Bachmann streamlined NYC hudsons is coming out this year and thats what im most excited for ever since the nyc hudsons they released last year was amazing
If I have to choose 1 it would be ScaleTrains! The ES44AC NS Heritage units are great. The new museum quality SD45 is great and they announced their first steam engine and the AC44C6Ms for 2025. The have ESU Sound, best details and quiet motors. Also the new painted wheels are nice.
Most exciting 2024 product lineup is coming from Broadway Limited. They are the only company who make itens that nobody else has done or are going to do. To give an idea of the items that they will be releasing in 2025 are the Union Pacific Business and Power Cars. The only way to obtain these cars was to purchase them in brass for over a thousand dollars, but Broadway Limited in producing them with the quality to the brass items. Thank you Broadway Limited for doing an excellent job in producing items that the modeler or collectors will appreciate.
I'd say Rapido with Scale Trains a close 2nd. Rapido covered every era, from steam era to modern day, with great releases for every era. Thank you for playing such a big part in this hobby, and I'm looking forward to what's in store for 2025 on your channel. Keep up the great work!!!
I think Broadway Limited incorporating the Conductors Club was a great winning concept. I ordered both HO and N scale offerings and and the price point for both was WAY more affordable for steam than I could have imagined. So win or lose, hat tip to BLI. 👍
I think that Broadway Limited Imports has been cooking up a huge amount of stuff this past year. As a heritage modeler, the fact that they could make a special run of challengers for conductor’s club members (not to mention the latest conductor’s club announcement) and announce three heritage cars for Union Pacific is amazing. As someone who has seen 4014 in person three times (I live more than a two days drive from Cheyenne keep that in mind), their heritage fleet is super important to me. That on top of all the other Pennsy and even Chicago Northwestern shenanigans they’ve been doing just show BLI’s phenomenal work this year. Plus now that I can get stealth engines, I can put ESU in my BLI engines and have multiple function maps for them (yes, you can put multiple function maps in an ESU decoder).
Most exciting product from 2024 were the ScaleTrains N scale SD40T-2's. While I am mainly an HO modeler, these ScaleTrains tunnel motors really raised the bar on detail for an N scale engine - even see through air intakes on the back end! Great job ScaleTrains!
Usually, I get excited for locos and rolling stock, but my most exciting line-up for 2024 would be Iowa Scaled Engineering. Their throttles, the Squealer, etc, etc can be applied to almost all scales and eras and they are unique! They keep thinking outside the box and producing neat items that can help modelers in many scales and many eras. Plus, they don't keep announcing "future projects" that will appear after I am dead. That's my vote!
I think a good candidate for the choice award would be scaletrains because of all the great detail on their new and existing models from the sd40s, heritage units of all companies, ac44c6m release, just to name a few great things they made.
ScaleTrains! They did a fantastic job with NS and CSX Heritage Units, the super Detailed SD45X's, as well as announcing the new 611 model. ScaleTrains just beats all others for me. Great work on the channel! Even though you run at a financial loss it's invaluable information for us
My 2024 peoples choice award was BLI with a new selection of Big Boys. A quality DCC product with sound, smoke and a keep alive built in. I bought 5 of them.
Even though I collect and run O Scale 2rail, I think Rapido is just amazing. That would be my vote overall. Atlas is my second because they make both HO and O Scale. As does Sunset/3rd rail. Thanks for all the nice work in 2024 James.
Walters main line train engine are really great trains an affordable but very much a quality product I have 4 of them an love the detail and they run awesome 👍🚂
My choice award would go to Scaletrains for 2024. The product lineup the quality the detail on the engines as well as the rolling stock I believe was unmatched last year. I can only hope it continues as well as get better for 2025. I pre-ordered two engines that im anxiously still awaiting for.
As always Great Video Sir! I would have to nominate Scale Trains all the way! Without a doubt they hit it out of the park numerous times and the latest is the CSX Heritage Units!
