O gauge LionChief Plus EMD GP20 by Lionel Price: $339.95 (no. 82172) Min Curve: O-31 Cmd Low: 2.32 smph Cnv Low: 3.7 smph High: 80.8 smph Drawbar pull: 1 lb., 11 oz. Features: Two can-style motors, LionChief Plus command system, RailSounds RC sound system, fan-driven smoke unit, coil couplers (operable only with remote), command- or […]
Section: Reviews
Video: ESU LokSound Full Throttle diesel demo
Matt Herman, General Manager at ESU, LLC., stopped by to show the Model Railroader staff some of the new Full Throttle diesel locomotive features available in the latest LokSound Select decoders. Check out this demo of the realistic sound and control effects. […]
Rivarossi HO scale UP Big Boy 4-8-8-4
Rivarossi HO scale UP Big Boy The Big Boy’s tender features an operating backup light. The detailed pilot deck includes a swingout scale-size coupler One of the largest and most powerful steam locomotives ever built is now available in HO scale equipped with a top-of-the-line Digital Command Control sound decoder. Just like the prototype, Rivarossi’s […]
Quick Look: Micro-Trains True-Scale couplers
Transition cars with a Magne-Matic coupler on one end and a True-Scale coupler on the other end are available in several body styles. Left: True-Scale coupler; right: Magne-Matic coupler Price: Four-pack, $3.45; 20-pack, $15.95 Comments: Micro-Trains recently debuted its True-Scale line of N scale coupler kits in short- and long-shank versions. Each kit contains knuckles, […]
Athearn HO scale EMD GP39-2
Athearn HO scale EMD GP39-2 Engineer’s side of the Athearn Trains HO scale EMD GP39-2 helps identify its prototype as a phase 1 version. The Athearn Genesis series models features many separate parts, including wire grab irons and eyebolts as well as see-through etched-metal rooftop fan grilles. The motor and gearboxes are mounted on a […]
Atlas O Maxi-IV well car
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. […]
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 […]
Menards Red Owl grocery store
O GAUGE RED OWL GROCERY STORE FROM MENARDS Price: $99.99 (no. 279-3472) Features: Wood, cardstock, and plastic construction. Illumination for sides, interior, signage, and security lamps. This jumbo O gauge structure from Menards will probably be a hit with those who live, or lived, in the Upper Midwest: A Red Owl grocery store. Red Owl […]
O gauge CB&Q USRA 4-6-2 Pacific from MTH Electric Trains
O gauge CB&Q USRA 4-6-2 Pacific from MTH Electric Trains Price: $449.95 (no. 30-1681-1) Min Curve: O-31 Cmd Low: 3.4 smph Cnv Low: 5.2 smph High: 61.4 smph Drawbar pull: 1 lb., 2 oz. Features: Can-style motor, ProtoSound 3.0 command and sound system, smoke, coil couplers Current production road names: Alaska RR, Burlington Route, Great […]
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 […]