September 2023 - Click here to download September 2023 Micro-News

  MICRO-TRAINS - N SCALE NEW RELEASES

Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe
Road Number 170943

This GA-48-class 65’ mill gondola with Bettendorf trucks, was designed to haul finished structural steel shapes and other bulky loads, and featured drop ends that allowed the gondola to carry loads longer than the car. Founded in 1859, Santa Fe was one of the largest railroads in North America up until 1996, when it merged with Burlington Northern to form BNSF.

#107 00 012...$32.95

CSX®
Road Numbers 489659, 492042

These 3,422 cubic foot capacity HT-class three-bay open hoppers with Barber Roller Bearing trucks, are painted in the standard black CSX scheme, but with NYC reporting marks. In the late 1990s, Conrail was dissolved and the assets split between CSX and Norfolk Southern. These cars were then obtained by CSX Transportation and given a legacy NYC reporting mark.

#108 00 621...$28.90
#108 00 622...$28.90

War of the Worlds #7
Road Number 2467

Brave artillery crews fight back against the Martian fighting machines. The classic science fiction novel War of the Worlds, first published by H.G. Wells in 1898, chronicles an Earth invasion by Martians, and humanity’s attempt to retake the planet.

#139 00 032...$28.95

NW/ex-Virginian
Road Number 125134

Built in 1939 and belonging to series 125000-125999, this H33-class two bay coal hopper with Bettendorf trucks was later rolled into N&W. The Virginian Railway was a Class 1 railroad that was founded in 1907 to transport high quality bituminous coal from West Virginia mines to Hampton Roads ports. In 1959, the Virginian merged into N&W, now Norfolk Southern.

#056 44 480...$27.90

Grand Trunk Western
Road Number 384060

This 60’ excess height boxcar with Barber Roller Bearing trucks had a single door and was used for bulky items requiring high cubic capacity, such as appliances and auto parts. It was rebuilt and painted in 1985. Grand Trunk Western Railroad traces its roots back to 1858, when the Chicago, Detroit & Canada Grand Trunk Junction Railroad was formed. GTW was later absorbed by Canadian National.

#104 00 011...$30.95

Winchester & Western
Road Number 4123

This two-bay covered hopper with Barber Roller Bearing trucks was designed to transport high-density granular commodities such as sand, plastic pellets or chemical powders. The Winchester & Western Railroad is a shortline based on the East Coast, with trackage through Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland and New Jersey. Incorporated in 1916, the Winchester & Western still operates today.

#092 00 570...$32.95

Winchester & Western
Road Number 8840

This two-bay covered hopper with Barber Roller Bearing trucks was designed to transport high-density granular commodities such as sand, plastic pellets or chemical powders. The Winchester & Western Railroad is a shortline based on the East Coast, with trackage through Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland and New Jersey. Incorporated in 1916, the Winchester & Western still operates today.

#092 00 580...$32.95

Burlington Northern
4-Car Runner Pack #215

These 2-bay covered hoppers were used to transport high-density granular commodities such as sand and plastics. Burlington Northern was formed through the mergers of Great Northern and Northern Pacific in 1970, and then merged with ATSF in 1995 to form BNSF.

Packaged in Foam Nest #993 00 215...$129.95
Packaged in Jewel Case #983 00 215...$144.95

Sherman Tank Load 2-Pack

The M4A3 Sherman tank was a game changer for Allied Forces during WW2. There were a number of basic variations and modifications, both from the factory and in the field, in an attempt to meet the growing power of Axis tanks and artillery. Almost every railroad had a hand in transporting strategic loads across the country, the Sherman being one of them.

#499 45 013...$12.95

MICRO-TRAINS - Z SCALE NEW RELEASES

War of the Worlds #7
Road Number 2467

Brave artillery crews fight back against the Martian fighting machines. The classic science fiction novel War of the Worlds, first published by H.G. Wells in 1898, chronicles an Earth invasion by Martians, and humanity’s attempt to retake the planet.

