Press Release

Magazine Collectors Cars - - - HO 2-8-8-2-2 & N GP60 - - - Newspaper cars - - N Scale GP60s - -Norman Rockwell Train - - Scenemaster Line - - Passenger Stations - - New Signs - - - New Scene Maker Accessories - - - New Locos - - - FA2/FB2 - - - HO BUDD RDC & SW8 Switcher - - -HO Alco S1 Switcher - - N Scale C-Liners - - - N Scale BL2 - - - HO P2K BL2- - - HO P2K GP7 - - - 50 Ton War Emergency Hoppers - - F-M Erie-Builts - - - GP30 - - 4427 Covered Hopper - -

Life magazine Collector's cars

Like Like has announced the release of four collector's car for live Magazine. Each car features authentic Life Magazine covers and popular images of America as seen in the pages of Life between he decades of 1930 through 1960. Reproduced on Proto 1000 quality cars, each car comes with Proto 2000 magnetic knuckle couplers, Proto 200 trucks with needlepoint axles, and blackened metal wheels. The cars are individually boxed and then shrunk together for the option of a four-pack or individual sale.

The Life Magazine cars are also available in life Like's Life Magazine American's history in Photos train set. This set features an F7 Santa Fe diesel locomotive, the four freight cars, a caboose printed with the familiar life logo, and included in te set are two billboards, a snap together passenger station, and a delivery truck colorfully printed with ads for life Magazine.

N & HO - A GP38-2 with 88-inch nose is the newest addition to Life-Like's Proto 2000 line of HO scale locomotives. The company has released an N scale GP60, and plans to ship an HO scale 2-8-8-2 and an RS2. This month, Life-Like is introducing its N scale GP60 locomotive. The GP60 features: a 5-pole skew wound armature motor and dual flywheels; split frame mechanism; 8-wheel drive and 8-wheel pick-up; and Accurail operating couplers. The following roadnames and roadnumbers are being released: Atchison Topeka & Santa Fe, #4023 and #4028 (Yellow Bonnet); Burlington Northern & Santa Fe, #8720 and #8736 (ATSF Yellow Bonnet); Denver & Rio Grande Western, #3154 and #3156 (black and orange); Electro Motive Division, #5 and #7 (blue and white); Norfolk Southern, #7123 and #7146 (black and white); St. Louis South Western, #9642 and #9663 (red and gray "Bloody Nose"); Southern Pacific, #9717 and #9735 (red and gray "Bloody Nose");Union Pacific, #5835 and #5876 (yellow and gray); Union Pacific, #1983 and #2081 (yellow and gray WingedEM0 OP38m2 LocoShield); and undecorated. The GP60 retails for $95.00.

The EMD GP38-2comes with the Life-Like mechanism and PROTO 2000 operating magnetic knuckle couplers in two roadnumbers each of eight roadnames and an undecorated version. It features dynamic brakes as appropriate and dual machined brass flywheels."The GP38-2 with 88-inch nose is sure to be a hot items for hobbyists," the company stated in a press release. "Modeling the 88-inch nose version allows modelers to correctly stable this locomotive for the first time without having to kit bash the proper nose configuration."The following roadnames are available: Burlington Northern & Santa Fe, #2371 and #2373 (green and orange "Heritage I");Clinchfield, #6001 and #6003 (gray, red, and yellow "Family Lines Sys"); Louisville & Nashville, #6022 and #6043 (gray, red, and yellow "Family Lines Sys ");Norfolk & Southern, #5334 and #5385 (black and white); Pittsburgh & Lake Erie, #2051 and #2053 (black and yellow); Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific, #4374 and #4379 (black and white); Seaboard, #2680 and #2690 (gray, red, and yellow "Hockey Stick"); SOO Line, #4400 and #4436 (red and white); and undecorated. The locomotive is available 2-8-8-2 for $135.00. R52

Noted for their turbocharger, which created a dark cloud of exhaust smoke when getting under way, the PROTO 1000 Alco RS2 will be available in December. These models feature two roadnumbers each of eight new roadnames and an undecorated version.The RS2 was the first Alto locomotive to have the distinctive round edged cab roof typical of all subsequent Alco road switchers. It was also the first to have 1,500 horsepower from its 244 engine. Predating EMD's GP7 by 3 years, the RS2 set the standard for design, horsepower, and utility. As its name implies, the RS series was equally suitable for both roadwork and switching duties. This usefulness did not go unnoticed by the railroads and 366 units were ordered from October of 1946 until May of 1950. The RS2 was an unqualified success and is one of the landmark locomotives in the history of American railroads. The RS2 will feature: PROTO 2000 magnetic knuckle couplers, all wheel drive and electrical pick-up, and dual machined brass flywheels. The following roadnames will be available: Boston & Maine, #1501 and #1504 (maroon and yellow); Delaware & Hudson, #4005 and #4018 (black with yellow lettering); Lehigh & New England, #652 and #655 (black and white); Motion, #25 and #28 (black and gold); New York, New Haven, & Hartford, #0509 and #0513 (green and orange "Full Balloon"); Erie Lackawanna, #909 and #911 (gray, maroon, and yellow); Chicago Rock Island & Pacific, #450 and #452 (black with red "Hot Dog" herald); Western Maryland, #182 and #183 (black and yellow fireball); and undecorated. The locomotive will be available in December for $95.00. Life-Like's HO scale 2-8-8-2 will feature factory installed QSI Quantum system with dual speakers, which can be operated with standard DC power as well as with DCC. Sounds include: dual steam engine sounds, whistle, bell, squealing brakes, Doppler effect, air let off, and headlight and trailer. The locomotive will also include over 150 hand applied locomotive detail parts and over 40 hand-applied tender detail parts. It will also feature operating cab windows, detailed cab interior, and constant and directional head and tender lights.

