Model Railway News

Special announcement HO & Z gauge Models

On Thursday, June 11, 2026, the major sporting event of the year kicks off in the USA, Canada, and Mexico. Teams from around the globe will compete for the coveted ball. This provides ample reason for us to celebrate this discipline - regarded by most people as the world's most important sport - with a special-edition model in both H0 and Z gauges.

Many nations from our core markets - such as Germany and Switzerland as well as the host countries of the USA, Canada, and Mexico, will be in attendance as the new World Champion is crowned. To mark this occasion, we are once again presenting a truly special model of the Class 185.2 locomotive, featuring a striking livery.
 
In the Märklin H0 range, the locomotive is released under item number 36026, featuring gold-plated pantographs and coupler hooks, as well as two differently printed side panels—one side displaying the flags of the host nations alongside the German flag, and the other displaying the flags of the host nations alongside the Swiss flag.
In the smallest gauge, Z (scale 1:220), the locomotive also joins the product lineup—likewise featuring gold-plated pantographs—under the Märklin item number 88489.

Expected delivery 3rd Qtr. 2026. Reserve yours today by simply placing a preorder.

Over 2800 Items on Sale in all gauges at great prices! Father’s Day sale is being advertised this weekend only so that there is enough time to mail your packages out for in time for Father’s Day.

All products on sale are in stock in our store (not a distributor warehouse) and ready to ship. Sale items will be removed from the sale when they are sold out.

• HO Products on Sale
• N Scale Products on Sale
• Z Scale Products on Sale
• TT Scale Products on Sale
• O Scale Products on Sale
• G Scale Product on Sale
• 1 Gauge Products on Sale

The fine print!

• Sale will start 6pm Pacific, Friday, June 6th.
• Sale will end 9pm Pacific, Sunday, June 7th, no exceptions.
• Sale applies to in-stock products only. Backorders will not be taken at sale prices.
• Quantities are limited. When an item sells out the sale price will be removed from our site.
• Sale items will automatically be removed from your shopping cart if they sell out before you check-out. Shop early to ensure you get what you want!
• All sales are final. Rest assured, all locomotive purchases will be tested and inspected prior to shipping. All applicable warranties will apply as usual.
• Sorry, orders submitted prior to sale prices being posted are NOT eligible for sale prices, no exceptions.
   

Thank you for Shopping at EURO RAIL HOBBIES!

Front and center on Kato’s table at the 2025 N Scale Enthusiast convention this past summer in Overland Park, Kan., was an unpainted pre-production SD70ACu model. A unique model based on the SD9043MAC platform, Canadian Pacific (CP) and Norfolk Southern (NS) are the only ones to roster these behemoth units, so let’s learn more about the largest diesels currently roaming the North American rail network.

The Prototypes
The SD9043MAC was an interesting chapter in the horsepower race, with units delivered rated at 4,300 hp with the option to upgrade to 6,000 hp, although that enhance-ment never arrived. CP’s big 415,000 pound, 80-foot AC traction units were mostly sequestered in a joint pool with Union Pacific (including many of that road’s SD90MACs) on the Spokane International route between Spokane, Wash., and Calgary, Alb., Canada, crossing the border at Eastport, Idaho/Kingsgate, B.C. Riding on HTCR-II trucks with 45″ wheels, the SD90s became victims of their own specialized success, as I recall seeing early UP 8000-class examples on western coal trains across southern Illinois in the late 1990s.

Norfolk Southern and General Motors’ Electro-Motive Division Successor company Progress Rail developed the SD70ACu rebuild concept as an answer to best utilize the barely 20-year-old SD90MACs for upgrade, basing this on the success of the more recent SD70ACe model. The 710G3C prime mover was overhauled, with wear items renewed or replaced, including new isolated cabs and the forward electrical section of the hood, as this was transitioned from older Siemens to newer Mitsubishi products. EMD/Progress Rail competitor Wabtec is leading in the locomotive rebuilding race, converting similar vintage GE products into refreshed units, utilizing C44-9W and AC4400 cores, while also building new ES44 series units.

