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ON30, HO Brass & N Scale Picks | Trainz Quick Hits #7

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Well it’s a new week, but the excitement remains the same as we unpack another batch of new arrivals here at Trainz.com. With everything from N-Scale to ON30, this week is all about variety…Oh, and you definitely WON’T want to miss the layout accessory pick this week, it’s a special one. Without further ado, let’s get this show on the road!

A Royal Return to ON30 Narrow Gauge

Bachmann 25004 Narrow Gauge Express Royal Blue Train Set

Well, it’s been a long time since anything ON30 has appeared on my list, so I have to pick something extra special. So I got to work, and began scanning our shelves full of new arrivals, and there it was – the Royal Blue Train! I knew immediately that this would be my pick, and I hope all of you narrow-gauge enthusiasts are as excited as I am about this set. The royal blue paint scheme on the 2-6-0 was so hard to resist, and then you throw in some lighted passenger cars in the same royal blue, and that’s my winner. Sporting the B&O road name – the The Royal Blue Line was a staple in American transportation during the late 19th and early 20th century, so it’s really cool to see Bachmann bring a historic icon back to life. It’s a ready-to-run set with plenty of track to get creative with layouts, but still small enough to keep things simple if you plan to expand. Not only is everything ready to run out of the box, it’s a desirable set that’ll look great in a collection – and as previously mentioned it’s simply enough for anybody to get started on their own, making for a perfect entry point for anybody new to narrow gauge or the hobby entirely. If you’re interested in sets like this one, you can find plenty more just like it in our ON30 narrow gauge catalog.

Massive Steam Power Packed into N-Scale

Broadway Limited 3286 N PRR T1 Duplex Steam Loco & Tender #5506

RollingThunder Sounds never sounded so good coming from a locomotive that also happens to look sooo good. This PRR T-1 Duplex steam locomotive from Broadway Limited is my N-Scale pick for the week, and with so much to like, we may as well just dive in! Don’t be fooled, this is an N-Scale locomotive that carries O gauge energy. The RollingThunder sound system operates on both DC and DCC and sports the historically accurate #5506 road number, giving it its own bit of character and distinguishing it from a standard off-the-line model. But don’t just take it from me, during the 40s when the T-1 Duplex locomotives went on trial, things went so well that the Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR) decided to bring another 50 into the mix! This T-1 Duplex replica is a carbon copy of the real-life model, with the only major difference being that our N-Scale replica doesn’t weigh a million pounds – ok, the real-life model wasn’t a million quite, but 944,700lbs is close enough!

Brass Brilliance Shines in HO Scale

Sunset Models HO BRASS B&O 2-8-0 E-24 Steam Loco & Tender

Is that Brass? Is that HO? The answer to both questions is yes, yes it is! So while digging through newly arrived products, I was immediately hit with a golden glow that nearly blinded me. No, not really, but this brass B&O 2-8-0 E-24 steam locomotive is immaculate and doesn’t lack in luster. Coming from a highly reputable manufacturer in Sunset Models, this brass E-24 is paired with a tender that’s just as flawless as the locomotive in charge. Sporting the ever-popular B&O road name, and carrying the reputation as the guy that put the 0-6-0 out of commission in England – how could you not be drawn to such providence? Unless of course you’re a 0-6-0 die-hard, then I totally understand. Packed with a motor to get the party started, it’ll be no time before you put one of your own locomotives out of commission to make room for this E-24 on your Ho layouts. Though this exact E-24 is so shiny, I might just want to put it up on a mantle. Find new brass HO locomotives and freight cars.

A Rare Roundhouse Kit with Last-of-Its-Kind Appeal

South River Modelworks 160 HO Scale Stone Roundhouse Kit - Boxes A & B

So here’s a really special one for my layout accessories pick! The Stone Roundhouse kit pictured above comes from the now-retired South River Modelworks. Started by Bob Van Gelder all the way back in 1991, South River Models enjoyed a 25-year run – bringing layouts all over the country to life with their detailed kits. Their beautifully designed kits; most of which gain inspiration from scenery east of the Mississippi according to Van Gelder’s website. The Stone Roundhouse kit pictured above had its original run in 1994 and, to my knowledge, is the only kit South River Modelworks did a second run of due to its popularity. The company stopped producing kits in 2016, and fewer and fewer are available on the market with each kit typically only seeing up to 500 total models produced. The Roundhouse kit we have above is gem mint and has been signed and dated by the manufacturer. It’s an opportunity to get your hands on something that’s the last of its kind seeing as we haven’t had anything since 2016 from South River Modelworks. This kit weighs a whopping 19 pounds and is hand-designed from the inside out, and that’s putting it mildly. Check out a ton more of our layout accessories on our website.

Post-War Classics at a Budget-Friendly Price

Lionel Vintage O 6470 Exploding Boxcar & 3444 Erie Operating Cop & Hobo Car

And last, but never least, is my favorite selection– the budget pick! And I dug up a couple of Post-War goodies that look like they’ve been well cared for over the years. Oh, and both cars are fully functional so you’ll get to watch your exploding boxcar put on a show over, and over, and over again. I was able to get a nice close-up look at both cars to verify all of the original Post-War parts, and both cars checked all of my boxes for originality. If you’re new to the Post-War scene, here's a great way to add some of the more widely recognizable cars from the Post-War era to your collection. Oh, and did you see that both original boxes are included too? Yeah that’s a homerun for all of you vintage collectors. Price them both at under $100, and you’ve got a Grand Slam! 

Got an item you'd like to see make the showcase? Give us a shout on our Instagram and Facebook, and you might just see your favorite make the list!

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