The 2-8-8-2 is said to be articulated to operate through 18-inch radius curves and #4 turnouts with a maximum tractive effort that "pulls 50 or more cars without traction tires," 16-wheel drive and 22-wheel electrical pick-up, 5-pole skew-wound balanced armature with dual flywheels, and PROTO 2000 couplers. Each version is said to be physically different, to reflect the actual features and construction appropriate to the roadnumber. Non-sound equipped models are DCC ready; each locomotive comes with a 10page history booklet filled with historical facts and documentation. The following roadnames will be available, with the first two roadnumbers equipped with sound and DCC and the third with no sound and DCC ready: Clinchfield (#735, #742, and #744); Denver & Rio Grande.

Proto 1000 Newspaper Car

Life-Like has announced the release of a Proto 1000 newspaper car. In 1967, the National Steel Car Corporation started building 70-ton, 50-foot boxcars specifically designed for shipping rolls of newsprint paper from paper mills in Canada to newsprint companies throughout North America. A total of 3,592 cars were manufactured between 1967 and 1971 for six railways. The vast majority of these cars remain in revenue service today. The cars have an inside height of 11 feet, enabling newsprint rolls to be loaded in two tiers.

To provide maximum protection to the bruiseable newsprint rolls, the cars have smooth interior walls and cushioned underframes. The cars will feature an aluminum roof, NSC-designed corrugated ends, either smooth or an exterior-post Youngstown 9-foot wide plug door, wire grab irons, nonmagnetic blackened metal wheels, and Proto 2000 Magnetic knuckle couplers. The limit edition cars will be available for the following paint schemes: Canadian Pacific (green with pine tree herald) two roadnumbers, Central Vermont (red with white noodle) two roadnumbers, and MD&W (Boise Cascade) two roadnumbers. The newspaper cars have an expected retail price of $20.00 each.

"Norman Rockwell Saturday Evening Post" and "Golden Rails" Train Set Announced

HO - For those starting their Christmas shopping a little early, Life-Like Products, has attained an exclusive, one-year agreement with Curtis Publishing, licenser of Saturday Evening Post artwork by Norman Rockwell. Under this contract, Life-Like will offer the HO scale Norman Rockwell Saturday Evening Post Collectible Christmas train set and, the Four Freedoms freight cars, a set of limited-run, HO scale, collectible cars. Life-Like will also expand its line of electric train sets with the addition of the HO scale Golden Rails.

Norman Rockwell Train Set
The collectible Christmas train showcases four of Rockwell's Christmas-themed paintings, as published on the covers of various editions of The Saturday Evening Post. Each cover is printed detail on its own red or green boxcar and includes the date of publication. The set features a 47 x 38 inch Power-Loc track oval, which literally snaps together in just a few minutes, and runs on carpet making it perfect for running the train around a Christmas tree. A nostalgic 0-4-0 steam locomotive with coal tender pulls the four boxcars and caboose.
The set also includes holiday extras like glitter-decorated Christmas trees and a whimsical, snow-covered, snap-together Santa's Landing train station. In addition, extra couplers and illustrated instructions with a toll-free number for information and assistance are supplied. All components are protected by Life-Like's lifetime limited warranty. The Norman Rockwell Saturday Evening Post Collectible Christmas train set will retail for approximately $105.00 and is expected at toy and hobby stores nationwide late summer or early fall. The set can also be ordered at Life-Like's web site.
Four Freedoms Freight Cars
Freedom from Fear, Freedom from Want, Freedom of Speech, and Freedom to Worship: these are the themes in Roosevelt's Congressional address of 1943 which inspired Norman Rockwell to put these ideals on canvas and The Saturday Evening Post to publish for all to cherish. Life-Like has
reproduced each of the four paintings on Proto 1000 quality cars, each come with Proto 2000 magnetic knuckle couplers, Proto 2000 trucks with needle point axles, and blackened-metal wheels. The cars are individually boxed and then shrunk together for the option of a four-pack or individual sale. The limited edition four-pack is now available for $40.00.
Golden Rails Trains Set
Life-Like has also announced the late summer/early fall release of its Golden Rails train set. Said to be a perfect starter train set, Golden Rails features a diesel locomotive, three freight cars, a matching caboose, and a 38-inch circle of Power-Loc track.
As always, included in every set are extra couplers and illustrated instructions with a toll-free number for information and assistance. All components are protected by Life-Like's lifetime limited warranty. Golden Rails will retail for approximately $76.00 at toy and hobby stores nationwide or can be purchased directly from Life-Like.