As of this writing, the last of the un-rebuilt Union Pacific and CIT/CEFX SD9043MAC fleet have been dismantled. Norfolk Southern’s roster of 45 units spread across number series 7229–7339 and Canadian Pacific’s fleet of 60 units (7000–7059) are the upgraded and designated survivors out of nearly 375 SD9043MACs built from 1995–1999. The roster lineage on these units is tough to trace, as they were leased or sold in batches from Union Pacific to both Norfolk Southern and CP directly for their respective rebuild programs, or back through Progress Rail. The CP rebuilds wander all over North America, while Norfolk Southern’s fleet is generally kept in captive pusher service between Conway and Altoona, Pa. over the famous Horseshoe Curve. CP 6644 and 7020–7023 were rebuilt at Progress Rail’s Mayfield, Ky., facility in 2019, and were observed in transit on BNSF at Centralia, Ill. with wrapped exteriors hiding the bodies — the only clue something was afoot would be the uniquely coordinated truck colors that were visible during transit.

Let’s take a look at each of these unit’s past, cores, and schemes, as they are a trip through both countries’ military, naval, and navigational history. All units have CP’s “Support Our Troops” yellow ribbon on the nose, and four of the five have U.S. flags on the conductor’s side of the locomotive and the Canadian flag on the other (illustrating CP employs both active duty and veterans from both countries). Unveiled in a stunning lineup at CP’s Ogden Shops in Calgary, Alberta, on November 11, 2019, these units can be found working all over the expanded CPKC system, and have ventured offline, on occasion, in run-through service.

CP SD70ACu 6644, built as CP 9160 in May 1999 (serial/frame number 976842-61), wears a specially considered and designed scheme based on the Royal Canadian Air Force “Spitfire” fighter planes flown at the Allied invasion of Normandy, France, on June 6, 1944. This one is probably the most stand out with green/gray camouflage and the white/black tail stripes across the radiator section.

CP SD70ACu 7020 was built as CP 9113 in November 1998 (serial/frame number 976842-14) with North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) green applied, as seen on equipment deployed in temperate regions.

CP SD70ACu 7021 was built as CP 9107 in November 1998 (serial/frame number 976842-8), and wears an arid climate sand color, used by Canadian and American application to army vehicles and equipment.

CP SD70ACu 7022 was built as CP 9146 in April 1999 (serial/frame number 976842-47). It is painted in the “battleship” gray, black, and oxide red scheme of modern North American warships, with large road numbers under the radiator section.

CP SD70ACu 7023 was built as CP 9128 in December 1998 (serial/frame number 976842-29), and is painted in a two-tone gray Air Force scheme that is similar to what is applied on U.S. and Canadian fighter jets…

The post Canadian Pacific Military Dress SD70ACu from Kato appeared first on Model Railroad News.

Review by Dave Abeles/Model Photos by Tony Cook

A recent production of Athearn Genesis GP38-2 diesel locomotive models is on shelves at hobby shops. There are exciting new features in addition to the solid mechanism and SoundTraxx (soundtraxx.com) DCC sound decoders we have become ac-customed to in the Genesis series. This release provides a familiar locomotive and a welcome addition to my Conrail (CR) lineup.

Long-time modelers in HO scale will recognize this brand name, as Athearn has been around for decades (the company is celebrating 80 years in 2026). The firm’s models are available at all hobby shops in those iconic blue cardboard boxes. Each of the ‘blue box’ kits, as they were known, included the basics that made the model reliable, powerful, and fun with all-wheel drive, all-wheel electrical pickup, and a simple mechanism that was easy to maintain or improve. With changes in the manufacturing allowing better mold relief and more details, Athearn would go on to upgrade again and again through the 1980s and into the 1990s. Hoods that had been extra wide to accommodate older motors moved to scale-width proportions during this time, creating beautiful starting points for a variety of General Motors’ Electro-Motive Division (EMD) Dash-2 series locomotive prototypes in 1:87.

The Genesis line was a new approach to plastic models beginning in 1996. At the pinnacle of modeling, Athearn Genesis was, and is, aimed at the scale modeler and operator, with amaz-ing separately-applied detail parts, improved motor, and upgraded drive design based on the trusty concepts of those first gear-driven drivetrains that made the company famous. This was an exciting development at the time – an old favorite brand, reimagined for the future. Release after release has included railroad and locomotive number-specific detailing, wire grab irons, amazing molding, and crisp paint work. EMD’s GP38-2 joined the Genesis line in 2016 with the most up-to-date tooling at the time, allowing a variety of hood and carbody details to be included for different prototypes. The current release has upgraded the original model to include Soundtraxx Tsunami2 sound decoder and LED headlights, along with working LED marker lights.

