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.
April 23, 2019
Walthers Proto Standout Chicago & North Western GP7 in HO Scale
Walthers has created a very good HO Scale replica of the early versions of Chicago & Northn Western’s Electro-Motive Division GP7 diesel locomotive.
March 24, 2019
Northern Pacific 40-foot Boxcar in HO from Rapido Trains
Rapido Trains has produced built very accurate, highly detailed, yet robust model of this Northern Pacific double-sheathed boxcar.
February 5, 2019
25 Tons of Fun! Piko’s GE Switcher in G Scale
This new PIKO 25-ton GE diesel is just the sort of “fun locomotive” many in the hobby seek out. With a low price, this release will appeal to the entry level and casual seasonal users.
November 19, 2018
Atlas Trainman Dash 8-40CW in O Scale
Relative to the going price of most O-scale diesel locomotives on the market today, the new Atlas Trainman Dash 8-40CW delivers the most bang for the buck we’ve seen in a long time.
September 27, 2018
LGB’s Grizzly Flats Railroad in G Scale
While Ward Kimball’s work as a lead animator and feature director for Walt Disney is well known, many are not familiar with the fact that he was also a rabid railfan, toy train collector, and model railroader. In fact, this enthusiasm led to Kimball and his family building a three-foot narrow gauge railroad, which he named Grizzly Flats, in their backyard in San Gabriel, California.
September 22, 2018
ScaleTrains ET44AC GEVO Tier 4 Diesel Locomotive in N Scale
The new General Electric GEVO Tier 4 diesel locomotive model released by ScaleTrains.com raises the bar for N scale motive power. The separately applied details and attention to road specific changes across the releases really shows the dedication to making these models as close to the prototype as possible.
August 24, 2018
New Alco RS-11 by American Models in S Scale
American Models has produced a solidly-running and accurately detailed example of the popular Alco RS-11 diesel locomotive in S scale… The model is so alluring, it may even convince you to switch scales.
July 26, 2018
Coal Dealer Trestle in S Scale from East West Rail Services
An elevated coal trestle is a common “action accessory” on many toy train layouts, but there are prototypes for those “toys” that did an important job of helping to supply coal for many communities and industries.
July 24, 2018
Very, Very Late Steam Era: Illinois Central Ice Reefer in O Scale from Atlas O
A classic example of 20th century North American rolling stock was the ice-cooled refrigerator car. Atlas O offers a 40-foot steel body version of this long-serving type of freight car, decorated for Illinois Central and many other road names.
July 17, 2018
Tip-Up Transfer: Toledo, Peoria & Western Caboose in HO Scale from Bluford Shops
The detail on this HO-scale transfer caboose model is very impressive, as is the excellent application of the various colors. Bluford Shops did a very commendable execution Toledo, Peoria & Western paint scheme, right down to yellow handrail accents and eye-catching silver truck sideframes.