#525 00 182...$28.95

MID-MONTH

Penn Central
Road Number 766145

This depressed center flat car with Buckeye trucks, was built by a predecessor road and later merged into Penn Central. Penn Central was formed through the merger of Pennsylvania Railroad and New York Central, and operated until 1976 when it was rolled into Conrail Corporation.

#109 00 300...$28.95

Cotton Belt®
Road Number 80005

This depressed center flat car with Buckeye trucks had a 250,000-pound capacity and was 65’ in length. St. Louis Southwestern, commonly known as Cotton Belt, was founded in 1891 and became a Southern Pacific subsidiary in 1932, before eventually fully merging in 1992. It is now a heritage component of Union Pacific.

#109 00 290...$28.95

Southern Pacific®
Road Number 316

Built in 1928, this wood caboose with swing motion Bettendorf truck was later painted into a one-of-a-kind scheme to remind railroaders that safety is their responsibility. It was painted in Golden State colors of scarlet and aluminum. Southern Pacific was a Class 1 railroad from 1865 until 1996, when it was absorbed by Union Pacific after falling on hard times financially in the 1970s and 1980s.

#050 00 250...$45.95

Medford, Talent, & Lakecreek RR Mechanical Reefer
Road Number 70452

This mechanical reefer with Roller Bearing trucks was built for Southern Oregon Orchard Co-op, a Medford, Talent & Lakecreek’s initiative co-owned with Southern Pacific. The MT&L Railroad was established in 1918 to serve the communities throughout Oregon’s Rogue Valley, helping move commodities to the Southern Pacific interchanges. The success of the modest shortline revolved around serving various agricultural, timber, and manufacturing industries, as well as some passenger and tourist traffic in the region.

#070 00 090...$29.95

Medford, Talent, & Lakecreek RR Tank Car
Road Number 2532

This tank car with Barber Roller Bearing trucks was built in the 1970s for The Medford, Talent & Lakecreek’s subsidiary, the Rogue Valley Wine Company. The MT&L Railroad was established in 1918 to serve the communities throughout Oregon’s Rogue Valley, helping move commodities to the Southern Pacific interchanges. The success of the modest shortline revolved around serving various agricultural, timber, and manufacturing industries, as well as some passenger and tourist traffic in the region.

#110 00 580...$34.95

Halloween Micro-Mouse

Micro-Mouse has finally gone off the rails and, inspired by the spooky spirit of Halloween, conceives of a monstrous new hobby. As his creation comes to life through the wattage delivered by the pantograph, he declares maniacally: “IT’S ALIVE!”

#102 00 270...$28.95

Halloween Micro-Mouse Z Scale

Micro-Mouse has finally gone off the rails and, inspired by the spooky spirit of Halloween, conceives of a monstrous new hobby. As his creation comes to life through the wattage delivered by the pantograph, he declares maniacally: “IT’S ALIVE!”

#507 00 730...$28.95

Chicago & North Western® Hospital Car 2-Pack

Built in the 1930s for the Chicago & North Western Railroad, these Pullman hospital car was used for over 30 years to transport patients daily from Chicago, Illinois to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. These cars were named after famous physician Joseph Lister, who advanced preventative medicine and antiseptic use, and Ephraim McDowell who was a pioneering surgeon.

Packaged in Foam Nest #993 02 231...$61.95
Packaged in Jewel Case #983 02 231...$70.95

Southern Pacific® MOW 2-Pack
Road Numbers 4520, 4521

These Maintenance of Way cars were painted a simple light grey, and served Southern Pacific repair and maintenance trains. Southern Pacific was a Class 1 railroad from 1865 until 1996, when it was absorbed by Union Pacific after falling on hard times financially in the 1970s and 1980s.

Packaged in Foam Nest #993 02 229...$61.95
Packaged in Jewel Case #983 02 229...$70.95

Southern Pacific® MOW 3-Pack
Road Numbers 1044, 7183, 5984

These Maintenance of Way cars were painted a simple light grey, and served Southern Pacific repair and maintenance trains. Southern Pacific was a Class 1 railroad from 1865 until 1996, when it was absorbed by Union Pacific after falling on hard times financially in the 1970s and 1980s.

