Trains

Alpine Division Hobby Shop: "The instructions for the Alpine Division HO scale Hobby Shop spend more time telling you what's not included in the kit than how to construct the model." - - Jeff Junker

Athearn HO Auto Max by John Sipple "Athearn has added the remarkable Auto-Max automobile carrier to its Genesis line. In addition to an undecorated -unit, they have also released the cars in two numbers each of AOK Auto-Max, BNSF, CSX, CP/Soo, CRLE Auto-Max, and KCS."

Athearn GP60M by Jeff Wilson The Athearn model is ready to run, based on the GP60M shell formerly offered by Rail Power Products, but with many upgrades. The injection molded styrene shell consists of a combination long hood/walkway piece with a separate cab/nose.

Athearn N Scale John Sipple "For a half century, the company founded by Irv Athearn clung rigidly to HO scale. Fifty years ago, there was no N-Scale and the larger scales were in the tinplate toy business. It's a new millennium and all that has changed! Athearn is placing on the market its first break with HO tradition by moving into N-Scale."

Athearn N scale EMD F45 by Hal Miller: " The handholds next to the doors are cast into the body, but I had to run my fingernail over them to make sure. Because they are highlighted in yellow paint, they look separately applied."

Athearn N Scale F59PHI by John Sipple "For their first piece of N scale rolling stock, Athearn has chosen the F59PHI diesel locomotive. It has been released in two numbers each of Amtrak West and Metrolink. To be released soon are two numbers each of the Sounder (Seattle), Coaster (San Diego), West Coast Express (Vancouver, B.C.), and the Trinity Rail Express (Dallas).

Athearn HO F7A Genesis "They really outdid themselves on the F7 version, introduced in February 1949. From then until December 1953, EMD turned out an astonishing 2366 A units and 1483 cabless B units. While EMD had originally thought of delivering a single locomotive model to all railroads, each railroad began having its own way."

Athearn HO SD45T-2 by Mike Aker:"It has that classic EMD Spartan cab with the exposed radiators mounted above the cooling fans and the large breather screens below."

Athearn HO SD60 by Dave Carr: "Modern era modelers can rejoice over this one, as it's been executed very well."

Athearn HO SD70MAC by John Sipple and Dave Carr: "Producing the MAC version was more than just a new paint job on the old SD70M; the MAC is a couple of feet longer and exhibits some noticeable differences from the SD70M, if you know where to look."

Athearn Tank Cars by Bill Cawthon: "Since the cars are lterally almost brand-new in the real world, only minor weathering is needed and the cars are otherwise ready to go into revenue service right out of the box."

Atlas Ford Pickups by Bill Cawthon: "The specific prototype upon which this new Atlas MOW model is based is the 1997 Ford F-150 two wheel drive pickup with the SuperCab extended cab and short standard-side cargo bed."

Athearn, Precision Big Boys by Jim Hediger: "A pair of impressive new models of the Union Pacific Big Boy 4-8-8-4 are vying for our attention. Made by Athearn and Precision Craft Models, both models are excellent replicas of the world's biggest steam locomotive."

Atlas GE B23-7 by Jeff Wilson: "Atlas continues its run of impressive diesel models that are based on General Electric prototypes with these HO scale B23-7 and B30-7 locomotives. Both the high-nose B23-7 (Southern) and low-nose B30-7 (Burlington Northern) feature sharp detailing and smooth operation."

Atlas N scale Barb's Bungalow by Phil Scandura: "The latest offering from Atlas includes many features, such as glazed windows, period clapboard siding, detailed shingles, porch and brick chimney, rain gutters with down spouts, and cellar doors from the Bilco Company, which has been in business since 1926. "

Atlas N GE Dash 8-40B Diesel by Keith M. Kohlmann "The latest N-scale diesel locomotive model from Atlas captures the beefy look of General Electric's late 1980s Dash 8-40B. The prototype locomotives are four-axle, high-horsepower diesels designed for heavy intermodal, coal train and general freight use."

Atlas N Trainman Series by Phil Scandura: "Comparing prototype data to the Atlas models showed all major dimensions to be in agreement, including overall length, width, height, and truck spacing."

Atlas HO SD35 Locomotive by Stuart Thayer: "These models come with a five-pole skewed armature motor with dual flywheels. Tied to that is directional lighting, and a pre-installed dual mode decoder for DCC operation."

