Product Announcements: 2025 National N Scale Convention Kansas

[peteski]

Kato announced a M-497. It’s a full tool standard release not a Kobo custom like they did in the past. They had a 3D prototype on display.

That's funny. I still have the resin conversion pieces I bought long time ago to build my own M-497.  It is not built yet and Kato will actually release one of those as a production model?  Something's went wrong with the forces of the modeling universe.

[dem34]

They probably see the prices on Ebay and are making a calculated risk. Think the hope is that the Black Beetle has enough appeal as an oddity to overcome the fact that it was just an experiment.

[ski]

Atlas was showing off modern hooded signals which are new.

Finally...I have been asking for these for years in N. The HO scale ones are quite good.

[thomasjmdavis]

I'd love to hear the justification for that.

A brand new high speed 3-D printer and somebody found 2000 unsold RDC-3s in the back of the warehouse?

 Remember the days when RDC-1s were going for $30 because they over produced? Wouldn't surprise me of the -3s weren't over produced as well.  Plus, I could see the jet powered RDC being quite popular with the high speed train collectors.

[nickelplate759]

A brand new high speed 3-D printer and somebody found 2000 unsold RDC-3s in the back of the warehouse?

 Remember the days when RDC-1s were going for $30 because they over produced? Wouldn't surprise me of the -3s weren't over produced as well.  Plus, I could see the jet powered RDC being quite popular with the high speed train collectors.

I'd want one if it were not Kobo priced.
I'm pretty sure the RDC-1,-2, and -3 use the same chassis.  The RDC-4 is of course shorter.

[Missaberoad]

I'll probably buy one! Not sure why or how I'll justify it besides its cool and I like RDCs to begin with 

[C855B]

Finally...I have been asking for these for years in N. The HO scale ones are quite good.

I'm not holding my breath. Their tri-color signals have so much over-scale that I cringe every time I see a photo of one. But I know firsthand the difficulties of producing a fully operating signal and keeping everything to scale:

https://vimeo.com/381078133?share=copy#t=0

[High Hood]

Railsmith is doing the Wabash City of Kansas City.

https://lowellsmith.net/product-category/railsmith/wabash/?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Celebrating%20Kansas%20City%20You%20need%20these%20Mon%20June%2030%202025&utm_content=Celebrating%20Kansas%20City%20You%20need%20these%20Mon%20June%2030%202025+CID_e049447c561f5d6d6fe11ed7caad4dc6&utm_source=simplymail&utm_term=Wabash

[mu26aeh]

Possible explanation:

I know of at least one manufacturer who is waiting to see how the tariff situation plays out.

Then the opposite end of the spectrum is ST blowing the gates open 

[kc9jts]

I'm not holding my breath. Their tri-color signals have so much over-scale that I cringe every time I see a photo of one. But I know firsthand the difficulties of producing a fully operating signal and keeping everything to scale:

https://vimeo.com/381078133?share=copy#t=0

Nice!  Cool to see someone replicate that Y-R-Y approach diverging aspect.  I think it was only used at about 2-3 spots on the entire system.

[NSEGeorge]

Announcements from the Manufacturers Breakfast by the participating folks as fast as I could type:

Matthew from Wheels of Time announced that they are expanding baggage car releases to go with Railsmith Build a Train Series

Eric from MicroTrains showed preproduction samples of their new Railgon Gondola by Greenville and will release by the end of end of summer, In development is a  53’6” commonwealth flatcar. Next up is a new family tree series

Jim from Richmond Controls was showing array of lit vehicles from others that were great.

Tyler from Bachmann showed decorated Amtrak west passenger cars with full interior and lighting with variations. They also had a via rail cab car. The 4-6-0 is making progress there is further engineering development underway on this motor in the boiler locomotive. There is to be a new run of 44 tonners.  Also,  19th century passenger cars to go with the 4-6-0. They are doing a refreshed crane and boom car featuring a lower riding chassis.  A new roundhouse building kit to go with their turntable. AND Thomas and friends gets new locomotives and cars. Which ones? I wasn't fast enough to catch them, but I'm sure they will be fun.

MoTrak Models has an array of new laser cut offerings and detail parts. Many new loads will show up on the website in the next few weeks.

Jumpei from Kato says Kato is going DCC for USA. There are many Mini Diorama enhancements, including they will be exhibiting at San Diego ComicCon in San Diego where 135,000 attendees will see Model Railroading, many for the first time ever. Theywill shortly be announcing Kato USA's 40th anniversary project. In addition, coming soon is the Surfliner with sound And new runs of SD80 and 90mac.  The non-Koboo version of the M497 Jet RDC NYC with lighting and sound is in pre-production with 3D printed samples shown.

Phoenix Model Buildings- Has taken over the RSLaserkits line of structures and loads. More acquisitions to come, and expanded production capabilities.

Doug from Intermountain shared that 10paint schemes on their 4750 will arrive in Colorado next week, and they announces a run of their  trinity 5161 hoppers. The long in production SD45-2 will arrive in August and many metal wheels share the container that will arrive next week.

Colorado model RR museum expanding offerings 2nd annual RPM meet have the original TTrak models  They are the only Model RR that has an official virtual railfan camera

Paul from shares that Atlas new catalog will release the week of 13th. Reruns of both the 3 and 5 unit spinecar, a new modern boxcar and a new 53’ trailer (not Wabash, and not the same as Trainworx) They showed the new signals and they look really nice control electronics to follow.

