This tagged and weathered N scale Santa Fe 40-foot steel boxcar is available now from Micro-Trains (www.micro-trains.com). A similarly treated St Louis San Francisco boxcar without a running board is also available.

N.J. International Inc. (www.njinternational.com) showed a large selection of items in their NTS booth including both O and S scale versions of a new all-brass D-Type signal with LEDs. Also shown was this O scale B&O CPL (color position light) signal that features a six-light head and single upper target. All items mentioned are due in August.

Polar Lights has released an HO scale kit for the Bates Mansion from Alfred Hitchcock’s 1960 movie “Psycho”. The plastic kit can be built to represent a horror mansion or as a classic Victorian house. The finished structure is 8.5-inches tall. It is available for $30 at www.round2models.com/models/polar-lights/psycho-bates-mansion.

Rapido (www.rapidotrains.com) showed this engineering sample of their FP9A at the Milwaukee show. Rapido officials Jason Shron and Bill Schneider pointed out several of the subtle, but significant, differences between an EMD FP9 and a GMD FP9 as used by CN, CP and VIA. Jason emphasized that Rapido’s GMD FP9 is the only accurate HO scale model ever produced in plastic. Parting lines remain to be polished out and a few details such as nose grabs, ladder rests and side window sun shades are still missing from this nearly-final shell. To see Jason Shron discuss the Canadian-built FP9 as well as several other upcoming Rapido products with MRH reporter Jeff Shultz, go to model-railroad-hobbyist.com/MRHT_2010_NTS_RAPIDO.

In other product developments, Rapido announced that it is expanding its line of HO scale Osgood-Bradley cars with the addition of a new Deluxe lightweight coach. The new coaches will feature full underbody piping, battery-powered lighting, and magnetic knuckle couplers. The ready-to-run models will be priced at $80 each, two-packs are $160 and three-packs are priced at $235.

Multi packs will have different car numbers. Dealers are taking orders now with delivery scheduled for early next year. The initial release includes Kansas City Southern (Southern Belle scheme), Seaboard Air Line (post-war green), St. Louis Southwestern ( green), Southern Pacific (green, two-tone gray), and Texas & New Orleans (two-tone gray).

Also available painted Pullman Green but unlettered. Some cars come skirted depending on prototype practice. Visit Rapido’s web site for clarification and other details. Noting that Rapido’s development team relied heavily on various prototype experts for authentic paint and lettering schemes, Jason extended special thanks to members of the Southern Pacific Historical & Technical Society, the ACL-SAL modeler Yahoo group and a team of researchers at the Pullman Library at the Illinois Railway Museum.

Rapido reports that there is an error in the font of the small car number on the New Haven hunter green full-skirted Osgood Bradley cars. Customers interested in changing the lettering can obtain corrective decals at no charge by contacting Rapido Customer Service at www.rapidotrains.com.

Rib Side Cars (www.ribsidecars.com) has released an HO scale kit for this Milwaukee Road 50-foot short-rib double-door boxcar. Kits are available for both the original "Route of the Hiawatha’s" slogan seen here, and the repainted billboard version with a large herald. The plastic injection molded kit includes trucks with metal wheelsets and McHenry magnetic knuckle couplers.

Sidetrack Laser (www.sidetracklaser.com) introduced Bert’s Red Horse Gas Station above, and several other new kits at the National Train Show. The HO scale kit for Bert’s features laser-cut wood construction, special signage, Grandt Line doors and windows, and cast-metal detail parts. The finished model can be squeezed into a footprint as small as 6 x 7-inches – but a slightly large space allows the modeler to add additional details. Bert’s sells for $63 and will be ready for shipment before the end of August.

S&R Models showed its new kit to convert an N scale Walthers SIECO pulpwood car into a modern log car. The kit includes six pewter log bunks that slip into the channels of the Walthers host car. The bunks have stiffener plates and CSX-style slopped tops. The kit sells for $7.50 and may be ordered direct from www.srmodeltrains.com.

Sunshine Models (Box 4997, Springfield, MO 65808-4997) has prototypically accurate HO scale resin kits for SFRD class Rr-44 ice reefers. Built by Pullman Standard beginning in late 1946, the prototypes saw service on the Santa Fe until 1971. Sunshine’s vacuum-cast gray urethane kits come with all detail parts including an etched-metal Morton running board and hatch platform. Five lettering variations are available including Santa Fe map and Chief slogan, map and Scout slogan, Ship & Travel with Chief slogan, S&T with El Capitan slogan, and S&T with San Francisco Chief slogan. The kits are $42 each plus $4 shipping for up to five kits. Trucks and couplers are not included. All sales are direct. Sunshine does not maintain a presence on the internet.