Life-Like Products has expanded its SceneMaster line of accessories with six new vehicles, six new billboards, and four figure items.

They have released the following vehicles for HO scale: Fuel TankTruck (#1640), Coal Truck (#1642), Tow Truck (#1643), Box Truck (#1644), Milk Truck (#1645), and an Ice Cream Truck (#1646) officially
licensed by Good Humor. These new SceneMaster vehicles are painted and printed with era-appropriate
logos and slogans for nostalgic authenticity. The Tow Truck features a swinging hook and the Coal Truck has a moveable bed for add ing life to a scene. Other details include painted hubcaps, clear plastic windshields, underside detail, and interior seats. Each vehicle retails for $9.00.

The new HO scale Nostalgic Billboards (#1640) come in six designs. All depict the advertising style of the 1950s and 1960s, with four being officially licensed by Good Humor-Breyers: Chocolate Fudge Stix, Fudgsicle, Creamsicle, and Popsicle. The other two, Johnson for City Council and National Oil Company billboards round out the assortment. The structures are fully assembled and freestanding. The billboards
Two HO scale figure items have been added to the growing SceneMaster line: Police Figures (#1630) and Firefighter Figures (#1631). The Police Figures card features four policemen and two "bad guys": one being frisked and one being cuffed. The Firefighters card features firemen carrying equipment and working at a hydrant. The figures are molded in action poses and all are hand-painted. Retail price for each card is $9.50.

New Commuter Passenger stations

Like Like has released their new HO scale Commuter Passenger Station and Elevated Commuter Passenger Station, which includes 18 power-loc piers and adapters to fit EZ track. According to Like Like, the snap together kits feature everything needed to create a commuter station, whether it's on ground level or raised. Each station includes 14 "Theater" posters for realism and both stations work with all brands of traditional or roadbed-type straight track.

New Signs

LifeLike has announced the following signs in HO and O scale. The HO scale City Sidewalks set includes utility poles, telephone booth, hydrants, benches and sign. An o scale Traffic Lights set includes two operating traffic lights per card. An O Scale Railroad Signals and Signs set features: light-up dwarf signals, electrical cabinet and signs. An O Scale Station Accessories set includes signs, luggage, and carts. An O Scale City Accessories set offers phone booths, mail boxes, hydrants and trash receptacles.

New Scene Maker Accessories

New this year is the HO Scale SceneMaker Accessories Kit. According to LifeLike, this set is perfect for expanding your Christmas tree layout, school projects, or adding realism to your road race set, this box of accessories includes: trees, utility poles, general store building kit, passenger station building kit, and vehicles.

They have also announced three new HO scale vehicles: the School Bus, Road Grader, and Cement Mixer. These new Scene Master vehicles include features such as clear plastic windows, moveable parts, interiors, and separately applied "chrome" accents.

New Locos Unveiled at Chicago Show

HO - Life-Like unveiled several new items to add to their Proto 1000 and Proto 2000 lines at the 2002 National Model and Hobby Show in Chicago.

A Proto 2000 series AAR standard 50 ton flat car features: detail, pre-painting, pre-weathering, zinc alloy die cast weight, and micro molded detail such as stake pockets, grab irons, brake wheel, and rivets. The flat car will release in November.

A Proto 1000 DL-109 locomotive has also been announced. The locomotive features: Proto 2000 magnetic knuckle couplers, directional lighting, dual machined brass flywheels, balanced 5-pole skew wound armature, heavy die cast chassis, RP25 contour blackened metal wheels, and twelve wheel drive and pickup. The DL109 will release in December.

Life-Like also unveiled the Proto 2000 SD60M. Life-Like states that the new locomotive will feature the following, based on the prototype, for all roads: with or without classlights on the front and/or rear; one or three louvers on the fireman's side sub-base; front access door with or without a window; with or without a winterization hatch; four ditch lights with jewel lenses on the front and/ or rear; two snowplows for the front and/ or rear; two beacons (small and large) with jewel lenses and bases for mounting on the flat and/or beveled portion of the cab roof; two firecracker antennas; one sinclair radio antenna; one end. of-train device antenna; two sunshades; and four wind deflectors.

Performance features will include: balanced, five pole, skew wound armature; dual machined flywheels; power transferred from the motor through universal joints to brass worm gears meshed to helical-cut spur gears for smooth and quiet running; PCB features plug and unplug wiring for ease of maintenance and standard 8-pin plug for easy conversion to DCC; comes standard with Proto 2000 magnetic couplers; the couplers and body are attached to chassis by screws, not ',snap-fit. The model weighs 24 ounces.

