News & Products for the week of December 8th 2025
Model railroad operators and builders can get the latest information about locomotives, freight cars, passenger cars, tools, track, and more by reading Model Railroader’s frequent product updates. The following are the products Model Railroader editors have news on for the week of December 8th, 2025.
HO scale locomotives
Atlas Alco S4 diesel locomotive
Price: Direct-current model with factory-installed speaker, $199.95; with ESU LokSound V5 sound decoder, $319.95
Manufacturer: Atlas Model Railroad Co., 378 Florence Ave., Hillside, NJ 07205; 908-687-0880; shop.atlasrr.com
Alco S4 diesel locomotive features:
- Die-cast metal mainframe and gear cases
- Direct-current models feature factory-installed speaker
- Five-pole skewed-armature motor with dual flywheels
- Metal couplers
Release date: Fourth quarter 2026
Road names: New paint schemes — Monongahela Connecting RR (American Revolution Bicentennial scheme), Bessemer & Lake Erie (orange and black), Canadian National (red and black with “wet noodle” herald), Erie Lackawanna (gray, maroon, and yellow), Green Mountain (green and yellow), and U.S. Steel (orange and black). New Road numbers — Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe (zebra stripes) and National Railways of Mexico (green, orange, and yellow). Back by popular demand — Morristown & Erie (red and black). One to two road numbers per paint scheme.
Rapido VIA Rail Canada rebuilt F40PH-2D diesel locomotive
Price: Direct-current model, $249.95; with Digital Command Control and sound, $359.95
Manufacturer: Rapido Trains Inc., 382 High St., Buffalo, NY 14204; 905-474-3314; rapidotrains.com
VIA Rail Canada rebuilt F40PH-2D features:
- MoPower capacitor for uninterrupted DCC operation
- Radiator fans, radiator, and cabling visible through head-end power grills
- Separate, factory-installed grab irons and handrails
- Suggested minimum radius, 18”
- Ten customers of 6403 will receive crisp, uncirculated $10 bill with The Canadian on the back
- Underbody detail, including separate piping
- Working emergency headlight and emergency shutdown strobe light
- Working headlights, ditch lights, and number boards
Release date: To be announced
Road names: VIA Rail Canada (Renaissance, Love the Way/La Voie Qu’on Aime wrap, and Canada $10 bill schemes)
HO scale structures
Frenchman River Model Works Olde Reliable Moving and Storage Warehouse
Price: $124.95
Manufacturer: Frenchman River Model Works, P.O. Box 86, Langdon, ND 58249; 701-256-2129; frenchmanriver.com
Olde Reliable Moving and Storage Warehouse features:
- Laser-cut window glazing
- Lumber, styrene, signs, decals, fire escape, and wire
- Resin walls, loading bay doors, truck loading docks, track loading dock, concrete platform/steps, and electric meter
- Measures 3.75″ x 5.5″ x 5.75″
- Metal roofing material
- Two-story modular design; additional floors available separately
- Subroof material
Release date: Available now
N scale locomotives
Atlas Electro-Motive Division SD24 and SD26 diesel locomotives
Price: Direct-current model with factory-installed speaker, $154.95; with ESU LokSound sound decoder, $274.95
Manufacturer: Atlas Model Railroad Co., 378 Florence Ave., Hillside, NJ 07205; 908-687-0880; shop.atlasrr.com
Electro-Motive Division SD24 and SD26 diesel locomotive features:
- Blackened metal wheels
- Directional lighting
- Knuckle couplers
- Separate, factory-applied details
Release date: Fourth quarter 2026
Road names: New paint schemes — SD24: Precision National (ex-Southern Ry.), Illinois Central Gulf (ex-Southern Ry.), and Wisconsin Central (ex-Fox River Valley). SD26: Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe (fictional American Revolution Bicentennial scheme) and Springfield Terminal (Santa Fe patchout). New Road numbers — SD24: Burlington Northern (Cascade Green and black) and Union Pacific (Armour Yellow and Harbor Mist Gray with “Dependable Transportation” slogan, low short hood). SD26: Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe (blue-and-yellow warbonnet). Limited Edition Collectors’ Series Model: Duluth, Missabe & Iron Range (SD24 demonstrator). SD24 diesels have a high short hood unless noted. One to three road numbers per paint scheme.
ScaleTrains General Electric ET44 diesel locomotive
Price: Direct-current model with E24 connector, $154.99; with ESU LokSound 5 Nano DCC and sound decoder, $259.99
Manufacturer: ScaleTrains, 4901 Old Tasso Rd. NE, Cleveland, TN 37312; 844-987-2467; scaletrains.com
General Electric ET44 diesel locomotive features:
- All-wheel drive and electrical pickup
- Light-emitting-diode lighting
- Motor with five-pole, skew-wound armature
- Minimum radius, 9-¾”; recommended radius, 11”
- Operates on code 55 and 80 rail
- Prototype-specific details
Release date: August 2026
Road names: Rivet Counter line — CSX (ET44AH), BNSF Ry. (ET44C6H), CPKC (ET44AC), Kansas City Southern (ET44AC), Norfolk Southern (ET44AC), and Union Pacific (ET44AH). Hypo Typical line — Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe (ET44C4); Burlington Northern (ET44C4); Chessie System with Chesapeake & Ohio reporting marks (ET44AH); Chicago & North Western (ET44AH); Conrail Quality (ET44AC); and Denver & Rio Grande Western (ET44AH). Three to eight road numbers per paint scheme.
