Athearn HO scale SD70ACe with Tsunami2 A skew-wound motor with brass flywheels is secured to the center of the die-cast metal frame. Plastic driveshafts power all 12 wheels, which also pick up current. In 1943, employees of the Union Pacific RR agreed to an extra deduction in their paychecks to buy War Bonds during World […]
Section: Staff Reviews
Quick Look: Atlas O Pullman-Bradley coach
Atlas O Pullman-Bradley coach Price: $139.95 Manufacturer Atlas O 378 Florence Ave. Hillside, NJ 07205 www.atlasrr.com Era: 1950 to 1968 (as decorated) Road names: New York, New Haven & Hartford; Boston & Maine; Kansas City Southern; Long Island Rail Road; and Southern Pacific. Four road numbers per scheme. Also available painted dark green with black […]
Bachmann N Sound Value Baldwin 2-8-0
Bachmann N Sound Value Baldwin 2-8-0 It was only a few months ago – in the September 2018 issue – that we last reviewed a Baldwin 2-8-0 steam locomotive from Bachmann. But that was an HO scale model. Bachmann’s new Consolidation is an N scale model. This freight hauler is well detailed, nicely decorated, and […]
Bachmann HO scale ACS-64 electric
Amtrak’s ACS-64 Cities Sprinter has been rushing passengers up and down the Northeast Corridor for nearly five years, including a stretch not far from the Bachmann Industries headquarters in Philadelphia. Now you can add it to your layout with Bachmann’s latest sound-equipped HO scale release. The prototype. The Amtrak Cities Sprinter (ACS) 6,400kW (the -64 […]
MRC Synchro Sound2
MRC Synchro Sound2 To get truly big sound out of your Digital Command Control-equipped locomotive, you need a big speaker. Unfortunately, that’s just not possible in smaller scales. Model Rectifier Corp. has addressed this problem with the Synchro Sound2, a standalone speaker equipped with a DCC sound decoder. The Synchro Sound2 is meant to be […]
Menards HO Wally’s Service Station
Menards HO Wally’s Service Station Price: $59.99 Manufacturer Menards 5106 Menard Dr. Eau Claire, WI 54703 www.menards.com/trains Era: 1955 to 1960s (as decorated) Comments: Menards has added Wally’s Service Station to its rapidly growing line of HO scale structures. The factory-assembled model features more than 20 light-emitting diodes (LEDs); a weathered base; and an assortment […]
Atlas Master Line HO scale Pullman 10-1-1 sleeper
Atlas Master Line HO scale Pullman 10-1-1 sleeper Price: $64.95 (undecorated, $54.95) Manufacturer Atlas Model RR Co. 378 Florence Ave. Hillside, NJ 07205 www.atlasrr.com Era: 1930 to 1950s Road names: Pullman; Chicago, Burlington & Quincy; Chicago & North Western; Norfolk & Western; Northern Pacific; Pennsylvania RR; Southern Pacific; and Union Pacific. Also available undecorated. Comments: […]
Atlas N scale Alco C-628 diesel
Atlas N scale Alco C628 diesel Big Alcos are back in N scale from Atlas Model Railroad Co. We reviewed a direct-current (DC) version from an earlier production run in the August 2004 Model Railroader. The latest run is available with a factory-installed ESU LokSound decoder that operates on Digital Command Control (DCC) as well […]
Digikeijs DR5000 Digicentral DCC command station
Setting up the DR5000 is easy but requires a Microsoft Windows PC. Shown here are the adjustable power supply and the DR5000 command station. Laptop not included. The DR5000 works with a variety of wireless and wired throttles that use Loconet and XpressNet interfaces. The device also supports several smartphone apps. One of the challenges […]
Con-Cor HO scale MP54 coach and trailer
Con-Cor HO scale MP54 coach and trailer Con-Cor’s Pennsylvania RR MP54 has a wide-open passenger compartment, facilitated by its ceiling-mounted printed-circuit board and subfloor drivetrain. Here comes the happy couple! Con-Cor has added to its line of Pennsylvania RR MP54 commuter cars with models of the semi-permanently coupled married pairs, or bride-and-grooms. We published tests […]
Quick Look: ScaleTrains.com N scale 5750 carbon black covered hopper
ScaleTrains.com N scale 5750 carbon black covered hopper Price: $31.99 Manufacturer ScaleTrains.com Inc. 7598 Highway 411 Benton, TN 37307 www.scaletrains.com Era: September 1977 to present Road names: Columbian Chemicals, Cabot, Sid Richardson Carbon Co., and Witco. Four road numbers per scheme. Comments: A Thrall Manufacturing Co. 5,750-cubic-foot-capacity three-bay carbon black covered hopper is now offered […]
WalthersMainline HO scale EMD F7 diesels
WalthersMainline HO scale EMD F7 diesels New tooling and realistic sound highlight these HO scale General Motors Electro-Motive Division F7 locomotives from Walthers. Part of the value-priced WalthersMainline series, the models feature accurately detailed body shells and are available with optional dual-mode sound decoders that operate on Digital Command Control (DCC) and direct-current (DC) layouts. […]