New Release Resource

Here's Athearn pre-production example on display of a Union Pacific U50. Thanks to Jeff Carlson for posting this image on TrainOrders.com.

Southern Pacific was the minority owner of the 26 General Electric U50 diesels with three examples on the Espee roster. The remainder 23 were Union Pacific's and they came from three production runs between 1963 and 1965. They survive on both roads into the '70s.


Athearn will doubtless produce examples correct for both players, SP and UP, for its HO-scale U50. The SP U50 has a nose light, not found on the UP model, which will likely require a two separate toolings for the front end to make accurate models.

Walthers remains very pro-passenger with new plated Santa Fe Super Chief cars and F-units arriving in the next year.


Walthers will also introduce a Pennsy Broadway Limited in the next year to its HO-scale line.

Also noteworthy, both the new Santa Fe and Pennsy cars will include factory-installed grab irons.

Walthers has announced a Los Angeles Union Depot model kit coming late 2010 with a $199.99 MSRP.

From Tangent's release...At todays NMRA National Train Show in Milwaukee WI, Tangent Scale Models is pleased to announce our fourth ALL-NEW HO scale freight car, the Bethlehem Steel design open quad hopper with coal load - as produced for Union Pacific, available July 28!

These cars represent UPs largest fleet of coal hoppers in company history. First produced in 1974 by Bethlehem Steel as UP class H-100-10, production of a majority of the fleet occurred in UPs Albina (Portland OR) Shops between 1976 and 1981. Production of this important fleet ended with the H-100-23 class, after UP placed more than 6,900 of these quad hoppers in service in the rapidly-growing Western low-sulfur coal market. These cars became the workhorses of the UP coal fleet, serving coal originations in Wyoming, Utah, and Colorado, including non-UP coal originations on DRGW, Utah Railway, and Wyoming & Colorado (a former UP branchline). These locations continue to source coal in these UP quad hoppers! Their use has wandered far from coal origin points, including the famed trains over Cajon Pass to Southern California, utilizing mixed DRGW and UP power (plus helpers). These cars have also seen service to all Eastern carriers through interchange service from UP. These quad hoppers continue to operate both in coal and other services, such as miscellaneous aggregates, coke, and sugar beet services.

Model Railroader magazine's website has a preview of new products shown at this week's NMRA National Show, Bachmann has a number of new releases coming.


Bachmann's EZ DCC line will see an EMD GP9 dressed for Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe; Baltimore & Ohio; Canadian National; Louisville & Nashville; and Pennsylvania RR. All available with dynamic brakes except for L&N. Digital Command Control, directional lighting, and E-Z Mate Mark II magnetic knuckle couplers. $89. October 2010. Ready-to-run.


Also coming to the EZ DCC Bachmann catalog is an Alco RS3 in Boston & Maine, Denver & Rio Grande Western (early), New York Central (lightning stripe), Pennsylvania RR, Southern Ry., and Western Maryland. Digital Command Control, directional lighting, and E-Z Mate Mark II magnetic knuckle couplers. $99. November 2010. Ready-to-run.


Bachmann's Spectrum line will see a Baldwin modern 4-4-0 steam locomotive. Great Northern, Louisville & Nashville, Seaboard Coast Line, and Southern Ry. Also available unlettered (black with graphite smoke box and firebox). Dual-mode Digital Command Control decoder, cast metal and wire details, and E-Z Mark Mark II magnetic knuckle couplers. $300 (with sound, $445). October 2010. Ready-to-run. Bachmann's Spectrum line also includes a similar Richmond 4-4-0.


Also coming to the Spectrum line is a 70-ton three-truck Climax steam locomotive. Cass Scenic RR, Clear Lake Lumber Co., Climax (demonstrator), and Moore-Keppel & Co. Also available unlettered (painted black, with or without red windows and white stripes). Dual-mode Digital Command Control decoder, light-emitting-diode lighting, and E-Z Mate Mark II magnetic knuckle couplers. $350 (with sound, $495). October 2010. Ready-to-run. Spectrum series.


Bachmann's Spectrum line will see a Single-Truck Birney Safety Streetcar with factory installed DCC decoder retailing for $160 with November 2010 delivered.

New Bachmann rolling stock offerings will include: a 55-ton two-bay United States Railroad Association exterior-post hopper. Baltimore & Ohio (Capital dome herald), Chesapeake & Ohio, Clinchfield, Delaware & Hudson, Pennsylvania RR, and Western Maryland. Removable coal load and magnetic knuckle couplers. $22. November 2010. Ready-to-run.

Bachmann is also listed as having a new 50-foot boxcar. Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe; Atlantic Coast Line; Central of Georgia ("football" herald); Delaware & Hudson ("I love New York" lettering); New York Central; and Union Pacific. Magnetic knuckle couplers. $22. November 2010. From the appearance of the image provided above by Bachmann, this box car looks to be the company's 50' Plug Door with a sliding door added. They are showing versions with and without roofwalk, but both include high ladders.


Bachmann has a Motorized Turntable listed for November 2010 delivery with a $140 retail. The turntable is listed as DCC ready. From the appearance of the picture provided by Bachmann, this looks to be using components from the recent Thomas line turntable. EZ-Track is not listed, nor mentioned in the description for this piece, but it appears to have slots to connect with the company's roadbed track.

