2024 saw some great model railroad product releases. As we begin a new year, Eric White, Cody Grivno, Mitch Horner, and I take a look back at some Model Railroader’s favorite products of 2024.
ScaleTrains HO scale Milwaukee, Racine & Troy steel cupola caboose
As you may have heard, Model Railroader’s HO scale staff layout, the Milwaukee, Racine & Troy, was torn down in the summer of 2024. Though the iconic layout is no more, I’ve found myself reminiscing about the Myrt while running my Milwaukee, Racine & Troy HO scale steel cupola caboose. The model, produced for shop.trains.com by ScaleTrains, has made a fine addition to my collection. It also serves as a reminder of fond memories of our former layout. — Mitch Horner
Moloco Trains HO scale Northern Pacific 50-foot XM double-door boxcar
I’m a fan of Burlington Northern and its predecessors, so this was an easy choice. This HO scale model, based on a prototype built at the Northern Pacific shops in Brainerd, Minn. between 1956 and 1959, was primarily used to transport lumber and forest products. The model is offered with road-number-specific details and lettering placement. It doesn’t get much better than that. — Cody Grivno
Atlas HO scale Metra Nippon Sharyo Bi-Level commuter cars
Aside from Amtrak Superliners, I probably have the most prototype hours riding in Metra bi-level commuter cars. I was ecstatic when Atlas announced them, and was even happier to see them in person. The paint finish and iconic fluted sides really shine on this model. On top of that, the green window tinting and interior lighting make these an excellent choice to run with the lights off. Stay tuned for my review of the cars in an upcoming issue of Model Railroader. — Bryson Sleppy
Rapido HO scale General Electric 44-Ton diesel locomotive
I was excited to see this release because the model decorated for Pennsylvania RR fits perfectly on my HO scale Washington Avenue Branch layout that I’m building in my living room. The model railroad is at eye-level, and the whole family can see it, so it’s great to have a highly detailed diesel to switch cars with. It also runs great through all of the turnouts on my switching layout. Stay tuned to Trains.com for a review of this compact locomotive. — Eric White
Atlas HO scale Motive Power Industries MP36PH-3C diesel locomotive
As a fan of both the Milwaukee Road and Metra, what could be better than a Metra locomotive painted in honor of the Milwaukee Road? The sleek, modern MPI locomotive is decorated in the striking orange, maroon, and black colors of the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific RR, better known as the Milwaukee Road, and features the famed Hiawatha logo on the nose. The prototype, which entered service in 2019, is a unique locomotive on Metra’s roster. You can read more about locomotive 405 here! And take a look at Cody’s review of the Atlas model here. — Mitch Horner
InterMountain HO scale Seaboard Coast Line GP16 diesel locomotive
What can I say? I’ve got a soft spot for rebuilt locomotives. One that I’d long been hoping for was the Seaboard Coast Line GP16. The full-size units started on SCL, then went to successors Seaboard System and CSX. When CSX retired the GP16s in the early 1990s, they wound up on short lines, regional carriers, and at industries throughout the United States. One of my favorites is Independent Locomotive Service 1354, which is used as a switcher at BTR Farmers Co-op in Leeds, N.D. — Cody Grivno
Bachmann N scale ALC-42 Charger diesel locomotive
This certainly isn’t the first year that a Charger has been on our list, but I guarantee you that this one has more run time than the others. Right after I reviewed the sample that we received from Bachmann, I put it on the point of the Amtrak train that we ran around our Colorado Plains T-Trak layout. And ran it did. The Charger operated all day Saturday at Trainfest and for half the day on Sunday without any issues. Yes, the track and wheels had to be cleaned, but the four-axle passenger unit was a workhorse. And the corridor lighting caught everyone’s attention. The engine that I have the most run time with in 2024 definitely makes our list. — Bryson Sleppy
