[EMD Trainman]

Hi to the MLS.


This USA Trains Information is dedicate to gathering and documenting the G scale USA Trains special run, custom run and hobby shop run model trains as well as prototypes.

Introduction

How do we get knowledge of what G scale trains was produced by USA Trains. Then it hit me, back in the day when I went into the muscle car hobby, there were registries formed for each type of muscle car. People who bought them would register them to each group voluntary. The registires were a big hit, we could tell you how many of each color, with what options and how many were out there. I started something similiar, as we find rare Charles Ro or even regular USA Trains G scale model train production pieces, we could list them and theeventually we will know what every piece of rolling stock or locomotive that USA Trains made So the new USA Trains Info registry was formed, it's not a place to register a product with USA trains, but just a info registry to keep track for future generations of G scale products made by USA Trains. I myself will also start researching some USA trains production information to list as well as Ro Trains. All are welcome to list any Charles Ro or USA trains here whether they are special runs, custom runs or regular runs as well as to view a library of information and 100's of photos.

"PLEASE NOTE" I have permission from Charles Ro Jr of USA Trains to repost any USA Trains pictures, Catalogs or Charts

EMD Trainman

 

[EMD Trainman]

For those who may not know by now, I consider myself to be a USA Trains speciaiist in which I have alot of knowledge of different USA Trains products which includes regular runs, train show runs, special runs, custom runs, prototypes aand hobby shop runs. I have been also collecting USA Trains since the year 2000. Over the years of collectiong USA Trains I also have been collecting information such as catalogs, one page ads and pamphlets. There have been many people that I met along the way who were very helpful in adding to my collection of knowledge. Today I have a huge wealth of knowledge dedicated to USA Trains G scale trains to share with everyone who wants to research different trains that USA Trains made in the past.

USA Trains started as Ro Trains back in 1987 and I have also collected a wealth of information on those trains. It was in late 1988 when Ro Trains and a hobby shop owned by Charles Ro combined to become one company USA Trains. There is a huge amount of pictures and information to share, so stay tuned.

EMD Trainman

 

[EMD Trainman]

USA Trains PDF Files

Here is the long list of USA Trains PDF Files available for your viewing pleasure.

1) 1988 Ro Trains Catalog
2) USA Trains 40ft Ultimate Series Reefer Cars List
3) AirWire Drop In for USA Trains Flyer
4) AirWire and Phoenix Sound joint venture with USA Trains
5) USA Trains Beer Reefer Cars
6) USA Christmas Trains
7) Detailed USA Trains Info - Lengths & Measurements
8) USA Trains EMD F3 locomotive list
9) USA Trains EMD NW-2 locomotive list
10) General Ro Trains & USA Trains Questions Answered
11) List of Different Custom Run USA Trains
12) USA Trains Military Trains List
13) USA Trains Pepsi Series List
14) R1400 series outside braced woodside box car list
15) R1500 series outside braced woodside reefer list
16) R1600 series woodside reefer car list
17) R1700 series flat car type rolling stock list
18) R1900 series woodside & simulated steel box car list
19) USA Trains Special Hobby Shop runs
20) Special USA Trains Big Boy 40ft reefers
21) The History of USA Trains
22) USA Trains "The Yellow Fleet"
23) USA Trains List of Awards
24) USA Trains different series explained
25) USA Trains List of Ads
26) USA Trains Matrix Charts
27) USA Trains Prestige Series List
28) USA Trains Price Guide
29) USA Trains MOW Work Series

The Above list of available PDF files which you will need Adobe to read them.

Enjoy
EMD Trainman

 

[EMD Trainman]

USA Trains Photo Albums

Here is the list of available USA Trains and Ro trains photo albums.