The GP38-2 is truly a model that embraces that “GP” acronym (general purpose), as designated by EMD. A “Geep,” as they are known by railfans, is a road switcher built on trucks with two-axles each (as contrasted with ‘special duty’ locomotives that ride on three-axle trucks). As the locomo-tive market grew through the 1950s into the 1960s, EMD responded by offering a new, more powerful prime mover design based on 645-cubic-inch cylinders that used standardized parts across different locomotives. In 1966, the new EMD catalog included a variety of different horsepower locomotives based on the 645 prime mover in the 38-, 39-, 40-, and 45-series for both GP and SD series models. More horsepower needed? Just add more pairs of cylinders!

By 1970, with inroads from competitor General Electric, EMD revisited its designs. Customer feedback and maintenance records showed areas for improvements. The use of modular electronics in the locomotive was an idea that caught quick support from customers, as it allowed for removal of a troublesome electrical component that could be swapped with a spare. This put the locomotive right back into service and saved on downtime. The design was robust and low-maintenance. The entire line was made available in 1972 with the same base idea. Commemorating the second look that EMD gave these models, the famous ‘Dash-2’ series included offerings again for both GP and SD series models.

Building on earlier success with the GP30 and GP35, EMD offered many of those locomotives to be equipped standard with a turbocharger, a forced induction device that is powered by the flow of exhaust gases from the prime mover. The turbo uses this energy to compress the intake air, forcing more air into the engine in order to produce more power for a given displacement.

The GP38 and GP38-2 listing was the lone exception in the new line. Since 2,000 horsepower was reached easily with a 12-cylinder prime mover, EMD decided to keep a roots-blown prime mover option for the 38-series, including the Dash-2 offering starting in 1972. The lack of a turbocharger reduced a future maintenance item, which was important for railroads that didn’t see the need for the extra horsepower in the first place. In appearance, the GP38-2 and all other EMD second-generation power were standardized on the now-legendary EMD spartan cab, as was first introduced on the GP35. That cab design would dominate EMD American locomotive production for the next 30 years.

EMD’s famous reliability and dependability drove huge numbers for the GP38-2 model. Between January 1972 and July 1986, a total of 2,264 GP38-2 locomotives were built including variants for export and Canadian railroads. Of this fleet, Penn Central railroad purchased a large group, with 223 models on its roster. Conrail, taking over Penn Central operations in 1976, followed suit and ordered 119 more GP38-2 models, nearly doubling the number of those units inherited from Penn Central…

The post Conrail’s General Purpose GP38-2 from Athearn appeared first on Model Railroad News.

Review by Jason Quinn/Model Photos by Pamela Varney

Only a few short years ago, the aspiring Union Pacific (UP) heritage fleet modeler could only dream of acquiring unique and, in many cases, one-off prototypes of the fleet. Broadway Limited Imports (BLI) has recognized the need for these cars and has hit the ground running! BLI offers many of Union Pacific’s special heritage fleet cars, as well as many unique passenger cars operated by other railroads. This has created an exciting new frontier for the business train or excursion train modeler. In a world where brass or kitbashing models was the only way forward, BLI has turned this niche market into an obtainable option for anyone interested.

My first sample is the “power behind it all,” UPP (the extra “P” in the reporting marks refers to the road’s passenger equipment) 2066 power car with sound. The other sample is the “best view of the rails,” the Fox River track inspection car with its huge window covering the entire rear end of the car. Both samples are for the modern era. Let’s take a look at the power car!

ABOVE: With its distinctive humped roofline, Union Paicifc’s power car 2066 is easy to spot and stands out in excursion train consists. Broadway Limited Imports brings this interesting prototype to its growing line of HO scale passenger car offerings. UPP 2066 features many of the same attributes of other BLI efforts in this category. The 1:87 power car includes ac-curate Union Pacific colors and lettering. The model can navigate curves as narrow as 18-inch radius.

The power car was built from UP 5816, a postal storage car. In 1972, car 5816 was renumbered to UP 903677 and turned into a Roadway Tool Car. In 2004, it was redesignated as Power Car UPP 2066 after receiving the upgrades and modifications. BLI’s model faithfully replicates the 2066 in HO scale.

