News & Products for the week of March 31st 2025

An orange and black model locomotive

News & Products for the week of March 31st 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 March 31st, […]

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RailSmith Models N Budd dome coach

Color photo of N scale lightweight passenger car in blue, white, and gray paint.

​​A newly tooled Budd dome coach is now available in N scale from RailSmith Models. The injection-molded plastic lightweight car features tinted dome window glazing, metal wheel stubs mounted on plastic axles, and truck-mounted Accumate knuckle couplers. Prototype history The RailSmith car is based on a dome coach built by the Budd Co. in 1955 […]

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Why I collect Gilbert American Flyer

wall of toy trains on shelves

What do I collect? I collect S gauge Gilbert American Flyer, as it’s the scale and brand with which I entered the model railroading hobby. I have always enjoyed S gauge, as the size is nice and Gilbert American Flyer enjoys a great history and loyal, albeit somewhat small, following. When did I start collecting? […]

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E5 diesels on the Texas Zephyr

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Colorado & Southern’s Denver–Dallas Texas Zephyr, led by a pair of rakish E5s from parent Burlington Route, speeds southward through Colorado foothill country in July 1965. The train will cross a corner of New Mexico and then switch to Fort Worth & Denver rails at Texline on the Texas/New Mexico state line. Roger Meade photo […]

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News & Products for the week of March 24th 2025

The cab of a model locomotive in black, gray, yellow and red

News & Products for the week of March 24th 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 March 24th, […]

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Lionel Legacy U28C diesel locomotive

side view of camouflage locomotive

Lionel has reissued the U28C diesel locomotive for the first time since 2012. The model was announced in the 2024 Volume 1 catalog. This six-axle unit was not that common on prototype railroads, and its unique appearance will allow it to stand out on your layout.  The prototype was produced by General Electric between February […]

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Diesel lineup at New Orleans

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Illinois Central, Texas & Pacific, and Kansas City Southern E units plus (barely visible) Louisville & Nashville and Southern Pacific F units) idle in the engine terminal outside New Orleans Union Passenger Terminal in 1954, when the facility was new. James G. La Vake photo […]

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Observation car lights

A black and white photograph of two men standing next to a passenger car

Q: I have some questions about streamlined observation cars with rounded ends. What was the purpose/use of the large light located at the end of the roofline of these cars? Is it a white light for reverse moves, or is it a red light similar to a modern day Flashing Rear End Device? Could the […]

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ScaleTrains HO EMD GP40

Screen shot from product review video with green and yellow HO scale diesel and title bar in lower left corner

Check out the all-new ScaleTrains HO EMD GP40 diesel locomotive in our latest product review video. Model Railroader Senior Editor Cody Grivno shares a brief history of the four-axle road switcher and explains why Chicago & North Western 5525 is historically significant; points out the many prototype-specific details on the Rivet Counter line model; and […]

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ScaleTrains HO EMD GP40

Screen shot from product review video with green and yellow HO scale diesel and title bar in lower left corner

Check out the all-new ScaleTrains HO EMD GP40 diesel locomotive in our latest product review video. Model Railroader Senior Editor Cody Grivno shares a brief history of the four-axle road switcher and explains why Chicago & North Western 5525 is historically significant; points out the many prototype-specific details on the Rivet Counter line model; and […]

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News & Products for the week of March 17th 2025

An orange model locomotive

News & Products for the week of March 17th 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 March 17th, […]

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