News & Products for the week of November 20th 2023
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. The following are the products Model Railroader editors have news on for the week of November 20th 2023.
HO scale freight cars
Accurail special-run cars
Price: Contact manufacturer
Manufacturer: Accurail, P.O. Box 278, Elburn, IL 60119; 630-365-1173; accurail.com
Accurail special-run cars features:
- Typically produced for Milwaukee’s Trainfest in November, this year’s run is available to all
- Options include hoppers, reefers, and boxcars in various schemes
Release date: To be announced
Road names: Varies by car type
Bowser 100-ton hopper cars
Price: $29.95
Manufacturer: Bowser Manufacturing Co. Inc., 1302 Jordan Ave., Montoursville, PA 17754; 570-368-2379; bowser-trains.com
100-ton hopper cars features:
- Ready to run
- 36” metal wheels
Release date: December 2024
Road names: Baltimore & Ohio, Bessemer & Lake Erie, Chicago North Western, CSX, Detroit Mackinac, Norfolk & Western, Pittsburgh & Lake Erie, Reading & Northern, Rock Island Blue, Western Maryland, Western Pacific, and Wheeling & Lake Erie.
WalthersProto 89-foot Greenbrier TTX flatcar
Price: $64.98
Manufacturer: Wm. K. Walthers Inc., 5601 W. Florist Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53218; 414-527-0770; walthers.com
89-foot Greenbrier TTX flatcar features:
- Dual tie-down chain channels on deck
- Separately-applied nonworking cable straps & strap brackets
- Die cast metal underframe
- Wire grab irons
Release date: Summer 2024
Road names: TTX
N scale freight cars
Athearn 57-foot mechanical reefer
Price: $39.99; with sound, $79.99
Manufacturer: Athearn Trains, 2904 Research Rd., Champaign, IL 61822; 800-338-4639; athearn.com
57-foot mechanical reefer features:
- Underframe detail includes Keystone cushioning, air brake reservoir, control valve, brake cylinder, and fuel tank
- Two smoke stack types per prototype
Release date: February 2025
Road names: Burlington Northern, Data Only, Fruit Growers Express, Great Northern, and Union Pacific.
Z scale freight car
American Z Line Trinity RAF 53-foot spine cars
Price: Contact manufacturer
Manufacturer: American Z Line, 6142 Northcliff Blvd., Dublin, OH 43016; 614-764-1703; americanzline.com
Trinity RAF 53-foot spine cars features:
- Metal cars with etched metal and plastic details
- Each set includes trailers
- Cars include add-on and optional parts
Release date: To be announced
Road names: Schneider
News & Products is a regular feature of Trains.com for model railroad operators and builders to get the latest information about locomotives, freight cars, passenger cars, tools, track, and more. Model railroad product news may include HO, N, O, S, and Z scales. Product release dates and prices will vary according to each manufacturer.
If you are a manufacturer and have new product releases, please email Senior Editor Cody Grivno at cgrivno@kalmbach.com and Associate Editor Bryson Sleppy at bsleppy@kalmbach.com for more information.