News & Products for the week of December 22nd 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 22nd, 2025.
HO scale locomotives
ScaleTrains General Electric AC44C4M
Price: Direct-current model with 21-pin connector, $229.99; with dual-mode ESU LokSound V5 sound decoder, $339.99
Manufacturer: ScaleTrains, 4901 Old Tasso Rd. NE, Cleveland, TN 37312; 844-987-2467; scaletrains.com
General Electric AC44C4M features:
- Five-pole, skew-wound armature motor with dual flywheels
- Light-emitting-diode lighting
- Metal semi-scale Type E couplers
- Minimum radius, 18”; recommended radius, 22”
- Operates on code 70, 83, and 100 rail
- Prototype-specific details
Release date: August 2026
Road names: BNSF Ry. (Heritage III scheme). Six road numbers.
HO scale rolling stock
Atlas Master Line FMC 5077 boxcar
Price: $49.95
Manufacturer: Atlas Model Railroad Co., 378 Florence Ave., Hillside, NJ 07205; 908-687-0880; shop.atlasrr.com
FMC 5077 boxcar features:
- Etched-metal parts
- Plate B dimensions
- Wire grab irons
- X-panel roof
Release date: Fourth quarter 2026
Road names: New paint schemes — Vermont Ry. (orange and black with SSI logo); Delaware Lackawanna (red and white); Richmond, Fredericksburg & Potomac (blue and white); Southern Pacific (Railbox patchout); and Southern Ry. (Railbox patchout). 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.
Atlas Master Line 50-foot postwar boxcar
Price: $52.95
Manufacturer: Atlas Model Railroad Co., 378 Florence Ave., Hillside, NJ 07205; 908-687-0880; shop.atlasrr.com
50-foot postwar boxcar features:
- Alternate history American Revolution Bicentennial paint schemes
- Detailed underframe
- Limited Edition Collectors’ Series model
- Metal wheelsets
- Separate, factory-applied ladders and grab irons
- Straight, tabbed, and fish-belly side sills
- Superior or Youngstown doors
Release date: Fourth quarter 2026
Road names: Alaska RR; Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe; Conrail; and Illinois Central Gulf. One road number per scheme.
Rapido Trains Hawker Siddeley van
Price: Standard schemes, $129.95; faded, $139.95
Manufacturer: Rapido Trains Inc., 382 High St., Buffalo, NY 14204; 905-474-3314; rapidotrains.com
Hawker Siddeley van features:
- Barber-Bettendorf caboose trucks with all-wheel pickup
- Detailed underbody, including separate air and brake piping
- End details, including uncoupling levers
- Factory-applied grab irons
- Interior handrails in the cupola
- Metal semi-scale couplers
- Operating marker lights, track light, step lights, cabin lights, and separately controlled cupola light
- See-through etched-metal end platforms and steps
- Suggested minimum radius, 18”
Release date: To be announced
Road names: Canadian National (as-delivered [red with orange steps], late [black steps], international service [red with orange steps and yellow sill stripes and end fascias], ex-Devco [green and black patchout], and faded [black steps]), Ottawa Central (ex-Devco, green and black patchout), painted but unlettered (red and yellow, both with black cupola, roof, and underbody), and undecorated (partially assembled).
WalthersMainline 40-foot steel boxcar with Murphy ends
Price: $39.98
Manufacturer: Wm. K. Walthers Inc., 5601 W. Florist Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53218; 414-527-0770; walthers.com
40-foot steel boxcar with Murphy ends features:
- 5-5-5 Murphy steel ends
- 33” metal wheels with RP-25 contour
- Detailed underframe with AB brake gear
- Flat steel roof
- Proto-Max metal couplers
- Simulated steel side panels
- Straight underframe
- Vertical handbrake staff with separately applied brake wheel
Release date: Spring 2026
Road names: New York, Susquehanna & Western; Delaware, Lackawanna & Western; Missouri Pacific; New York Central (Michigan Central); Nickel Plate Road; Northampton & Bath; Pennsylvania RR; and Union Pacific. Three road numbers per scheme; also available undecorated.
HO scale details and accessories
Speedwitch Media parts set for Santa Fe BX-34 Modified 1937 AAR boxcars
Price: $30
Manufacturer: Speedwitch Media, speedwitchmedia.com
Features in parts set for Santa Fe BX-34 Modified 1937 AAR boxcars:
- Decals for map (curved and straight), Ship and Travel, or 1959 Ship and Travel schemes
- Unique details
- Resin and etched-metal parts to replicate Duryea cushion underframe
Release date: Available now
Speedwitch Media parts set to upgrade Bowser Pennsylvania RR X32A automobile cars
Price: $30 ($35 with shadow keystone decals)
Manufacturer: Speedwitch Media, speedwitchmedia.com
Features in parts set to upgrade Bowser Pennsylvania RR X32A automobile cars:
- Resin and etched-metal parts to upgrade ends and underframe plus create all free-standing details
Release date: Available now
N scale rolling stock
Atlas Master Line Difco dump car
Price: $32.95
Manufacturer: Atlas Model Railroad Co., 378 Florence Ave., Hillside, NJ 07205; 908-687-0880; shop.atlasrr.com
Difco dump car features:
- 100-ton roller-bearing trucks
- Accumate couplers
Release date: Fourth quarter 2026
Road names: New paint schemes — Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe (brown and white with sans-serif lettering); Helm Leasing (black and white); Metropolitan Sanitary District of Greater Chicago (black and white); Metro-North Commuter RR (blue and white); Southern Ry. (orange and white); and Union Pacific (tan and black). New road numbers — BC Rail (black and white). Three road numbers per paint scheme.
ScaleTrains BSC F68CH and F68DH flatcars
Price: $34.99
Manufacturer: ScaleTrains, 4901 Old Tasso Rd. NE, Cleveland, TN 37312; 844-987-2467; scaletrains.com
BSC F68CH and F68DH flatcar features:
- 36” machined metal wheels
- ASF Ride Control trucks with raised foundry data
- Body-mounted semi-scale standard Type E couplers
- Minimum radius, 9-¾”; recommended radius, 11”
- Operates on code 55, 70, and 80 rail
- Vertical handbrake staff
Release date: June 2026
Road names: F68DH — Trailer Train (speed logo, as delivered, and patched/speed logo, all with TTJX reporting marks). F68CH — Trailer Train (as delivered, patched with red logo, and patched with speed logo, all with TTMX marks). Two to six road numbers per paint scheme.
Z scale rolling stock
American Z Line bay-window caboose
Price: Contact manufacturer
Manufacturer: American Z Line, 7805 Dublin Rd., Dublin, OH 43017; 614-764-1703; americanzline.com
Bay-window caboose features:
- AutoLatch couplers
- Clear window glazing
- Metal wheels
Release date: To be announced
Road names: Chicago & North Western. Two road numbers.
American Z Line General American Transportation Corp. 4180 Airslide covered hopper
Price: Contact manufacturer
Manufacturer: American Z Line, 7805 Dublin Rd., Dublin, OH 43017; 614-764-1703; americanzline.com
General American Transportation Corp. 4180 Airslide covered hopper features:
- AutoLatch couplers
- Factory-applied detail parts
- Metal wheels
Release date: To be announced
Road names: Chessie System with Chesapeake & Ohio reporting marks. Six road numbers (two-pack and four-pack).
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.