Atlas N scale SD-35 by Phil Novak: "It performed so well that I ran out of space on the test track to put enough cars so that it would not run."

Atlas HO U30C by Stuart Thayer: "This new offering from Atlas follows the tradition of superb models of GE locomotives in HO scale. Out of the box this new model is awesome, and everything we U30C fans have been waiting for. "

Atlas Billboard Wooden Ice Reefers by John Sipple "Atlas Model Railroad Company has released a collection of forty-foot wood reefers in N scale. In addition to an undecorated version, they also have released two road numbers each of Burlington, Edelweiss Beer, Fruit Dispatch, Grand Union, Narragansett Beer, Santa Fe, Kraft-Phenix Cheese, Tivoli Beer, Northwestern, Erie, and Blatz Beer."

Bachmann Baldwin RF-16 by Jeff Wilson: "The shells do a good job of capturing the unique nose shape, distinctive windshields, and other body features of the real locomotives."

Bachmann Spectrum Streetcar by Jeff Wilson: "This sharp-looking, nicely detailed streetcar model from Bachmann Spectrum is based on a real streetcar designed by Peter Witt, a Cleveland transit official.:

Bachmann USRA Light 2-10-2 by Jeff Wilson: "Bachmann has added a smooth-running model of a United States Railroad Adminisstration (USRA) light 2-10-2 (Santa Fe type) locomotive to its Spectrum line."

Blair Line's Backdrop Buildings by Dick Foster: "The results look impressive, but the kit is quite easy and straightforward with outstanding instructions that don't need a lot of words to indicate what is to be done next."

Blair Line Graffiti Decals by Andy Inserra"Each one was printed very well and neatly packaged. They came with very good instructions - short and to the point. First, one has to identify what to graffiti. I went with a selection of railcars as well as two buildings. The railcars included smooth and ribbed-side gondolas, boxcars, grain cars, an auto rack, and a tank car."

Coaster Dynamics Comet the Wonder Coaster by David Popp: "I've built a lot of kits over the years, but the Coaster Dynamix product is by far one of the best organized and documented kits I've ever put together."

Fox Valley ES44AC by Cody Grivno: "Under the hood is a die-cast split-frame mechanism, housing a 5-pole skew-wound motor with dual brass flywheels."

Grandt Line Valley Feed & Seed by Denis Dunning: "Following in the pattern of many of their other structure kits, Grandt Line Products' Valley Feed & Seed is modeled after an actual building.

Lifelike Fairbanks Moorse diesel by John Sipple: '"Fairbanks Moorse diesels Life-Like Products has brought the knowledge and know-how used to produce their HO-scale Eries into the realm of N-scale. The result is a choice of powered A-dummy B sets or powered A-units only"

Lifelike Proto 1000 DL-109 by Jeff Wilson "This smooth-running model from Life-Like's Proto 1000 series nicely captures the distinctive looks of Alco's prewar DL-109 passenger diesel. The real DL-109, introduced in 1941, was Alco's answer to Electro-Motive's successful line of E units."

Lifelike Proto 2000 F7s by Jeff Wilson: "Proto 2000 has released a sharp-looking model based on one of the most popular diesels ever, Electro-Motive's F7."

Lifelike Proto FM H1044 Diesel Switcher by Jeff Wilson: "Proto 2000's latest offering is this smooth-running model of an early Fairbanks-Morse diesel switcher, the 1,000-hp H-10-44."

Life Like's Proto 2000 Flatcars by John Sipple The fiat car represents a peculiar and difficult problem for model makers. If the body structure is built of plastic the empty car will be too light by NMRA standards. A car this length should be around 4.75 ounces when the NMRA of formula of one half ounce plus a half ounce per inch is applied. I have 50 footers that are less than half of this.

Life Like GP20 by Cody Grivno: " Lifelike GP 20: "This new ready-to-run locomotive has an injection-molded plastic body shell on top of a die-cast metal chassis."

Life Like GP38-2 by Stuart Thayer: "As has become a standard for Proto 2000 models, this model includes a large weight that almost fills the interior of the shell. This makes for a locomotive that tracks well and has a lot of pulling power."

Life Like Proto 2000 N GP38 by Jeff Wilson: "The GP38-2 follows the lines of other Proto N diesels, with a split-frame chassis enclosing the motor and a PC board on top to hold the wiring and LED headlights."

