News & Products for the week of November 4th 2024
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 4th 2024.
HO scale freight cars
Athearn 30,000-gallon tank car
Price: Single car, $52.99; three-pack, $131.99
Manufacturer: Athearn Trains, 2904 Research Rd., Champaign, IL 61822; 800-338-4639; athearn.com
30,000-gallon tank car features:
- Separately applied walkway platform, manway, outlet, ladders, brake rigging detail, safety rail supports, tank saddles, and printed placards
- Photo-etched metal walkways and end platforms
- Wire safety rails and end handrails
Release date: March 2026
Road names: Chevron, Chief, Nebraska Corn Processing, Procor, Reeve Agri Energy, and U.S. Department of Defense.
Athearn Roundhouse 36-foot old time boxcar
Price: Single car, $36.99; three-pack, $89.99
Manufacturer: Athearn Trains, 2904 Research Rd., Champaign, IL 61822; 800-338-4639; athearn.com
36-foot old time boxcar features:
- Separately applied brake wheel
- Archbar trucks
Release date: March 2026
Road names: Minneapolis & St. Louis Railway; Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe; New York Central; Pere Marquette; Soo Line; and Wellsville, Addison & Galeton Railroad.
Rapido Pacific Car & Foundry B-70-69/71/75 class boxcars
Price: Single car, $54.95; six-pack, $329.70
Manufacturer: Rapido Trains Inc., 500 Alden Road, Unit 21, Markham, Ontario L3R 5H5 Canada; 905-474-3314; rapidotrains.com
Pacific Car & Foundry B-70-69/71/75 class boxcars features:
- Separately applied metal grab irons
- Full underbody brake rigging
- Multiple road numbers per scheme
- Road number specific number patches
- Also available unlettered
Release date: Early 2025
Road names: Lake State Railway, Railroad of Lies, Southern Pacific, and St. Louis Southwestern.
N scale locomotives
Athearn Genesis Union Pacific 4-8-8-4 Big Boy steam locomotive
Price: Direct-current mode, $599.99; with DCC and sound, $699.99
Manufacturer: Athearn Trains, 2904 Research Rd., Champaign, IL 61822; 800-338-4639; athearn.com
Union Pacific 4-8-8-4 Big Boy features:
- 2024 style new “Big Boy” font printed on smokebox door
- Additional “plaques” applied to boiler and tender
- “Polished” cylinder heads and paint finish
- Correctly operating eccentric cranks
- Adjustable top cab vent and cab windows
Release date: Union Pacific
Road names: March 2026
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 e-mail Senior Editor Cody Grivno at cody.grivno@firecrown.com and Associate Editor Bryson Sleppy at bryson.sleppy@firecrown.com for more information.
