Kato HO EMD SD80MAC and SD9043MAC Two of North America’s largest road freight locomotives, the SD80MAC and the SD9043MAC, are the newest additions to Kato’s line of HO models. Both models feature excellent molded plastic bodies, smooth-running mechanisms, and numerous add-on parts that modelers once considered superdetails. With an overall length of 80′-2″, these Electro-Motive […]
Stewart Hobbies HO scale Baldwin DS-4-4-1000 (SC) diesel switcher Stewart Hobbies has added a postwar DS-4-4-1000 (SC) diesel switcher to its line of HO Baldwin locomotives. Introduced in 1948, the DS-4-4-1000 replaced the VO1000 as the 1,000-hp switcher in Baldwin’s line. While it’s similar to its eight-cylinder predecessor, this locomotive produced its 1,000-hp with an […]
Atlas N scale General Electric Dash 8-40B diesel Atlas has released an N scale General Electric Dash 8-40B road diesel locomotive and it’s a beautifully detailed, fine-running model. From the exquisitely rendered m.u. cables on the front and rear pilots to the amber warning beacon atop the cab, this Dash 8-40B sets a high standard […]
Kato’s N scale GE P42 “Genesis” passenger diesel Kato’s N scale P42 is an exquisite replica of Amtrak’s long-distance workhorse. Railfans might quibble over the prototype’s esthetic virtues (or lack thereof) but this new locomotive is truly a delight to the eyes. It’s also a powerful and smooth-running model. As the F40PHs began showing their […]
Kato N scale Budd Rail Diesel Cars (RDCs) After admiring the crisp detail on Kato’s new N scale Rail Diesel Cars (RDCs), my next immediate thought was, “So where in heck’s the motor?” That’s because I could look right through the side windows of these well-engineered, DCC-ready models. Taking a design cue from the prototype, […]
E-R N scale Baldwin RF-16 sharknosed diesel locomotives This set of well-detailed Baldwin “sharknose” RF-16 diesel cab units marks E-R Models’ entry into the N scale locomotive market. They’re also the first mass-produced N scale plastic models of this distinctive locomotive. The RF-16 was Baldwin Locomotive Works’ final attempt to capture a portion of the […]
Atlas N scale GE B30-7 road diesel locomotive General Electric introduced the B30-7 to succeed its U30B and built 199 units between December 1977 and May 1981. Both were four-axle, 3,000-hp units and were GE’s answer to Electro-Motive Division’s 3,000-hp GP40 and GP40-2. Owners of B30-7s included Burlington Northern, which acquired eight via the 1980 […]
Atlas O GE Dash 8-40B diesel This new Atlas O scale Dash 8-40B is the company’s first high-horsepower modern diesel, and like its prototype this is an impressive and powerful unit. General Electric introduced the standard-cab Dash 8-40B in May 1988. According to The Contemporary Diesel Spotter’s Guide – 2000 edition (Withers Publishing), GE built […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
