News & Products for the week of May 19th 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 May 19th, 2025.
HO scale rolling stock
WalthersMainline 50-foot waffle-side boxcar
Price: $31.98
Manufacturer: Wm. K. Walthers Inc., 5601 W. Florist Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53218; 414-527-0770; walthers.com
50-foot waffle-side boxcar features:
- 33″ turned-metal wheelsets
- Superior, Youngstown, or Pullman-Standard doors as appropriate
- Proto-Max metal couplers
Release date: Fall 2025
Road names: Aberdeen & Rockfish, Chattahoochee Industrial RR, Delaware & Hudson, Denver & Rio Grande Western, Maine Central, Rock Island, Seaboard Coast Line, and Southern Ry. Three road numbers per scheme; also available undecorated.
HO scale passenger equipment
Rapido VIA Rail rebuilt RDC-1 and RDC-2
Price: without sound, $249.95; with sound, $359.95
Manufacturer: Rapido Trains Inc., 500 Alden Road, Unit 21, Markham, Ontario, Canada L3R 5H5; 905-474-3314; rapidotrains.com
VIA Rail rebuilt RDC-1 and RDC-2 features:
- Etched-metal roof grills and fan covers
- Fabricated or cast truck sideframes as appropriate
- Factory-installed grab irons and front door chains
- Illuminated number boxes and class lights
- MoPower capacitor
- Operating VIA-style xenon light and ditch lights
- Separate underframe piping and conduit
- Suggested minimum radius, 22″
Release date: To be announced
Road names: VIA Rail.
N scale locomotives
Kato Electro-Motive Division SD70ACu diesel locomotive
Price: Direct-current model, $165; with DCC, $265; with DCC and sound, $365.
Manufacturer: Kato USA Inc., 100 Remington Rd., Schaumburg, IL 60173; 847-781-9500; katousa.com
Electro-Motive Division SD70ACu features:
- Kato magnetic knuckle couplers
- Directional headlight
- Factory-printed number boards
- Five-pole Kato motor with dual brass flywheels
- Front and rear ditch lights
Release date: Winter 2025
Road names: Canadian Pacific (military schemes) and Norfolk Southern.
Z scale locomotives
American Z Line General Electric ES44AC diesel locomotive
Price: Contact manufacturer
Manufacturer: American Z Line, 7805 Dublin Rd., Dublin, OH 43017; 614-764-1703; americanzline.com
General Electric ES44AC features:
- AutoLatch couplers
- Blackened metal wheels
- Directional light-emitting-diode lighting
- Optional truck with coupler
- Traction tires
Release date: To be announced
Road names: 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.