The 1:87 replica features an authentic body produced in plastic with many of the details separately applied, such as grab irons, antennas, and end diaphragms. The model does have some molded-on details, one such detail is roof top conduit. I do find some of the details to be a bit chunky. The stirrup steps are one such detail of note. Chunky may be too harsh of a word to describe it though, perhaps less refined would be a better definition. With ultra refined details being important to some modelers, I will say this model is a solid, durable, and overall good representation of the prototype.

ABOVE: Once the domain of high-end brass imports or arduous kitbashing efforts, Union Pacific’s executive passenger car fleet is rolling out from Broadway Limited Imports as finely rendered plastic models. The efforts include numerous separately applied details, flush-fitting clear windows, interiors, and more.

However, it is not what I would call ultra refined in detail. It is built for the everyday modeler who wants every aspect to be good, which it absolutely is! If unparalleled detail is your interest, you will need to sharpen up those modeling skills and push this model to the ultra-detailed finish line. Here are some highlights of detail the car does have: atop the bulge area of the roof you will find two photo etched fan grills with fan detail beneath,the rivet details are refined, and so are the casting marks on the trucks. The electronics is where BLI passenger car models really shine!

The review sample is equipped with sound; BLI also offers a non-sound version of the model. Once DCC track power is applied, you will hear the start up of two Deutz diesel engines. These will run continuously throughout your run session, unless you turn them off with the supplied magnetic wand. The sound can be set to one of three volume levels by simply touching the car side. The lights are also activated the same way. Full information on the operation of these features is supplied within the box. I must say I really love the touch activated features! And if features are of interest, you’ll simply love what the next sample has in store!

The post Union Pacific Business Fleet Expands: From Broadway Limited appeared first on Model Railroad News.

Review by Jason Quinn/model photos by Tony Cook

With tensions rising and the Cold War firmly in place, the U.S. Army needed to upgrade their tanks to meet potential threats. The result of this upgrade was the Patton series of tanks, starting with the M46 and progressing into the M47, M48, and M60, as well as the short-lived “heavy tank” M103. The first M46 was completed in late 1948 starting the “Patton” series of tanks service lives, which lasted into Desert Storm in 1991 with the M60 variant.

Up until 1953, the U.S. Army relied mostly on the railroads to supply flatcars for their movements. At the time, 50-ton and 70-ton cars were the mainstay of railroad fleets. With the heavier Patton-series tanks, the U.S. Army could no longer haul two tanks on one flatcar as they did with the lighter Sherman tanks of World War II. This caused a logistics issue, effectively doubling the cars needed to move tanks.

In 1953, the Army awarded the contract to produce 650 100-ton capacity six-axle flatcars numbered USAX 38016–38665 to Magor Car Corporation. While not as well known as some larger rail car producers, such as American Car & Foundry or Pullman-Standard, Magor had a long-standing relationship with the U.S. Government. Magor has previously produced cars for the Army and was a large part of military export car production (it was a principal builder of cars for Europe under the Marshall Plan). Magor is perhaps best known for its all-aluminum 100-ton covered hoppers, nicknamed “Big John,” owned by Southern Railway.

The brute-like appearance of these heavy-duty flats with their deep fish belly side sills, along with long six-axle Buckeye truck sideframes, made for a great subject matter for model train companies, as these prototypes were eye-catching and would certainly stick out in a hobby product line. In the early 1960s, this type of flatcar appeared on hobby shop shelves as an HO model sold by AHM. The car was designed and later marketed by Roco of Austria. Until Rapido Trains released this all-new replica, that now very vintage effort was about the only option to model the unique U.S. Army flatcar. That 1960s attempt suffered from the use of Talgo-style trucks and several other shortcomings.

Enter Rapido Trains, the hobby company’s release of this flatcar brings everything the discerning modeler could hope for! From the excellent, and perhaps best representation of a wood deck I’ve ever seen in plastic, down to the beautiful replication of the previously scarce Buckeye six-axle trucks, Rapido has hit a grand slam!

The details are abundant: top, bottom, ends, and sides – no area has been ignored. The bottom is where most of the artistry of detail resides, it’s a shame during normal operations it’s hidden. The non-cushion draft gear and under frame are well represented, along with all the brake rigging. The floor and sill are die-cast metal for optimal weight and performance. A feature I found of interest lies within the car side tooling. The side sills are strategically molded to have a relief area to allow full truck swing. All grab irons, coupler cut levers, stirrup steps, and air hoses are separately applied parts. Rivet detail and stake pockets faithfully represent the prototype in size and location.

