News & Products for the week of March 2nd 2026
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 March 2nd 2026.
HO scale locomotives
Broadway Limited Union Pacific Class FEF-3 4-8-4 steam locomotive
Price: Direct-current model, $649.99; with DCC and sound, $749.99
Manufacturer: Broadway Limited Imports, 9 East Tower Circle, Ormond Beach, FL 32174; 386-673-8900; broadway-limited.com
Union Pacific Class FEF-3 4-8-4 features include:
- Double or triple stack as appropriate
- Factory-installed engineer and fireman figures
- Separately applied handrails, ladders, piping, whistle, and brass bell
- Walschaerts valve gear
- Cast steel Commonwealth pilot with options for a front coupler or pilot insert
- Recommended minimum radius, 22″
Release date: Fall 2026
Road names: Union Pacific (8444 in 1962-1973, 1973-1987, and 1987-1989 appearance, 837 and 839 in black- and-graphite scheme, 844 in 1989-1991 Greyhound scheme, ornate fantasy scheme, and 49er fantasy scheme).
Rapido General Electric U30CG diesel locomotive
Price: Direct-current model, $269.95; with DCC and sound, $339.95. Add $10 for weathered schemes.
Manufacturer: Rapido Trains Inc., 382 High St., Buffalo, NY 14204; 905-474-3314; rapidotrains.com
General Electric U30CG features include:
- Prototypical nose and roof contours
- Full lighting package, including track lights and step lights
- Heavy die-cast metal frame with separate details
- Available in passenger and freight configurations
- Road-number-specific step wells
- Etched-metal steps
- Full traction motor casing details on trucks with rotating bearing caps (where appropriate)
- Rubber sanding lines
Release date: To be announced
Road names: Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe (1967+ as-delivered warbonnet, 1970+ warbonnet, 1971+ bookend scheme, 1972+ warbonnet with yellow cigar band, 1976+ warbonnet with blue cigar band, and 1976+ weathered warbonnet (two versions). One to three road numbers per scheme.
ScaleTrains Museum Quality General Electric U50C diesel-electric locomotive
Price: Direct-current model, $309.99; with DCC and sound, $424.99
Manufacturer: ScaleTrains, 4901 Old Tasso Rd. NE, Cleveland, TN 37312; 844-987-2467; scaletrains.com
General Electric U50C features include:
- 3-hose m.u. hose clusters with silver glad hands
- Semi-scale coupler buffers equipped with metal semi-scale Type E knuckle couplers
- Factory-applied ladders, wire grab irons, uncoupling levers, windshield wipers, mirrors, train line hoses with silver glad hands, lifting lugs, exhaust stack, bell, and sanding lines
- Trucks with separately applied brake cylinders, air pipes, and metal wheel slip indicators on left sideframes
- 5,000-gallon fuel tank with fillers (front and rear), vertical gauges (front and rear), and round gauge recessed in engineer’s side
Release date: October 2026
Road names: Union Pacific (as-delivered [early and late], Dependable Transportation slogan with modified nose door, modified nose door, and We Can Handle It slogan).
HO scale train sets
Bachmann Grand Canyon train set
Price: $499
Manufacturer: Bachmann Trains, 1400 E. Erie Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19124; 215-533-1600; bachmanntrains.com
Grand Canyon train set features include:
- DCC-ready 2-8-0 locomotive and tender with operating headlight
- Rolling stock includes heavyweight coach Pullman and 85-foot heavyweight observation car Max Biegert
- Body-mounted E-Z Mate couplers on locomotive and passenger cars
- 63″ x 45″ oval of E-Z Track with 22″ radius curves
- Power pack and speed controller
- Illustrated instruction manual
Release date: To be announced
Road names: Grand Canyon Ry.
HO scale structures
Frenchman River Model Works Downtown Book and Flower Shops
Price: $79.95
Manufacturer: Frenchman River Model Works, P.O. Box 86, Langdon, ND 58249; 701-256-2129; frenchmanriver.com
Downtown book and flower shops features include:
- Resin chimney, compressor, electric meter, exterior covered stairwell, and walls
- Laser-cut window glazing material
- Lumber, styrene, metal stove pipe, decals, signs, and Venetian blinds
- Book shop approximate dimensions: 1.625″ x 3.0625″ x 4.25″
- Flower shop approximate dimensions: 1.75” x 1.875” x 2”
Release date: Available now
N scale locomotives
Bachmann Electro-Motive Division GP40 diesel locomotive
Price: $329
Manufacturer: Bachmann Trains, 1400 E. Erie Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19124; 215-533-1600; bachmanntrains.com
Electro-Motive Division GP40 features include:
- Die-cast metal frame
- Separate, factory-applied handrails and air horn
- Detailed trucks
- Directional light-emitting-diode headlights
- SoundTraxx Econami sound decoder
- All-wheel drive
Release date: To be announced
Road names: CPKC.
N scale rolling stock
InterMountain Trinity 5161 three-bay covered hopper
Price: $42.95
Manufacturer: InterMountain Railway Company, P.O. Box 839, Longmont, CO 80502; 800-472-2530; intermountain-railway.com
Trinity 5161 three-bay covered hopper features include:
- Etched-metal running boards
- Multiple road numbers
- Body-mounted couplers
- InterMountain metal wheelsets
- Also available with data only (gray and Mineral Red)
Release date: To be announced
Road names: Agrium, Archer Daniels Midland, BNSF Ry., Canadian Pacific, Cargill, David J. Joseph Co., Illinois Central, Kansas City Southern, Norfolk Southern, and Potash Corp.
O scale rolling stock
Atlas Trainman O 50’-6” boxcar
Price: $72.95 to $77.95
Manufacturer: Atlas Model Railroad Co., 378 Florence Ave., Hillside, NJ 07205; 908-687-0880; shop.atlasrr.com
50’-6” boxcar features include:
- Prototypical non-terminating corrugated ends
- Diagonal-panel roof
- Detailed underframe
- Separate, factory-applied end ladders, brake wheels, and end platforms
- Die-cast metal roller-bearing trucks with rotating bearing caps
- Die-cast metal couplers
Release date: Fourth quarter 2026
Road names: New road numbers — Ashley, Drew & Northern and Railbox. New paint schemes — Conrail, Ferromex, Seaboard System (CSXT patchout), and Southern Pacific. Limited Edition Collectors’ Series Models — Conrail (Reading door) and Railbox (small logo with graffiti).
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.
