General Electric Dash 9-44CW diesel locomotive Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: Direct-current model with 21-pin NEM connector, $259.99; with dual-mode SoundTraxx Tsunami2 sound decoder, $359.99. Add $10 for Primed for Grime models. Era: 1994+ to present (varies depending on scheme) Manufacturer: Athearn Trains, 2904 Research Rd., Champaign, IL 61822; 800-338-4639; athearn.com General Electric Dash 9-44CW diesel locomotive features: Trainline and […]
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WalthersProto Trinity four-bay covered hopper Price: $49.99 Manufacturer Wm. K. Walthers Inc. 5601 W. Florist Ave. Milwaukee, WI 53218 walthers.com Era: 2007 to present (as decorated) Road names: Trinity Industries Leasing (gray and black [75th anniversary] schemes), Archer Daniels Midland (gray with modern logo), Bunge North America Inc. (gray), Cenex Harvest States Cooperative (gray), CIT […]
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WalthersProto Trinity four-bay covered hopper Price: $49.99 Manufacturer Wm. K. Walthers Inc. 5601 W. Florist Ave. Milwaukee, WI 53218 walthers.com Era: 2007 to present (as decorated) Road names: Trinity Industries Leasing (gray and black [75th anniversary] schemes), Archer Daniels Midland (gray with modern logo), Bunge North America Inc. (gray), Cenex Harvest States Cooperative (gray), CIT […]
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Pennsylvania RR and Penn Central G41 and G41A coil car decals Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: Varies, see road names Manufacturer: Illinois Central Gulf Decals, 7507 North State Route 159, Moro, IL 62067; icgdecals.com Coil car decal features: Lettering for body, hood, and interior trough; striping; and loading badges Penn Central set also includes lettering for […]
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Stop signs Scale: HO (1:87:1) Price: 10-pack, $14.98 Manufacturer: Wm. K. Walthers Inc., 5601 W. Florist Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53218; 414-527-0770; walthers.com Stop sign features: Factory-painted and printed Two versions: Yellow and black (1924-1954) and red and white (1954-present) Release date: Winter 2023 News & Products is a regular feature of Trains.com for model railroad operators and builders to get […]
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Canadian Pacific Budd coaches and VIA Rail HEP-equipped coaches Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: $124.95 Era: 1954 to present (varies depending on scheme) Manufacturer: Rapido Trains Inc., 500 Alden Road, Unit 21, Markham, Ontario L3R 5H5 Canada; 905-474-3314; rapidotrains.com Features Simulated stainless steel finish HEP 2 cars have new side window arrangement HEP 1 and HEP 2 […]
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Meet James Royal How did you get started in the hobby? I got started with my Dad back in the 1950s. He had a modular Lionel O scale layout in our attic with a Santa Fe Super Chief AB set with freight cars that was about 8 x 24 feet and included several operating accessories […]
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Virginian class BL-4 ballast hopper black decals Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: $4.99 postpaid Manufacturer: Great Decals, 3306 Parkside Terrace, Fairfax, VA 22031; greatdecals.com Decals feature: Printed by Tichy Train Group Includes herald, road name, and road numbers for sides and ends; dimensional data; and operator instructions Each set completes one car Suitable for Tyco operating hopper or other […]
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Passengers were the missing element on the daily Amtrak trains operating over my HO Ohio Southern until I discovered sets of seated figures made by Faller and Noch. Best of all, they fit right into the molded interior seats in Walthers’ classic streamliners. My Amtrak train represents a secondary turn-around run covered by the older […]
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How to re-stencil reporting marks: If you’ve waited at a grade crossing recently, you’ve probably noticed many freight cars with their original reporting marks painted out and new ones applied. This is done because the car’s ownership has changed. Since repainting an entire freight car is costly, patching over old reporting marks is an accepted […]
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Modeling a Mountainside | Follow host Kathy Millatt’s Let’s Make a Scene video series on trains.com, to see how she adds bridges, track, rockfall and other final touches to the mountainsides on her seasonal scenery dioramas. Even better, Kathy has also documented many of her expert modeling processes in the Kalmbach Media/Model Railroader book, Building […]
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Two interesting freelanced HO flatcar and gondola loads can be made out of plastic parts from used Bic disposable razors. The flatcar load is made from the blade covers while the gondola carries cut-down handles. Of course, you need to be careful with the spent razor blades and dispose of the remnants properly to avoid […]
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