Life-Like states that the slow speed is less than 3 smph; the fast speed is 70 smph, and draws less than 0.5 amps in normal operation. Life-Like will also offer a limited lifetime warranty. The SD60M will release in December.

The third locomotive announced is the GP60. Life-Like has claimed that the GP60 is "the most prototypically accurate plastic replica of the original EMD locomotive ever made." The Proto 2000 locomotive features the following: see-through screens on long hood; finely crafted handrails, lift rings and windshield wipers; micro-molded detail; over 80 factory-applied detail parts, and over 20 consumer applied detail parts: Winterization hatch, sunshades, wind deflectors, snow plows, ditch lights, two types of beacons, three types of antennae and air conditioner. The GP60 will release in December.

And last, but not least, Life-Like announced the release of their new Proto 2000 type 21 8,000 gallon tank car kit. Larry Grubb, Director of research and development stated that, "This is not a reissue of an old model. Because the standards of the hobby have changed significantly since we first offered this car, we knew we had to improve the kit to match the changing needs of today's modelers. Our solution is TimeSaver kits. The concept is simple: we glue together sub-assemblies in our factory and the modeler puts these sub-assemblies together. The result: the model now takes less than an hour to assemble but retains all of the detail of the original."

The following paint schemes will be available for the new tank car kit: A. E. Staley Co., Conoco, GATX, Kanotex, Shell, and Amaizo. The kit comes with complete underframe and brake detail, tank, placard boards, and air reservoir. The tank is due to release this month.

Updated FA2/FB2 Releases from Life-Like

The FA2/FB2 is a classic locomotive combination that pulled many trains in the steam to diesel transition era. The reworked FA2/FB2 is now being produced with state-of-the-art updated tooling. Each unit will feature dynamic brakes where appropriate. And now the B units are powered, so you'll get more pulling power for the money. Look for five new roadnames in this release with two numbers for each roadname.

LIF7629 N FA2/FB2,B&O #1 $140.00

LIF7630 N FA2/FB2,B&O #2 $140.00

LIF7631 N FA2/FB2,GN #1 $140.00

LIF7632 N FA2/FB2,GN #2 $140.00

LIF7633 N FA2/FB2,NYC #1 $140.00

LIF7634 N FA2/FB2,NYC #2 $140.00

LIF7635 N FA2/FB2,PRR #1 $140.00

LIF7636 N FA2/FB2,PRR #2 $140.00

LIF763 N FA2/FB2,WM #1 $140.00

LIF7638 FA2/FB2,WM #2 $140.00

LIF7639 N FA2/FB2,Undecorated $140.00

HO Scale

LIF30201 HO P2 FA2/FB2,B&O #401 9/5002 $180.00

LIF30202 HO P2 FA2/FB2,B&O #4032/5016 $180.00

LIF30203 HO P2 FA2/FB2,GN #2 8A/2 8B $180.00

LIF30204 HO P2 FA2/FB2,GN #2 9A/2 9B $180.00

LIF30205 HO P2 FA2/FB2,NYC #1046/346 $180.00

LIF30206 HO P2 FA2/FB2,NYC #1053/3353 $180.00

LIF3020 HO P2 FA2/FB2,PRR #961 0/961 0B $180.00

LIF30208 HO P2 FA2/FB2,PRR #9616/9616B $180.00

LIF30209 HO P2 FA2/FB2,L&N #301/203 $180.00

LIF3021 0 HO P2 FA2/FB2,L&N #366/21 0 $180.00

HO SW8 Switcher from PROTO 2000

Life-Like just announced the newest locomotive in their PROTO 2000 line-- a SW8 diesel switcher. Each engine is powered with a five-pole motor and dual flywheels. All wheels are driven and include electrical pick-up. The laser printing is crisp, and the paint is very accurate for each road. There will be eight roadnames in this release, with each road having at least two road numbers. There is also an undecorated unit for those running a private railroad. Look for the SW8 diesel switcher from PROTO 2000 and Life-Like in April 2002.

