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 27, 2021.
HO scale locomotives
Electro-Motive Division SD40-2 diesel locomotive. Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe (blue-and-yellow warbonnet); BC Rail (red, white, and blue); BNSF Ry. (Heritage III); Chicago & North Western (green and yellow); CSX (dark blue and yellow with “boxcar” herald), Family Lines System (gray with Louisville & Nashville reporting marks); Illinois Central (black with Operation Lifesaver logo); Ontario Northland (blue-and-yellow arrow scheme); Rapid City, Pierre & Eastern (Genesee & Wyoming scheme); Reading, Blue Mountain & Northern (green and yellow); and Union Pacific (Armour Yellow and Harbor Mist Gray with lightning stripe). Two road numbers per scheme; also available undecorated. Dual-mode Paragon4 sound decoder with Rolling Thunder, plastic body with die-cast chassis, and metal couplers. $329.99. Broadway Limited Imports, 386-673-8900, broadway-limited.com
HO scale freight cars
Assorted freight car kits. Clinchfield 50-foot boxcar with exterior posts, $19.98. Canadian Pacific 36-foot Fowler boxcar, $19.98. Erie Lackawanna American Car & Foundry two-bay covered hopper, $20.98. Rock Island 40-foot double-door boxcar, $19.98. Union Pacific Pullman-Standard 4,750-cubic-foot capacity three-bay covered hopper (single car, $21.98; three-pack, $64.98). Injection-molded plastic kits with plastic wheelsets, trucks, and Accumate couplers. June/July 2021. Accurail, 630-365-1173, accurail.com
Thrall high-side gondola with load. Burlington Northern (black and white); David J. Joseph Co. (black and red); Herzog (brown and red-and-white schemes); Lake Erie, Franklin & Clarion (black and yellow); Wisconsin Electric (green); and Ziegler Coal Co. (black and yellow). Ten road numbers per scheme (single car and three three-packs). Wire and plastic handrails, stirrup steps, ladders, and underbody details; removable load; and McHenry scale couplers. Single car, $34.99; three-pack, $94.99. May 2022. Athearn Trains, 800-338-4639, athearn.com
Pullman-Standard 40-foot PS-1 boxcar. Chicago, Indianapolis & Louisville (Monon, “The Hoosier Line” scheme). One road number. Separate, factory-applied grab irons, ladders, stirrup steps, and handrails; see-through running board and brake step; and Kadee couplers. $41.95. Kadee, 541-826-3883, kadee.com
N scale locomotives
Electro-Motive Diesel SD70ACe diesel locomotive. Union Pacific (“Building America” scheme with cab headlight and Chicago & North Western, Denver & Rio Grande Western, Missouri-Kansas-Texas, Missouri Pacific, and Southern Pacific heritage schemes). One number each.
Directional headlights, illuminated ditch lights, and five-pole motor with dual brass flywheels. Direct-current model, $135 to $138; with Digitrax motor and light decoder, $215 to $218; and with Digital Command Control sound decoder, $335 to $338. Kato USA Inc., 847-781-9500, katousa.com
N scale freight cars
Cryogenic refrigerator car. Cryo-Trans (orange and white in five road numbers, ex-Lamb Weston in six numbers, and Cornerstone scheme), JR Simplot (white), Lamb Weston (white and blue), and GATX Arcticar (white and blue). Three numbers per scheme unless noted; also available undecorated. Body mounted couplers and improved brake wheel, crossover platform, and stirrup steps. $34.95; undecorated, $29.95. Second quarter 2022. Master Line. Atlas Model Railroad Co., 908-687-0880, atlasrr.com
Thrall 4,750-cubic-foot capacity three-bay covered hopper. New paint schemes: Midwest Railcar (ex-Rock Island, light blue); Burlington Northern (green and white with conspicuity stripes); CATX (grey); David J. Joseph Transportation (blue); Minneapolis, Northfield & Southern (red and white); Rail Logistics (gray and black with EAFX reporting marks); Transportation Corp. of America (red and white). New road numbers: Canadian National (brown and white) and Peavey (blue). Three numbers per scheme; also available undecorated. Plastic wheelsets and Accumate couplers. $24.95 (undecorated, $17.95). Second quarter 2022. Trainman series. Atlas Model Railroad Co., 908-687-0880, atlasrr.com
N scale details and accessories
40-foot refrigerated intermodal container. CSAV (white, blue, and red), Crowley (white and black), Evergreen (white and green), Ocean Network Express (white and magenta), and ZIM (white-and-blue Monitor scheme). Two three-packs per scheme. Picture window refrigeration unit with separate parts, composite materials sandwich-side design, and five hinge/four bar door style without handles. Three-pack, $44.95. Second quarter 2022. Master Line. Atlas Model Railroad Co., 908-687-0880, atlasrr.com
N scale structures
Fire tower. Photo-etched stainless steel kit with multiple roof options, see-through stairways, rivet and panel details, window visors, roof vent, radio antenna, and laser-cut base. Selectable height up to 100 scale feet. No soldering or special tools required. 2” x 2” base; up to 8” tall.
$69.95. The N Scale Architect, 607-746-8416, thenarch.com
Z scale locomotives
Electro-Motive Division E7A and E7B diesel locomotives. Pennsylvania RR. Two A-B sets. Direct-current model with 7mm motor, dual flywheels, metal steps, directional light-emitting-diode lighting, optional front truck with mounted coupler, blackened metal wheels, and AutoLatch couplers. American Z Line, 614-764-1703, americanzline.com
Large scale freight cars
Flatcars with removable stakes. Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe (red and brown schemes), and Union Pacific (yellow and brown schemes). Hook-and-loop couplers; plastic wheelsets; and factory-applied brake wheel, brake cylinder, grab irons, and stirrup steps. Two-pack, $137.99. July 2021. PIKO America, 619-280-2800, piko-america.com
Two-bay hopper with exterior posts. Denver & Rio Grande Western (black with Flying Grande lettering, “The Action Road” slogan, and “Main Line Thru the Rockies” herald) and Pennsylvania RR (Freight Car Color with circle keystone). Plastic wheelsets, hook-and-loop couplers, and lightweight coal load. $73.99. July 2021. PIKO America, 619-280-2800, piko-america.com
Tools
Model Builders saw tool kit. Includes compact coping saw with five blades, combination file and rasp, and sanding stick. Saw bow is 7” long and 4.5” deep. Cuts wood, plastic, PVC pipe, and thin metals. $33.99. Produced by Excel Blades, available from Kalmbach Hobby Store, KalmbachHobbyStore.com
Straight Lexan scissors. Soft-grip handles. Use with paper, decals, light cardstock, stencils, film, photographs, tape, plastic, cork, and cloth. $10.99. Produced by Excel Blades, available from Kalmbach Hobby Store, KalmbachHobbyStore.com
Books
Western Wheeled Scraper Company: Western Dump Cars. Reproduction of Western Wheeled Scraper Co. catalog on its Western dump cars. Catalog looks at how the cars were used in railroad service, open-pit mining, coal storage, pit and quarry haulage, and more. Softcover, 82 pages. $35. Manufacturers’ Catalog Archive series. SilverLake Images LLC and Ron’s Books, 914-967-7541, ronsbooks.com
