News & Products for the week of October 23rd 2023

News & Products for the week of October 23rd 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 October 23rd 2023.

 

O scale passenger cars

 

Conowingo Passenger Car No. 1

Price: $85

Manufacturer: Conowingo Models; conowingomodels.com

Passenger Car No. 1 features:

• Represents a flatcar repurposed into a passenger car
• Laser cut wood, custom #d printed and Tichy Train Group parts
• Includes Conowingo Railroad decals

Release date: Available now 

Road names: Conowingo Railroad

 

HO scale locomotives

 

Athearn Electro-Motive Division SD40-2

Price: Direct-current model, $169.99; with DCC and sound, $239.99

Manufacturer: Athearn Trains, 2904 Research Rd., Champaign, IL 61822; 800-338-4639; athearn.com

Electro-Motive Division SD40-2 features:

• See-through cab windows
• See-through dynamic brake and radiator fans
• Frame-mounted bell, where appropriate
• Detailed fuel tank with fuel fillers, fuel gauges, & breather pipes
• Separately applied air tanks

Release date: January 2025 

Road names: Wisconsin & Southern, Burlington Northern, Conrail, Kansas City Southern, Louisville & Nashville, Missouri Pacific, Reading & Northern, Santa Fe, Soo Line, and Union Pacific.

 

Rapido Electro-Motive Division GP40

Price: Direct-current model, $239.95; with DCC and sound, $349.95

Manufacturer: Rapido Trains Inc., 500 Alden Road, Unit 21, Markham, Ontario L3R 5H5 Canada; 905-474-3314; rapidotrains.com

Electro-Motive Division GP40 features:

• Road-specific details and battery box doors
• Underframe details include traction motor cables, air filters, and separately-applied parts
• Detailed cab interior
• Etched see-through steps

Release date: To be announced 

Road names: St. Louis Southwestern; Western Pacific; Canadian National; Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad; Illinois Central; Richmond, Fredericksburg & Potomac; Union Pacific; and Wisconsin Central.

 

HO scale freight cars

 

Rapido National Steel Car ballast hopper

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

National Steel Car ballast hopper features:

• Removable ballast load
• Diecast frame
• Factory installed separate metal grab irons

Release date: To be announced

Road names: Canadian Pacific, Canadian National, Amtrak, BC Rail, CSX, Herzog, Milwaukee Road, and Union Pacific.

 

Tangent Pullman-Standard 40-foot Mini Hy-Cube boxcar

Price: $50.95

Manufacturer: Tangent Scale Models, P.O. Box 6514, Asheville, NC 28816; 828-412-3886; tangentscalemodels.com 

Pullman Standard 40-foot mini hy-cube boxcar features:

• Separately-applied air hoses, wire grab irons, coupler lift bars, and stand-off ladders and stirrup steps, and brake system piping
• 2 different draft gear and trombone-style coupler lift bar variations
• See-through” crossover end platforms
• Also available undecorated

Release date: Available now

Road names: Northern Pacific; Burlington Northern; Chicago, Burlington & Quincy; Chicago & North Western; Denver & Rio Grande Western; Illinois Central Gulf; Milwaukee Road;  and Southern Railway.

 

WalthersMainline National Steel Car three-unit 53-foot well car

Price: $99.98

Manufacturer:  Wm. K. Walthers Inc., 5601 W. Florist Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53218; 414-527-0770; walthers.com

National Steel Car 53-foot well car features:

• Detailed brake gear with air lines
• Separately applies side ladders
• Die-cast body
• Also available undecorated

Release date: Winter 2024

Road names: BNSF, Canadian National, and TTX.

 

HO scale passenger cars

 

Conowingo Passenger Car No. 1

Price: $40

Manufacturer: Conowingo Models; conowingomodels.com

Passenger Car No. 1 features:

• Represents a flatcar repurposed into a passenger car
• Laser cut wood, custom #d printed and Tichy Train Group parts
• Includes Conowingo Railroad decals

Release date: Available now

Road names: Conowingo Railroad

 

HO scale structures

 

Summit Best Buy backdrop structure

Price: $70.00

Manufacturer: Summit USA, LLC 512 Ford St., Lake Charles, LA 70601; 337-436-8481; summit-customcuts.com

Best Buy backdrop structure features:

• Laser cut in white and clear acrylic
• Includes self-adhesive micro plywood

Release date: Available now

 

Multi-scale details

 

MiniPrints wood chipper

Price: Varies depending on scale

Manufacturer: MiniPrints; miniprints.com

Wood chipper features:

• Unpainted 3-D resin prints
• Available in O, HO, N and S scales

Release date: Available now

 

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.