LIF30056 HO P2 SW8,B&O #1 $1 1 0.00

LIF3005 HO P2 SW8,B&O #2 $1 1 0.00

LIF30058 HO P2 SW8,C&NW #1 $1 1 0.00

LIF30059 HO P2 SW8,C&NW #2 $1 1 0.00

LIF30060 HO P2 SW8,EL #1 $1 1 0.00

LIF30061 HO P2 SW8,EL #2 $1 1 0.00

LIF30062 HO P2 SW8,EMD #1 $1 1 0.00

LIF30063 HO P2 SW8,EMD #2 $1 1 0.00

LIF30064 HO P2 SW8,GN #1 $1 1 0.00

LIF30065 HO P2 SW8,GN #2 $1 1 0.00

LIF30066 HO P2 SW8,NYC #1 $1 1 0.00

LIF3006 HO P2 SW8,NYC #2 $1 1 0.00

LIF30068 HO P2 SW8,CRI&P #1 $1 1 0.00

LIF30069 HO P2 SW8,CRI&P #2 $1 1 0.00

LIF300 0 HO P2 SW8,SP #1 $1 1 0.00

LIF300 1 HO P2 SW8,SP #2 $1 1 0.00

LIF300 2 HO P2 SW8,SP #3 $1 1 0.00

LIF300 3 HO P2 SW8,Undec $1 1 0.00

PROTO 1000 Budd RDC3

Life-Like's ready-to-run RDC2 in their PROTO 1000 line was very well accepted by the railroad community. Now they're returning with a brand new run of RDC3s-- the perfect companion for the RDC. It gets the same great drive train as before, along with the exceptional details and a newly formulated silver paint that looks better than ever. There will be six new roadnames, each having two brand new road numbers.

LIF30385 HO P1 Budd RDC3,NYC #M491 $60.00

LIF30386 HO P1 Budd RDC3,NYC #M499 $60.00

LIF3038 HO P1 Budd RDC3,B&M #6300 $60.00

LIF30388 HO P1 Budd RDC3,B&M #6302 $60.00

LIF30389 HO P1 Budd RDC3,RDG #9166 $60.00

LIF30390 HO P1 Budd RDC3,RDG #9168 $60.00

LIF30391 HO P1 Budd RDC3,NH #126 $60.00

LIF30392 HO P1 Budd RDC3,NH #130 $60.00

LIF30393 HO P1 Budd RDC3,MBTA #6301 $60.00

LIF30394 HO P1 Budd RDC3,MBTA #6306 $60.00

LIF30395 HO P1 Budd RDC3,CRI&P #9002 $60.00

LIF30396 HO P1 Budd RDC3,CRI&P #9004 $60.00

LIF30397 HO P1 Budd RDC3,Undecorated $60.00

New Roads for the PROTO 2000 S1 Switcher

The first release of the PROTO 2000 S1 switcher is just coming out now, but Life-Like has already announced an all-new run of this versatile locomotive.

The Life-Like model follows the proto-type design accurately, making it difficult to tell the real locomotive from the model. The S1 features photo-etched grills with painted crew figures and interior cab printing. There will be eight new road names available, along with an undecorated model.

LIF21349 HO P2 Alco S1,SF #2303 $1 1 0.00

LIF21350 HO P2 Alco S1,SF #2304 $1 1 0.00

LIF21351 HO P2 Alco S1,B&M #1 168 $1 1 0.00

LIF21352 HO P2 Alco S1,B&M #1 1 0 $1 1 0.00

LIF21353 HO P2 Alco S1,C&NW #1213 $1 10.00

LIF21354 HO P2 Alco S1,C&NW #122 $1 1 0.00

LIF21355 HO P2 Alco S1,C&NW #1254 $1 1 0.00

LIF21356 HO P2 Alco S1,EL #315 $1 1 0.00

LIF2135 HO P2 Alco S1,EL #320 $1 1 0.00

LIF21358 HO P2 Alco S1,NH #0948 $1 1 0.00

LIF21359 HO P2 Alco S1,NH #0972 $1 1 0.00

LIF21360 HO P2 Alco S1,NH #0993 $1 1 0.00

LIF21361 HO P2 Alco S1,PRR #5955 $1 1 0.00

LIF21362 HO P2 Alco S1,PRR #91 00 $1 1 0.00

LIF21363 HO P2 Alco S1,PRR #9238 $1 1 0.00

LIF21364 HO P2 Alco S1,RDG #50 $1 1 0.00

LIF21365 HO P2 Alco S1,RDG #51 $1 1 0.00

LIF21368 HO P2 Alco S1,WP #1 $1 1 0.00

LIF21369 HO P2 Alco S1,WP #2 $1 1 0.00

LIF23 36 HO P2 Alco S1 PhII,Undecorated $1 1 0.00

Pint-Sized powerhouse: C-Liner A-B Sets

By Bob Hayden

As railroads raced to retire their fleets of worn-out steam locomotives after World War II, just about any large industrial company that could cobble together a diesel prime mover, generator, and running gear raced to meet the demand. One of the newly minted locomotive builders was Fairbanks-Morse of Beloit, Wisconsin, who mated their reliable opposed-piston engine to a railroad chassis and offered a comprehensive catalog of 14 passenger and freight diesels called the "Consolidation Line."

These cab units, called C-Liners, came in both passenger and freight versions and ranged from 1600- to 2400-hp. F-M turned out 165 of them from 1950 to 1954.

1,600-or 2,000-horsepower --- the look is the same

Life-Like's new N-scale C-Liners are models of F-M's CFA-16-4, B-16-4, CFA-20-4, and B-20-4 units, externally identical 1,600- and 2,000-hp loco-motives produced between 1950 and 1953. They were freight cabs and boosters without steam generators.

