, $34.99). March 2023. Athearn N. Athearn Trains, 800-338-4639, athearn.com
N scale structures
Great Northern standard 30 x 60-foot combination depot. Laser-cut wood kit with three-ply birch plywood walls, soffit, roof, and platform; laser-scribed siding, wainscoting, and platform deck; peel-and-stick three-tab shingles; and cast-resin chimney. Measures 4-5/8” x 2-7/8” x 1-3/4” (including roof overhang); when mounted on trackside platform, measures 5-1/2” wide x 3-5/8” deep. $59.95. American Model Builders Inc., 314-646-8588, laserkit.com
Z scale locomotives
Electro-Motive Division SW1500 diesel locomotive. New paint scheme: Union Pacific (Armour Yellow and Harbor Mist Gray). Three road names. Prototype-specific details, traction tires, blackened-metal wheels, directional light-emitting-diode headlights, and AutoLatch couplers. Includes adapters for replacing AutoLatch couplers with Micro-Trains no. 905 couplers. American Z Line, 614-764-1703, americanzline.com
Books
Multideck Designs for Model Railroads. By Tony Koester. Features all-new content covering the many methods for designing and building a multideck layout. Includes information on lighting, construction, operation, and other facets of two- and three-deck layouts. Softcover, 112 pages. $21.99. Kalmbach Media, KalmbachHobbyStore.com
I remain very curious as to when some of the products listed are to be available, in my case particularly Atlas’s HO Phase 1 U30C’s.