Athearn Rio Grande HO & N Scale 4-6-6-4 Challenger Locomotive
Athearn announced a new and improved run of its challenger locomotive in both HO and N scale which due out in October 2022. The steam locomotive features the D&RGW prototype coal burner with dual smoke stacks. Illuminated number boards and directional headlights including back-up light in the tender; correctly operating eccentric cranks; adjustable top cab vent and cab windows; pivoting front and rear engines for negotiating 18" radius curves (minimum recommended radius: 22"); current pick-up on all driver and wheels; boiler backhead with full details and printed gauges; synchronized chuff, whistle, bell, blow-down, air compressor, dyno and pop-off valve sounds; user-controlled whistle, short whistle, bell, squeal, coupler crash, injector, water stop and light dimmer, individually-applied detail parts, including brass-painted bell and whistle, piping, valves, generator, steps, air pump, air tanks, reverser and coupler lift bar; front coupler pocket can be inserted to mount operating coupler.
New features on this run include dual cube speakers for great sound quality, lighted firebox flicker effect with see-through firebox door, upgraded headlight lighting with brighter LED; improved loco-to-tender connection harness for increased durability and serviceability. Sound equipped models feature tender-mounted DCC decoder with SoundTraxx Tsunami2 sound; sound units operate in both DC and DCC; full DCC functions available when operated in DCC mode; engine, whistle, and bell sounds work in DC.
The locomotive comes in road number 3803. MSRP for non-sound units is $669.99 for HO scale and $399.99 for N scale. Sound units MSRP is $769.99 for HO scale and $499.99 for N scale model. For more information see your local hobby dealer or visit Athearn.com
This is BLI's second production of the USRA Light and Heavy
2-8-2 designs in N scale, commonly called Heavy Mikados and Light Mikados scheduled for November. with an MSPR $369.99.
There were 233 original USRA Heavy 2-8-2s built plus another 957 copies, covering 23 railroads. It was an extremely successful design. The USRA Heavy Mikados used pretty much the same running gear as the Light Mike's, but the boilers were 10 inches larger in diameter and they had larger cylinders as well. Tractive effort was about 10% higher for the heavy 2-8-2s. As for the USRA Light Mikados, the USRA built 625 total, with 641 copies built after the USRA ended control. With copies, over 50 railroads used the USRA Light 2-8-2s. BLI's models follow the original designs closely. Railroad specific variations are not modeled on these locomotives. The model which comes in road number 1202 features Paragon4 sound & control system featuring ROLLING THUNDER; integral dual-mode decoder with back EMF for superb slow speed operation in DC and DCC; precision drive mechanism engineered for heavy towing and smooth slow speed operation; all wheel electrical pick-up; die cast body with die cast chassis for maximum tractive effort; premium caliber painting; prototypically accurate paint scheme and road numbers; many separately applied details such as handrails, grab irons, piping, whistle, and bell; prototypical headlight and rear light operation; prototypically accurate sounds for the USRA 2-8-2s; operating Microtrains-compatible couplers and will operate on code 55, 70, 80 code rail with a minimum operating radius of 9.75 inches.
For more information see your local hobby dealer or visit https://www.broadway-limited.com.
InterMountain Rio Grande HO Scale 42’ Fish Belly Side Sill Flatcar
InterMountain Railway announced they are taking reservations through the end of October for the latest run of 42’ fish belly side sill flatcars. The rerun of the model feature new road
numbers 21017, 21024, 21039, 21058, 21073, 21086. The ready-to-run model features painted black with white flying Rio Grande lettering and is equipped with InterMountain 33" metal wheelsets and metal knuckle couplers. MSPR $39.95
For more information see your local hobby dealer or visit https://intermountain-railway.com
Moloco Rio Grande HO Scale PCF 50′ RBL Plate B 10’ 0” Offset Door, DF-B Bulkheads Boxcar
Moloco announced its HO scale PCF 50' RBL Plate B 10’ 0” Offset Door, DF-B bulkheads boxcar with a xxx release. The model matches the DRGW car which was leased from North American Car Company,
reporting marks NIRX and comes in four road numbers: 40001 40004, 40007, and 40008 with an MSRP $58.99.
In 1959, Pacific Car & Foundry (PC&F) worked with Southern Pacific to design and develop a new series of cars, Insulated Boxcars or RBLs. They started with centered 9-foot doored cars in a Plate B clearance for the canned and food stuffs trade that was needed on a majority of SP and it's subsidiary SSW's service areas. As the design developed over three years, in late 1962 a ten foot offset doored design was designed. Which is the subject of this model. The entire upper body of the boxcar was riveted together from the bottom sill up, in the 6+5 R pattern. Whereas the underframe was fully welded. These were insulated, had proven 20-inch cushioned underframes, usually Hydra-Cushion cushioning devices. Many types and configurations and combinations of loaders were used as per customer specifications, but these specifically had Moveable Bulkheads, or DF-B loaders.
The model features either a n overhanging Stanray roof or Pullman-Standard roof with correct roofwalk and crossover platform types for each roadname; perfect to prototype PCF versions of Stanray R3-4 riveted ends, with separate roofwalk end bracket; usual lettering differences per car number apply where they occur; new car sides PCF signature riveted, with PCF style ladders, with specific prototype door stops, door gussets and sill design; accurate Moloco's cushioned draft gear coupler boxes; specific cushioning devices and associated underframe layout and details dependent on roadname, including another first for Moloco, a delivery version as well as rebuild-style underframes with new Moloco 70-ton roller bearing trucks, ride-control, barber or National-style trucks matching prototype applications; rubber airhoses the first to add them to a finished modeling the industry by Moloco. For more information see your local hobby dealer or visit https://www.molocotrains.com.