Until recently, as I mentioned, the interesting Buckeye truck has been a bit elusive in the HO market. While Athearn, Roco, and Walthers have made this truck over the years, the details and accuracy of these older toolings leave much to be desired. For example, Roco’s truck is dimension-ally too small in every aspect. The brass market has decent versions, but those are mostly Buckeye trucks used under steam engine tenders, with many in that service possessing outside brake shoes… not to mention general scarcity of brass import parts of this type. Recently, Class One Model Works introduced an outside brake shoe version provided under that hobby company’s General Steel Casting depressed-center flatcar. This review’s Magor flatcar used a Buckeye truck with all internal brake shoes, and Rapido Trains has reproduced this truck sideframe well. Plain and simple, this truck sideframe tooling is great! And, in an unprecedented move, all but the late-scheme DODX and Amtrak variants come with both solid bearing and roller bearing variants. Yes, that’s correct! Every car comes with an extra set of sideframes! To be honest, I found it unbelievable that a manufacturer would include two styles of such a sought after truck… but Rapido Trains includes both…

Rapido Trains
HO-scale Magor 53′ heavy-duty flatcar

DODX (early repaint)
38457 199003A, $59.95

Rapido Trains

The post Magor Goes To War: Army Flatcar from Rapido Trains appeared first on Model Railroad News.

Review by Justin Sobeck/model photos by Tony Cook

Atlas rolls out an all new locomotive that further complements its N scale General Electric (GE) four-axle line. The new 1:160 Master Line U33B/U36B release will fill some late 1960s and 1970s era gaps for many hobbyists. Atlas has offered GE’s U23B for two decades in the Master Line, and U25B as a Classic-branded release since the late 1990s. This N scale debut from Atlas provides three U33B road names and two U36B road names. The assembled U-boat reproductions are offered in a $274.95 Gold edition (DCC-sound) and $159.95 Silver edition (DC with EC24 connector and factory-installed speaker).

Let’s learn about the prototype, Penn Central (PC) 2937, and have a look at this new Master Line locomotive model and its enhanced features.

GE’s Universal series, with a “U” designation leading the labeling, U33B and U36B, might represent the biggest leap for the builder in the early second generation diesel era horsepower race, jumping from 2,500-hp of the debut U25B model up to 3,000-hp for the U33B and 3,600-hp for the U36B. Only four roads rostered the 137 U33Bs built between 1967 and 1970, which spawned the familiar winged rear radiator design appearance that continues to this day on GE units. Weighing in at 270,000 pounds and 60’2” long, U33B and U36B locomotives rode on AAR Type-B and traded-in Blomberg trucks (depending on the buyer). The Electro-Motive Blomberg trucks were modified to accept GE’s 752-type traction motors.

ABOVE: Penn Central 2916 in October 1970. General Electric’s four-axle U33B found its stronghold on Penn Central roster. New York Central started the collection with two units delivered ahead of the 1968 Penn Central startup. Penn Central’s more than 80-unit fleet dwarfed rival collections operating for Rock Island and Seaboard Coast Line. —Photographer unknown, Jason Quinn Collection 

Penn Central (and successor Conrail) rostered most of the U33Bs (including two delivered to New York Central before the 1968 Penn Central merger). Those New York Central U33Bs received 2858 and 2859 road numbers, while units arriving after the merger were PC 2890–2970. Rock Island bought 25 (wearing their maroon and yellow scheme with white speed lettering), and Seaboard Coast Line (SCL) purchased 29 units. Three roads rostered GE’s output of 125 externally similarly appearing U36B (built between 1969 and 1975). They were largely sequestered to the East Coast region of the U.S., split between Auto-Train Corporation, Conrail, and Seaboard Coast Line.

