12 train sets for the holidays

Color photo of HO scale train set box with painted box art and display windows for models.

If you’ve read Model Railroader magazine for any length of time, you’ve probably noticed the hobby journey for many of our authors started with a train set. For baby boomers, born between 1946 and 1964, the set was often produced by Lionel or American Flyer. Fast forward a generation or two, and those sets were […]

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Modeling diesels that didn’t

Model of a red diesel locomotive

Classic Trains’ series “Diesels that didn’t” explores diesel locomotives that didn’t make it to large-scale production due to a variety of factors. However, some of those diesels made it to mass-production in the scale model world. Let’s take a look at the products offered to those modeling the diesels that didn’t. Electro-Motive Division BL2 HO […]

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PIKO America Building Block R/C Starter Set

Color photo of large scale train set components.

  PIKO America Building Block R/C Starter set: An ongoing question in the hobby is “How do we get new people into model railroading?” PIKO America offers a clever solution with its Building Block R/C Starter Set (No. 37155). The indoor/outdoor set includes a battery-operated 1:24-proportion General Electric (GE) 25-ton diesel locomotives, two flatcars, a […]

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News & Products for the week of January 30th 2023

An image of a model caboose

News & Products for the week of January 30th 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. Here are the products Model Railroader editors have news on for the week of January 30th 2023.   […]

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News & Products for the week of January 23rd 2023

An image of a model locomotive

News & Products for the week of January 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. Here are the products Model Railroader editors have news on for the week of January 23rd 2023.   […]

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News & Products for the week of January 16th 2023

An image of a model locomotive

News & Products for the week of January 16th 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. Here are the products Model Railroader editors have news on for the week of January 16th 2023.   […]

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Whitcomb 65-tonner diesel locomotive from PIKO America

Navy blue locomotive with orange stripe; Piko whitcomb 65-tonner

Whitcomb 65-tonner Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: Direct current, $279.99; with PIKO SmartSound 5.1 sound decoder, $389.99 Era: 1940s+ (depending on paint scheme) Manufacturer: PIKO America LLC, 4610 Alvarado Canyon Rd., Ste. 5, San Diego, CA 92120; piko-america.com Whitcomb 65-tonner features: Diecast chassis and hood Metal handrails Factory-applied details Maryland Midland locomotives feature American-style end beams, fully enclosed around the […]

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Large scale Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe double-sheathed caboose

Small red caboose with Santa Fe logo on side in front of white background

Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe double-sheathed caboose Scale: Large scale (1:24) Price: $104.99 Manufacturer: PIKO America, LLC, 4610 Alvarado Canyon Rd., Ste. 5, San Diego, CA 92120; piko-america.com Caboose features: Molded sheathing with woodgrain detail Factory-applied brake wheel, brake cylinder, piping, smokejack, running boards, ladders, and stirrup steps Plastic wheelsets Hook-and-loop couplers Minimum recommend radius, 23.6” […]

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Large scale tank cars

Silver tank car with Texaco logo on side in front of white background

Tank cars Scale: Large scale (1:24) Price: $124.99 Manufacturer: PIKO America LLC, 4610 Alvarado Canyon Rd., Ste. 5, San Diego, CA 92120; piko-america.com Tank cars feature: Injection-molded plastic tank on flatcar Factory-applied handrails, turnbuckles, ladders, platforms, brake wheel, brake cylinder, and stirrup steps Plastic wheelsets Hook-and-loop couplers Minimum recommended radius, 23.6” Release date: October 2022 Paint […]

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Two-bay hopper with exterior posts from PIKO America

Model of black hopper with CSX markings in front of white background

Two-bay hopper with exterior posts Scale: Large scale (1:24) Price: $76.99 Manufacturer: PIKO America LLC, 4610 Alvarado Canyon Rd., Ste. 5, San Diego, CA 92120; piko-america.com Hopper features: Simulated coal load Molded handrails and stirrup steps Plastic wheelsets Hook-and-loop couplers Minimum recommended radius, 23.6” Release date: October 2022 Paint scheme: CSX (black and yellow). One road […]

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Ore car two-packs from PIKO America

Two black ore cars with Chessie System decoration on track with white background

Ore cars Scale: Large scale (1:24) Price: Two-pack, $124.99 Manufacturer: PIKO America LLC, 4610 Alvarado Canyon Rd., Ste. 5, San Diego, CA 92120; piko-america.com Ore cars feature: Molded ladders and stirrup steps Plastic wheelsets Hook-and-loop couplers Minimum recommended radius, 23.6” Release date: October 2022 Paint schemes: Chessie System (black with Baltimore & Ohio reporting marks) and […]

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John Henry steel refrigerator car by PIKO America

Brown refrigerator car with painting of John Henry on side in front of white background

John Henry steel refrigerator car Scale: Large scale (1:24) Price: $124.99 Manufacturer: PIKO America LLC, 4610 Alvarado Canyon Rd., Ste. 5, San Diego, CA 92120; piko-america.com Features: Molded ladder and door details Factory-applied brake wheel, running boards, and stirrup steps Plastic wheelsets Hook-and-loop couplers Minimum recommended radius, 23.6” Release date: October 2022 Paint scheme: John Henry […]

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