Alco S-4 diesel locomotive. Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe (zebra stripe paint scheme); Erie RR; New York Central (Pittsburgh & Lake Erie reporting marks); Southern Pacific; Union Pacific (“Dependable Transportation” slogan); Western Maryland (speed lettering). Directional headlights; die-cast metal chassis, fuel tank, gear tower, and underframe; and E-Z Mate Mark II magnetic knuckle couplers. Direct-current model, $99.98; with SoundTraxx Sound Value Digital Command Control sound decoder, $175. Ready-to-run. Bachmann, 215-533-1600, www.bachmanntrains.com
Thrall 4,750-cubic-foot capacity covered hopper. Chicago Freight Car; Chicago, West Pullman & Southern; CSX (tan or Richmond, Fredericksburg & Potomac patchout); Great Lakes Carbon (INTX reporting marks, two car numbers); Missouri Pacific; and Specialty Minerals. Three car numbers each except as noted. Metal wheelsets and Accumate magnetic knuckle couplers. $18.95. Ready-to-run. Trainman series. Atlas Model Railroad Co., 908-687-0880, www.atlasrr.com
Crane boom sections load. Factory assembled assembled. Each section is 1” x 6.5”. Three sections per pack. $9.99. N.J. International Inc., 480-219-4135, www.njinternational.com
Electro-Motive Division SD90/43MAC diesel locomotive. New paint schemes and road numbers: Indiana Rail Road, Canadian Pacific (“Golden Beaver” herald), and Union Pacific (“We will deliver” lettering). Two road numbers each. Five-pole motor with dual brass flywheels, directional headlight, and preprinted number boards. $115. Ready-to-run. Kato USA Inc., 847-781-9500, www.katousa.com
Pennsylvania RR Class X58 50-foot boxcar. Lehigh Valley (three versions available) and PRR (five versions). Etched-metal running boards with brakewheel platform, BLMA 70-ton roller-bearing trucks, and Micro-Trains knuckle couplers. $32.95. Ready-to-run. Eastern Seaboard Models Corp., www.esmc.com
Modern container ship. Based on Manchester Mercurio and Manchester Rapido. Resin kit with one-piece hull and cabins, etched-brass handrail stanchions, and decals. Waterline model, 280 scale feet long. $185.95. Sylvan Scale Models, 519-294-6601, www.isp.ca/Sylvan
Kenworth T300 beverage truck. 1:43 proportion. Coca-Cola 125th Anniversary paint scheme. Detailed cab interior, positionable beverage storage doors, and rolling vinyl tires. $19.99. Atlas O, 908-687-9590, www.atlaso.com
Z scale freight cars
33-foot two-bay offset-side hoppers. Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe and Baltimore & Ohio. Two car numbers each. With removable plastic coal load. Micro-Trains trucks and Magne-Matic knuckle couplers. $18.60. Ready-to-run. Micro-Trains Line Co., 541-535-1755, www.micro-trains.com
MicroLux mini cordless driver set. Spring-loaded chuck, 3.6 volt motor, and built-in light-emitting diode to illuminate work area. Includes driver, wall-mount charger, and an assortment of drill and screwdriver bits. $49.95. Micro-Mark, 800-225-1066, www.micromark.com
Bachmann S4 (SP) wins beauty contest but is noisy and weak.
Kato SD 90 N scale Indiana RR Beautiful scheme.
Thumbs up on the Bachman S4. Great sound in DC or DCC, Nice little yard engine.
I see great thing happening now in this great hobby of Model Railroading. Just look at the selections avaiable Keep giving us the news Model railroader mag we all are waiting.