Product Reviews

Enjoy our in-depth reviews of great new model railroading products in a variety of popular scales, presented by the Model Railroad News staff. Please contact Editor Tony Cook to have your product considered for review.

Micro-Trains Line New Mill Gondola in N Scale

January 6, 2024

Micro-Trains Line New Mill Gondola in N Scale

Micro-Trains Line adds a new body style to its already wide variety of N scale rolling stock with the arrival of this 107-series mill gondola.

Rebuilt Well and Tall Container in O Scale from Atlas

January 6, 2024

Rebuilt Well and Tall Container in O Scale from Atlas

Atlas delivers a 1:48 rendering of a rebuilt well car and a 40-foot high-cube container to its line of O products.

Hybrid Rail for the 21st Century: PIKO America’s Sprinter

July 16, 2023

Hybrid Rail for the 21st Century: PIKO America’s Sprinter

PIKO America has offered a European Desiro for several years, but this North American Sprinter features details specific to the prototype.

Action Red E-unit: Rapido Trains CP Rail E8A Diesel Locomotive

July 16, 2023

Action Red E-unit: Rapido Trains CP Rail E8A Diesel Locomotive

Canadian Pacific owned three EMD E8 units, and Rapido Trains has produced a highly detailed version in HO scale in Action Red.

Tubro Roars into HO: Amtrak’s Rohr Turbo from Rapido Trains

July 16, 2023

Tubro Roars into HO: Amtrak’s Rohr Turbo from Rapido Trains

Rapido Trains delivers its initial offering of another interesting North American prototype with the arrival of this Amtrak Rohr Turboliner set.

Athearn Genesis SIECO Boxcar

April 26, 2023

Athearn Genesis SIECO Boxcar

Athearn’s 50-foot SIECO boxcar is a Genesis release and this Norfolk & Western example is from a late 2022 delivery of these models.

Classic Covered Hopper: Micro-Trains Lines’ all-new PS-2 two-bay

February 17, 2023

Classic Covered Hopper: Micro-Trains Lines’ all-new PS-2 two-bay

Micro-Trains Line adds Pullman-Standard’s PS-2 two-bay covered hopper to the hobby company’s N-scale collection.

A Brass Replica of a Classic Kitbash Division Point’s UP Coal Turbine

January 9, 2023

A Brass Replica of a Classic Kitbash Division Point’s UP Coal Turbine

Model Railroad News kicks off 2023 in a big way with big models, like Matthew Dowd’s review of Division Point’s HO-scale brass UP Coal Turbine.

American Flyer’s Texas & Pacific set

December 6, 2022

American Flyer’s Texas & Pacific set

This Texas & Pacific set is a special release from American Flyer in S gauge.

Big Power for a Little Railroad

November 17, 2022

Big Power for a Little Railroad

Brilliant in red and white Tacoma Rail’s SD70ACe diesel locomotives were recently produced in HO by Athearn for its Genesis series.