News & Products for the week of December 15th 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 15th, 2025.
HO scale locomotives
Atlas Classic Alco RS3, RSD4, and RSD5 diesel locomotives
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 RS3, RSD4, and RSD5 diesel locomotive features:
- Air or water cooled turbo exhaust stack as appropriate
- Five-pole, skewed armature motor with dual flywheels
- Metal grab irons
- Separate, factory-applied handrails and stanchions, including separate drop step detail
Release date: Fourth quarter 2026
Road names: New paint schemes — RS3: Delaware Otsego System (maroon and gold), United Railroads of the Southeast (orange, black, and white), St. Johnsbury & Lamoille County (red, yellow, and black), and Tennessee Central (white, blue, and red). RSD4: Utah Ry. (American Revolution Bicentennial scheme). RSD5: Southern Pacific (gray and scarlet). New road numbers — RSD4: Jersey Central Lines (green and yellow) and Utah Ry. (off white, red, blue, and gold). Limited Edition Collectors’ Series RS3: Black River & Western (green, yellow, and black) and Ohio Central (maroon, yellow, and gray).
WalthersMainline General Electric P42 diesel locomotive
Price: Direct-current model, $179.98; with ESU Sound & DCC, $239.98
Manufacturer: Wm. K. Walthers Inc., 5601 W. Florist Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53218; 414-527-0770; walthers.com
General Electric P42 diesel locomotive features:
- All-wheel drive and electrical pickup
- Light-emitting-diode lighting
- Metal wheels
- Molded and separate, factory-applied parts
- Newly tooled model
- Proto-Max metal couplers
- WalthersProto drive
Release date: Fall 2026
Road names: Amtrak (Phase 5 [early], phase 3, phase 4, phase 6 [50th anniversary scheme in one road number], and phase 7) and VIA Rail Canada. Four numbers per scheme (two each in direct current and DCC) unless noted.
HO scale rolling stock
Rapido American Car & Foundry helium car
Price: Single car, $59.95; six-pack, $359.70
Manufacturer: Rapido Trains Inc., 382 High St., Buffalo, NY 14204; 905-474-3314; rapidotrains.com
American Car & Foundry helium car features:
- Detailed underbody and piping
- Newly tooled from original blueprints and measurements
- Semi-scale metal couplers
- Separate, factory-applied grab irons
- Solid- or roller-bearing trucks as appropriate
- Stainless metal running board
- Suggested minimum radius, 18”
Release date: To be announced
Road names: New paint schemes — U.S. Navy (USNX, all silver) and NASA (NLAX, all silver). Previously announced schemes — ATMX (gray and silver) and MHAX (gray and silver). Also available painted gray and silver but unlettered.
ScaleTrains Rivet Counter line Gunderson 3250 two-bay covered hopper
Price: $52.99
Manufacturer: ScaleTrains, 4901 Old Tasso Rd. NE, Cleveland, TN 37312; 844-987-2467; scaletrains.com
Gunderson 3250 two-bay covered hopper features:
- 36” machined metal wheels
- All-new model
- ASF 110-ton Motion Control trucks with raised foundry data, rotating blue Timken bearing caps, and truck-mounted brake beams
- Die-cast metal semi-scale lower shelf Type E couplers
- Factory-applied metal grab irons, uncoupling levers, and train line hoses with silver glad hands
- Minimum radius, 18”; recommended radius, 22”
- Operates on code 70, 83, and 100 rail
- Yellow FRA-224 stripes
Release date: June 2026
Road names: CSX (tan with “Boxcar” herald), Cemex (three different AOKX patchouts), Dowel Schlumberger (gray with DSIX reporting marks), Greenbrier Leasing (gray with GRBX marks), Halliburton (gray with HWCX marks), Keg River Chemical (NutraSul 90 lettering), and Union Pacific (gray with Building America slogan). One to 12 road numbers per paint scheme.
