Rapido HO scale Alco RS11

Color photo of green-and-yellow diesel on scenic base.

A new run of HO scale Alco RS11 diesel locomotives is now available from Rapido Trains. The model features many newly tooled, railroad-specific details; illuminated number boxes, class lights, and control stand lights; and a new five-pole, skew-wound motor. Prototype history Alco produced the RS11 from February 1956 until May 1961. During that time, it […]

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Williams by Bachmann E-Z Street vehicles

red and blue model cars

I grew up around cars; my dad managed a tire/repair shop until his retirement. So when Bachmann offered to send a couple of their new E-Z Street vehicles for review, the answer was an easy yes. These vehicles are part of the former K-Line “Super Streets” line, renamed by Williams by Bachmann as E-Z Street. […]

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Athearn HO General Electric P40DC

Color photo of HO scale locomotive on scenic base.

The HO scale General Electric (GE) P40DC diesel locomotive has returned to the Athearn product lineup. The Genesis-series model features a newly tooled body with cab-mounted strobe lights, a red emergency light, and other prototype-specific details. The prototype Our review sample is decorated as Amtrak P40DC No. 813, part of the passenger carrier’s 800 through […]

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Rapido Trains HO Alco RS11

Title screen of video showing HO scale locomotive painted green and yellow.

The Rapido Trains HO Alco RS11 diesel locomotive recently visited our Wisconsin & Southern layout. Join Senior Editor Cody Grivno — who really didn’t pick his shirt to match the locomotive’s paint scheme — as he shares a brief history of Duluth, Winnipeg & Pacific No. 3600; highlights the various railroad-specific details on the four-axle […]

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Atlas N scale Thrall covered hopper

Color photo of N scale covered hopper painted red and white.

Price: $24.95 (undecorated, $17.95) Manufacturer Atlas Model Railroad Co. 378 Florence Ave. Hillside, NJ 07205 shop.atlasrr.com Road names: New paint schemes — Transportation Corp. of America; Burlington Northern (with FRA-224 stripes); CATX; David J. Joseph Transportation; Midwest Railcar; Minneapolis, Northfield & Southern; and Rail Logistics. New road numbers — Canadian National and Peavey. Three numbers […]

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Atlas N scale H24-66 Train Master

Color photo of N scale locomotive painted gray, maroon, and yellow.

Atlas Model Railroad Co. recently released a new run of its N scale Fairbanks-Morse H26-44 Train Master diesel locomotive. The six-axle road locomotive, part of the Atlas product lineup since 2000, is now offered with a factory-installed speaker (Silver Series) or a dual-mode ESU LokSound V5 sound decoder (Gold Series). Prototype history Fairbanks-Morse produced the […]

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An automotive palace: The Menards Vehicle Showroom

tall structure with lights and vehicles

Nobody can say the Menards doesn’t push the envelope in their line of O gauge structures. From power plants, to hotels, and office buildings, the company doesn’t just take an old design and slap new signage on the exterior. The Vehicle Showroom (275-9281) counts as a spectacular design and and an innovative way to construct […]

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PIKO America HO scale diesel-hydraulic locomotive

Color photo of gray and red HO scale locomotive on scenic base.

The much-anticipated Krauss-Maffei ML-4000 diesel-hydraulic locomotive is now available from PIKO America. The newly tooled model, based on the 1961 prototype, has an injection-molded plastic body, die-cast metal chassis, and can motor with dual flywheels. Prototype history The PIKO America models are decorated as Southern Pacific 9000, 9001, and 9002 in their as-delivered appearance. The […]

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Rapido Trains HO RS18u diesel locomotive

Color photo of HO locomotive painted red with black-and-white graphics.

Do you have a soft spot for railroad-rebuilt diesel locomotives? Then you’ll want to check out the HO scale Canadian Pacific RS18u from Rapido Trains. The model, designed from field measurements and a 3-D scan of a full-size engine, is offered in a variety of paint schemes from 1980 to the present. The prototype In […]

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Athearn HO scale GE AC4400CW

Image capture of title screen from Product Review video.

Model Railroader was among a handful of outlets to receive a review sample of the Athearn HO scale GE AC4400CW diesel locomotive. Join Senior Editor Cody Grivno as he shares a brief history of Chicago & North Western No. 8801, points out the many prototype-specific details on the six-axle road locomotive, and demonstrates some of […]

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Fox Valley Models HO 55-ton hopper

Color image of three HO scale hopper cars.

Fox Valley Models, a ScaleTrains company, has released an HO scale 55-ton two-bay hopper. The model, based on a United States Railroad Administration (USRA) prototype, features plastic and die-cast metal construction, 33” metal wheelsets, and semi-scale Type E knuckle couplers. Prototype information With railroads facing equipment shortages during World War I, the USRA designed five […]

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