News & Products for the week of January 23rd 2023

Jan 15, 2024

Model railroad locomotive, freight car, and structure announcements for the week of January 23rd 2023

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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. Here are the products Model Railroader editors have news on for the week of January 23rd 2023.

Atlas Model Railroad Co. Inc. announced the purchase of River Point Station's HO scale vehicle tooling. River Point Station Fine Scale Models of Warwick, R.I., was founded in 2006 by Ron Elsdoerfer to produce accessories for modelers. For the past 14 years, River Point Station has become well-known for its line of licensed N and HO scale vehicles. The sale to Atlas will bring continuity to the line and possible expansion with 3-D deigns for previously unproduced and unannounced models. Paul Graf, Chief Executive Officer of Atlas Model Railroad Co., said, "In December 2020, River Point Station announced that they would be streamlining their product line and would cease producing N scale vehicles. We did not want to see a void left in the market, so we acquired the N scale tooling. "After a successful launch of N scale models utilizing this tooling, we are happy to announce that we have acquired RPS’ HO scale vehicle tooling. [We] look forward to continued success with the line." The acquired Ford tooling from River Point Station includes the F-250 and F-350 pickup trucks; F-350 and F-450 service and bucket trucks; and brush fire, mini-pumper, and ambulance rescue trucks. Ford Expedition EL (civilian, limited civilian, and police-fire) tooling was also acquired in the sale. All of the newly acquired models will be offered in multiple paint schemes and cab variations. The F-250 and F-350 pickup trucks will be available with single and dual rear wheels. The F-450 and F-550 trucks will have dual rear wheels. Atlas is no stranger to producing Ford-licensed models. Vehicles already in the Atlas product lineup include the 1973 F-100 pickup truck, 1978 Fairmont sedan and station wagon, 1984 LNT 9000 tractor cab, 1993 Ford Explorer, and 1997 F-150 pickup truck. All of these models are offered in N and HO scales. Atlas Model Railroad Co. has yet to officially announce HO scale Ford offerings based on the River Point Station tooling. For the latest updates on the HO scale vehicles, visit shop.atlasrr.com.

Price: DCC, $229.99; DCC with sound, $329.99.

Manufacturer: Athearn Trains, 2904 Research Rd., Champaign, IL 61822; 800-338-4639; athearn.com

Electro-Motive Division GP40-2 features:

Release date: February 2024

Road names: CSX; Detroit, Toledo & Ironton; Ontario Northland; Quebec-Gatineau Railway; Southern Pacific; and Union Pacific.

Price: DCC and sound, $379.99

Manufacturer: PIKO America LLC, 4610 Alvarado Canyon Rd., Ste. 5, San Diego, CA 92120; piko-america.com

Whitcomb 65T features:

Release date: June 2023

Road names: Atlantic Coast Line

Price: Direct current model – A-unit, $239.95; A-B two-pack, $459.90. With DCC and sound – A-unit, $349.95; two-pack, $669.90

Manufacturer: Rapido Trains Inc., 500 Alden Road, Unit 21, Markham, Ontario L3R 5H5 Canada; 905-474-3314; rapidotrains.com

Alco PA/PB features:

Release date: To be announced

Road names: Erie-Lackawanna; General Electric; Gulf, Mobile & Ohio; Missouri-Kansas-Texas; Missouri Pacific; New Haven; and Union Pacific.

Price: Direct current, $169.98; with DCC and sound, $219.98

Manufacturer: Wm. K. Walthers Inc., 5601 W. Florist Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53218; 414-527-0770; walthers.com

Electro-Motive Division GP9 features:

Release date: Spring 2023

Road names: Chesapeake & Ohio; Detroit, Toledo & Ironton; Northern Pacific; Pennsylvania Railroad; Santa Fe; and Western Maryland. Also available undecorated.

Price: Single, $49.99; with 45-foot trailer, $84.99

Manufacturer: Athearn Trains, 2904 Research Rd., Champaign, IL 61822; 800-338-4639; athearn.com

Trailer Train F89-F flatcar features:

Release date: January 2024

Road names: Kansas City Southern; Southern Pacific; and Trailer Train.

Price: Two-pack, $84.99

Manufacturer: Broadway Limited Imports, 9 East Tower Circle, Ormond Beach, FL 32174 broadway-limited.com

American Car & Foundry 6000-gallon tank car features:

Release date: Available now

Road names: Brown Co.; Canadian Industries; Christmas paint scheme; Columbia Southern; Dow Chemical; Ethyl Corp.; Hooker; Merrimac Chemical Co.; Niagara Alkali; Niagara Smelting; Penn Salt; Pittsburgh Plate Glass; Solvay Process; Stauffer Chemical; Southern Alkali; UTLX; Virginia Chemical; Virginia Smelting; Westvaco; and Wyandotte.

Price: $54.99

Manufacturer: ExactRail, 525 E. 1860 S., Provo, UT 84606; 866-945-1701; exactrail.com

Pacific Car & Foundry beer car features:

Release date: March/April 2023

Road names: Conrail; Lamb Weston; Manufacturers Railway; Progressive Rail; and Tropicana.

Price: Single coach, $119.95; single cab, $134.95; three-car set, $349.95

Manufacturer: Rapido Trains Inc., 500 Alden Road, Unit 21, Markham, Ontario L3R 5H5 Canada; 905-474-3314; rapidotrains.com

Budd gallery cars feature:

Release date: To be announced

Road names: Burlington Northern and Metra. Also available unlettered.

Price: $34.98

Manufacturer: Wm. K. Walthers Inc., 5601 W. Florist Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53218; 414-527-0770; walthers.com

Association of American Railroads refrigerator car features:

Release date: Spring 2023

Road names: American Refrigerator Transit; Bangoor & Aroostook; Burlington Northern Fruit Express; Pacific Fruit Express; Lamb Weston; Soo Line; Union Pacific Fruit Express; and Wisconsin Central. Undecorated unit also available.

Price: $99.98

Manufacturer: Wm. K. Walthers Inc., 5601 W. Florist Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53218; 414-527-0770; walthers.com

Jordan Spreader features:

Release date: Spring 2023

Road names: Burlington Northern; Delaware & Hudson; Maintenance-of-Way; Milwaukee Road; Monon; Spokane, Portland & Seattle; and Wisconsin Central. Also available in MoW Shark Teeth paint scheme.

Price: Varies depending on figure

Manufacturer: Modelu, Unit 21C, Easton Business Centre, Felix Road, Bristol, BS5 0HE, 07887 803737, [email protected], https://www.modelu3d.co.uk/

Modelu 3D printed figure features:

Release date: Available now

Price: $64.98

Manufacturer: Wm. K. Walthers Inc., 5601 W. Florist Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53218; 414-527-0770; walthers.com

Modern lumber transload features:

Release date: Spring 2023

Price: Contact manufacturer

Manufacturer: American Z Line, 6142 Northcliff Blvd., Dublin, OH 43016; 614-764-1703; americanzline.com

Electro-Motive Division E7 features:

Release date: To be announced

Road names: Milwaukee Road

Price: Contact manufacturer

Manufacturer: American Z Line, 6142 Northcliff Blvd., Dublin, OH 43016; 614-764-1703; americanzline.com

89-foot flat cars feature:

Release date: To be announced

Price: Contact Manufacturer

Manufacturer: American Z Line, 6142 Northcliff Blvd., Dublin, OH 43016; 614-764-1703; americanzline.com

Maxi-IV features:

Release date: To be announced

Road names: DTTX

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 email Senior Editor Cody Grivno at [email protected] and Associate Editor Bryson Sleppy at [email protected] for more information.