The models come as A-B sets, with both units powered. Their split-frame metal drive chassis has all-wheel drive and pickup, a five-pole skew-wound armature driving two balanced-machined flywheels, and working headlights in the cab units.

Wheels are blackened, as are the metal truck parts visible behind them, and they conform to NMRA standards for tread and flange contours. The C-Liners come with body-mounted Rapido couplers and are designed for easy installation of a Micro-Trains coupler conversion.

The detailed injection-molded body shell rides at the correct prototypical height above rails; separately applied details include horns, rear door, and diaphragms. Windshield wipers are molded into the clear plastic windshield. The models have printed numbers in their prominent letterboards.

Life-Like's limited-run N-scale C-Liners will be available in three popular roadnames that operated fleets of the prototype units (two different A-B sets each), plus an undecorated version.

 N-Scale BL2

Having read though the feature article on Life-Like's HO version of the BL2, N-scalers probably thought they would miss out on a great release again. We have great news! Life-Like plans to produce the BL2 in N-scale also. With a standard split frame mechanism housing a 5-pole motor, this little engine will power almost any size train with ease. Another nice touch is front and rear white LED lighting for a realistic look, in addition to lighted number boards.

A Blast from the Past:PROTO 2000 BL2 in HO

by Bob Hayden

EMD led the pack during and after World War II in producing diesel road locomotives. Their E- and F-unit cab diesels were workhorses all across North America, and in 1948 the company came up with a new unit for a different line of work: road switching.

After fielding a single BL1 demonstrator in 1948, EMD rolled out its standard BL2 in April of 1949. The new model housed the machinery of an F3 in a body shaped for switching, and its snappy styling and optional steam generator meant it could double its usefulness in local passenger service.

High marks for style points

The BL2 offered good visibility both fore and aft (something the cab units lacked) and had end platforms where switchmen could ride safely. Its body shape was obviously influenced by automobile styling of the day, and the unit derived 1,500-horsepower from the same 16-cylinder 567B engine used in the F3 and F7. But the BL2 didn't have the easy access to the mechanical components that came with the Geep-EMD's first true road switcher. The Geep's utilitarian approach won out over style points, and the curvy BL2 gave way to the boxy con-tours that became the look of railroad motive power for next half century.

EMD produced a total of 59 BL2s before changing over to the GP7 in 1949. This isn't to say the unit wasn't successful. Roads that owned BL2s wore them out before trading them in on second-generation diesel power, and at least one much-refurbished unit is still running in regular revenue service!

Improving a good thing First introduced in 1989, Life-Like's PROTO 2000 BL2 is back with numerous improvements incorporated during the intervening 13 years. The running gear features a heavy die-cast metal chassis with a five-pole skew-wound, balanced-armature motor, twin brass flywheels, and eight-wheel drive and electrical pickup. Wheels in the EMD Blomberg trucks come blackened, with RP-25 tread and flange contours. The motor has bronze oilless bearings.

The BL2 has constant-brightness headlights and comes DCC-ready with an NMRA-compatible eight-pin plug.PROTO 2000 magnetic knuckle couplers are installed in frame-mounted pockets with screw-on coupler covers-- a welcome improvement.

Separate and better parts

Body-wise the Life-Like model is the non-steam-generator-equipped version. The shell captures the dis-tinctive lines of the prototype and has the same see-through roof fans and working drop steps featured in previous releases. Shell changes include scale-size lighted number boards and windshield wipers molded into the windshield.

Most of the remaining improvements are in the area of separately applied parts. Grab irons, handrails, and ladder standoffs are smaller in diameter, and the sunshade tracks over the cab windows have been reworked to a smaller, scale size.

With this new release Life-Like has installed the separate parts for standard items at the factory but furnished road-option items in the parts package, allowing the modeler to make the decisions. The models will feature two road numbers each for five railroads that operated BL2s, plus an undecorated version.

The Original Geep: Life-Like's PROTO 2000 GP7s in HO

by Bob Hayden

GEEPS" HAVE BEEN WITH US FOR a long time. With so many different numbers strung behind their "GP" designation, it's hard to imagine a railroader's reaction when the first GP7s appeared in 1949. Here, it turned out, was the look of the future: a boxy, strictly business 1,500-h.p. hood unit that could handle any kind of service, more than earning the title "General Purpose."

EMD built 2,729 GP7s from 1949 to 1954, and they showed up everywhere, doing everything. Unlike cab units, they could run in both directions, and given a steam generator, they could handle passenger trains -- albeit not as stylishly. Now, half a century after they were built, a few GP7s soldier on, rebuilt again and

again to extend their usefulness.

Specific Phase I details

Life-Like first introduced its PROTO 2000 GP7 almost three years ago and is now following up with models featuring Phase I details. The principal difference between Phase I and Phase II was the lack of oblong perforations in the frame skirting above the fuel tanks in the early production units. There are also minor

differences in louvers and variations in fuel and water tanks. Dynamic brakes,

steam generator details, and even the "torpedo boat" air reservoirs (mounted

on the top of the hood) are included, according to the specific prototype units being modeled.

