The Trix HO NYC light Mikado is excellent. Let’s just begin with the controversial part, okay? The new Trix 2-8-2 Mikado is the best-looking mass-produced HO scale steam locomotive I’ve ever seen. Plus, it runs like a precision instrument. Is it perfect? Not quite, but it’s awfully good. The New York Central was best known […]
Kato’s HO GE AC4400CW diesel locomotive is a heavy-duty hauler. This contemporary General Electric six-axle road freight locomotive is the latest addition to Kato’s lineup of modern HO diesels. It’s a well-detailed model of GE’s 4,400-hp AC4400CW and features a smooth 12-wheel drive, magnetic couplers, and easy conversion to Digital Command Control (DCC). The AC4400CW […]
Bachmann’s HO USRA 2-6-6-2 is a compact powerhouse. This chunky USRA 2-6-6-2 is a powerful model that’s capable of operating on 18″-radius curves. It’s the first HO articulated locomotive in the Bachmann Spectrum line. The model represents a prototype locomotive developed by the United States Railroad Administration (USRA) during the First World War. The USRA […]
The DC version is fitted with an NMRA-recommended receptacle and jumper plug at the rear of the PC board for easy conversion to DCC. A powerful model of a General Electric U30C six-axle heavy-duty road switcher is now available ready-to-run with and without Digital Command Control (DCC) decoders. Like earlier Atlas HO models, the decoder-equipped […]
Life-Like’s HO Alco RS-11 features eye-catching detail. A whole new level of detail has been introduced in the Proto 1000 line with this ready-to-run HO scale Alco RS-11 road switcher. It’s detailed with dozens of individual parts that Life-Like formerly omitted on its more spartan Proto 1000 models. This RS-11 captures the rugged good looks […]
Broadway Limited Imports’ class T1 duplex-drive 4-4-4-4 steam passenger locomotive. The T1’s single motor drives both driver sets while the dual-mode (DC or DCC) electronic controls and sound system are concealed in the tender. Air tanks, PRR train-phone antennas, the top end of the water scoop, and a pair of water hatches are included on […]
Branchline Trains’ NYC passenger car In an editorial on the state of the art in passenger car modeling (January 2000 Model Railroader), I wrote that we were still missing the passenger equivalents of the best plastic mass-produced freight car kits. The new HO scale heavyweight coach kit from Branchline Trains is an answer to that […]
Rivarossi HO UP Streamliner passenger cars Two new Union Pacific streamlined passenger cars of the 1950s have been released by Rivarossi. These classic smooth-side coach and dome-observation cars come ready-to-run with interior details, free-rolling plastic and metal trucks, and magnetic knuckle couplers. The book Union Pacific Streamliners, by Harold Ranks and William Kratville, includes UP […]
Athearn HO scale BethGon Coalporter Modern unit-train coal gondola has great detail If you want to model a modern unit coal train, you’ll want to check out Athearn’s Ready-to-Roll BethGon Coalporters. The models are based on the aluminum-and-steel coal gondolas built by Johnstown America in the 1980s and ’90s. The Coalporter’s interior details include the […]
Lux-Modellbau HO scale powered wheel cleaner Wheel cleaner saves time and effort This cleaning machine effectively cleans oil and dirt off all types of rolling stock wheels. It can be used with all control systems including two-rail DC, three-rail AC, and Digital Command Control (DCC). It’s manufactured by Lux-Modellbau in five sizes for permanent installations […]
Life-Like Proto 2000 HO scale Pere Marqette Berkshire 2-8-4 The motor is concealed in the boiler so the firebox can be filled with weight to help balance the locomotive. Twin air pumps are mounted on the pilot deck behind a pair of shields. DCC plug Click the chart for a larger version. HO 2-8-4 has […]
Kadee HO scale PS-2 two-bay covered hopper The roof hatches can be opened. The molded ladder rungs measure only a scale 1″ in diameter HO PS-2 covered hopper is superbly done A great-looking Clinchfield 70-ton covered hopper is the first model introduced in Kadee’s new line of Pullman-Standard PS-2 two-bay covered hoppers. It comes ready […]