Lowell, the namesake of Railsmith says the domes have been delivered. Next up are the small window coaches. After the Budd dome comes new tooling for a dormitory car. Coming soon are 16-4 duplex sleepers. In the  signature series, a haystack car. Next in the National park series is Yellowstone Park. (no information on the exclusion or inclusion of Yogi and BooBoo)


Skip from Lunde Studios is doing an expansion of their properly large building line, and have improved the instructions to their Snailways Bus Depot to allay domer confusion.

Greg from GATRworks - New EOT devices relfect the 3rd gen version of the electronics.  New products are drop in frames for boxcars with pre-assembled and premounted FRED's for MTL and Athearn boxcars

Showcase Miniatures- over 500 products now available in HO N and Z. They have several new laser cut buildings and are expanding their Mad About Cars offerings in several eras. New signal variations are now available, check the website. They have a new division doing Assemble and Paint on demand. For attendees, there was a free outhouse kit and a 10% discount at the show. It pays to attend!

Craig from Bluford Shops announced a new run of double door 86’ boxcars featuring both contrail early and late versions.Mopre news aboput hoppers to come (yes, new side and end variations!)

Andrew N Possible coupler-  has samples at the booth and is shipping product in the next couple weeks. The demonstration at the booth was pretty convincing. Next to release is a Microtrains truck mount conversion and a line of loco boxes we should see in 2 months.

Pat from Trainworx shgowed Log trucks in a wide array of colors and detail combinations. Next up in freight cars are the Southern style Woodchip hoppers.

ABR Model Works- A new and reasonably priced 3D printer had an impressive array of models His new offerings are a new winch for boats and cars and also 12 pane windows set of 4.

Russ at N scale Architect claims his coal breaker has a sauna now. In release is the Stillwell Oyster car (a really unique statement piece) An all new- etched metal fire spotting tower plus the AG Winters General Store and Granary. Russ is open to new suggestions, contact him dorectly.

Shane at Scale Trains is giving a free 60' Trinity 7500 BNSF/Convention boxcar to all the breakfast attendees, attendees Brand new locomotives: The GP40 both A and B units. The Fox Valley ES44 was not possible to revive, so it was scrapped and all new GE Wabtech ES44 C4 with 60 variations SD70ACE-and the GP-60 are in tool test. Many products are returning including the Vertipac (need a Chevy Vega to go with it), and the P-S Silver Side gons (former Fox Valley)

[peteski]

A brand new high speed 3-D printer and somebody found 2000 unsold RDC-3s in the back of the warehouse?

To me It’s a full tool standard release not a Kobo custom like they did in the past. They had a 3D prototype on display. seems to imply that the entier model will be injection-molded ABS plastic, just like any other Kato model.  No 3D prints.

While I know that Kato does what Kato wants, it seems really crazy to cut metal tooling for a single example of a unique piece of rolling stock.  Using a standard RDC with added-on 3D printed nose and jet engine pods would make much more sense to me.  But it's  Kato after all.

[peteski]

Jumpei from Kato says Kato is going DCC for USA.

I wonder what exactly does that mean?  Will they modify their chassis' and PC boards to be DCC ready (with space for speaker and plug-n-play decoder (or a standard DCC socket. or will they continue to offer DCC models with decoders/speakers installed by-hand by someone somewhere in a dark basement (like what they did for the Big Boy)? 

If they will have factory installed decoder I hope that they go back to using ESU, or at least still sell DC models which are decoder-ready (aka. "stealth").

[C855B]

...
Shane at Scale Trains ... products are returning including the Vertipac (need a Chevy Vega to go with it) ...

Uh. Did he explain why? Vert-a-Pacs had such a tiny era window, 1970-1977. But I won't kick too much, I model that era, and missed the SP versions when ExactRail had 'em. If they're not outrageously expensive it would make sense to have a couple.

[pmpexpress]

Uh. Did he explain why? Vert-a-Pacs had such a tiny era window, 1970-1977. But I won't kick too much, I model that era, and missed the SP versions when ExactRail had 'em. If they're not outrageously expensive it would make sense to have a couple.

Eighteen N Scale versions were released in 2009: Rio Grande (EN-50500-1, EN-50500-2, and EN-50500-3), Seaboard Coast Line (EN-50501-1, EN-50501-2, and EN-50501-3), Milwaukee Road (EN-50502-1, EN-50503-2, and EN-50502-3), Burlington Northern (EN-50503-1, EN-50503-2, and EN-50503-3), Florida East Coast (EN-50504-1, EN-50504-2, and EN-50504-3), and Illinois Central (EN-50505-1, EN-50505-2, and EN-50503).

The HO Scale Frisco (EN-1212-1, EN-1212-2, and EN-1212-3) releases from 2009, which were followed by the Merchants Despatch (EN-1214-1, EN-1214-2, and EN-1214-3) and Baltimore & Ohio Chessie System paint scheme (EN-1216-1, EN-1216-2, and EN-1216-3), releases in 2011, and the Southern Pacific (EE-1207-1, EE-1207-2, and EE-1207-3), Rio Grande - as delivered boxcar red paint scheme (EE-1213-1, EE-1213-2, and EE-1213-3), Merchants Despatch (EE-1214-1, EE-1214-2, and EE-1214-3), Rock Island (EE-1215-1, EE-1215-2, and EE-1215-3), and Baltimore & Ohio - Capital Dome paint scheme (EE-1216-1, EE-1216-2, and EE-1216-3) releases in 2016 were never produced in N Scale.