News & Products for the week of June 30th 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 30th, 2025.
HO scale locomotives
Athearn Electro-Motive Division SD40-2 diesel locomotive
Price: Direct-current model, $214.99; with SoundTraxx Econami sound decoder, $294.99
Manufacturer: Athearn Trains, 2904 Research Rd., Champaign, IL 61822; 800-338-4639; athearn.com
Electro-Motive Division SD40-2 features:
- Flexible rubber train line and m.u. hoses
- See-through cab windows
- See-through dynamic brake and radiator fans
- Frame mounted bell as appropriate
- Detailed fuel tank with fillers, gauges, and breather pipes
- Separately applied air tanks
Release date: December 2026
Road names: Burlington Northern, BNSF Ry., Chicago & North Western, Locomotive Leasing Partners, Norfolk Southern, and Union Pacific.
Broadway Limited Electro-Motive Division SD70ACe diesel locomotive
Price: Stealth series (no sound), $359.99; with Paragon4 sound decoder, $449.99
Manufacturer: Broadway Limited Imports, 9 East Tower Circle, Ormond Beach, FL 32174; broadway-limited.com
Electro-Motive Division SD70ACe features:
- Road-specific details
- Die-cast metal body and chassis
- Factory-applied details, including grab irons, horn, bell, wipers, and etched-metal grills
- Cab details include wind deflectors, sunshades, and mirror
Release date: To be announced
Road names: Union Pacific, Ferromex, Kansas City Southern, and Norfolk Southern. Distributor and hobby shop exclusive schemes also available.
HO scale rolling stock
Athearn American Car & Foundry 50-foot combination-door boxcar
Price: $41.99
Manufacturer: Athearn Trains, 2904 Research Rd., Champaign, IL 61822; 800-338-4639; athearn.com
American Car Foundry 50-foot combination-door boxcar features:
- Factory-applied side and end ladders and brake wheel
- 33” machined metal wheels with RP-25 contours
- Body-mounted McHenry scale couplers
- Injection-molded plastic body
- Minimum radius, 18″
- Also available in three data only schemes (brown, green, and yellow)
Release date: December 2026
Road names: Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe; Boston & Maine; Burlington Northern Santa Fe; Great Northern; Missouri Pacific; Southern Pacific; and Texas & Pacific.
WalthersMainline National Steel Car 53-foot articulated three-unit well car
Price: $122.98
Manufacturer: Wm. K. Walthers Inc., 5601 W. Florist Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53218; 414-527-0770; walthers.com
National Steel Car 53-foot articulated three-unit well car features:
- Detailed brake gear with air lines
- Factory-applied side ladders
- Die-cast metal body
- 33″ (outside trucks) and 38” (inside trucks) RP-25 metal wheelsets
Release date: Winter 2026
Road names: BNSF Ry., Canadian National, SFLC, and TTX.
WalthersMainline Trinity 4750 three-bay covered hopper
Price: $43.98
Manufacturer: Wm. K. Walthers Inc., 5601 W. Florist Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53218; 414-527-0770; walthers.com
Trinity 4750 three-bay covered hopper features:
- Clerestory-style roof
- Late Trinity-style jacking pads and pulling tabs
- Square cornered roof hatches
- Detailed hopper gates with vibrator brackets and outlets
- 36″ turned-metal wheelsets with RP-25 contours
Release date: Fall 2025
Road names: Rock Island, Allied Enterprises, Cargill, Soo Line, and WCFX.
HO scale accessories
Athearn 40-foot low cube container
Price: Three-pack, $54.99
Manufacturer: Athearn Trains, 2904 Research Rd., Champaign, IL 61822; 800-338-4639; athearn.com
40-foot low cube container features:
- Injection-molded plastic construction
- Stackable
- Individually numbered
Release date: December 2026
Road names: Evergreen, K-Line, Mediterranean Shipping Co., Messina Line, Ocean Network Express, and Titan Containers.
Books
SilverLake Images Passenger, Freight & Work Equipment on the Delaware & Hudson
Price: $45
Manufacturer: SilverLake Images LLC, available from Ron’s Books, P.O. Box 714, Harrison, NY 10528; 914-967-7541; ronsbooks.com
Passenger, Freight & Work Equipment on the Delaware & Hudson features:
- 126 page softcover book
- Reproduction of a publication produced for the Delaware & Hudson board of directors
Release date: Available now
News & Products is a regular feature of Trains.com for model railroad operators and builders to get the latest information about locomotives, freight cars, passenger cars, tools, track, and more. Model railroad product news may include HO, N, O, S, and Z scales. Product release dates and prices will vary according to each manufacturer. If you are a manufacturer and have new product releases, please e-mail Senior Editor Cody Grivno at cody.grivno@firecrown.com.