I think Broadway Limited Imports did a great job this year for a number of reasons, but being that I am a Pennsylvania Railroad fan, I was really excited to see the Q2 brass hybrids be re-released, and seeing some of the future projects that are coming such as the S-1, B6, and the G5, it makes acquiring a full fleet of Pennsylvania steam very achievable!
I’m a huge Scaletrains fan and own lots of their stuff. I really like Rapido as well and from what I’ve seen they make really good quality stuff. If I owned Rapido and could verify this for myself they might be #1 but for the time being my choice is ScaleTrains!
I had to take a break and starting back! Working on building a new layout this winter! One of the biggest mistakes I made was rushing to get things done and spending to much money to quickly!
I'm voting Scale Trains but N Scale AC4400 locos (rivet counters). I run BNSF and CP (bought one each) but was particularly impressed with the SP (now UP) loco. I'd asked them to consider doing a run of these after all the Dash 9 variants and was pleased to see they did - I assume many had suggested this. The SP is nice to run as a modern loco on my layout because as kids, we had an SP in HO. I've tried to make room for at least one SP loco ever since ... .
I think Rapido had a lot of exciting stuff come out this year like the new flat cars and the new rs11 that came out. They do such a good job with everything they come out with.
Broadway limited ifeel has been really pushing forward in the steam section and I feel even with some of their problems they have the best selection of steam in 2024.
Rapido! for their vast coverage of modeling eras and doing what modelers want.. I mean people have been asking for Commuter E units in plastic for over 30 years and they finally made it happen
Scaletrains as they are producing highly detailed models with modern tooling, esu decoders with customer friendly pricing models. And the models themselves are covering varients of popular models that used to have to be done up custom.
My vote goes to BLI for their unique offers and continued quality in 2024. I believe there's some bias as a up modeler but, the first ever up heritage passenger fleet cars are a huge plus for me. Their program is also a unique offer
As usual, it is a hard choice to make with so much that came out last year. Rapido and Scale Trains were both killing it on new products, but since I can only pick one guess I'd have to give the nod to Rapido. I think 2025 is going to be even tougher to pick if everything announced for release actually gets delivered.
I was hoping for a big year from Atlas, but it feels like everything got pushed back. That being said, Rapido both made my year, and crushed my budget. Between the 44 Tonner, GP38, GMD-1 and most recently, the C30-7, they really delivered in my opinion.
I think it would have to be Rapido because of there big growth in both locomotives and rolling stock they have done this year and too top it off with there newer and better mystery boxes.
My choice would be Ripido. Their depth of rolling stock,passenger cars, and assortment of motivepower. Their detail is unmatched as i can see.. maybe a close 2nd would be Scaletrains.
I entered a separate comment for my manufacturer of the 2024 year and I just wanted to say in this comment that I also have two boys and retired from the Heathcare industry. I work for a Jewish company Hospicomm, Lutheran Nursing Homes, Catholic Dioses, Hospicomm again, and retired from Genisis Health Care in 2019 at age 68. The business is a losing proposition for most company's and money is always tight and with cutbacks coming from Medicare, Medicaid, and insurance companies across the board it is hard to secure a raze other than the woefully inadequate cost of living compensation. The only thing that goes up is your accountability and the number of emergencies you take care of. All this leaves you with little time for leisure or hobbies when quality time with the boys is more important. So, I know when the layout has little work done on it that you have very happy kids. Have a great 2025, Jersey Bill
I don't know if this helps, but you could sell the models you buy just for the purpose of reviewing them, and only keep the ones that are for your personal collection Regards
Bachmann streamlined NYC hudsons is coming out this year and thats what im most excited for ever since the nyc hudsons they released last year was amazing
If I have to choose 1 it would be ScaleTrains! The ES44AC NS Heritage units are great. The new museum quality SD45 is great and they announced their first steam engine and the AC44C6Ms for 2025.
The have ESU Sound, best details and quiet motors. Also the new painted wheels are nice.
