NEW PRODUCTS SEEN AT O SCALE WEST

Mike O'Connell continues to churn out highly detailed kit under the Ultra Scale II banner. He has amassed a large selection of building front kits done in urethane. The models are copied from historic buildings found in the Seattle and Tacoma area. The architecture is classic and can be used in a lot of regional settings.

Mike is also preparing three new urethane freight car kits. The first out will be a 38' Canadian Pacific single sheathed boxcar. Second in the lineup is an 8 panel single sheathed Northern Pacific boxcar. Following this will be the ART wood reefer. The ART reefer will feature over 40 special injection molded castings. It will even have working ice hatches. Mike plans to release a steel boxcar for a large eastern road this spring.

San Juan is developing a new standard gauge boxcar kit. It is a double-sheathed wood car used by the Western Pacific and Sacramento Northern. The car can be built in with either wooden ends or with a reverse dreadnaught steel end. The kit is composed of very high quality injection molded styrene done to a level of detail like their original D&RGW Fowler kit. It will be offered with decals and a choice of either Proto48 or O gauge trucks.

Protocraft had their new 63" driver sets for the Sunset SP/UP mike. They are very nicely done and will drop right into the import for instant Proto48 steam. Sunset is likely to do another steam loco with Proto48 drivers offered by Protocraft. The rumor is that it will be the Southern Pacific F-3 and F-5 class 2-10-2. They have postponed the SP 4-10-2 and substituted the 2-10-2. The Sunset mike runs extremely well and fairly close in dimensions. The best part is the price. The mike cost less than $1000 and nearly as good as other imports at twice the price.

Protocraft would like to make a run of Proto48 drivers to fit the 2-10-2. If you interested in this SP locomotive you should contact Scott Mann at Sunset and let him know about it. His email is sdmann@best.com

If you want to reserve a driver conversion set for the locomotive contact Norm at norm@protojournal.com

Rich Yoder Models has released their new offset twin hopper. The model is constructed out of sheet brass and lost wax casting. It loaded with rivet detail inside and out. The model is one of the best-imported hoppers that I have seen to date. It rivals the Pacific Limited H-21a imported several years ago. There are several styles offered and they retail for around $200. The prototype is for the C&O and Nickel Plate Road. Next in line will be a series of twin hoppers used by the Western Maryland and a PRR GLCa twin hopper.