Not that I need more trains…but I was surfing the Island Trains site for bargains, or items I was too lazy to pre-order, and came across two that I recently received:
Northern Pacific PS-4 Flatcars with Piggyback Trailers (6-27517)
Always have had a soft spot for NP rolling stock with the yin-yang symbol, whatever it is really called ;). These are beautifully done and ridiculously detailed and well made. Not all that fragile although clearly not designed for the average 8-10 year old. Very attractive to my eye, and will run on 0-36 curves. p. 104 of the current catalog. List price is steep ($84.99) but Henry’s selling them for $61.00, which is a good price, at least for me. Normally, I’d try to get these from my local guy, but this was an add-on to the following blow-out, which I found irresistible:
New Haven Fastrack Scrap Yard (6-34145)
Having recently gotten into Fastrack for Christmas and floor layouts, and being a toy guy not a hi-railer, I had my eye on this McGinniss color scheme F unit (?) cab being dismantled action accessory (p.145 of the current catalog). But at $99.99 the activation energy was too high to pre-order. Henry had it for $47.99 which made it an easy decision. It’s Fastrack, but could be worked into a permanent layout easily. There are seven very high quality detailed painted figures and four of these are animated. One guy has a very impressive flickering LED welding torch that really makes the accessory a delight. The other three moving figures are holding various bits of scrap metal from the deceased locomotive. They don’t do much, but it’s cute, IMO. Next Christmas I’ve got to get a Fastrack switch or two and include this and other accessories on a spur around the tree. There’s an earlier Santa Fe War Bonnet version, and a road crew and track gang version as well. Reminds me of the Choo-Choo