Most exciting 2024 product lineup is coming from Broadway Limited. They are the only company who make itens that nobody else has done or are going to do.
To give an idea of the items that they will be releasing in 2025 are the Union Pacific Business and Power Cars. The only way to obtain these cars was to purchase them in brass for over a thousand dollars, but Broadway Limited in producing them with the quality to the brass items.
Thank you Broadway Limited for doing an excellent job in producing items that the modeler or collectors will appreciate.
Dennis Louden
Scaletrains GEVOs and the new brown wheels they use on locomotives are my favorite. Really adds to the realism.
James thank you very much for spending your time and efforts to produce your great content. I cast my vote for Rapido Trains.
James,Love the channel - and your explanation of what you do. Keep it up
Hi James & it's is Randy and i like yours video is Cool & Thanks James & Friends Randy
I'd say Rapido with Scale Trains a close 2nd. Rapido covered every era, from steam era to modern day, with great releases for every era. Thank you for playing such a big part in this hobby, and I'm looking forward to what's in store for 2025 on your channel. Keep up the great work!!!
I think Broadway Limited incorporating the Conductors Club was a great winning concept. I ordered both HO and N scale offerings and and the price point for both was WAY more affordable for steam than I could have imagined. So win or lose, hat tip to BLI. 👍
RAPIDO
- They cover every era, and even niche things with enthusiasm and comedy.
- The mystery boxes are amazing
- Great customer service
- Turbotrain
Scale trains has great loco's and rolling stock, Shane and his team have put in a lot of work..
Broadway Limited is the Best!!!
Some fine manufacturers out there. BLI has really upped their game so my vote is for them.
Scale Trains has my vote for best HO scale product lineup for 2024.
I think that Broadway Limited Imports has been cooking up a huge amount of stuff this past year. As a heritage modeler, the fact that they could make a special run of challengers for conductor’s club members (not to mention the latest conductor’s club announcement) and announce three heritage cars for Union Pacific is amazing. As someone who has seen 4014 in person three times (I live more than a two days drive from Cheyenne keep that in mind), their heritage fleet is super important to me. That on top of all the other Pennsy and even Chicago Northwestern shenanigans they’ve been doing just show BLI’s phenomenal work this year. Plus now that I can get stealth engines, I can put ESU in my BLI engines and have multiple function maps for them (yes, you can put multiple function maps in an ESU decoder).
Great as alwas, im gonna go for the reiew of ths Broaway Ltd SD70ACe
Rapido gets my nomination.. Great people with an incredible product line, and a growing portfolio of HO especially.
Most exciting product from 2024 were the ScaleTrains N scale SD40T-2's. While I am mainly an HO modeler, these ScaleTrains tunnel motors really raised the bar on detail for an N scale engine - even see through air intakes on the back end! Great job ScaleTrains!
BLI PRR Q2. Beautiful steamer.
BLI with their die cast SD70ACes plus UP Heritage Fleet announcements.
Scaletrains. Amazing details and a great variety of trains and paint schemes to choose from
I think Rapido did a great job with the Burlington Gallery Cars and the supporting green BN E9.
Scaletrains, not only for their great products but for community envolvement and support.
I have to say Rapido, the Hudson's are a fantastic model!
ScaleTrains wins the most exciting lineup, the keep coming up with excellent models
Usually, I get excited for locos and rolling stock, but my most exciting line-up for 2024 would be Iowa Scaled Engineering. Their throttles, the Squealer, etc, etc can be applied to almost all scales and eras and they are unique! They keep thinking outside the box and producing neat items that can help modelers in many scales and many eras. Plus, they don't keep announcing "future projects" that will appear after I am dead. That's my vote!
I think a good candidate for the choice award would be scaletrains because of all the great detail on their new and existing models from the sd40s, heritage units of all companies, ac44c6m release, just to name a few great things they made.
Good video James thanks for sharing you always do an awesome job on your channel.❤
Robert
thanks Robert, glad you enjoyed it!
