Spring is almost here and the new March products from Athearn are ready for pre-order until Friday, March 31st. Starting out in the Athearn Genesis category are the SD60M “Tri-Clops” locomotives. Introduced in 1984, EMD unveiled the first four SD60 demonstrator locomotives. The SD60 was equipped with a 3,800 horsepower, 16-cylinder, turbocharged 710G3A prime mover. Five years later, EMD began offering the SD60 with the wide nose “safety” cab with the infamous “Tri-Clops” 3-piece windshield, thus creating the SD60M. The term “Tri-Clops” is a popular railfan nickname that refers to the original 3-window cab design. We are offering some favorite road names as well as some new ones with this release including: Union Pacific, a Legendary Liveries CSX, Burlington Northern, early BNSF, Canadian Pacific, Webb Asset Management, Buffalo and Pittsburgh, and for the first time, Hudson Bay Railway.

Keeping the theme going with early safety cab EMDs, the EMD SD70 series is the next model to be offered this month. Continuing upon the successful SD60-series, in 1992 EMD debuted the next step in locomotive evolution with the SD70-series. While outwardly similar at first glance to the SD60M, the D.C.-drive SD70M featured several external design refinements from the predecessor model. Battery boxes were relocated to the left-hand side walkway immediately behind the cab, a large, boxy forward traction motor blower housing replaced the angular version used on SD60s, the raised walkway duct on the left hand walkway was eliminated, and an intake for the rear traction motor blower on the left-hand side of the carbody, directly under the rear radiator intake grill, was added. We are pleased to offer a range of roads and eras this month including: CSX, Union Pacific, EMD Leasing, Santa Fe, earlier BNSF, and for the first time, all new Lake State Railway and Ontario Northland’s brand new 2022 scheme!

Those wanting to model an earlier time will be pleased to see Athearn is performing another run of the General Electric “Slab Side” Gas Turbine. After World War II, GE began work on a locomotive using a gas turbine power plant specifically designed for locomotive usage. The gas turbine had an advantage in that it could burn Bunker “C” fuel oil. Bunker “C” is a thick, low-grade oil that is a left-over when crude oil is refined into higher quality products like gasoline and diesel fuel. Being a residual of the refining process, it was both very cheap and widely available. GE’s locomotive gas turbine was about 20 feet long and created 4,500 horsepower, three times as much as a contemporary diesel. We are offering this impressive model both with and without the fuel tender and besides Union Pacific, we are offering three new roads: GE Demonstrator, Southern Pacific, and Chesapeake and Ohio, all within the Legendary Liveries.

Athearn Genesis also has some great model freight cars this month including the all new 60ft Santa Fe Bx-172 and Texarkana rebuilt boxcars. This is brand new tooling and for this first run, Athearn will offer the original 1974 – 1985 era Santa Fe cars in two different road numbers as well as a two-pack and three different versions and eras of the Texarkana rebuilds for Grand Trunk Western and two versions for Canadian National.

Athearn Genesis is bringing back the ever-popular PC&F boxcars with the 10’ + 6’ Youngstown Door. This model features Separate wire form grab irons, etched metal coupler platforms, and/or etched metal roof walk, full underframe detail: air brake reservoir, control valve, and brake cylinder with plumbing, and brake rod details. Athearn will offer Missouri-Kansas-Texas, Evergreen Freight Car Corporation, as well as two Southern Pacific versions. Each road will have three road numbers offered and thanks to customer suggestions, Athearn will be offering data only cars in red, brown, and green.

Switching tracks to the Athearn brand, a model locomotive that is great for those with a medium to large industry or a small switching layout, there is the EMD Model 40 Locomotive. The EMD Model 40 was a two-axle diesel-electric locomotive built by Electro-Motive Corporation (EMC), and its corporate successor, General Motors’ Electro-Motive Division (EMD) between August 1940 and April 1943. Nicknamed “Critters,” eleven examples of this locomotive were built. Athearn is offering this model once again, DCC ready, and includes some roads that will be perfect for any industrial or switching layout such as the Shop Goat, Professional Locomotive Service, Electro-Motive, United States Army, Borg Warner Calumet Steel, a Primed for Grime faded yellow and red, as well as a blue and grey unlettered version ready for your customization.

Maybe your layout needs a tank car but your industries are small. Fear not as the 30ft NACC 8,000 Gallon Tank Cars are available for pre-order once again. The North American Car Corporation designed and built these unique 8,000 gallon “Beer Can” tank cars specifically for transporting smaller batches of various liquid commodities. Some customers couldn’t handle or didn’t need large shipments of the product. Several leasing companies rostered this car. These short, eye-catching models, were seen all throughout the 1970’s-1990’s in assigned service. These small cars are ideal for the smaller industries on your layout and we are pleased to offer the following roads: Hamm’s, Penguin Ginger Ale, Wyandotte Chemicals, Vulcan Chemicals and the Service Driven GATX.

If you’re in the market for some HO vehicles to add to your model railroad layout, you are in luck as we are offering two Ford truck models this month. The Ford C rescue truck in Fire Ground Support, Valley Fire Department, County Fire Department, Tri-County SWAT, Rural Fire District, and the Department of Public Safety will all be great additions to any HO layout. Needing LCL freight moved? The Ford F850 Box Truck may fit the bill. Athearn is offering the popular truck in both railroad road names as well as a few that the modeler can customize including, Union Pacific, Great Northern, Missouri Pacific, New York Central, Irv & Son Moving, plus an unlettered white and unlettered yellow truck ready for customization.

Another brand new model joins the Athearn HO fleet and that is the highly anticipated 60ft container. These extra-long containers were introduced in 2015 for the Canadian market specifically. From Ontario westerly, Canada allows Long Vehicle Combinations (LVC) up to 40 meters in length; that is two full size semi-trailers behind a tractor. The 60ft container is easier to drive than tandem trailers and is perfect for bulky, but light cargo. The containers are built by Singamas Container and Dong Fang Container International and are shipped empty to Canada. They are typically carried in the top position of a 53ft well car on top of another container.

This is the first time a 60ft container has been offered in HO and these will be available in two-packs with four different packs for the Dong Fang built Canadian Tire containers, three different two-packs for the Singamas built Canadian Tire, and an undecorated kit two-set pack that will include one of each builder, ready for you to custom paint.

Don’t miss out on these great new models from Athearn. You’ll want to place your pre-orders with your authorized Athearn dealer before Friday, March 31st to guarantee your order and receive your new models next year.