The brightest of this U-boat bunch was SCL U36B 1776 in its bold Bicentennial colors, followed by Auto-Train’s distinctively 1970s scheme with white, red, and unique shade of fuchsia (purple trucks were all the rage back then), and some of the Rock Island units made it to the bankruptcy blue and white scheme. Secondhand owners included Conrail, Boston & Maine (later Guilford Transportation), and Reading & Northern, a regional railroad in northeastern Pennsylvania. CSX 7764 is assumed to be the last remaining U36B (built as SCL 1776), and it was fortuitously set aside as a first responder training aid, used as part of the Massachusetts Call Volunteer trainset. It is preserved among a diverse and unique collection of other GE products at the Lake Shore Railway Museum in North East, Pa., not far from the Erie complex where many GE locomotives were built for decades.

Penn Central 2937 was built in December 1968 (serial number 36950 and part of order 1411), delivered in the scheme Atlas portrays on its model. This basic, but sharp look, con-trasted yellow step edges and handrails against a solid dark carbody color with white lettering and PC logo. There is quite a bit of controversy about Penn Central locomotive colors – Brunswick Green, Dark Green Locomotive Enamel (DGLE), or shoe polish black. Having not seen anything but NS 1073 (PC Heritage unit) in person myself, this is a fun topic, and I consider myself to have a good color judgement and film or color corrected digital photos may shift and not provide a true basis…

Atlas Model Railroad Co.
N-scale Master Line Silver
U33B diesel locomotive standard DC

Penn Central 2937
40 005 942, $159.95
Atlas Model Railroad Co. 

The post A New N Scale U-Boat from Atlas Model Railroad Co. appeared first on Model Railroad News.

Review by Joe Bohannon/model photos by Tony Cook

Roka Prototype Models released their 16,000-gallon GATC tank cars in an assortment of fascinating paint schemes and services. Roka has been dedicated to producing accurate, well researched products and these tank cars are no different.

What is interesting about this run of cars originally built in 1949 for Santa Fe; Northern Pacific; and Spokane, Portland & Pacific is Roka examples of these cars lasting into more modern times. These cars had a service life that extended into railroad company service, such as providing locomotive shop needs like lubricating oils, solvents, and diesel fuel. Some found service in maintenance-of-way, providing water or herbicides for vegetation and weed spraying. But the truly unique addition to this release is the water fire protection cars with included hose reel and pump detail.

Roka provided an assortment of these various cars with all samples including interesting labeling applied, some with unique color bands for their intended service, and a few included FRA 224 regulation stripes, making these cars suitable for use after 2005.

Burlington Northern 973371 is a former Northern Pacific car that found its way onto BN’s roster through the 1970 merger. A striking feature of this car is the all-white body and red lettering indicating its operating base and use as a Seattle Fire Car. The inclusion of the fire hose, pump, and battery detail further proves its intended use. The model also features roller bearings and FRA stripes.

Montana Rail Link 100011 is an example of a car that was built for Northern Pacific. A neat detail included is the previous NP number of 102011 on the frame, a reporting mark Montana Rail Link missed when they patched the car. There is labeling on the dome indicating this car is in locomotive lube oil service. Lube oil is what most would think of as motor oil, but has higher viscosity and additives to serve it better in heavy duty diesel engines. The model features metal walkway and friction bearing trucks. The faded blue MRL patch and FRA stripes make it a nice car for contemporary models to add.

Santa Fe 98195 is an example of a solvent car. Solvents are strong parts cleaners used in locomotive shops. Santa Fe applied a yellow dome and a yellow band outlined in red for such a service. The model features metal walkways, friction bearing trucks, and a nice addition of “flammable” placards already installed. Santa Fe 189238 represents a car transferred to maintenance-of-way service in the 1980s. The sample is painted silver and features a label for domestic water. Water has many uses in MOW operations, including cleaning, cooking, and drinking by track gangs in remote areas. The model features removed walkways and roller bearing trucks.

Santa Fe 209886 is another silver car found in MOW use. The car’s labeling shows its use as providing vegetation control. Railroads constantly battle mother nature as she attempts to reclaim the railroad right of way and as a result, railroads spray herbicides along the tracks to prevent the growth of weeds. The model also features removed walkways and roller bearing trucks.

Santa Fe 189238 is an exciting addition to the release. It also uses the color band markings Santa Fe adopted. The gray banding indicates the car is used for domestic water, but more importantly, the large white panel on the car side clears up any confusion of what this water is used for. Written in large red font “Water Car Fire Service.” Such a car would have served with rail grinders, which throw sparks and potentially start fires as it works. However, more often, BNSF stages these types of cars in areas prone to forest fires and are deployed to protect the track from such blazes. The model features an all-new detail addition of a fire hose reel, pump, and battery box mounted on one side of the car. It has roller bearing trucks and FRA stripes.

