89-foot Bethlehem flush-deck flatcar from Walthers

Yellow flatcar

89-foot Bethlehem flush-deck flatcar Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: $49.98  Era: 1970s to present (varies depending on paint scheme) Manufacturer: Wm. K. Walthers Inc., 5601 W. Florist Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53218; 414-527-0770; walthers.com 89-foot Bethlehem flush-deck flatcar Features: Factory-installed grab irons American Car & Foundry or Pullman-Standard style hitches included (as appropriate) Bridge plates (as appropriate) […]

Read More…

HO scale bi-level commuter cars from Rapido

Three green and white bi-level commuter cars

Bi-level commuter cars Scale: HO (1:87:1) Price: Coach, $99.95; cab car, $119.95; coach three-pack, $299.95; three-car set (two coaches and cab car), $319.95. Era: Mid-1970s to present (varies depending on paint scheme) Manufacturer: Rapido Trains Inc., 500 Alden Road, Unit 21, Markham, Ontario L3R 5H5 Canada; 905-474-3314; rapidotrains.com Features: Body shell designs with or without […]

Read More…

Walthers HO scale telltales

Steam train going under telltales

Telltales Scale: HO (1:87:1) Price: Two-pack, $11.98 Manufacturer: Wm. K. Walthers Inc., 5601 W. Florist Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53218; 414-527-0770; walthers.com Telltales feature: Newly tooled Parts to build two single-track telltales Release date: Fall 2022 News & Products is a regular feature of Trains.com for model railroad operators and builders to get the latest information about locomotives, freight cars, passenger […]

Read More…

Walthers SceneMaster HO scale railroad crossing signs

Railroad crossing sign in front of yellow hopper cars

Railroad crossing signs Scale: HO (1:87:1) Price: $19.98 Manufacturer: Wm. K. Walthers Inc., 5601 W. Florist Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53218; 414-527-0770; walthers.com Railroad crossing signs feature: 20 signs (10 crossbucks and 10 advance-warning signs) Contemporary crossbucks factory-printed in black and white Modern advance-warning signs factory-printed in yellow and black Number of tracks decals included Release date: Fall 2022 News […]

Read More…

A Mikado out West, a Reading diesel in Pennsylvania, and a UP freight on the Plains

An Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe 2-8-2 Mikado steam locomotive pulls a short freight through a Southwestern desert landscape

September 2022 Trackside Photos   Send us your photos Trackside Photos is a showcase for the work of Model Railroader readers. Send your photos (digital images 5 megapixels or larger) to: Model Railroader, Trackside Photos, P.O. Box 1612, Waukesha, WI 53187-1612; or upload them to fileupload.kalmbach.com/contribute. For our photo submission guidelines, contact senior associate editor […]

Read More…

Consisting DCC locomotives to run together

A trio of diesel locomotive models pulls a coal train on an HO scale model railroad layout.

Consisting DCC locomotives to run together Q: Can you provide a simple procedure for pairing locomotives in a consist? One locomotive is pulling or pushing the one in front. – Stephen J. Szypula A: In Digital Command Control parlance, grouping locomotives so they all respond at once to the same throttle commands is called consisting. There […]

Read More…

WalthersProto Electro-Motive Division GP35 diesel locomotive

Dark green and orange diesel locomotive

Electro-Motive Division GP35 diesel locomotive Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: Direct-current model with 21-pin DCC plug, $219.98; with dual-mode ESU LokSound 5 decoder, $319.98. Era: 1960s to 1980s (varies depending on scheme) Manufacturer: Wm. K. Walthers Inc., 5601 W. Florist Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53218; 414-527-0770; walthers.com Electro-Motive Division GP35 diesel locomotive features: Road-specific details See-through steps, radiator, and dynamic brake fans […]

Read More…

Accurail August 2022 HO scale freight car kit announcements

Green gondola

August 2022 freight car kit announcements Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: See individual cars below Era: Varies depending on car type Manufacturer: Accurail, P.O. Box 278, Elburn, IL 60119; 630-365-1173; accurail.com Features: Injection-molded plastic kits Plastic wheelsets Solid-or roller-bearing trucks as appropriate Steel weight(s) Screws for trucks and draft-gear box covers Accumate couplers with modeler-installed trip […]

Read More…

HO scale 40-foot stockcar from Athearn

Boxcar red stockcar

40-foot stockcar Scale: HO (1:87:1) Price: Single car, $34.99; four-pack, $121.99 Era: 1940s+ to 1970s (varies depending on paint scheme) Manufacturer: Athearn Trains, 2904 Research Rd., Champaign, IL 61822; 800-338-4639; athearn.com Features: Separate, factory-applied brake wheel Underbody brake system details Machined metal wheels with RP-25 contours Body mounted McHenry scale couplers Minimum radius: 18”  Release […]

Read More…

HO scale 40-foot smooth-side intermodal container from Athearn

White intermodal container

40-foot smooth-side intermodal container Scale: HO (1:87:1) Price: Three-pack, $41.99 Era: 1970s to 1990s Manufacturer: Athearn Trains, 2904 Research Rd., Champaign, IL 61822; 800-338-4639; athearn.com Features: Injection-molded plastic Stackable Release date: September 2023 Paint schemes: American Mail Line (off-white), American Presidential Line (gray with red logo), “K” Line (gray with red logo), Mitsui O.S.K. Lines […]

Read More…

HO scale Overland passenger cars from Athearn

Old-time yellow passenger train car

Overland passenger cars Scale: HO (1:87:1) Price: Coach, $42.99; four-pack (Busines car, coach, combine, and Railway Post Office), $149.98 Era: 1890s+ Manufacturer: Athearn Trains, 2904 Research Rd., Champaign, IL 61822; 800-338-4639; athearn.com Features: End handrails and ladders Clear (sides) and green-tinted (clerestory) windows RP-25 contour machined metal wheels Body mounted McHenry scale couplers Minimum radius: […]

Read More…

North American Car Corp. 50-foot boxcar from Athearn

Blue boxcar with Hamm's logo on side

North American Car Corp. 50-foot boxcar Scale: HO (1:87:1) Price: $37.99 Era: Mid-1960s through 1970s+ (varies depending on paint scheme) Manufacturer: Athearn Trains, 2904 Research Rd., Champaign, IL 61822; 800-338-4639; athearn.com Features: Metal grab irons and etched-metal crossover platforms Pullman-Standard or Superior plug doors Pullman-Standard or Stanray (Superior) roof as appropriate 70-ton trucks 33” machined […]

Read More…