ScaleTrains! They did a fantastic job with NS and CSX Heritage Units, the super Detailed SD45X's, as well as announcing the new 611 model. ScaleTrains just beats all others for me.
Great work on the channel! Even though you run at a financial loss it's invaluable information for us
All the information you share with us through the videos is great for me scaletrains won last year
I think ScaleTrains had an amazing lineup this year they really out did themselves on the models
My 2024 peoples choice award was BLI with a new selection of Big Boys. A quality DCC product with sound, smoke and a keep alive built in. I bought 5 of them.
As a Canadian Pacific modeller, Rapido is the best with great CP stuff each year!!!!
Even though I collect and run O Scale 2rail, I think Rapido is just amazing. That would be my vote overall. Atlas is my second because they make both HO and O Scale. As does Sunset/3rd rail. Thanks for all the nice work in 2024 James.
Your reviews are very helpful an enjoyable so thank you sir
Thanks, glad you enjoy them!
Walters main line train engine are really great trains an affordable but very much a quality product I have 4 of them an love the detail and they run awesome 👍🚂
I love them all! But I vote for Rapido.
Great survey question . 1 scale trains sd 40- 2 and ac44c6m. rapido and athearn a close second and Bowser rs3 a close 3. Thanks Jeff.
My choice award would go to Scaletrains for 2024. The product lineup the quality the detail on the engines as well as the rolling stock I believe was unmatched last year. I can only hope it continues as well as get better for 2025. I pre-ordered two engines that im anxiously still awaiting for.
As always Great Video Sir! I would have to nominate Scale Trains all the way! Without a doubt they hit it out of the park numerous times and the latest is the CSX Heritage Units!
They're really looking good and I can't wait to see what else they come out with.
I think Broadway Limited Imports did a great job this year for a number of reasons, but being that I am a Pennsylvania Railroad fan, I was really excited to see the Q2 brass hybrids be re-released, and seeing some of the future projects that are coming such as the S-1, B6, and the G5, it makes acquiring a full fleet of Pennsylvania steam very achievable!
I'd have to go with Scaletrains. The steel coil car variety was great.
ScaleTrains CSX heritage first run. 🙌
I’m a huge Scaletrains fan and own lots of their stuff. I really like Rapido as well and from what I’ve seen they make really good quality stuff. If I owned Rapido and could verify this for myself they might be #1 but for the time being my choice is ScaleTrains!
I had to take a break and starting back! Working on building a new layout this winter! One of the biggest mistakes I made was rushing to get things done and spending to much money to quickly!
Rapido gets my vote
Soundtraxx for their Blunami line of decoders. They are a game changer for the industry I feel.
For me its scale trains museum quality !
I'm voting Scale Trains but N Scale AC4400 locos (rivet counters). I run BNSF and CP (bought one each) but was particularly impressed with the SP (now UP) loco. I'd asked them to consider doing a run of these after all the Dash 9 variants and was pleased to see they did - I assume many had suggested this. The SP is nice to run as a modern loco on my layout because as kids, we had an SP in HO. I've tried to make room for at least one SP loco ever since ... .
I think Rapido had a lot of exciting stuff come out this year like the new flat cars and the new rs11 that came out. They do such a good job with everything they come out with.
My vote is for Broadway Limited, they had a great lineup in both HO & N....
Broadway Limited wins it for me!
BLI for their Heritage Series.
Broadway Limited especially the SD-70 diecast models🎉
Broadway limited ifeel has been really pushing forward in the steam section and I feel even with some of their problems they have the best selection of steam in 2024.
Rapido! for their vast coverage of modeling eras and doing what modelers want.. I mean people have been asking for Commuter E units in plastic for over 30 years and they finally made it happen
Athearn Genesis releases were pretty good in 2024.
I think Broadway Limited has been making some ready stand out stuff in 2024.
Classone Model works with the depressed center flat car and different loads for it.
ScaleTrains!