The 16,000-gallon GATC cars were an all-welded body that has stood the test of time and has provided railroads with years of service. These tank cars often helped keep locomotives rolling and tracks open for business. This group of HO-scale Roka Prototype Models arrived intact, with no detail loss, protected in a snug clam shell in a distinctive yellow outer box. These 1:87 models are very well detailed, meticulously researched for accurate appearance, and feature crisp, legible lettering on smooth paint.

Roka’s tank car miniatures feature roller bearing trucks and possess spinning bearing caps, with spare caps included in the packaging. Their weight (near 7 oz.), metal wheels, and Kadee metal couplers make them strong runners on your layout; while their unique paint and lettering make them conversation pieces. Check Roka’s website or a participating hobby dealer for more information.

Roka Prototype Models
HO Scale General American Tank Car

Burlington Northern
Seattle Fire Car with hose
RPM 192, $69.95

Montana Rail Link 100011
Lube Oil Car
RPM 162, $64.95

Santa Fe 98195
LIX 239 Solvent Car
RPM 146, $64.95

Santa Fe 189238
MOW Service Car – silver
RPM 152, $64.95

Santa Fe 209886
Vegetation Control Car
RPM 160, $64.95

Santa Fe 189238
Water Fire Service with hose
RPM 186, $64.95

Roka Prototype Models

The post Service Tank Cars from Roka Prototype Models appeared first on Model Railroad News.

The Marklin factory certainly made an astounding group of new items to promote at the 2026 Dortmund International Model Festival!

Starting with a new Class 66 Diesel Locomotive promoting the 2026 Dortmund Festival, stock # 39071. This was followed by  a Class 101 express locomotive with a special design for the Wacken Open Air (W:O:A®) music festival 2026.   Marklin models, 39476 for HO; 88666 for Z; T25476 for Trix and a Starter Set for LGB-70505! 

Finally, to literally shock the 1 Gauge World, Marklin celebrates with 'The Giants of the Gotthards', Ae 8/14 in all era versions! These will be found under stock # 55814 through 55819! These full metal beasts with incredible detailing to fully operational pantographs range in weight from 27-29 lbs! 

These are all a One-Time Release for the Dortmund International Model Festival, so production will be limited.

April is all about exciting new models that ROCO and FLEISCHMANN will be presenting for the first time at Intermodellbau Dortmund.

A particular highlight of the 2026 ROCO range is the Class 477 steam locomotive, better known as the “Parrot”.

Furthermore, a cohesive range is not a coincidence for ROCO, but a standard we expect from ourselves – which is why we are all the more delighted to welcome the Czech company EL-HO as a strong exclusive partner in the model railway market for the first time. Together, we are bringing the “Rybak” type passenger carriages to life as models. In addition to the direct-sales versions from EL-HO, we will be offering a 4-piece set as the perfect complement to the Class 477.

Fans of modern traction are not left out either: for enthusiasts of modern railways, a new Vectron from the Austrian company Cargoserv is joining the range. As announced in the 2026 novelties, all Interregio enthusiasts can look forward to new items; our last edition sold out in no time.

There’s also something striking from FLEISCHMANN: due to high demand, the ÖBB’s ESC advertising Taurus is now also available in 1:160 scale.

This year, we can proudly celebrate 66 years of ROCO. Udo Jürgens already sang: „Life begins at 66“ – following this motto, we stand for progress, innovation and a wide range of international products. In short, everything to make the miniature version of the world a bit more detailed for our fans around the globe.

Reason enough for us to send our brand out on the "real" rails and make it even mor visible! What could be a better way to do that than with almost 10.000 HP and a record-holding Taurus 3?

In cooperation with ÖBB and our designer Markus Huber, we are dressing a 1216 in a particularly striking livery. One side of the branded locomotive allows a look into its interior: its technology. But wait a second: Are we looking at the real Taurus here or the technology of a ROCO miniature Taurus? It's up to our fans and passengers to solve the riddle.