A familiar PROTO 2000 mechanism

While the details on the body shell have been backdated, the running gear is the same smooth-running unit featured underneath earlier GP7 releases. The heavy die-cast metal chassis mounts a five-pole skew-wound, balanced-armature motor, twin brass flywheels, and a quiet, precision mesh-worm gear drive. The unit has eight-wheel drive with electrical pickup and blackened wheels with RP-25 tread and flange contours. You'll find sintered-bronze oilless bearings on both motor and axle bearings. The chassis includes a large casting that brings total locomotive weight to just short of a pound, so there's ample tractive effort, and the GP7 will negotiate 18"-radius curves. The model features constant-brightness

headlights and comes DCC-ready with an NMRA-compatible eight-pin plug. PROTO 2000 magnetic knuckle couplers are installed in frame-mounted, screw-in universal coupler pockets; NMRA-style horn-hook couplers are included separately.

Separate parts,inside and out

The injection-molded styrene body has a separate cab, with over 100 factory-applied detail parts, including windshield wipers, working cab doors, and fine-scale handrails. The rooftop cooling fans have separate blade detail below the open grilles, and the corner steps and footboards are also see-through. There's even a pair of crewmen in the cab. The drop steps on the end platforms are hinged and work. Optional detail parts to be installed by the modeler include sun-

shades, winterization hatches, all-weather cab windows, and m.u. hoses. The model comes in a window-pane box with mechanism and body shell separate. Instructions show how to extract the shell from its foam packing and mate it to the mechanism without damaging delicate details. The first Phase I release includes 20 different models: nine different roads and color schemes, with either

two or three numbers per road, plus an undecorated version. Life-Like has researched the variations among the roads that bought Phase I units and detailed the brakes, drop steps, water tanks, and two sizes of fuel tanks are applied as appropriate to the prototype road. The GP7 is a must-have addition to any HO layout.

50 Ton War Emergency Hopper

50 ton War Emergency Hopper: in 1941, with direct U.S. involvement in World War II appearing increasingly likely, the Association of American Railroads car committee was instructed to develop a series o War Emergency freight cars in which wood would be employed where possible in place of sheet steel, which was in short suppl. One of the designs that resulted was a composite version of the AAR standard twin hopper car. The AAR standard twin hopper car was a design that had been proposed in 1935 by the AAR car committee, and had become the standard fifty-ton twin hopper car in the preceding six years.

Almost 11,000 of these War Emergency fifty-ton composite twin-hoppers were built between 1942 and early 1945, making it the single most popular car of the War Emergency designs. The design duplicated that of the standard all-steel hopper in most respects but was distinctive in appearance because the side sheathing was wood and the side framing incorporated "hat" section pressed steel vertical and diagonal side posts. Most of the War Emergency hoppers remained in revenue service through the 1950x and 1960s, with many lasting into the 1970s.

The PROTO 2000 Quick Assembly Kit of these cars features delicately cast ladders and end braces. This model marks the first time that an accurate model of the composite hopper with inward sloping upper side panels like the prototype has been modeled. The kit is easy to assemble, with the underframe weight and brake apparatus being pre-assembled for the modeler. All the modeler has to do is install the prepainted wire grab irons, choice of brake wheel, appropriate style doors (Wine or Enterprise) and trucks and couplers. Viola! Bring on the coal.

Life-Like Adds F-M Erie-Builts to PROTO 1000 Fleet

by Bob Hayden

Highly detailed trucks look real.WHEN WORLD WAR II ENDED, America's railroads were riding dead iron horses: their roundhouses were filled with hundreds of worn-out steam locomotives. All but a handful of railroads chose to replace them with diesels as quickly as they could--something they would have done during the war if there hadn't been severe restrictions on diesel locomotive production. It was a sellers' market. If a company could cobble together any sort of diesel road unit, there was a railroad ready to buy it. Firms that had been only minor players in the locomotive game whipped up catalogs with half a dozen models and sold at least a few of all of them.

Submarine power takes to the rails

One of those new players was Fairbanks-Morse, an established supplier of railroad equipment such as track scales. The heart of their locomotive line was a sturdy opposed-piston diesel engine developed in the 1930s. It became famous for powering hundreds of U.S. Navy fleet submarines. F-M'S first locomotives were switchers, but in 1945 the company introduced a 2000-hp dual-service cab unit powered by a 10-cylinder version of their opposed piston engine. Raymond Loewy designed the car body, and General Electric supplied the electrical equipment. GE assembled the units in Erie, Pennsylvania, which led to the locomotives being designated "Erie-Builts."