Are you coming to the Great Train Show here In Indy again this year. If so stop by the CID table. Say hey.
Rapido is going to be hard to beat they had a ton of exciting stuff in 24
Rapido's CN H-1a Hudson. It's a pretty cool steam engine.
Really like want RMT is doing. Very nice looking stock car at a very low price. This will help bring new people into in the train life.
Scaletrains as they are producing highly detailed models with modern tooling, esu decoders with customer friendly pricing models. And the models themselves are covering varients of popular models that used to have to be done up custom.
My vote goes to BLI for their unique offers and continued quality in 2024. I believe there's some bias as a up modeler but, the first ever up heritage passenger fleet cars are a huge plus for me. Their program is also a unique offer
High James, based on where my pre-order dollars are spent, I'd have to go with Rapido. They do stuff I want and get it to market.
I like all of them but I like Rapido for 2024 .
I’d say ScaleTrains had one of the best lineups
Piko with their ML4000s
BLI gets my vote as well..
What do you know about camera cars for a layout ?
You a one man show...you do all the building
..wiring...etc....how big is the layout?
As usual, it is a hard choice to make with so much that came out last year. Rapido and Scale Trains were both killing it on new products, but since I can only pick one guess I'd have to give the nod to Rapido. I think 2025 is going to be even tougher to pick if everything announced for release actually gets delivered.
Rapido UK the North Eastern Railway H class is about the same size as the Big Boy firebox and includes speaker and sound.
Altern seems to have some real nice diesel locomotives and would love to own one.
Rápido for their slumbercoaches, Budd Commuter cars and the F40PHMs
I was hoping for a big year from Atlas, but it feels like everything got pushed back. That being said, Rapido both made my year, and crushed my budget. Between the 44 Tonner, GP38, GMD-1 and most recently, the C30-7, they really delivered in my opinion.
I think it would have to be Rapido because of there big growth in both locomotives and rolling stock they have done this year and too top it off with there newer and better mystery boxes.
I flip flop between Rapido and Walthers but in the end I settle on Walthers for running quality. Jersey Bill
I think a good candidate would be rapido for 2024, the locomotive I like is the fa-1 and fa-2.
iPods for releasing Metra locomotives & Bi-levels cars.
Rapido 🎉
BLI is definitely “giving the people what they want” in my opinion.
BLI for their UP heritage passenger cars
Broadway limited imports
Id say Scaletrains. There was alot that i bought from them last year.
Scaletrains. Fantastic runners and detail seems to be getting even better each year.
My choice would be Ripido. Their depth of rolling stock,passenger cars, and assortment of motivepower. Their detail is unmatched as i can see.. maybe a close 2nd would be Scaletrains.
In my case being N scale - KATO
Scale trains. They had thise black KCS hoppers l.
I entered a separate comment for my manufacturer of the 2024 year and I just wanted to say in this comment that I also have two boys and retired from the Heathcare industry. I work for a Jewish company Hospicomm, Lutheran Nursing Homes, Catholic Dioses, Hospicomm again, and retired from Genisis Health Care in 2019 at age 68. The business is a losing proposition for most company's and money is always tight and with cutbacks coming from Medicare, Medicaid, and insurance companies across the board it is hard to secure a raze other than the woefully inadequate cost of living compensation. The only thing that goes up is your accountability and the number of emergencies you take care of. All this leaves you with little time for leisure or hobbies when quality time with the boys is more important. So, I know when the layout has little work done on it that you have very happy kids. Have a great 2025, Jersey Bill
My vote is Broadway limited with all the different steam locomotives they got
Rapido. CPR 2816, EMD FT, Budd RDC, GP38, camp cars,
Rapido autoflood coal hoppers.
I don't know if this helps, but you could sell the models you buy just for the purpose of reviewing them, and only keep the ones that are for your personal collection
Regards
Rapido!
Rapido autoflood coal cars!
Bli UP Kenific buissness car.
My vote goes to Athern.