News & Products for the week of July 14th 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 July 14th, 2025.
HO scale locomotives
Athearn Genesis Electro-Motive Division MP15AC diesel locomotive
Price: Direct-current model, $269.99; with SoundTraxx Tsunami2 sound decoder, $374.99
Manufacturer: Athearn Trains, 2904 Research Rd., Champaign, IL 61822; 800-338-4639; athearn.com
Electro-Motive Division MP15AC features:
- Detailed cab interior
- Factory-applied photo-etched metal and injection-molded detail parts
- Detailed fuel tank with fillers, gauges, and breather pipes
- Flexible rubber train line and m.u. hoses
- Blomberg-B trucks
- Die-cast metal frame
Release date: December 2026
Road names: Wisconsin & Southern, Carload Express, Seaboard System, Soo Line, Southern Pacific, Tacoma Rail, and Transportación Ferroviara Mexicana.
Rapido Montreal Locomotive Works S-13 and RS-23 diesel locomotives
Price: Direct-current model, $249.95; with ESU LokSound V5 sound decoder, $359.95
Manufacturer: Rapido Trains Inc., 382 High St., Buffalo, NY 14204; 905-474-3314; rapidotrains.com
Montreal Locomotive Works S-13 and RS-23 features:
- Die-cast metal frame with separate details
- Photo-etched metal radiator grills
- Road-specific fuel tanks
- Thinwall cab design with complete interior lighting
- Prototype-specific tread patterns on walkways
- Metal grab irons
- Rubber air and sanding lines
Release date: To be announced
S-13 road names: BC Rail, British Columbia Ry., Canadian National, and ex-CN but unlettered.
RS-23 Road names: Canada Atlantic Ry., Canadian Pacific, CP Rail, Devco, Minnesota Commercial, and Windsor & Hantsport. Also available painted industrial red and yellow but unlettered.
HO scale rolling stock
InterMountain Railway cylindrical hopper
Price: $48.95
Manufacturer: InterMountain Railway Co., P.O. Box 839, Longmont, CO 80502; 800-472-2530; intermountain-railway.com
Cylindrical hopper features:
- Etched-metal running boards
- Separately applied grab irons
- Multiple road numbers per scheme
- Metal knuckle couplers
Release date: To be announced
Road names: Alberta, Burlington Northern Santa Fe, Canadian National, Canadian Pacific, Canadian Wheat Board, Industrial Grain Products, Kansas City Southern de Mexico, Potash, Procor, and Soo Line.
HO scale vehicles
Athearn 53-foot utility reefer trailer
Price: $44.99
Manufacturer: Athearn Trains, 2904 Research Rd., Champaign, IL 61822; 800-338-4639; athearn.com
53-foot utility reefer trailer features:
- Etched-metal aerodynamic wings on select trailers
- Factory-applied mud flaps
- Rubber tires
- Injection-molded plastic body
- Three prototype-specific fuel tank sizes
Release date: December 2026
Road names: Werner Enterprises, Alliance, Boparai, Dick Simon Trucking, Gill Transport, KLLM, MK Express, and Prime Intermodal.
N scale passenger equipment
Rapido Budd 2600 Chicago Transit Authority ‘L’ cars
Price: Two-car set: without sound, $389.95; with sound, $499.95. Four-car collector set: without sound, $429.95; with sound, $549.95
Manufacturer: Rapido Trains Inc., 382 High St., Buffalo, NY 14204; 905-474-3314; rapidotrains.com
Chicago Transit Authority ‘L’ cars features:
- Two-car set features one powered and one unpowered 2600-series car
- Operating headlights, marker lights, and interior lighting on both ends
- Detailed underbody
- Suggested minimum radius, 9-3/4″
Release date: To be announced
Road names: Chicago Transit Authority (multiple paint scheme) and painted silver and black but unlettered.
N scale rolling stock
Athearn FMC 5,077-cubic-foot capacity centered double-door boxcar
Price: $44.99
Manufacturer: Athearn Trains, 2904 Research Rd., Champaign, IL 61822; 800-338-4639; athearn.com
FMC 5,077-cubic-foot capacity centered double-door boxcar features:
- Fully assembled
- Injection-molded plastic body
- Screw-mounted roller-bearing trucks
- McHenry knuckle couplers
- Minimum radius, 9-3/4″
- Operates on codes 55 and 80 rail
Release date: December 2026
Road names: Western Pacific; Camino, Placerville & Lake Tahoe RR; McCloud River Railroad Co.; Seattle & North Coast; Sierra RR; and Union Pacific.
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.
