Product news
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. Here are the products Model Railroader editors have news on for the week of May 20, 2021.
HO scale locomotives
Genesis 4-8-4 FEF-2 and FEF-3 steam locomotive. Class FEF-2: Oil burner, drop coupler, and dual smokestack (two-tone gray with Armour Yellow or Silver Gray lettering and striping, one number each). Class FEF-3: No. 835 in solid-black scheme with oil burner, triple stack, and smoke lifters and no. 844 in “Race to Promontory” gloss black with oil burner, double stack, and smoke lifters. Dual sugar-cube speakers, lighted firebox flicker effect, and upgraded headlight lighting. Direct-current model, $649.99; with dual-mode SoundTraxx Tsunami2 sound decoder, $739.99. Athearn Trains, 800-338-4639, athearn.com
Milwaukee Road class S-3 steam locomotive. As-built scheme in five road numbers and Hiawatha fantasy scheme (two versions, one number each). Also available painted black but unlettered. Dual-mode Paragon4 sound and control system; die-cast metal boiler, tender body, and chassis; and crew figures. $599.99. Broadway Limited Imports, 386-673-8900, broadway-limited.com
Electro-Motive Division FP7 and F7B diesel locomotives. Amtrak (phase 1 scheme, ex-Southern Pacific), Pennsylvania RR (Dark Green Locomotive Enamel), Soo Line (maroon), Southern Pacific (gray and scarlet), Southern Ry. (green and white), and VIA Rail Canada (blue and yellow, ex-Canadian Pacific). Two to four road numbers per scheme. Injection-molded plastic shell with prototype-specific details, die-cast metal frame, and Proto-Max couplers. Direct-current models with 21-pin plug for Digital Command Control decoder: FP7, $189.98; FP7-F7B set, $369.98. With dual-mode LokSound 5 sound decoder: FP7, $279.98; FP7-F7B set, $549.98. WalthersProto. Wm. K. Walthers Inc., 414-527-0770, walthers.com
HO scale freight cars
Drop bottom gondolas. With steel sides: Denver & Rio Grande Western (black with white lettering), Great Northern (brown with white lettering), Southern Pacific (brown with white lettering), and Union Pacific (red with black interior and yellow lettering). Beet gondola (with board and plywood extensions): Southern Pacific (brown with white lettering). Wood-chip gondola (steel sides with board extensions): Spokane, Portland, & Seattle (brown with white lettering) and Western Pacific (black with yellow lettering and “Keep California Green” slogan). Solid-bearing trucks, body-mounted couplers, and 33” metal wheels. $39.95. InterMountain Railway Co., 303-772-1901, www.intermountain-railway.com
Roundhouse 34-foot offset hopper. Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe (brown with circle-cross herald in square); Cambria & India (American Revolution Bicentennial [in four-pack only] and black schemes); Chesapeake & Ohio (black with “C&O for Progress” herald); Chessie System (black and yellow with Baltimore & Ohio reporting marks); Great Northern (dark brown with goat herald); and Pittsburg & West Virginia (black with “The Alphabet Route” slogan). Three road numbers per scheme. Removable coal load, body-mounted McHenry couplers, and separately applied brake wheel. $32.99 each; four-pack, $124.99. Athearn Trains, 800-338-4639, athearn.com
Pullman-Standard PS-2CD 4,427-cubic-foot-capacity low-side three-bay covered hopper. Milwaukee Road (Federal Yellow); Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe (brown with billboard lettering); Cargill (gray-green with large herald placard); Chicago & North Western (yellow); Chicago, Burlington & Quincy (gray); Northern Pacific (gray with large billboard lettering); and Soo Line (light gray and blue). Four road numbers per scheme; also available undecorated. See-through running boards, 36” turned-metal wheelsets, and Proto-Max metal couplers. $27.98. WalthersMainline. Wm. K. Walthers Inc., 414-527-0770, walthers.com
