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 April 21, 2022.
HO scale locomotives
Electro-Motive Diesel SD70ACe diesel locomotive. Canadian National (red, white, and black with “wet noodle” herald and website), BNSF Ry. (Heritage III), CSX Transportation (dark blue and yellow), Norfolk Southern (“Thoroughbred” scheme), and Union Pacific (“Building America” scheme with red and yellow sill stripes). Four road numbers per scheme (two each in direct current and Digital Command Control). Molded drill starter points for grab irons (EMD diesel detail kit no. 910-251 sold separately), RP-25 contour wheels, and Proto-Max metal couplers. Direct-current model with 21-pin plug, $164.98; with dual-mode ESU Sound decoder, $214.98. June 2022. WalthersMainline. Wm. K. Walthers Inc., 414-527-0770, walthers.com
HO scale freight cars
40-foot boxcar. With roof hatches: Chicago & North Western (Boxcar Red with orange door), Central of Georgia (Boxcar Red with yellow door), Northern Pacific (Metallic Brown with large NP lettering and herald), and Southern Ry. (Boxcar Red with yellow door, “Southern Gives a Green Light to Innovations,” and “Southern Serves the South” slogans). Without roof hatches: Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe (brown and black with “Ship and Travel Santa Fe all the way” and The Route of the Super Chief” slogans), Baltimore & Ohio (Time-Saver Service scheme, two road numbers), Buffalo Creek (Boxcar Red), Erie (Boxcar Red and Black), Lehigh New England (black and white), New York Central (Pacemaker Freight Service Scheme), Pittsburg & Lake Erie (jade green), Southern Pacific (silver, former Overnight car), and Western Ry. Of Alabama (silver with black). Three numbers per scheme unless noted. Injection-molded plastic with metal wheels. $29.95. Early 2023. Bowser Manufacturing Co., Inc., 570-368-2379, bowser-trains.com.
Pennsylvania RR class H43 100-ton three-bay hopper. CSX (Chessie System patchout, three road numbers), BNSF Ry. (black 2008 repaint, three numbers), Chessie System with Western Maryland reporting marks (black, six numbers), Conrail (Oxide Red, six numbers), Helm Financial Corp. (black 1988 rebuild, three numbers), Louisville & Nashville (orange as-delivered scheme, six numbers), Norfolk Southern (class HP30R with “Thoroughbred” herald, six numbers), Pennsylvania RR (black with keystone herald and yellow circle, four numbers), Pennsylvania Power & Light (brown with yellow double rotary ends in one number and brown with single rotary end in six numbers), Reading & Northern (black with blue and orange end panels, four numbers each), and Reading Co. (black with large “RDG,” three numbers). Also available painted black and brown with dimensional data only. Injection-molded plastic with roller-bearing trucks, 36” metal wheels, and interior and slope sheet braces. $29.95. Early 2023. Executive Line. Bowser Manufacturing Co., Inc., 570-368-2379, bowser-trains.com.
Milwaukee, Racine & Troy 40-foot hinged-door steel refrigerator car. Custom-decorated Accurail kit includes one-piece roof and core, applique sides, running board casting, brake wheel, brake rod fulcrum and chain, brake platform, and factory-installed ice hatches. One-piece plastic underbody has molded floor boards, center sills, cross members, body bolsters, kingpins, and draft-gear boxes; modeler-installed brake appliances; solid-bearing trucks with plastic wheelsets; Accumate couplers; and steel weight. One road number. $27.99. Kalmbach Hobby Store, kalmbachhobbystore.com
National Steel Car 5,150-cubic-foot capacity three-bay covered hopper. GrainsConnect Canada (gray with WFRX reporting marks), Archer Daniels Midland (gray with molecule logo), BNSF Ry. (Mineral Red with post-2005 herald), Canadian Pacific (gray with black herald), Cargill (gray with ICMX reporting marks), and Union Pacific (gray with shield herald and “We will deliver…” slogan). Four road numbers per scheme. Injection-molded plastic body, 100-ton roller bearing trucks, and Proto-Max metal knuckle couplers. $34.98. WalthersMainline. Wm. K. Walthers Inc., 414-527-0770, walthers.com
HO scale details and accessories
45-foot smooth-side trailer. Owner-operator (green, black, metallic blue, metallic purple, red, and white). Separate, factory-applied mud flaps; red and white conspicuity stripes; and rubber tires. $34.99. May 2023. Athearn Trains, 800-338-4639, athearn.com
Jindo 53-foot intermodal container. Canadian Tire (red), CSX Intermodal (white and blue and dark blue and yellow schemes, one three-pack each), Crowley (blue), Ferromex (white), and United Parcel Service (gray). Two three-packs per scheme unless noted. Separate, factory-applied door closure rods and vertical rib front. Three-pack, $44.99. May 2023. Athearn Trains, 800-338-4639, athearn.com
N scale scenery
Modern City Centre backdrop. Photo backdrop with assorted multi-story buildings, trees, and sky. Printed on 24-pound paper. $41.95. “Senior” Roll Out line. BPH Enterprises, 705-739-4878, sceniking.com
Suburban Region backdrop. Photo backdrop with brick buildings, older businesses, houses, trees, and sky. Printed on 24-pound paper. $41.95. “Senior” Roll Out line. BPH Enterprises, 705-739-4878, sceniking.com
Ridgeland backdrop. Photo backdrop with modern multi-unit buildings, rock retaining wall, and sky. Printed on 24-pound paper. $41.95. “Senior” Roll Out line. BPH Enterprises, 705-739-4878, sceniking.com
O scale locomotives
General Electric P42 diesel locomotive. Amtrak (Operation Lifesaver 50th anniversary scheme). One road number. Die-cast metal truck sides, light-emitting diode lighting, ProtoSmoke diesel exhaust, and Proto-Sound 3.0. $639.95. Fourth quarter 2022. Premier Line. Atlas Model Railroad Co., 908-687-0880, shop.atlasrr.com
O scale freight cars
40-foot steel refrigerator car. Fruit Growers Express (yellow and black). Three road numbers. Die-cast metal ladders, stirrup steps, and grab irons; 50-ton solid-bearing trucks; and 33” metal wheels. $87.95. Master Line. Atlas Model Railroad Co., 908-687-0880, shop.atlasrr.com
Books
Amberdale and the Railway Which Runs Through It. By Philip Harvey. A photographic modeling journey through Amberdale’s landscape and scenery as it may have been in the 1890s. Includes many unpublished photographs. Softcover, 144 pages. $30. Fonthill Media, fonthillmedia.com