LBF HO Trinity 100-ton covered hopper An excellent model of a modern 100-ton covered hopper for grain service has been released by LBF Co. It’s a ready-to-run HO scale model of the 5,161-cubic-foot prototype introduced by Trinity Industries in 1995. Our sample car was very close to the prototype dimensions in Simmons-Boardman’s 1997 Car & […]
MTH Trains 1:32 New York Central J-3a Hudson 4-6-4 steam locomotive MTH Trains has released its long-awaited 1:32-proportion model of a New York Central J-3a Hudson with sound. Some of its features may seem unusual to scale modelers, but the model is, generally speaking, a faithful reproduction of its famous prototype. In 1937, Alco built […]
Atlas N scale Fairbanks-Morse H-15-44 and H-16-44 diesel road switchers Atlas has added a pair of excellent Fairbanks-Morse B-B road switchers to its N scale line. Both models have smooth running mechanisms and plastic bodies with railroad-specific details. These models represent prototype 1,500-hp H-15-44 and 1,600-hp H-16-44 locomotives FM introduced in 1947 and 1950 respectively. […]
Kato N scale SD70MAC modern diesel locomotive Kato has released a highly detailed and smooth running SD70MAC. It has a dual flywheel mechanism and six-wheel radial trucks. Introduced in late 1993, more than 867 of these heavy-duty 4,000-hp locomotives have been built by the General Motors Locomotive Group (Electro-Motive Division). The MAC designation indicates the […]
Bachmann’s HO Baldwin 4-6-0 Ten-Wheeler steam locomotive Small enough for most layouts and at home in both freight and passenger service, Bachmann’s new Spectrum line HO 4-6-0 is a well-detailed model of the steam era’s equivalent to the Geep. With detailing that compares favorably to models costing much more, it can stand up to being […]
Bachmann 1:20.3 scale Baldwin narrow gauge 2-6-0 Bachmann’s latest 1:20.3 scale steam locomotive is a tiny narrow gauge Mogul that comes ready-to-run. It’s modeled from an industrial 2-6-0 first built around 1910 by Baldwin Locomotive Works. This model is a first cousin to the larger 2-8-0 reviewed in the May 2002 issue of Model Railroader. […]
Atlas HO and N scale ACF Coalveyor bathtub gondolas Building a unit coal train in HO and N scales is much easier thanks to Atlas’ release of ready-to-run models of American Car & Foundry (ACF) Coalveyor bathtub gondolas. These dimensionally accurate cars come neatly decorated in authentic color schemes with a dozen individual road numbers […]
Model Power N scale USRA 4-6-2 light Pacific steam locomotive Model Power has released a United States Railroad Administration (USRA) 4-6-2 light Pacific passenger steam locomotive. The N scale, ready-to-run engine includes a die-cast metal boiler and frame and features some nice additional factory-applied metal and plastic detail parts. According to Linn Westcott’s Model Railroader […]
Athearn N scale F59PHI passenger diesel Athearn has kicked off its N scale locomotive line with a good-looking model of an Electro-Motive F59PHI passenger diesel. It combines an excellent body shell with a metal chassis that seems like it’s a holdover from an earlier generation and capable of producing some amazing speeds. The model nicely […]
Athearn Genesis HO scale Gunderson Auto-max auto carrier Athearn’s articulated Auto-Max car is an impressive addition to the firm’s Genesis line of modern freight cars. This model stands a scale 20′-6″ tall, and it’s 141 feet long, making it one of the largest cars in railroading. An article with prototype plans was published in the […]
Alco HO DL-109 diesel Life-Like’s Proto 1000 HO DL-109 is a good model of a distinctive and historic diesel locomotive. It combines a dimensionally and proportionally accurate body with a smooth-running, powerful mechanism. The American Locomotive Co. (Alco) built the prototypes as 2,000-hp, dual-engine units for passenger service. Their memorable appearance is due to a […]
Life-Like N scale USRA Y3 2-8-8-2 Life-Like has released a great looking model of the Norfolk & Western class Y3 2-8-8-2 that’s a bit of a mixed blessing. It’s a smooth runner, but its gearing delivers an excessive scale speed. This 2-8-8-2’s prototype is the largest locomotive built for the United States Railroad Administration during […]
