Life-Like Proto 1000 HO scale FM Erie-built diesels Here’s a change of pace for transition-era diesel locomotive rosters. Life-Like’s Fairbanks-Morse Erie-built locomotives are sturdy, fine-running replicas of a relatively rare prototype that was built for both freight and passenger service. Part of the Proto 1000 line, these models lack the fuller detailing of their Proto […]
Walthers HO scale ready-mix concrete plant This modern ready-mix concrete plant is a recent addition to the Walthers Cornerstone line of structure kits. It’s a common construction industry that’s found all over North America. Numerous molded styrene panels make up the main buildings while the optional piping and other details are molded separately. Most of […]
Life-Like HO Budd Rail Diesel Car (RDC) Northern Pacific RDC-2 no. B-30 was preparing for departure as train no. 314 between Lewiston and Spokane, Wash., when J. M. Fredrickson photographed it in June 1955. Life-Like has released a limited-edition model of a Budd RDC-2 (Rail Diesel Car). It has a single power truck, comes ready-to-run […]
Walthers Cornerstone Series N scale lumberyard Walthers calls this Cornerstone Series lumberyard kit easy-to-build, and it certainly is. The pieces on the six structures fit together well, and construction is straightforward. It’s a good way for beginners to quickly assemble an N scale scene. The kit also has kitbashing possibilities, as there are pieces left […]
Branchline Trains HO AAR standard 50-foot boxcar Branchline Trains, the maker of this HO scale 50-foot boxcar, isn’t a new name in the model railroad industry. For several years Branchline has applied custom paint schemes to other manufacturers’ freight cars, earning a well-deserved reputation for sharp lettering and accurate colors. This boxcar is Branchline’s first […]
Red Caboose HO GS drop-bottom composite- and steel-side gondolas For its latest HO scale freight car release Red Caboose has chosen the general service (GS) gondola, a car which might not be familiar to Eastern modelers but one that’s needed in large numbers by those interested in Western railroads. Red Caboose has produced two versions […]
S-Helper Service S scale EMD SW1 diesel switcher S-Helper Service has added to its Showcase Line of ready-to-run S scale equipment this good-running and nice-looking SW1 switch engine. The engine comes ready to run on AC power with hi-rail wheels, but the parts are included to convert it for scale track and DC operation. General […]
Downtown Deco’s “The Old Brownstones” is an HO scale kit in Hydrocal castings, with a footprint of 11 by 4½ inches. The sharp-looking Ambassador Hotel is part of Bachmann’s new Cityscenes line of HO structures. The seven buildings in the line are the first structures to be released as part of the firm’s Spectrum line […]
Atlas HO AEM7 and ALP44 passenger electric locomotives Atlas has released an AEM7 passenger electric locomotive and its nearly identical twin, the ALP44, in HO scale. The models are finely detailed including cab detail and painted crew members. Operation is smooth and conveys the muscular qualities of the prototype. The AEM7 is available painted for […]
Intermountain Railway HO USRA composite gondola kit The latest HO scale car from InterMountain Railway Co. is this nicely detailed model of a United States Railway Administration composite gondola. The model combines sharply molded parts with ease of assembly and has an innovative choice of materials. Upon opening the box you’ll find an injection-molded plastic […]
InterMountain HO ACF Center Flow covered hopper InterMountain has done well with this sharply detailed model of an ACF 2,980-cubic-foot Center Flow covered hopper. This is a new design on the market, and the car has much better detail than the 2,980 model offered by McKean many years ago. (Detail Associates offers a two-bay Center […]
Athearn HO SD40-2 diesel Athearn recently introduced a “new” SD40-2 to replace the firm’s earlier model, which has been available since 1983. Most notably, the new locomotive offers near-scale size plastic handrails, molded in appropriate colors. Also, there are three variations of dynamic brake housings as well as exhaust stack and radiator intake screens that […]
