Product News for the week of March 24, 2022

Product News

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 news updates. Here are the products Model Railroader editors have news on for the week of March 24, 2022.

HO scale freight cars

Illustration of HO scale American Car & Foundry two-bay Center Flow covered hopper painted gray with red, black, and white graphics. — Accurail HO scale Chicago, Burlington & Quincy American Car & Foundry 2,970-cubic-foot capacity two-bay Center Flow covered hopper no. 183945.

Assorted freight car kits. Chicago, Burlington & Quincy American Car & Foundry 2,970-cubic-foot capacity two-bay Center Flow covered hopper (gray), $20.98. Canadian National 40-foot single-sheathed boxcar (Boxcar Red), $19.98. Norfolk Southern 50-foot exterior boxcar with exterior posts (Oxide Red), single car, $20.98; three-pack, $58.98. Toledo, Peoria & Western American Car & Foundry 4,600-cubic-foot capacity three-bay Center Flow covered hopper (red), $20.98. Injection-molded plastic kits with plastic wheelsets, trucks, and Accumate couplers. First quarter 2022. Accurail, 630-365-1173, accurail.com

Photo of HO scale three-bay hopper painted green with yellow, red, white, and black graphics and coal load on white background. — Tangent Scale Models HO scale Chicago & North Western Pullman-Standard 4,000-cubic-foot capacity three-bay hopper no. 135204.

Pullman-Standard 4,000-, 3,526-, 3,600-cubic-foot capacity three-bay hoppers. PS4000: Chicago & North Western (Phase II, 8-1985 green Clinton repaint) and Burlington Northern (Phase III, 1976+ black as-delivered scheme with double rotary ends in two new road numbers and 1976+ black as-delivered scheme with single rotary end). PS3526: Chessie System with Baltimore & Ohio reporting marks (1975+ black as-delivered scheme in new numbers). PS3600: Southern Ry. (1975+ brown as-delivered scheme in new numbers). Twenty-four numbers per scheme unless noted; also available undecorated in five body styles. Prototype-specific details, wire grab irons and uncoupling levers, and 100-ton Barber S-2 trucks with roadname-specific rotating bearing caps. $46.95. Tangent Scale Models, 828-412-3886, tangentscalemodels.com

Photo of HO scale double-door boxcar painted yellow and silver with red, white, and blue graphics on white background. — WalthersMainline HO scale Union Pacific Pullman-Standard 60-foot double-door auto parts boxcar no. 960550.

Pullman-Standard 60-foot double-door auto parts boxcar. Union Pacific (yellow and silver with “Automated Railway” logo), Conrail (brown with “can opener” herald), CSX (brown with black doors), Erie Lackawanna (brown with diamond herald and “Cushioned Car” lettering), Penn Central (Deepwater Green), Norfolk & Western (black), Rock Island (brown with “Cushion Underframe” lettering), and St. Louis Southwestern (Cotton Belt, brown with “Cushion-Car” lettering). Three road numbers per scheme; also available undecorated. Updated tooling with new car sides, 70-ton trucks with 33” RP-25 contour metal wheels, and Proto-Max metal couplers. $34.98 (undecorated, $29.98). March 2022. WalthersMainline. Wm. K. Walthers Inc., 414-527-0770, walthers.com

HO scale structures

Photo of HO scale brick two-stall enginehouse in finished scene with locomotive, gondola, pickup truck, details, and photo backdrop. — Walthers Cornerstone Series HO scale 130-foot two-stall diesel enginehouse kit.

130-foot two-stall diesel enginehouse. Injection-molded plastic kit with office that can be positioned on left or right side; separate windows, doors, roof vents, and downspouts; and slotted base that accepts popular rail sizes. Based on Milwaukee Road prototype. Main building measures 18-1/2” x 8-1/4” x 4-3/4″. Office measures 7-3/16” x 3-11/32” x 2-13/16”. Track centers 3-1/4”. $64.98. March 2022. Cornerstone Series. Wm. K. Walthers, Inc. 414-527-0770, walthers.com

Z scale locomotives

Photo of Z scale end-cab switcher painted red and black with white and gold graphics. — American Z Line Canadian Pacific Electro-Motive Division SW1500 diesel locomotive no. 1298.

Electro-Motive Division SW1500 diesel locomotive. New paint scheme: Canadian Pacific (red). Two road numbers. Prototype-specific details, traction tires, blackened-metal wheels, directional light-emitting-diode headlights, and AutoLatch couplers. Includes adapters for replacing AutoLatch couplers with Micro-Trains no. 905 couplers. American Z Line, 614-764-1703, americanzline.com

Z scale freight cars

Photo of two mechanical refrigerator cars with exterior posts painted white with black, blue, yellow, and red graphics. — American Z Line Pacific Fruit Express R-70-20 mechanical refrigerator cars decorated for Union Pacific with ARMN reporting marks.

Pacific Fruit Express R-70-20 mechanical refrigerator car. New paint scheme: Union Pacific (“Building America” scheme with ARMN reporting marks). Seven road numbers (single car, two-pack, and four-pack). Blackened metal wheels and AutoLatch couplers. American Z Line, 614-764-1703, americanzline.com

Decals

Illinois Central “New Image” Gray 100-ton covered hoppers (1988+). HO scale. Also covers Canadian National Oxide Red repaints with “wet noodle” herald and website. Set contains enough lettering for three cars. Produced by Cartograf. $18. ICG Decals, icgdecals.com

Photo of waterslide decals with white and black graphics. — ICG Decals HO scale Illinois Central “New Image” Gray caboose decal set.

Illinois Central “New Image” Gray cabooses (1988+). HO scale. Set contains enough lettering for three cabooses. Produced by Cartograf. $15. ICG Decals, icgdecals.com

Books

Cover image of book with self-propelled railcar passing structure with trees, grass, and rocks in foreground. — Kalmbach Media *Building Realistic Model Railroad Scenery* by Kathy Millatt.

Building Realistic Model Railroad Scenery. By Kathy Millatt. Features step-by-step photo sections to show different methods used to build scenery; details about techniques and materials to advance your modeling; and unique insights, tips, and tricks for layout detailing. Covers the latest techniques and materials, as well as time-tested methods for modeling mountains, rivers, forests, railroad right-of-way, towns, and cities. Softcover, 192 pages. $24.99. Kalmbach Media, KalmbachHobbyStore.com

Black-and-white cover image of book with steam locomotive emitting large plume of smoke while passing train, shed, and pole line. — Kalmbach Media *How Steam Locomotives Work* by Brian Solomon.

How Steam Locomotives Work. By Brian Solomon. Includes information on how steam locomotive components work together to get a train into motion, the evolution of steam leading to more-powerful locomotives, the various wheel arrangements, what service each was designed for, differences among coal- and oil-fired types, and more. Softcover, 208 pages. $27.99. Kalmbach Media, KalmbachHobbyStore.com