Get the transformers powered up and the engines warm because it’s another edition of my weekly Quick Hits! Think of this as a grab bag of new arrivals, rare pieces, and budget-friendly finds that just hit our inventory. From vintage to modern MPC, N-Scale to G-Scale, it’s all fair game, so let’s see what showed up this week! Looking for more? You can shop all of our latest arrivals right now at Trainz.com.
The Story Behind the Experimental EP-5 Paint Scheme!
Well I’ve decided to start my picks with some controversy!
In 1954 Patrick McGinnis took control of the New Haven railroad via proxy, promising to improve wages and workplace conditions once taking full charge. Well things went good for just a little over 5 minutes before McGinnis and his newly appointed Vice-President would begin spending cash out the Wazoo! Whether it was over-spending on overpriced and unnecessary rail-road technology or catering to his own lavish lifestyle – McGinnis seemed to bring controversy wherever he went during his 2 year run as the President of the New Haven Railroad. After relinquishing control of the New Haven Railroad in 1956, McGinnis would take control of the Boston and Maine Railroad company where his shady dealings as president of the company would wind up resulting in a federal indictment and prison time for the railroad executive.
During his tenure as President of the New Haven Railroad, Patrick McGinnis would call for a new design on the EP-5 electric locomotive. The Black base with orange and white striping would become the favorite, and would be dubbed the “McGinnis” paint scheme. But before the orange/white stripe paint scheme would cement itself as the first choice design, there was an experimental look that was presented before McGinnis and his engineers that sadly never went beyond concept. The other design presented to McGinnis and his crew featured a yellow/white stripe scheme that mirrored much of the original orange/white McGinnis design. The yellow paint brings some great vibrancy but doesn’t overdo with the flair when paired with its traditional black base. Future designs of the Ep-5 would be introduced in the Penn Central Black schemes ultimately leaving the experimental design behind for conversations of ‘what could’ve been. Fortunately, Rapido Trains has our backs, AND also loves the experimental McGinnis paint scheme, so they decided to make this beauty!
Rapido 84015 HO New Haven EP-5 Jet Electric Locomotive
Brought back from the past, here’s the new 84015 HO New Haven EP-5 Jet Electric Locomotive from Rapido! It’s a carbon-copy of the original concept boasting models that come in DC and DCC versions.
Ben & Jerry’s Rolls In: A Sweet O-Modern Pick
Summer is going to be here any minute so why not try and find the most ‘chill’ car I can, right? See what I did there, it’s chill because it’s ice-cream because it’ll cool you down…ok never mind! The pun was awful, but the O-Modern selection is not!
Lionel 6-52111 O Gauge NETCA Housatonic Flatcar w/Ben & Jerry's Trailer
Check out the Ben & Jerry's Housatonic flatcar from Lionel! Sporting the Housatonic road name (one of North America’s oldest railroads – est.1836) this flat car comes with the most delicious treat – an entire trailer full of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream. Well not really, but wouldn’t that be something? A guy can only dream. This O-Modern flatcar was originally introduced in 1996 as a custom piece for the New England Train Collectors Association (NETCA). It’s a collaboration we haven’t seen much of since, and a flatcar worthy of taking my O-Modern spot for the week!
Ronald McDonald Returns with an Order of G-Scale
With dinner already spoiled thanks to the Ben & Jerry’s car from the O Modern pick, I figured we’d might as well continue to enjoy ourselves with some McDonald’s. Don’t judge me, life is short. You know what’s not short? Pretty much anything G-Scale! But, it’s not called “garden” scale for no reason, right?
LGB 44910 G Scale McDonalds "You Deserve A Break Today" Boxcar
This McDonald's boxcar from LGB features an especially relaxed Ronald McDonald and those famous golden arches on a white base. This McDonald's boxcar model no. 44910 originally came out in 1993 where it’s becoming a favorite with collectors of Americana memorabilia as well as model train enthusiasts. The nostalgia rush is what really drove me to this pick. If you were getting a burger at McDonald's in the 90s, chances are you may have spotted this specific Ronald McDonald pictured above. The design pictured above was the Ronald McDonald that was featured from 1991 to 2000, and was the last to feature the large white pockets on the front and the thin red/white stripes on the sleeves. Bada Ba Ba…. Ok, for a variety of reasons I won’t finish that catchphrase, but I’m sure you get the point. He’s an iconic character recognizable all over the world, and now Ronald’s ready to bring his throwback look back to the mainstream!
A Classic CB&Q Mogul Rolls into N-Scale
I gave tons of love to HO and O-Gauge products in last week’s picks, so it’s only fitting that I show my N-Scale folks that same love this week!
Model Power 876031 N Chicago, Burlington & Quincy 2-6-0 Mogul with DCC & Sound
This 2-6-0 “Mogul” from Model Power (product no. 87603) sports the Chicago, Burlington, & Quincy (CB & Q) and a finely detailed design that captures the real life Mogul’s gritty look to perfection. Pre-dating the Civil War albeit under the Chicago & Aurora Railroad at the time, the CB & Q railroad would rise to massive prominence during the mid 19th century and would only continue to grow over the course of the next hundred years before eventually merging with several other railroad companies to form the Burlington Northern System. Think about it, “Everywhere West” sounds really good on your layout right?
Dwarvin Lights All Night!
Accessories and lighting are key for anybody looking to bring their layouts to life! Dwarvin lights have risen to tremendous heights in terms of popularity thanks to their beautiful billboards, lamps, and lighting systems. There’s a variety of products available for anybody looking to add some lighting systems to their HO, ON30, and ON3 layouts. Dwarvin lights are hassle-free and simple to set up, and with Trainz onboard with Dwarvin, our website is able to offer a number of resources, from set-up to different available systems and additional information on fiber cables. For more information on Dwarvin Lights, check out our entire Dwarvin catalog on our website!
Dwarvin DVSL107 HO/On30/On3/S Fiber-Lit Industrial Building Lamps (3 Pack)
Big Detail, Small Price Tag!
And wrapping things up with my budget friendly pick for this week is another selection for those smaller scale lovers. Going slightly smaller than N Scale, I’ve decided to show the Z-Scale enthusiasts some love this week!
Marklin 89705 Z Raiffeisen Warehouse with Market Building Kit
Raiffeisen Warehouse from Marklin (product no. 89705) is a newer layout piece from Marklin that also features a small market building attachment as well. An aesthetically pleasing unit with a great universal look, this Z-Scale warehouse fits onto just about any themed layout though, especially if you’re looking for an urban-industrious set up for your layout. So much fine detail captured in such a small space! That’s the beauty of Z-Scale, and Marklin is delivering a piece that’s plenty of bang for your buck! That warehouse is also going to need deliveries.