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Following are selected product releases published in 2024 Cowcatcher editions.
Kadee Quality Products recently released its HO-scale Grand Trunk Western No. 516816 PS-1 40-foot boxcar.
The ready-to-run car has finely detailed grab irons, ladders, stirrups, handrails and see-through roof walk and brake step. It also has detailed brake wheel with proper curved contour, ribbing and outline highlighting the brake rigging and chain.
The model is equipped with Kadee® Magne-Matic® “Scale” Metal Couplers with delayed centering action and scale draft gearbox.
The prototype was built in 1957 and features 8-foot, 6-inch panel Superior sliding doors and universal brake wheel.
Bachmann announced in February new paint schemes for its HO-scale GP38-2. New models in Conrail “Operation Lifesaver,” Wisconsin Central, GATX Locomotive Group and others are in stock.
The model features all-wheel drive, fine-scale handrails and prototypical details such as a separately applied roof-mounted horn and coupler cut bars. The model arrives DCC ready with E-Z Mate® knuckle couplers, operating headlights, and a factory installed eight-pin socket for the decoder installation of your choice.
Other roads include Canadian National, CSX, Norfolk Southern and RailAmerica.
Designed as a General Purpose road switcher, the GP38-2 was built by General Motors’ Electro-Motive Division. Many GP38-2s remain in service today.
The Coach Yard, manufacturer of HO-scale brass model trains, is taking reservations for upcoming BNSF business and excursion cars and the 1970-79 Southern Crescent and passenger cars for The Crescent as run in 1949.
Production is planned for 14 variations of BNSF’s passenger cars, which are used for business and special occasions, lettered and painted per the prototypes. Included are the Gerald Crinstein, Missouri River, Eagle Pass, Stevens Pass, Snoqualmie Pass, Glacier View, Mountain View, Canyon View, Lake Superior, Fred Harvey, Fox River, Flathead River, Mt. San Antonio and Stampede Pass.
In addition to the Southern Crescent and The Crescent, Coach Yard is offering a number of additional cars operated by the Southern Railroad.
Also, the company announced on its website in January that it expects to receive the nine-car Southern Pacific “Starlight” set and additional cars in March. Production has been behind because of paint scheduling issues with its Korea supplier.
InterMountain Railway Co. announced new runs of its popular HO- and N-scale cylindrical covered hopper.
The release features eight paint schemes of the trough-hatch version of the Canadian-style car. InterMountain is doing five schemes for the first time.
New roads include ALBX ex-Alberta ALNX, Mobil Grain ex-Saskatchewan, WGR, Canadian National and C&NW-Union Pacific. Repeat roads include CNWX “Red Canada” and CPWX “Red Canada.”
Each road will be produced in six numbers. The cars feature metal wheel sets and knuckle couplers.
Rapido Trains will release an all-new group of HO-scale General Electric 44-ton diesels in 2024.
The Canadian National GMD-1 diesel locomotives are back in popular paint schemes with new numbers plus two new road names. Two of the most requested versions of Rapido’s GMD-1 – the four-axle original 1900-series and the 1400-series rebuilds – will be available in several paint schemes.
Part of the initial order by CN, the 1900-series featured a B-B arrangement with Flexicoil trucks. CN created the 1400-series rebuilds in 1989 with a larger 2,000-gallon fuel tank and four-wheel Flexicoil trucks. The 1400s also received upgraded power assemblies.
Paint schemes will include CN 1400s (stripes) and three CN 1900s (green, noodle w/black cab and noodle w/red cab). Waterloo Central No. 1012 and Oregon Pacific No. 1413 will be made if enough orders are received.
Order deadline is Oct. 16.
ScaleTrains.com recently received its Rivet Counter HO GE ES44AC BNSF 25th Anniversary Heritage III shipment to celebrate BNSF Railways’ silver anniversary.
BNSF added the heralds of eight predecessor railroads to 10 ES44AC locomotives. ScaleTrains.com partnered with BNSF to be the only U.S. manufacturer to offer the commemorative diesels in HO scale. In keeping with the Rivet Counter tradition of road number-specific details, nine of the ES44ACs have unique features.
The model – produced in DC-ready, DCC and DCC w/sound – fits eras between 2003 and the mid-2010s, features multiple road numbers and is loaded with details. DC-ready and DCC models retail for $204.99; DCC w/sound is $299.99.
LGB recently began shipping its G-scale Norfolk Southern Railroad Rescue Train, a three-piece set modeled after the prototype used by rescue teams.
There’s a diesel locomotive, boxcar and tank car, which can be filled with water. Water can be sprayed with a digitally controlled pump. The paint scheme is for Era VI LGB models.
Two trucks driven by Bühler ball bearing motors power the locomotive. The diesel has a built-in mfx/DCC decoder with light and sound functions. Running sounds work in analog operation.
The boxcar doors open and close.
The set retails for $2,000, and LGB will donate $50 from the sale of each set to the First Responders Foundation.
