52-foot mill gondola Scale: HO (1:87.1) and N (1:160) Price: Single car (HO, $37.99; N, $34.99); three-pack (HO, $94.99; N, $89.99). Add $5 for Primed for Grime. Era: 1980s to present Manufacturer: Athearn Trains, 2904 Research Rd., Champaign, IL 61822; 800-338-4639; athearn.com 52-foot mill gondola features: Refined end-sheet molded details; upgraded rivet and bolt detail; and new wire […]
What was your first train set (or locomotive)? Meet Jason Shron: My first train set was a Tyco “Canadiana” set with an Alco C430 decorated in a fantasy Canadian paint scheme. This was soon joined by the Tyco Freight Unloading Boxcar and the Life-Like Operating Logging Mill. In 1979, when I was 4 years old, […]
24-foot wood tank car Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: No trucks or couplers, $40; Tichy Train Group archbar trucks and Kadee No. 148 couplers, $45; Kadee No. 509 archbar trucks and No. 148 couplers, $50. Manufacturer: Conowingo Models; conowingomodels.com 24-foot wood tank car features: Bands with 3-D printed hose clamps Metal tie rods 3-D printed valve Tichy Train […]
Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe double-sheathed caboose Scale: Large scale (1:24) Price: $104.99 Manufacturer: PIKO America, LLC, 4610 Alvarado Canyon Rd., Ste. 5, San Diego, CA 92120; piko-america.com Caboose features: Molded sheathing with woodgrain detail Factory-applied brake wheel, brake cylinder, piping, smokejack, running boards, ladders, and stirrup steps Plastic wheelsets Hook-and-loop couplers Minimum recommend radius, 23.6” […]
30,000-gallon ethanol tank car Scale: HO (1:87.1) and N (1:160) Price: Single car (HO, $52.99; N, $38.99); three-pack, (HO, $131.99; N, $96.99). Add $5 to $13 for Primed for Grime models. Era: 1999 to present Manufacturer: Athearn Trains, 2904 Research Rd., Champaign, IL 61822; 800-338-4639; athearn.com 30,000-gallon ethanol tank car features: Separate, factory-applied brake wheel, walkway platform, manway, […]
6 Questions with Michael Gross | Actor Michael Gross enjoyed a busy summer of activities surrounding the World’s Greatest Hobby, otherwise known as model railroading! Between engaging in his personal modeling projects and layout operating endeavors, Michael was also invited to attend the National Model Railroad Association’s (NMRA) Gateway 2022 National Convention in St. Louis, […]
Tank cars Scale: Large scale (1:24) Price: $124.99 Manufacturer: PIKO America LLC, 4610 Alvarado Canyon Rd., Ste. 5, San Diego, CA 92120; piko-america.com Tank cars feature: Injection-molded plastic tank on flatcar Factory-applied handrails, turnbuckles, ladders, platforms, brake wheel, brake cylinder, and stirrup steps Plastic wheelsets Hook-and-loop couplers Minimum recommended radius, 23.6” Release date: October 2022 Paint […]
Athearn Trains announced that it will be releasing a National Steel Car 6,400-cubic-foot capacity gondola in its Genesis series. The newly tooled model, which will be offered in N and HO scales, will have a detailed underbody, removable debris covers on later variants, and Barber S2E 100-ton trucks with rotating roller-bearing caps. Road names and […]
Two-bay hopper with exterior posts Scale: Large scale (1:24) Price: $76.99 Manufacturer: PIKO America LLC, 4610 Alvarado Canyon Rd., Ste. 5, San Diego, CA 92120; piko-america.com Hopper features: Simulated coal load Molded handrails and stirrup steps Plastic wheelsets Hook-and-loop couplers Minimum recommended radius, 23.6” Release date: October 2022 Paint scheme: CSX (black and yellow). One road […]
40-foot ballast hopper Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: Single car, $42.99; four-pack, $149.99 Era: 1960s to present (varies depending on scheme) Manufacturer: Athearn Trains, 2904 Research Rd., Champaign, IL 61822; 800-338-4639; athearn.com 40-foot ballast hopper features: Removable load Separate, factory-applied wire grab irons and brake wheel Injection-molded plastic body Body-mounted McHenry scale couplers Solid nickel silver wheels with RP-25 […]
Mainline tie plate strips Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: $24.99 Manufacturer: Berkshire Design LLC, 2791 Jude Island Way, Naples, FL 34119; berkshiredesign.net Mainline tie plate strip features: Works with any National Model Railroad Association standard code 70 rail; also compatible with Micro Engineering code 83 rail and standard code 55 rail (latter requires extra care to keep rail in […]
Ore cars Scale: Large scale (1:24) Price: Two-pack, $124.99 Manufacturer: PIKO America LLC, 4610 Alvarado Canyon Rd., Ste. 5, San Diego, CA 92120; piko-america.com Ore cars feature: Molded ladders and stirrup steps Plastic wheelsets Hook-and-loop couplers Minimum recommended radius, 23.6” Release date: October 2022 Paint schemes: Chessie System (black with Baltimore & Ohio reporting marks) and […]