Bachmann will also re-introduce its Cityscenes building kits. Injection-molded plastic. Ambassador Hotel, $99; bus station, $69; department store, $89; metropolitan building, $99; Savings & Loan, $79; Trade Tower, $119; and variety store ($79). September 2010.

You may download the Bachmann NMRA 2010 New Products Annoucements flyer to view and read more information.

Above is a look at the coming GMD FP9 coming from Rapido Trains.

Model Railroader online is reporting Marklin is showing new American prototype HO-scale items:


Pennsylvania RR class L-1 Mikado freight locomotive. MFX digital sound decoder, separately applied details, and engineer and fireman figures. $649.98. Ready-to-run.


F7 A-B-A diesel locomotive set. Pennsylvania RR. Permanent drawbar between units, digitally controlled headlights and lighted number boards, and MFX digital sound decoder. $889.98. Ready-to-run.

Marklin will also have an American Freight 10-car set. Includes two boxcars (Great Northern and New York Central), two livestock cars (Armour Livestock Express and Chicago & North Western), three hopper cars (Delaware, Lackawanna & Western; Minneapolis & St. Louis; and New York, New Haven & Hartford), two tank cars (Humble Petroleum Products and Texgas Union Texas), and one caboose (Pennsylvania RR). Metal frames and floors, separately applied details, and magnetic knuckle couplers.

Marklin is distributed in the U.S. by Walthers.

New Proto 2000 SW8/900 Switchers are slated to arrive in late November, 2010 from Walthers. Coming in both DCC & Sound equipped and standard DC models.

Atlas has a new release of EMD MP15DC models announced for January, 2011 delivery. Above is a Union Pacific 11,000 Gallon Tank Car, from a group coming in December.
Other new announcements from Atlas include another offering of 73' Center Partition Cars.

Intermountain's July 2010 announcements for new releases have been posted. Above are the details, click on any image to open a larger version for best viewing. Pre-order deadline is August 31, 2010. InterMountain is also stating the first release of their FT-A and FT-B units will be shipping in July, 2010.

Atlas has a new release of EMD GP40-2 models announced for December, 2010 delivery. Above is the coming Western Pacific offering. Additional roadnames for the GP40-2 include: Conrail; Indiana Harbor Belt; Kansas City Southern; Ontario Northland; Quebec Gatineau; St. Lawrence & Atlantic; and Vermont Railway.
Other new announcements from Atlas include another offering of 1932 ARA Box Cars; 40' Standard Height Containers; and a new offering Welly Die-Cast Vehicles that include: an Audi A4; Mini Cooper S; 2005 Ford Mustang GT; and 1972 Volkswagon Bus T2.

Gary Coleman passed away Friday May 28th, 2010. Gary Coleman may be best known for his starring role in NBC's "Diff'rent Strokes" which began airing in 1978, but his devotion to the World's Greatest Hobby should also be highlighted. Whether it was the 027 trains on the shelf of his TV bedroom on "Diff'rent Strokes" or stories like the above September 1990 cover for Railroad Model Craftsman, Mr. Coleman doubtless was a positive force in promoting our hobby and gaining awareness for it.

Tangent Scale Models has a new release of its PS-4000 Hoppers. Among the new roadnames is the 1970's The Rock seen above. Visit Tangent Scale Models for details and ordering.

A new set of Broadway Limited Paragon2 EMD NW2 Switchers are available. The DCC and Sound equipped diesels retail for $179.98. Among the NW2 schemes in this BLI offering is a Chicago Great Western example seen below, click on the image to open a larger version for best viewing.
If you've not seen it, there's a recent Broadway Limited 2010 Product Guide avilable online.

Con-Cor will be issuing new fully assembled examples of their Old Time Coaches. The cars will retail for $19.95 and the pre-order reservation date is June 25, 2010. Above are the details, click on any image to open a larger version for best viewing.

Intermountain's May 2010 announcements for new releases have been posted. Above are the details, click on any image to open a larger version for best viewing.

MTH has announced a series of new HO-scale ready to run train sets. Found in the MTH 2010 Ready To Run Catalog are five trains sets with a fall 2010 delivery. All are powered by an F3-A diesel and include two freight cars and a caboose. MTH is including RealTrax track in the set, which is their own roadbed track. Sound equipped sets will be offered, plus non-sound equipped. The Proto-Sound equipped sets also state remote control abilities for the set. Roadnames include: Santa Fe, Pennsy, Christmas, M&M's, and Harley-Davidson.

Athearn Genesis Geeps anyone?. Athearn has posted images of pre-production models of GP7/GP9 coming to the Genesis line. Pictured above are examples ready for Western Pacific and Southern Pacific paint. No specifics regarding the release have been posted.

Intermountain's March announcements for new releases have been posted. Above are the details, click on any image to open a larger version for best viewing.

BLMA's new HO-scale freight car is an ACF F89-J 89' Flat Car.

From BLMA's website here is background information on the prototype, "Built for Trailer Train by ACF between 1966-68, the visually unique F89-J 89 Flat Car was produced for TOFC service and was the only standard-height, bowl deck car of this design by ACF. Easily identified as a common asset in the vast TTX car fleet, over 1,600 F89-Js haul trailers, pipe, rail, bulk loads, and hundreds remain in service today! Not easily confused with any other 89 flat car, pre-order your F-89Js and add flair to your freight roster!"

The first release is the RTTX version from the 1990s and newer time period. Six RTTX numbers will be produced with a $34.95 retail each.