Tangent Scale Models (www.tangentscalemodels.com) unveiled a new Bethlehem 3600 cubic foot quad hopper at the National Train Show. Company founder David Lehlbach said Tangent’s new HO scale version of the 3600 Bethlehem hopper adheres faithfully to the Union Pacific class H-100 cars built between 1976 and 1981 at the road’s Albina Shops in Portland, Oregon.

Tangent’s ready-to-run model is offered in 9 different Union Pacific paint schemes that include as-delivered versions as well as a variety of repainted cars -- all with authentic road numbers. An undecorated model is also available. The cars ride on 100-ton N-11 trucks with metal wheels and come with a removable coal load. To see MRH’s video interview with David Lehlbach visit model-railroad-hobbyist.com/MRHT_2010_NTS_TANGENT.

Sylvan Scale Models (www.isp.on.ca/Sylvan) has introduced HO scale cast resin body kits for 1946 Chevrolet passenger cars including a 2-door Aerosedan and four-door Fleetline sedan at $14 each. Vinyl tires and chrome decals are included. Also new is a 1941-47 Chevy cab-over-engine truck kit.

Trainworx (www.train-worx.com) is quoting a December release date for its N Scale 86-foot boxcar that will be available in three different Rock Island paint schemes and two Rio Grande schemes. Reservations for the cars are due by the end of August.

Walthers’ (www.walthers.com) large NTS booth displayed a wide range of new and future products with much attention focusing on three iconic prototypes: Pennsylvania Railroad’s Broadway Limited, Santa Fe’s Super Chief and the Los Angeles Union Passenger Terminal.

Walthers representatives said the complete 1953-71 edition of the Broadway Limited would be produced in HO scale including color-matched appropriately detailed Proto2000 EMD E8 diesel locomotives. Nine Broadway Limited cars are currently under development including an RPO/Baggage; Budd 21-Roomette sleeper; Pullman-Standard 12-duplex 4-bedroom sleeper; ACF 4-4-2 sleeper; P-S 3-bedroom buffet lounge; Budd 68-seat diner; Budd kitchen/dormitory car; P-S 10-6 sleeper; and a Pullman-Standard 1-bedroom, 2-master bedroom, buffet lounge observation car. Pricing and availability is pending.

Walthers is upgrading the fluted-side passenger cars of it’s HO scale Santa Fe Super Chief with a new metalized finish that has an authentic stainless-steel look, tinted windows and factory-installed grab irons. A Regal-series 4-4-2 sleeper has been added to the Super Chief consist that includes a Pine-series 10-6 sleeper, 36-seat diner, 73-foot baggage car, 63-foot RPO car, 29-seat dormitory/lounge car, pleasure dome bar car and a Vista-series lounge/observation car.

Delivery of the cars will be scheduled over several months beginning with the 10-6 sleeper in October 2010 and ending with the observation car in May 2011. Appropriately detailed Proto2000 F3 diesel A units and A-B sets with matching simulated stainless-steel finish will be available this winter in both standard DC and with sound and DCC.

As a suitable destination for its upgraded Super Chief (as well as other western passenger trains), Walthers will release a kit for a selectively scaled version of the Los Angeles Union Passenger Terminal. The HO scale LAUPT kit combines injection molded plastic components and precision laser-cut parts. The stucco walls are fabricated from architectural-grade, hard-pressed construction board. LAUPT has a footprint of approximately 29 x 22-inches. LED lighted station platforms are available separately.

Although no specific details were available at the NTS event, a senior Walthers executive dispelled rumors that the company was softening its support of N scale by confirming to MRH reporter Jeff Shultz that two new N scale locomotives would be announced before the end of the year. Visit model-railroad-hobbyist.com/MRHT_2010_NTS_Walthers to see Jeff’s video interview with Stacey Walthers Naffah, Walthers director of communications and consumer marketing.

Here is a look at an undecorated resin kit Westerfield (www.westerfieldmodels.com) introduced in conjunction with the NMRA’s 75^th Anniversary convention in Milwaukee. The HO scale model replicates a modernized version of a Bettendorf-designed Chicago, Milwaukee & St Paul/Milwaukee Road double-sheathed boxcar originally built beginning in 1912. Priced at $34, the body kit includes all detail parts, decals, assembly instructions and a complete car history, less trucks and couplers.

Wheels of Time (www.wheelsotime.com) showed this preproduction sample of an N scale heavyweight 70-foot baggage-express car that will be available this fall decorated for Canadian National, Central of Georgia, Chesapeake & Ohio, Chicago & North Western, Denver & Rio Grande Western, New York Central, Rock Island, Texas & Pacific (Eagle scheme) and Wabash. It will also be available painted but unlettered with either a clerestory or arched roof.