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 October 21, 2021.
HO scale locomotives
General Electric Dash 9-44CW diesel locomotive. Chicago & North Western (as-delivered scheme in five road numbers, Operation Lifesaver scheme in one number), BNSF Ry. (Heritage I scheme in six numbers), Canadian National with Illinois Central reporting marks (as-delivered scheme in two numbers and late with marker lights), GE Demonstrator (black and red in one number), Norfolk Southern (Thoroughbred scheme with Positive Train Control antennas), Southern Pacific (as-delivered scheme), and Union Pacific (as-delivered scheme with nose number boards). Four numbers per scheme unless noted; also available undecorated (four body styles). Separate, factory-applied wire grab irons, snowplow, and windshield wipers; detailed cab interior; and illuminated number boxes. Direct-current model with 21-pin connector for Digital Command Control decoder, $194.99; with dual-mode ESU LokSound 5 sound decoder featuring Full Throttle, dual cube-type speakers, and two PowerPack super capacitors, $289.99. Rivet Counter line. ScaleTrains.com, 423-299-3689, scaletrains.com
Electro-Motive Division NW2 diesel locomotive. Burlington Northern (Cascade Green and black), Chesapeake & Ohio (blue and yellow), Erie Lackawanna (maroon, gray, and yellow), Great Northern (Omaha Orange, Pullman Green, and yellow), Lehigh Valley (Cornell Red with black stripes), and Southern Pacific (black and orange). Four road numbers per scheme (two each in direct current and Digital Command Control); also available undecorated. Model based on Phase V prototype. Five-pole skew-wound motor with flywheels, RP-25 contour turned-metal wheels, and Proto-Max metal couplers. Direct-current model, $149.98; with dual-mode ESU sound and Digital Command Control, $209.98. February 2022. WalthersMainline. Wm. K. Walthers Inc., 414-527-0770, walthers.com
HO scale freight cars
24-foot tool car. Wood kit with Tichy Train Group jib crane and Conowingo RR decals. Without trucks or couplers, $40; with Tichy Train Group archbar trucks, Kadee no. 148 couplers, and draft-gear boxes, $45; and with Kadee no. 509 archbar trucks, Kadee no. 148 couplers, and draft-gear boxes, $50. Conowingo Models, conowingomodels.com
General American class G85 85-foot flatcar. Trailer Train (brown and yellow schemes with GTTX reporting marks and brown scheme with TTX marks; yellow-and-black scheme with VTTX marks and container pedestals), Erie Lackawanna (black), Pacific Fruit Express (orange), Railway Express Agency (green with container pedestals), Southern Pacific (black), and Union Pacific (Mineral Red). Models feature raised and lowered General American trailer hitches unless noted. Four road numbers per scheme. Die-cast metal underframe, 70-ton roller-bearing trucks with 33” RP-25 contour turned-metal wheelsets, and Proto-Max metal couplers. $31.98. February 2022. WalthersMainline. Wm. K. Walthers Inc., 414-527-0770, walthers.com
HO scale structures
Pennsbury Hydroelectric Mill. Kit includes Rail Scale Models real cedar shake roofing; ridge beam; full roof supports; rock paper; Tichy Train Group windows, doors, and details; and water wheel. Water wheel can be motorized. $80. Conowingo Models, conowingomodels.com
HO scale details and accessories
Assorted 50-ton trucks. American Steel Foundries A-3 Ride Control trucks (roller- and solid-bearing versions), Barber S-2 solid-bearing trucks, and Barber S-2-A roller-bearing trucks. Each truck offered with blackened metal RP-25 contour (.110”) wheels, blackened metal semi-scale tread wheels (.088”) and nickel-plated semi-scale tread wheels (.088”). All trucks feature separate brake beam detail. Roller-bearing trucks have rotating bearing caps. $10.95 per pair. Tangent Scale Models, 828-279-6106, tangentscalemodels.com
N scale passenger cars
Illinois Central heavyweight passenger car five-pack. Includes two 10-section, 1-drawing-room, 2-compartment sleepers; coach; diner; and baggage car. Injection-molded plastic cars with Magne-Matic couplers and clear window glazing. $149.95. Micro-Trains Line Co., 541-535-1755, micro-trains.com
Z scale freight cars
Assorted freight cars. Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe; Peoria & Eastern (New York Central); Northern Pacific; and Reading Co. 50-foot boxcars (two road numbers per scheme, $26.80 to $29.95 each). Imperial Sugar 39-foot single-dome tank car, $29.95. Injection-molded plastic cars with plastic wheelsets and Magne-Matic couplers. Micro-Trains Line Co., 541-535-1755, micro-trains.com
O scale details and accessories
40-foot high-cube refrigerated intermodal container. Maersk Sealand (white and blue), “K” Line (white and red), NYK Logistics & Megacarrier (white and blue), and Ocean Network Express (white and magenta). Four container numbers per scheme; also available in eight pack (two each of all four road names) and undecorated. Injection-molded plastic with composite materials sandwich-sides design and detailed picture window refrigeration unit with separate parts. Single container, $26.95 (undecorated, $24.95); eight-pack, $215.60. Master Line. Atlas O, 908-687-0880, atlasrr.com
Electronics and controls
Peel-and-stick light-emitting diodes. Each light contains double-sided mounting tape and 11” wires. Can be connected to 12V to 18V (30ma) power supply or battery. Four-pack, $7.98. Rock Island Hobby, rockislandhobby.com
Weathering supplies
PanPastel metallics set. Includes six colors (0.3 ounces each), palette tray and cover, and Sofft application tools (one each painting knife, sponge bar, and angle slice sponge and two knife covers). $54.99. Produced by PanPastel, available from Kalmbach Hobby Store, KalmbachHobbyStore.com
Sofft applicator starter set. Includes one each angle slice round, sponge bar, and knife (no. 3 –oval) and five knife covers (no. 3 – oval). $9.99. Produced by PanPastel, available from Kalmbach Hobby Store, KalmbachHobbyStore.com
Sofft art sponge bar four-pack. Includes four different shapes. Sponges measures 2” x 0.6” x 0.6”. $5.99. Produced by PanPastel, available from Kalmbach Hobby Store, KalmbachHobbyStore.com
Books
A Guide to Historical Modeling of Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Locomotives from 1900 to 1987. By Gregory M. Smith. Includes a locomotive roster from 1900 to 1987; 1957 locomotive renumbering; index of commercially published photos; and listings of HO, S, and O scale model locomotive and decals. Softcover, 570 pages. Retail price, $59.95; member price, $53.96. $6 shipping for first book, $1 for each additional book. Retail sales tax, $3.60; member sales tax $3.24 each. B&ORHS Store, P.O. Box 1608, Sykesville, MD 21784; borhs.org/Shopping/index.html
Browning Locomotive Cranes Vol. 2. Reproduction of a Browning Co. locomotive crane catalog from 1920. Includes descriptions of cranes, their components, and photos of cranes being used in a variety of industries. Softcover, 52 pages. $35. Manufacturers’ Catalog Archive series. SilverLake Images LLC and Ron’s Books, 914-967-7541, ronsbooks.com