The legend of Europa riding the bull symbolizes strength, confidence and the courage to set out on a new journey. Zeus approaches Europa in the form of a gentle bull and carries her across the sea to Crete - a journey that symbolizes change, union, and the beginning of a new story. The name of our continent originated from this myth, and its cultural diversity is characterized by it to this day. This timeless symbol lives on in the electric locomotive Taurus, whose name deliberately evokes the mythical bull. With its confident strength, it brings together people, regions and stories throughout Europe - reason enough to dedicate the second side of the themed locomotive to the Taurus and this artistic vision.

 The H0 version of this remarkable locomotive will be part of the ROCO range this year as a one-off edition and will be available in time before the Christmas trade. There is also a N Scale version that is part of the Fleischmann range this year as a one-off edition and will be available in time before the Christmas trade. 
Just like with our last themed locomotive in 2024 on occasion of the European Football Championship, it pays off to be fast! 

Just in time for the Intermodellbau trade show in Dortmund, we are pleased to present additional, previously unannounced H0 novelties in our News Express 2026-04.

 A total of 11 cars will be introduced, all of which are expected to be available from stock within the coming weeks. Highlights include the DR H0 passenger coaches “Städteexpress”, an H0 G10 Persil car as well as a weathered H0 GS UIC car.

 For the first time at the Intermodellbau in Dortmund, we are showcasing a special trade show model from the “BRAWA Signature Edition”: The DB H0 Gmhs35 “Deutz” freight car is a strictly limited-edition model and will initially be available exclusively at our trade show booth, in our factory outlet, and via our online shop.

This first quarter has seen 3 major surprise announcements and the latest is an exciting 1 Gauge Model of the famous KPEV EG 507 Electric Locomotive.

The first electric locomotives of the Royal Prussian Railway Administration (KPEV) were once the pride of Prussia on rails and represented milestones in locomotive engineering at the time. These rugged prototypes were designed with uncompromising efficiency for special duties using proven principles from steam loco engineering. However, they used clean, invisible energy without any steam, soot, or coal.
 
The class EG 507 and 508 freight locos built in 1913 and 1914 epitomize the Prussian virtues of the KPEV. During the pioneering era of electric train haulage, the company left nothing to chance and therefore ordered test locos for very specific purposes from a variety of companies. Most of them resembled curious giants from another world, also due to their unusual sound. However, like many other locomotive types from the early days of electric train haulage, they laid the foundation for the modern railroads of today.

4 Versions are being offered; Era 1 KPEV in Photo Gray; Era 1 KPEV in Prussian Green Livery; Era 2 DRG Brown Livery and finally, a Technological Edition in exposed Brass and metals.

For 1 Gauge Collectors & Enthusiasts, these models have never been offered before. Reserve one or more of these Iconic Locomotives. Deliveries are expected in late April or early May.

Artitec just continues to amaze with 232 new products already announced for this year covering both Civilian and Military ranges. The detailing and weathering of their products are exquisite!

In their civilian program, their range of vehicles from cars to tractors continue to expand. Day to day scenes like a drink vending machine (387.661); fisherman on a boat (387.658) and “What’s for dinner?” (5870160). They have a new mechanic’s garage offered in 4 different country versions with detailed interiors, (10.474;475;476;477). Of course, their figure range offers more typical scenes that we all recognize as needed on our model railways, even kids having a snowball fight, (5870148).

In their military program, several new tank versions are offered in the BRD; USA; German Wehrmacht; DDR and even Canada gets a mention with a Crusader Anti-aircraft tank, (6870766).

Far to much to discuss, so enjoy browsing the line-up and note, most items are available in a wide range of scales.

There are six new paint schemes in the Atlas Master Line production of its ACF 17,360-gallon tank car model. The tank car comes in HO (MSRP: $49.95) and N (MSRP: $39.95) scales. The HO tank car (right) includes metal wheels and body-mounted AccuMate couplers. The N-scale model comes with plastic wheels and couplers mounted to the car’s trucks.—Atlas Model Railroad Co., atlasrr.com

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Accurail’s American Car & Foundry (ACF) 2,970 cubic foot capacity CenterFlow hopper car is arriving in a special America’s 250th Anniversary (2026) release. The two-bay covered hopper will be painted silver and the fantasy decoration includes a representation of the Liberty Bell and Declaration of Independence document. The car will include a 250th Anniversary America 1776–2026 banner. The car’s sill will include standard data information in black, along with ACF’s logo. The easy-to-assemble HO-scale kit retails for $22.98. —Accurail, Inc., accurail.com

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