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here is an abundance of new products to tell you about this month, so let’s get started with the smallest commercial gauge: Z scale.
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merican Z Lines has a 23,000-gallon Funnel-Flow tank car decorated for Union Tank Car with four different numbers. Also a PullmanStandard 2CD covered hopper decorated for various Union Pacific merged lines including Missouri Pacific, Chicago & North Western and Missouri-Kansas-Texas. The Z-scale cars feature metal wheelsets and magnetic knuckle couplers. See www.ztrack.com for full details.
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tlas O has re-issued its popular 40-foot and 45-foot O scale containers decorated for a variety of shippers including CCMA-CGM, COSCO, Matson, ZIM, Hanjin, NOL, NYK Logistics and P&O NEDLLOYD. Multiple numbers are available for each company name. Visit www.atlaso.com for details.
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ayne Weiss of Salida Roundhouse is developing an “anti-flicker” lighting kit for Blackstone’s HOn3 scale D&RGW long caboose. The circuitry, developed by Richmond Controls, requires just 25 seconds of track power (either DC or DCC) to charge a small capacitor that will Page 23 • Issue 7 • May/Jun 2010 • Old Yardmaster - Industry scuttlebutt, page 1
FIGURE 1: Athearn (www.athearn.com) is scheduled to release its newly-tooled HO scale Genesis series F45/FP45 locomotives in August. The cowl-style diesel with a front platform ahead of the nose was initially produced by EMD for Santa Fe in 1967 with the FP version providing space at the rear of the locomotive for a steam generator to produce heat for passenger cars. Athearn’s FP45 will be decorated in Santa Fe’s classic Super Chief war-bonnet scheme with small lettering and Santa Fe’s late yellow-bonnet freight scheme (above). The F45 units will be painted for BNSF (black over green) and Santa Fe’s Kodachrome merger scheme (above). A DCC version with SoundTraxx Tsunami Command Control and full sound will be available at $250. The basic DC unit will be priced at $150. operate the LED interior lights and exterior markers for up to three minutes without additional track power. The system requires no batteries and the caboose can be lifted off the track and all the lights will remain on for several minutes. Wayne is shooting for availability early this summer with pricing targeted at under $50. For additional information visit www.locodoc.com.
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ook for BLMA to add as-built TTX brown paint schemes to its lineup of and N scale ACF-built 89-foot F89-J flatcars. The late 1960s cars will include details appropriate to the original prototypes. Meanwhile, BLMA is booking orders for the 1990s-era yellow RTTX models that feature a die-cast metal frame, positionable center hitch, cut levers, 70-ton trucks and Kadee #58 couplers. Preproduction test samples are expected this month with initial delivery scheduled for the 4th quarter of 2010. Visit www.BLMAmodels.com for additional details.
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rass Car Sides is working on two new N scale brass car sides with a release date targeted for early summer. First up are sides for a 56-seat chair car for the UP and C&NW 1937 Challenger. The sides include the car skirting and equipment access doors. HO scale versions will follow if owner Dennis Henry receives reservations totaling eight or more sets. Also coming are sides for a Pullman-Standard lightweight 14 roomette, 4 double-bedroom sleeper. The sides
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