Atlas O Maxi-IV well car O scale modern-era modelers have some heavy metal coming at them in the form of Atlas O’s three-well Gunderson Maxi-IV articulated container cars. These big cars are designed to haul 53-foot containers. Atlas O is offering compatible containers separately. The prototype. Gunderson developed the Twin-Stack container car in the 1980s. […]
Section: Staff Reviews
Quick Look: Micro-Trains N scale Airslide hopper
Micro-Trains N scale Airslide hopper Price: $27.95 to $29.75 Manufacturer Micro-Trains Line Co. 351 Rogue River Pkwy. Talent, OR 97540-1200 www.micro-trains.com Era: 1970 to present Road names: Norfolk Southern (post-1982 company), BNSF Ry. (buffer service), CSX, and General American. Two road numbers per scheme. Comments: A General American Transportation Corp. 4,180-cubic-foot- capacity Airslide covered hopper […]
Peco static grass products
Pro Grass Micro Applicator, $109.99; static grass, $6.99 (.7 ounce bag) to $22.99 (3.5 ounce bag); grass tufts, $8.99 to $10.99 Peco, a manufacturer long known for producing track in Z, N, HO, O, and large scales and structures in N, HO, and O, recently entered the scenery market. The initial offerings in the Peco […]
Kato HO scale GE C44-9W
Kato HO scale GE C44-9W For more than 20 years, the General Electric C44-9W, the most popular locomotive of GE’s Dash 9 series, has maintained a dominating presence on North American main lines. The prototypes were only a couple years old when Kato released its first HO scale Dash 9, reviewed in the September 1996 […]
Rapido N scale EMD FL9
Rapido’s N scale EMD FL9 A split die-cast metal frame surrounds the motor and flywheels. Driveshafts transfer power to the trucks, driving four of the five axles, just like the prototype. N scale modelers who want to model commuter operations on the New York, New Haven & Hartford don’t have to pine for the HO […]
Quick Look: WalthersMainline HO 53-foot Thrall corrugated-side gondola
WalthersMainline HO 53-foot Thrall corrugated-side gondola Price: $24.98 Manufacturer Wm. K. Walthers Inc. 5601 W. Florist Ave. Milwaukee, WI 53218 www.walthers.com Road names: Great Northern; Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe; Burlington Northern; Conrail; Southern Pacific; and Union Pacific Era: Late 1960s to 1990s Comments: Walthers is offering a ready-to-run version of the HO scale Thrall […]
Quick Look: Atlas N scale FMC boxcar
Atlas N scale FMC boxcar Price: $23.95 (undecorated, $18.95) Manufacturer Atlas Model Railroad Co. 378 Florence Ave. Hillside, NJ 07205 www.atlasrr.com Era: late 1980s to present (as painted) Road names: Burlington Northern; Atlanta & St. Andrews Bay; Atlantic & Western; Cadiz RR; Escanaba & Lake Superior; Lake Erie, Franklin & Clarion; Port Huron & Detroit; […]
SPECIAL EXPANDED REVIEW: ScaleTrains.com HO scale Union Pacific GTEL
ScaleTrains.com HO scale Union Pacific GTEL The GTEL includes (from left to right): a fuel tender, a B (turbine) unit, and an A (control) unit. The Museum-Quality series B unit features sliding access doors that reveal an accurate model of the General Electric gas turbine within. The detailed fuel tender includes a directional backup light […]
MTH HO scale EMD GP38-2
MTH HO scale GP38-2 diesel locomotive The HO scale locomotive’s die-cast metal frame encloses the motor, flywheels, and gear towers. The printed-circuit board is attached to the top. The MTH Ready-2-Rail model’s molded detail is well-defined and matches the prototype. The handrails are flexible plastic to resist breaking. A four-axle road switcher that would look […]
Bachmann N scale passenger cars
The new Bachmann N scale streamlined passenger cars include (from bottom, clockwise): a baggage car, observation car, and coach. The N scale streamlined observation car features a rounded end. All the cars feature one-piece detailed interiors (coach shown). The coach and observation car have overhead LED lighting. If it’s time to streamline the passenger service […]
Quick Look: ANE Model Lococruiser DCC decoder
ANE Model Lococruiser DCC decoder Price: $28.95 Manufacturer ANE Model Ltd. Distributed by Heartland Hobby Wholesale 6929 Seward Ave. Lincoln, NE 68507 www.hhwonline.com Comments: For those looking for a straightforward to use, easy to install Digital Command Control (DCC) motor decoder, the Lococruiser line from ANE Model provides some reliable options. I tested the LC-201 […]
Quick Look: Rivarossi HO scale 50-foot boxcar
Rivarossi HO scale 50-foot boxcar Price: $19.99; four-pack, $69.99 Manufacturer Hornby Hobbies 3900-C2 Industry Dr. E Fife, WA 98424-1829 www.hornbyamerica.com Road names. Sliding-door car: Great Northern; Chicago, Burlington & Quincy; Illinois Central; and Louisville & Nashville. Plug-door car available in five road names. Era: 1963 to 1976 (as decorated) Comments: Hornby Hobbies has released newly […]