News & Products for the week of January 26th 2026
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 January 26th 2026.
HO scale locomotives
Rapido Trains Electro-Motive Division GP40TC diesel locomotive
Price: Direct-current model, $249.95; with DCC and sound, $359.95
Manufacturer: Rapido Trains Inc., 382 High St., Buffalo, NY 14204; 905-474-3314; rapidotrains.com
Electro-Motive Division GP40TC features include:
- Metal side handrails with plastic stanchions
- Underframe details including traction motor cables, air filters, and HEP cabling
- Cannon & Co. licensed fan designs
- Complete lighting effects (headlights, class lights, red emergency light, ground lights, strobe lights, and more)
- See-through, etched-metal steps
- MoPower capacitor for uninterrupted DCC running
- Suggested minimum radius, 22″
Release date: To be announced
Road names: Amtrak (Phase 3).
HO scale rolling stock
Athearn Genesis American Car & Foundry 4600 Center Flow covered hopper
Price: $64.99; three-pack, $164.99
Manufacturer: Athearn Trains, 2904 Research Rd., Champaign, IL 61822; 800-338-4639; athearn.com
American Car & Foundry 4600 Center Flow covered hopper features include:
- Three body styles — early, mid, and late
- Round or trough hatches
- Photo-etched metal running boards
- Separate, factory-applied wire grab irons, stirrup steps, and brake wheel
- Freestanding brake cylinder, valve, and air reservoir with wire brake plumbing
- Screw-mounted trucks
- Body-mounted McHenry operating scale knuckle couplers
Release date: June 2027
Road names: Chicago, Burlington & Quincy; Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe; Burlington Northern; Burlington Northern Santa Fe; Pennsylvania RR; Union Pacific.
WalthersMainline five-unit all-purpose 48-foot spine car
Price: $159.98
Manufacturer: Wm. K. Walthers Inc., 5601 W. Florist Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53218; 414-527-0770; walthers.com
Five-unit all-purpose 48-foot spine car features include:
- Collapsible container pedestals
- Brake gear details on end cars
- Die-cast metal body
- Upright and closed trailer hitches
- Proto-Max metal couplers
Release date: Summer 2026
Road names: Union Pacific; Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe; Burlington Northern; Conrail; and TTX. Two numbers per paint scheme.
HO scale details and accessories
Rail Scale Models traveling gantry crane
Price: $25.95
Manufacturer: Rail Scale Models, 514 Angel’s Way Lane, Horse Shoe, NC 28742; 248-421-6276; rail-scale-models.com
Traveling gantry crane features include:
- 3D-printed components for trolleys and hoist
- Evergreen I-beam and angle iron styrene shapes
- Also includes three assembly jigs sized for 12-, 16-, and 20-foot-wide span of the structure; length and height are customizable
Release date: Available now
N scale locomotives
Rapido Trains Budd RDC-2 and RDC-3
Price: Direct-current model, $159.95; with DCC and sound, $269.95
Manufacturer: Rapido Trains Inc., 382 High St., Buffalo, NY 14204; 905-474-3314; rapidotrains.com
Budd RDC-2 and RDC-3 features include:
- Phase I and Phase II body details
- Fabricated or cast trucks, as appropriate
- All-wheel electrical pickup
- Single-motor, all-wheel drive
- Directional headlights and red marker lights
- Flicker-free interior lighting
- Tinted windows and detailed interiors
- Factory-installed couplers
- Also available in painted but unlettered (RDC-2 and RDC-3)
Release date: To be announced
Road names: Alaska RR (RDC-2 and RDC-3); Baltimore & Ohio (RDC-2); Boston & Maine (RDC-2 and RDC-3); BC Rail (RDC-2 and RDC-3); British Columbia Rail (RDC-3); Canadian National (RDC-2 and RDC-3); Canadian Pacific (RDC-2 and RDC-3); Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific (RDC-3); CN Rail (RDC-2 and RDC-3); CP Rail (RDC-2 and RDC-3); Great Northern (RDC-3); Long Island Rail Road (RDC-2); Missouri-Kansas-Texas (RDC-3); New York Central (RDC-2 and RDC-3); New York, New Haven & Hartford (RDC-2 and RDC-3); Northern Pacific (RDC-2 and RDC-3); VIA Rail (RDC-2 and RDC-3); and Western Pacific (RDC-2).
O scale details and accessories
Silver Spike Designs 1960s tamper
Price: $110
Manufacturer: Silver Spike Designs, silverspikedesigns.com
1960s tamper features include:
- 3D-printed resin kit
- Includes one-piece body, one-piece roof, wheels, and multiple accessory components
- Undecorated model — paint and decals not included
- Also available in HO ($59) and N ($28) scales
Release date: Available now
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.