Tangent Scale Models Pullman-Standard 4750 three-bay covered hopper
Price: $67.95
Manufacturer: Tangent Scale Models, P.O. Box 6514, Asheville, NC 28816; 828-412-3886; tangentscalemodels.com
Pullman-Standard 4750 three-bay covered hopper features:
- CNC-machined 36” wheels
- Designed from Pullman-Standard plans and verified with field measurements
- Kadee scale couplers
- Road-specific details
- See-through, etched-metal running boards and crossover platforms
- Wire grab irons and uncoupling levers
Release date: Available now
Road names: Pullman Transport Leasing Co. (Farmers Co-op Elevator Association, Roland and Nevada, Iowa, in four numbers; The Andersons [1974 in four numbers and 1999+ in two numbers]; and Kellogg Grain Co., Denver, Colo., in three numbers); Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe (GA-180 delivery in 12 road numbers); Interstate Commodities (2015+ ex-Kellogg Grain in one number); Midwest Railcar Leasing (2013+ ex-Roland and Nevada, Iowa, in one number); Soo Line (1985+ ex-Roland and Nevada, Iowa, and 1989+ ex-Kellogg Grain in one number each); and Union Pacific (class CH-100-28 delivery gray in 12 numbers and with 2005+ conspicuity stripes in two numbers). Also available undecorated (ATSF GA-180 version, UP CH-100-28 [early version], and PTLX 1974 version).
N scale locomotives
Atlas Trainman Electro-Motive Division GP15-1 diesel locomotive
Price: Direct-current model, $139.95 (add $10 for Limited Edition Collectors’ Series model)
Manufacturer: Atlas Model Railroad Co., 378 Florence Ave., Hillside, NJ 07205; 908-687-0880; shop.atlasrr.com
Electro-Motive Division GP15-1 diesel locomotive features:
- Blackened metal wheels
- DCC ready
- Directional lighting
- Factory-installed Accumate couplers
- Five-pole, skewed-armature motor with dual flywheels
Release date: Fourth quarter 2026
Road names: New paint schemes — Carolina Coastal Ry. (black, red, and yellow), Cincinnati Eastern (red, white, and gray), Florida Central (black and yellow), Housatonic (green and yellow), Morristown & Erie (red, black, and yellow), Prairie Line (blue and white), Utah Central Ry. (Patriot Rail scheme — red, blue, gold, and black), and Western New York & Pennsylvania (black and yellow). Limited Edition Collectors’ Series paint scheme — Metra (blue, black, red, orange, and white). One to three road numbers per paint scheme.
N scale freight cars
Atlas Master Line FMC 5077 boxcar
Price: $29.95
Manufacturer: Atlas Model Railroad Co., 378 Florence Ave., Hillside, NJ 07205; 908-687-0880; shop.atlasrr.com
FMC 5077 boxcar features:
- Body-mounted couplers
- Plate B dimensions
- X-panel roof
Release date: Fourth quarter 2026
Road names: New paint schemes — Southern Pacific (Railbox patchout); Delaware Lackawanna (red and white); Richmond, Fredericksburg & Potomac (blue and white); Southern Ry. (Railbox patchout); and Vermont Ry. (orange and black with SSI logo). New road numbers — Burlington Northern (Cascade Green and white with herald over three lines) and Railbox (yellow and black). Two road numbers per paint scheme. Limited Edition Collectors’ Series paint scheme — Atlantic & Western (faded orange and black with SSI logo). Two to three road numbers per paint scheme.
S scale details and accessories
ScaleTrains S-Helper 35-foot dry van trailer
Price: $34.99
Manufacturer: ScaleTrains, 4901 Old Tasso Rd. NE, Cleveland, TN 37312; 844-987-2467; scaletrains.com
35-foot dry van trailer features:
- For use on TOFC flatcars or with highway tractors
- Landing gear
- Metal axles
- Plastic body
- Rubber tires
- Spare tire mounted to bottom of trailer
Release date: June 2026
Road names: Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe; Associated Transport; CP Rail; Milwaukee Road; Preston; and Riss. One trailer number per scheme.
Z scale locomotives
American Z Line Electro-Motive Division FP7 diesel locomotive
Price: Contact manufacturer
Manufacturer: American Z Line, 7805 Dublin Rd., Dublin, OH 43017; 614-764-1703; americanzline.com
EMD FP7 diesel locomotive features:
- 7mm motor with dual flywheels
- AutoLatch couplers
- Blackened metal wheels
- DCC ready
- Directional light-emitting-diode lighting
- Metal stirrup steps
- Optional front truck with coupler
- Prototype-specific details
Release date: To be announced
Road names: Southern Ry. 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.
