Rapido HO Amtrak Non-Powered Control Unit

Color photo of HO scale diesel locomotive painted silver with red, white, and blue stripes on white background.

Rapido HO Amtrak Non-Powered Control Unit Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: Direct-current model with 21-pin plug, $239.95; with dual-mode sound decoder, $289.95 Era: Mid-1990s to present (varies based on paint scheme) Manufacturer: Rapido Trains, 382 High St., Buffalo, NY 14204; 905-474-3314; rapidotrains.com Rapido HO Amtrak Non-Powered Control Unit features: Enlarged marker lights Etched-metal radiator grills and […]

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News & Products for the week of June 16th 2025

Two model locomotives, one in a blue paint scheme and one in a black paint scheme

News & Products for the week of June 16th 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 16th, […]

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Model Railroader Photo of the Day: Alco RS-3 at Charlemont

  The industrial community of Charlemont keeps Graylock Terminal crews busy. Today, Alco RS-3 no. 38 will switch the local industries. The scene, photographed by Lou Sassi, is on Bill Duffé’s freelanced HO LKJ&W RR. Model Railroader‘s Photo of the Day features images from our archives, celebrating decades of model railroad heritage and excellence. […]

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East Troy Industrial Park EXTRA | Progress Report #1

Now that trains are running on the HO scale East Troy Industrial Park (ETIP) project layout, David Popp hosts this BONUS video to share some of the behind-the-scenes efforts and design considerations the MR crew still needs to tackle. As so many model railroaders can attest, there’s no such thing as “finished” layout…especially when structure […]

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Atlas Thrall HO 2743 gondola

Color photo of HO scale gondola painted blue with red, yellow, and white graphics.

Atlas Thrall HO 2743 gondola Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: $39.95; with cover, $44.95 Era: 1995 to present Manufacturer: Atlas Model Railroad Co., 378 Florence Ave., Hillside, NJ 07205; 908-687-0880; shop.atlasrr.com Atlas Thrall 2743 gondola features: 14 exterior posts 36” metal wheelsets Body-mounted Accumate couplers Detailed brake system with air reservoir, brake cylinder, and control valve; […]

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Rapido HO Pennsylvania RR G22 gondola

Color photo of HO scale freight car painted mineral red on white background

Rapido HO Pennsylvania RR G22 gondola Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: Single car, $54.95; three-pack, $164.85; and six-pack, $329.70 Era: 1915 to 1970s (varies based on paint scheme) Manufacturer: Rapido Trains, 382 High St., Buffalo, NY 14204; 905-474-3314; rapidotrains.com Rapido HO Pennsylvania RR G22 gondola features: 70- or 100-ton trucks with turned metal wheels AB or […]

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Support structures for multi-deck layouts

Color photo showing bottom of upper deck on HO scale layout

Q: I have a bedroom sized N scale railroad with a four track staging/fiddle yard on one wall. I would like to run a branch line to a quarry over the staging, but I am concerned about the gradient to get the tracks to the right height. I will need about 6″ clearance for my […]

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