Atlas HO NSC newsprint boxcar

Color photo of HO scale boxcar painted green and black on white background

The National Steel Car Corp. 50-foot newsprint boxcar is the latest addition to the Master Line from Atlas Model Railroad Co. The model, based on tooling the manufacturer acquired from True Line Trains in 2020, features molded and separate, factory-applied detail parts; 33” metal wheelsets; and body-mounted Accumate couplers. Prototype history Between 1967 and 1971, […]

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News & Products for the week of June 2nd 2025

A brown and blue model locomotive

News & Products for the week of June 2nd 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 June 2nd, […]

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How to build a freight train

Train passes a grass-lined pond

The first step in building a freight train is understanding what railroaders mean by “compliance.” A freight train is said to be “in compliance” when it’s assembled properly and is operating according to the railroad’s rules. In practice, crews need to devote as much attention to the big picture of compliance as they do to […]

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Install a decoder in an Atlas cab car

A model passenger. car on a model railroad layout

I’m a huge fan of commuter services, and that definitely includes Chicago’s Metra. So when I heard that Atlas was releasing Metra Nippon Sharyo gallery cars in HO scale, I had to get my hands on some. Since Metra runs a push-pull operation, the Type 8500 cab car gets as much time leading trains as […]

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Athearn HO scale EMD GP38-2

Color photo of HO scale diesel locomotive painted orange and black on white background

Athearn HO scale EMD GP38-2 Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: Direct-current model with 21-pin NEM connector, $229.99; with dual-mode SoundTraxx Tsunami2 sound decoder, $329.99 Era: 1970s to present (varies based on paint scheme) Manufacturer: Athearn Trains, 2904 Research Rd., Champaign, IL 61822; 800-338-4639; athearn.com Athearn HO scale EMD GP38-2 features: All-wheel drive and electrical pickup Body-mounted […]

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Walthers HO ACF 5250 covered hopper

Color photo of HO scale covered hopper painted gray with red and black graphics on white background

Walthers HO ACF 5250 covered hopper Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: $34.98 Era: 1960s to 2000s Manufacturer: Wm. K. Walthers Inc., 5601 W. Florist Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53218; 414-527-0770; walthers.com Walthers HO ACF 5250 covered hopper features: 36” turned-metal wheels on plastic axles All-new tooling from rails to roof Based on prototypes used to haul plastic […]

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Aurora Miniatures HO GMD SD50F

Title screen of product review video showing HO scale diesel in orange and gray paint on scenicked model railroad with title bar in lower left corner.

See the General Motors Diesel Ltd. SD50F from Aurora Miniatures North America in action our HO scale Winston-Salem Southbound in our latest product review video. Model Railroader Senior Editor Cody Grivno provides a brief history of the six-axle road locomotive and Dakota, Missouri Valley & Western 5454; points out the many factory-applied details on the […]

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