N scale freight cars
Atlas Evans 53-foot double-plug-door boxcar
Price: $26.95
Manufacturer: Atlas Model Railroad Co., 378 Florence Ave., Hillside, NJ 07205; 908-687-0880; shop.atlasrr.com
Evans 53-foot double-plug-door boxcar features:
- 70-ton roller-bearing trucks
- Accumate couplers
- Paint overspray on roof
Release date: Fourth quarter 2026
Road names: New paint schemes — United States Railway Equipment (Quinault Pacific, Cyprus, St. Regis, Tropicana, and Wickes Agriculture, all with USLX reporting marks), Chicago & North Western (patchout), and Illinois Central Gulf (Evans patchout). New road numbers — United States Railway Equipment (Plywood Marketing Associates) and Virginia Central. Two road numbers per paint scheme.
N scale commuter equipment
Rapido Trains Comet cars
Price: Coach, $89.95 (NJ Transit and MBTA, $98.95; MBTA Massachusetts 250 wrap, $108.95). Three-pack with two coaches and one cab, $279.95 (NJ Transit and MBTA, $307.95).
Manufacturer: Rapido Trains Inc., 382 High St., Buffalo, NY 14204; 905-474-3314; rapidotrains.com
Comet car features:
- All-wheel electrical pickup
- Fully controllable interior and exterior lighting, including marker lights, headlights, and ditch lights
- Inside-bearing trucks with metal wheelsets
- Suggested minimum radius, 14”
- Underbody and interior detail
Release date: To be announced
Road names: Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (late and Massachusetts 250 wrap), Connecticut Department of Transportation, CT Rail, Maryland Area Rail Commuter, Metro-North Commuter RR (late scheme and west of Hudson service), Metropolitan Transport Agency (Montreal), and NJ Transit.
O scale details and accessories
Frenchman River Model Works moving truck conversion kit
Price: $46.95
Manufacturer: Frenchman River Model Works, P.O. Box 86, Langdon, ND 58249; 701-256-2129; frenchmanriver.com
Moving truck conversion kit features:
- Kit includes resin front, side, rear, and floor panels; doghouse (over cab) front and floor panels; roof; and mudflaps
- Black-and-white instructions
- Designed by Thomas Yorke
- Donor truck not included
- Measures 5.75” x 2” x 2.375”
Release date: Available now
S scale rolling stock
ScaleTrains GSC 53’-6” flatcar with 35-foot trailer
Price: $69.99
Manufacturer: ScaleTrains, 4901 Old Tasso Rd. NE, Cleveland, TN 37312; 844-987-2467; scaletrains.com
GSC 53’-6” flatcar with 35-foot trailer features:
- Detailed plastic deck
- Metal handrails and grab irons
- Positionable bridge plates
- Tire rub rails
- Trailer on Flatcar hitch
Release date: June 2026
Road names: Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe flatcar and trailer; Baltimore & Ohio flatcar with RISS trailer; CP Rail flatcar and trailer; Great Northern flatcar with Associated Transport trailer; Milwaukee Road flatcar and trailer; and Trailer Train flatcar with Preston trailer. Three road numbers per paint scheme.
Z scale locomotives
American Z Line Electro-Motive Division F7A diesel locomotive
Price: Contact manufacturer
Manufacturer: American Z Line, 7805 Dublin Rd., Dublin, OH 43017; 614-764-1703; americanzline.com
Electro-Motive Division F7A diesel locomotive features:
- AutoLatch couplers
- AZL 7mm motor with dual flywheels
- Blackened metal wheels
- Directional light-emitting-diode lighting
- Prototype-specific details
- Metal stirrup steps
Release date: To be announced
Road names: Spokane, Portland & Seattle. Two road numbers.
American Z Line Electro-Motive Division SD60 diesel locomotive
Price: Contact manufacturer
Manufacturer: American Z Line, 7805 Dublin Rd., Dublin, OH 43017; 614-764-1703; americanzline.com
Electro-Motive Division SD60 diesel locomotive features:
- AutoLatch couplers
- Blackened metal wheels
- Directional light-emitting-diode lighting
- Optional truck with coupler
- Prototype-specific details
- Traction tires
Release date: To be announced
Road names: Norfolk Southern. Two road numbers.
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 cars, tools, track, and more. Model railroad product news may include HO, N, O, S, and Z scales. Product release dates and prices will vary according to each manufacturer. If you are a manufacturer and have new product releases, please e-mail Senior Editor Cody Grivno at cody.grivno@firecrown.com.