Pacific Car & Foundry 57-foot mechanical refrigerator car. Santa Fe Refrigerated Despatch (orange, black, and white with circle-cross herald and SFRC marks), Southern Pacific Fruit Express (orange and white), Burlington Northern (white with BNFE reporting marks), Milwaukee Road (orange, brown, and white), Pacific Fruit Express (orange, black, and white with Union Pacific and Southern Pacific heralds), Union Pacific (white with shield herald, “Building America” slogan, and ARMN marks), and Union Pacific Fruit Express (yellow). Three road numbers per paint scheme. Keystone or Hydra-Cushion underframe detail as appropriate; short ladders; low handbrakes; Stanray peaked, ribbed roof with capped exhaust stack; 70-ton roller-bearing trucks with 33” turned-metal wheelsets; and Proto-Max metal couplers. $31.98. WalthersMainline. Wm. K. Walthers Inc., 414-527-0770, walthers.com
N scale freight cars
4,750-cubic-foot capacity three-bay covered hopper. Allied Mills (gray with black lettering); Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe (brown with Quality herald); Aurora Co-op (gray); Big 6 Coop (gray); Burlington Northern (green); BNSF Ry. (Mineral Red with circle-cross herald); Cook Industries (grey with black reporting marks); Dawson Soy Products (gray and green); Delaware & Hudson (red); Farmers Elevator (blue); Evergreen Hatchery Inc. (gray); Farmrail (gray); Goodseed & Grain (gray); Grain Handling Corp. (blue); Grain Train (yellow); Illinois Central Gulf (orange); Kansas City Southern (brown); Lapeyrouse Grain Corp. (gray with black reporting marks); New Cooperative (gray with black reporting marks); Pomeroy Co-op Grain Co. (brown); Sand’s of Iowa (light blue); State Line Elevator Inc. (red); Union Pacific (gray and red, white, and blue paint schemes); and West Bend Elevator Co. (pink). Etched-metal running boards, metal wheelsets, and operating couplers. One to nine road numbers per scheme. Etched-metal running boards and metal wheels. $29.95. InterMountain Railway Co., 303-772-1901, intermountain-railway.com
N scale details and accessories
53-foot CIMC intermodal container. CSX Intermodal (blue), HUB Group (green), J.B. Hunt Intermodal (white), Railpool (tan), and XPO (white). Two three-packs per scheme. Injection-molded plastic with horizontal rib front. Magnetically stackable. Three-pack, $44.99. May 2022. Athearn Trains, 800-338-4639, athearn.com
Large scale locomotives
2-6-0 Mogul steam locomotive. Union Pacific. One road number. Five-pole can-type ball-bearing motor, hook-and-loop couplers, and cab interior with engineer figure. $689.99. July 2021. PIKO America, 619-280-2800, piko-america.com
Large scale passenger cars
Union Pacific wood passenger coaches. Two road numbers. Factory applied brake wheels, hook-and-loop couplers, and plastic wheelsets. $132.99 each. July 2021. PIKO America, 619-280-2800, piko-america.com
Tools
Double-ended pin vise. Steel and plastic construction with chrome handle. Accepts no. 50 through no. 80 drill bits. $9.99. Produced by Excel, available from the Kalmbach Hobby Store, KalmbachHobbyStore.com
Cushion grip scribe. Tool produces micro-fine scribed panel lines, punch holes, rivet marks, and more. Includes one replaceable steel tip. $7.99. Produced by Excel Blades, available from Kalmbach Hobby Store, KalmbachHobbyStore.com
Three-piece pounce wheel set. Tools have 5” handle and produce small marks for tracing. Creates 24 (small), 18 (medium), and 14 (large) perforations per inch. Can be used on clay, leather, foam board, soft wood, plaster, and some plastic surfaces. $29.99. Produced by Excel, available from the Kalmbach Hobby Store, KalmbachHobbyStore.com
Books
Vulcan Locomotives Vol. 1. Reprints of catalogs and brochures on Vulcan Locomotive Works Gasoline powered locomotives. Includes Vulcan Iron Works Locomotive Proposal, Vulcan Gasoline Locomotives Four-Speed Worm Gear Drive, and Oil Burning Locomotives Equipment and Operation. Softcover, 112 pages. $35. Manufacturers’ Catalog Archive series. SilverLake Images LLC and Ron’s Books, 914-967-7541, ronsbooks.com