Life-Like HO Proto 2000 SD45 by Jeff Wilson "Life-Like's latest Proto 2000-series diesel locomotive is an exceptionally quiet and smooth-running model of EMD's late-1960s high-horsepower road locomotive, the 3,600-hp SD45."

LifeLike Proto 2000 SD50 by John Sipple "This is a hefty unit, one of the first things you note about it. Those of us who have gone to great lengths to add weight to our pullers will appreciate the potential here."

Lifelike Proto 2000 SD60M by Mike Acker " The latest release from Life-Like in their Proto 2000 Series is the three-window cab version of the EMD SD6OM. This is the second of three different SD60 versions that Life-Like will be putting on the market. The first installment was the standard cab SD60 that came out a year ago."

Lifelike Proto 2000 Switchers by John Sipple: "In this case, Life-Like has done a lovely job on the paint, something I've come to expect from them but don't want to take for granted. Inspecting their work turns me into the model railroad equivalent of the Maytag repairman; I look for problems but can't find any."

Lifelike Proto N Heritage N&W Y3 2-8-8-2 by Jeff Wilson: "This nicely detailed 2-8-8-2 steam locomotive is patterned after the Norfolk & Western's 50 Y3 locomotives, which were built to USRA standards (which improved upon an earlier N&W design, the Y2a) and delivered in 1919."

LifeLike N Scale ALCO C424 by David Otto "The wonderful variety of diesel locomotives now available to N scalers just increased again with Life-Like's release of the American Locomotive Company's Century Series C424."

LifeLike N Scale GP60 by Jeff Wilson: "Life-Like has done a solid job with its ready-to-run model of the modern EMD GP60, which looks good pulling hotshot trains on layouts set in the past 20 years."

Micro Trains N-Scale Cars by Phil Novak: "The only problem I have ever encountered with the couplers is a small piece of flash that is right on the end of the knuckle."

Model Die Casting AAR Boxcars by John Sipple: "Model Die Casting has released this new line of eight cars in their ready-to-run series. Designed to represent the 1937 AAR boxcar design, these cars also represent the "billboard" concept of freight car decoration as a way of attracting new business."

Model Power Kenworth Trucks HO by Bill Cawthon "Model Power's new line of Kenworth trucks includes an 18-foot box van body in U.S. Mail Express, Fed Ex, and NAPA Auto Parts."

The V&O Story by Jeff Junker: "Why bother reviewing a book that's been in print for almost 20 years: Precisely because it HAS been in print for almost 20 years. Page through any modeling railroading magazine and there's bound to be at least one story featuring a train layout running motive power and rolling stock of a non-existent railroad of the modelers creation."

Walthers Coal Gas Plant by Rich Cobb: "The Cornerstone kit consists of molded plastic in various colors: red brick for the building, walls, gray for the window and doors, black for the roof and ventilators, light tan for the base, black for the tanks and pipes, and clear for the window glazing."

Walthers Cornerstone HO City Station by Rich Cobb: "Signs for 17 different station names are supplied, or you can make your own. As the base inside the station is open, it would not be difficult to add lighting if desired"

Walthers Empire Builder Passenger Cars by Jeff Wilson: "These nicely detailed, ready-to-run models are based on cars from the Great Northern's 1955 Empire Builder streamliner that operated between Chicago and Seattle."

Walthers Flexi-Van Flatcars by Jeff Wilson: "Walthers has done a fine job of re-creating a unique car from the early days of rail container traffic with its model of a Flexi-Van flatcar and containers."

Walthers Flush Deck Piggyback Flats by Jeff Wilson: "Walthers' new Bethlehem flush-deck piggyback flatcars are sharp-looking models of popular trailer haulers of the 1970s and '80s."

Walthers Mission Style Depot by Denis Dunning: "To the delight of many Santa Fe Railway modelers, Walthers has released a very creditable HO model of the mission-style station seen throughout the southwest."

Walthers "N" USRA 0-8-0 by Jeff Wilson: "The latest Proto N Heritage steam locomotive model from Walthers is based on one of the most successful switchers ever built, the USRA 0-8-0."

Walthers Valley Citrus Packers by Alan Houtz: "The prototype was actually a cannery, not a packinghouse, but the size of the structure, and its mission style architecture, makes it a good fit for either one."