The Erie-Builts were F-M's answer to EMD's E-units and ALCO's PAs, riding on A-1-A trucks and available with steam generators and water tanks for passenger service. F-M delivered a total of 111 A and B units to seven American railroads from 1945 through 1949. By 1958 the company had sold its last locomotive into the U.S. market and most of the Erie-Builts were traded in on second-generation diesels by the mid 1960s.

Powered B units means they 're built to pull

Life-Like's new Erie-Builts are offered as powered A units and powered A/B sets, as appropriate to their prototypes. They incorporate PROTO 2000 drive train components for smooth, reliable operation. The models ride on PA-style trucks and have 12-wheel drive and electrical pickup. A heavy die-cast frame supports a five-pole skew-wound, balanced-armature motor with machined brass flywheels. Equipped with blackened nickel-silver-plated wheels with NMRA RP-25 contour treads and flanges, the Erie-Builts will negotiate 18"-radius curves and #4 turnouts. The models also feature constant and directional lighting and PROTO 2000 magnetic knuckle couplers. All of the Erie-Builts were sold to U.S. railroads, and the paint schemes of the PROTO 1000 models represent all seven buyers. There are no un-decorated models. In hobby stores now, these loco-motives are appropriate for both passenger and freight duties on any HO layout. They make a welcome addition to the list of first-generation diesel models.

Go Retro!

Life-Like's PROTO 2000 Phase I GP30 in HO

WHETHER YOU CALL IT BEETLE-browed or broad-shouldered, nothing else remotely resembled EMD's GP30. Built from July 1961to 1963, this second-generation, 2250-h.p. four-axle unit featured central air filtration, a turbo-charged diesel, and better fuel economy than the GP20, the model it replaced. But what modelers and railfans alike remember about the GP30 is its looks.

General Motors' automotive styling group designed the locomotive's unique exterior, and their new Geep look featured rounded roofs over the cab windows and a housing on the cab roof which was faired back into the dynamic brake blister. Most GP30s had low hoods and dynamic brakes, and even the units without dynamics carried the sheet metal of the brake

Phase I features Life-Like introduced its Phase II GP30 a couple of years ago and is now following up with a Phase I model. Phases are designations applied by locomotive enthusiasts and modelers to refer to changes made during a model's production run. Builders don't use or recognize phase designations --they simply improve their product as units are ordered and built. The main difference between Phase I and II GP30s is that the Phase II units have 10" of length added to the left side of the cab for an extra seat.GP30 production (both phases) included 946 locomotives for 29 roads. Some units for GM&O, Milwaukee Road, and Soo Line rode on AAR type B trucks from traded-in Alco units. N&W and Southern ordered high-short hoods, and UP purchased 40 GP30Bs, the only ones made.

In 1963 EMD raised the ante another 250-horsepower when it introduced the GP35, which was mechanically similar to the 30. Almost 40 years later, eight ex-UP GP30s became BNSF GP39M rebuilds. The distinctive heavy-browed look is still there, but the "M" stands for Morrison-Knudsen, the company that rebuilt and upgraded them.

PROTO 2000 detail and running gear Life-Like's Phase I sports a new cab to accurately replicate the earlier design but is otherwise unchanged from the Phase II model. The new model has a molded plastic shell with 135 factory-applied detail parts, including almost incredibly fine scale-size handrails. The drop steps on the end platforms are hinged and work, and the only detail parts that the modeler has to install are the two cab window awnings. A now-typical PROTO 2000 metal chassis mounts a five-pole skew-wound motor, twin brass flywheels, and quiet gear-tower drive. The model has eight-wheel drive and electrical pickup and blackened wheels with RP-25 tread and flange contours.

Weighing in at 16.1 ounces, pulling power is a big part of the package.

The DCC-ready locomotives come with an NMRA compatible plug and constant-brightness headlights. PROTO 2000 magnetic knuckle couplers are installed in frame-mounted, screw-in universal coupler pockets. NMRA-style horn-hook couplers are included separately. Life-Like has researched the variations among the roads who bought Phase I units and detailed the models to correspond to their paint schemes. Dynamic brakes, drop steps, EMD or ALCO truck side-frames, low hood headlights, and three sizes of fuel tanks are applied as appropriate to the prototype road. The model comes packaged in an attractive window box with the mechanism and body shell separate. Instructions are supplied for removing the delicate shell from its foam packing and mating it to the mechanism. The initial Phase I release offers eight different roads and color schemes, with either two or three numbers per road, plus an undecorated version.

Like-Like has found yet more names to adorn on their HO 4427 Covered Hopper. This is now the fifth release in this series of cars. They will be offered as kits, in both single and two packs, as well as factory-assembled versions. The kits now feature many of the pre-built subassemblies to save you time. Now a kit takes less than an hour! There will be six new roadnames, and each is available in multiple numbers. To make things even more interesting, the road numbers are different in the kits, both singles and two packs, as well as the factory-assembled models. As usual, the paint is laser crisp and features accurate paint schemes. Available in ATSF - - BNSF - - CO-OP - - Midwest Green - - Peavey - - CRI&P