Packaged in Foam Nest #993 02 230...$94.95
Packaged in Jewel Case #983 02 230...$106.95

Southern Pacific® Clean Trailer 4-Pack
Road Numbers 250072, 250098, 250134, 250176

Built in the early 1980s for the rapidly expanding “Golden Pig” intermodal service, these 45-foot trailers could be found atop 89’ flatcars through the 1980s before being replaced by longer 48’ trailers. Southern Pacific was a Class 1 railroad from 1865 until 1996, when it was absorbed by Union Pacific after falling on hard times financially in the 1970s and 1980s.

Packaged in Foam Nest #993 02 228...$104.95
Packaged in Jewel Case #983 02 228...$114.95

Southern Pacific® Weathered Trailer 4-Pack
Road Numbers 250115, 250066, 250070, 250082

Built in the early 1980s for the rapidly expanding “Golden Pig” intermodal service, these 45-foot trailers could be found atop 89’ flatcars through the 1980s before being replaced by longer 48’ trailers. Southern Pacific was a Class 1 railroad from 1865 until 1996, when it was absorbed by Union Pacific after falling on hard times financially in the 1970s and 1980s.

Packaged in Foam Nest #993 02 224...$109.95
Packaged in Jewel Case #983 02 224...$124.95

NEW PRE-ORDERS

General American Transportation Corporation

General American Transportation Corporation, now known simply as GATX, is a large railcar leasing company, with over 122,000 railcars in the fleet. GATX invests in programs that minimize their environmental impact, and they “strive to take a leadership position in voluntary environmental initiatives by working proactively with government agencies, environmental groups and industries.” This boxcar, LRS 141000, advertises GATX’s environmental position with the headline “Shipping by Rail Helps Reduce Greenhouse Emissions” along with a stylized GATX logo with the planet earth inside.

#123 00 080...$51.98

Area 51 4-Pack

Within the Nevada Test and Training Range exists a remote, Top Secret facility just south of Groom Lake, officially called Homey Field…though it is known to most people as Area 51. The secrecy and misinformation surrounding Area 51 has lead to intense folklore of the base’s role in unidentified flying object (UFO) research, going back decades. Of course, these are just conspiracy theories, right? As you catch a glimpse of a camouflaged train in the desert valley below, you wonder “just what are they transporting hidden under the tarp on that flat car?” As you look through the binoculars, the heat shimmer makes it hard to see…but you’re able to make something out about “non-human biologics” on the side of the boxcar! You be the judge.

Packaged in Foam Nest #993 02 238...$139.95
Packaged in Jewel Case #983 02 238...$154.95

CSX® 4-Car Runner Pack

Built in 1961 for the Atlantic & Western Railway, these 50’ boxcars were rebuilt in 1989 and repainted into CSX dark blue. CSX was formed through the 1986 mergers of Chessie System and Seaboard System/ Family Lines, and continues to operate today across more than 21,000 miles of track in the Eastern United States.

Packaged in Foam Nest #993 00 220...$119.95
Packaged in Jewel Case #983 00 220...$134.95

Example of cars in line:

NP Log Gondola with Flat Car and Log Loads 3-Pack

One of the benefits of drop end gondolas is the capability of carrying loads longer than the gondola itself. In this case, long utility poles have been loaded into 65’ mill gondolas, and the overhanging load protected by a flat buffer car. Northern Pacific was a Class 1 Railroad formed in 1864, and eventually acquired in 1970 by Burlington Northern Railroad through mergers, which went on to merge with Santa Fe, becoming BNSF.

Packaged in Foam Nest #993 02 240...$99.95
Packaged in Jewel Case #983 02 240...$111.95

3-Bay Hoppers with Tarps 4-pack

During the winter season railroads had to produce ways to keep loads in open hoppers from getting wet and freezing over during storms. One way was to cover the car with a tarp which could be easily removed by a work crew on site. The model represents MOW hoppers carrying ballast that had road numbers spray painted on the sides. Once the car was empty, the tarps could be folded and stored inside the hopper for the next loading operation.

Packaged in Foam Nest #993 02 239...$129.95
Packaged in Jewel Case #983 02 239...$144.95