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.

Capturing Charger Audio

January 27, 2021

Capturing Charger Audio

Bachmann teamed with Train Control Systems and ventured out to Colorado to capture authentic audio of Siemens’ Charger for the new HO model.

The Ultimate Hustle Muscle: ScaleTrains.com’s HO-scale SD45

January 5, 2021

The Ultimate Hustle Muscle: ScaleTrains.com’s HO-scale SD45

Is ScaleTrains.com’s HO-scale SD45 the ultimate example of “Hustle Muscle” in 1:87?

Fs for Executives: Walthers Mainline F-units

January 5, 2021

Fs for Executives: Walthers Mainline F-units

Walthers recently produced a series of executive liveries for its HO-scale Mainline-series F7 diesel locomotive models.

InterMountain’s Modified AAR 1937 Boxcar

December 26, 2020

InterMountain’s Modified AAR 1937 Boxcar

InterMountain’s HO-scale modified 1937 AAR boxcar model remains an excellent example of this prototype. Introduced in late 1938, the modified plans gave railroads operating west of Chicago some extra cargo volume, especially handy for the grain hauling roads during harvest season, for example. InterMountain offers 16 different paint schemes in its current production run of its HO-scale model.

Menards Exclusive Starter Sets in HO

December 7, 2020

Menards Exclusive Starter Sets in HO

Produced by Bachmann exclusively for Menards are two new HO-scale starter sets for the 2020 holiday season. You can purchase these sets at your local Menards or online at the store’s website.

TrainLife.com’s Exclusive “Stand-in” Gons

November 30, 2020

TrainLife.com’s Exclusive “Stand-in” Gons

An exclusive release from TrainLife.com presents ExactRail’s Thrall 3564 gondola in paint schemes for near prototypes in HO and N.

First Look at N-scale Thomas & Friends from Bachmann

November 24, 2020

First Look at N-scale Thomas & Friends from Bachmann

The fun of “Thomas & Friends” is now available in N scale from Bachmann. The first releases are available now for holiday giving. Jackson Sobeck and his father are reviewing the first offerings for Model Railroad News.

Walthers WiFlyer Express HO-scale train set

November 20, 2020

Walthers WiFlyer Express HO-scale train set

Walthers Wi-Flyer Express HO-scale train sets provide all you need to get started in model railroading and include digital control via a smart device and sound output from the locomotive.

Lionel’s Nickel Plate Fast Freight train set in HO

November 19, 2020

Lionel’s Nickel Plate Fast Freight train set in HO

December 2020’s Model Railroad News includes reviews for six starter train sets, including two Lionel HO offerings.

Athearn Genesis HO-scale Wabash GP7

November 12, 2020

Athearn Genesis HO-scale Wabash GP7

Athearn’s Genesis line presents Wabash’s GP7 in solid blue repaint livery for a November 2020 delivery.