1) 1988 Ro Trains Catalog
2) 1990 USA Trains Catalog
3) 1993 USA Trains Catalog
4) 1987/88 USA Trains Catalog
5) 1999 USA Trains Catalog
6) 2002-2003 USA Trains Catalog
7) 2003-2004 USA Trains New Releases Catalog
8) 2004-2005 USA Trains Catalog
9) 2006-2007 USA Trains Catalog
10) USA Trains Bear Whiz Brewey Custom runs
11) USA Trains Beer & Alcohol Related Rolling Stock
12) Big Train Show Annual Rolling Stock
13) USA Trains Black Widow Series
14) USA Trains Custom & Misc Run USA Trains
15) USA Trains Heritage Series Locomotives
16) Las Angeles Garden Railway society
17) USA Trains MOW 25 Ton Crane in Action
18) National Garden Railroad Convetion
19) USA Trains Prototype Rolling Stock
20) R1400 series outside braced box cars
21) R1600 series woodside reefer cars
22) R16500 series 40ft reefer cars
23) R16700 series 50ft reefer cars
24) R1700 series flat related rolling stock
25) R1900 series box cars
26) R19200 series 40ft box cars


The above photo albums are now available for your viewing pleaure and many more will be added in the future and will post updates as more are added

Enjoy
EMD Trainman

 

[EMD Trainman]

Non USA Trains related PDF Files & photo albums


Here is the available list of Non USA Trains subject PDF files

1) G Scale Manufacturers Directory
2) G Scale Trains Curve Diameter reference Chart
3) Introduction to G Scale Trains
4) LGB 2010 Items
5) 2010 Large Scale News Archive

The following below is a list of Non USA Trains related photo albums that are available for your viewing pleasure.

1) The Trains of Walt Disney
2) EMD Trainmans Trains For Sale
3) EMD Trainmans G Scale Collection
4) EMD Trainmans Layout Tour
5) EMD Trainmans Scrap Book of Trains
6) EMD Trainmans Trains in Action
7) EMD Trainmans Track Cleaner Build Project
8) Winchester & Western Wreck photos
9) 2009 East Coast Large Scale Spring Train Show
10) 2009 East Coast Large Scale Fall Train Show
11) 2010 East Coast Large Scale Spring Train Show
12) 2010 East Coast Large scale Fall Train Show
13) USA Trains Chrismas Trains
14) Conrail Days at Strasburg
15) Epcot Center G scale Trains

Enjoy
EMD Trainman

 

[EMD Trainman]

USA Trains Updates

I have more photo albums available and here is the list of the added photo albums.

1) R19300 50ft box cars
2) USA Trains Hobby Store runs
3) TCA Convetion series custom runs
4) Tournament of Roses Series custom runs
5) USA Trains Special "U" series custom rolling stock
6) USA Trains Special "X" series custom rolling stock

I have added the 1990 USA Trains catalog as a PDF file and is now available

I have a photo album of USA Trains R14000 hopper cars. There you will find the USA Trains 70 ton hopper cars, wood chip service hopper cars, 55ft centerflow hopper car and the iron ore car. The album is available for your viewing pleasure.

I have made a new photo album available called the R15000 USA Tank Cars which will feature all photos of every tank car USA Trains made. Right now I only posted the 10,000 Gallon tank cars and the 55ft Modern Tank Cars.

Here is the short list

1) R15000 - R15125 10,000 gallon tank cars
2) R15150 - R15180 55ft modern tank cars

I will post the 29ft beer can tank cars and the 42ft tank cars at a later date when "real" pictures are posted by USA Trains.

I have completed my story of Mr Rogers trolley and converted it into a PDF file which is now available for your viewing pleasure

I have made the following photo albums available and updated certain photo albums

1) Downloaded pictures of the NW-2 starter sets in the NW-2 photo album
2) The USA Trains 20 tonner Mighty Moe ialbum and is now available
3) Re-organized and added pictures to the USA Trains Chrismas photo album
4) The USA Trains EMD GP-7 & GP-9 ialbum and is now available
5) USA Trains 2000 New Releases catalog phot album now available

Enjoy
EMD Trainman

 

[EMD Trainman]

USA Trains NW-2 Switcher


The EMD NW-2 switcher locomotive was the very first locomotive that
USA Trains introduced into the large scale market. There was both a "cow" which was the cab version and matching "calf" which was the no cab version. Unfornately the NW-2 "calf" units have gone out of production years ago on many popular road names. I was lucky enough to buy my calf back in 2000 for my Rio Grande NW-2 "cow" and it was almost impossible to find at that point in time. Now with the introduction of the Alco S-4 switcher, I'm guessing that USA Trains will soon quit producing the EMD NW-2 switcher altogether.

So I decided to upload a R22000 NW-2 switcher locomotive photo album which will be availble to those who want to view them and have most of the pictures of the
NW-2 "cow" and "calf" units. Unfortunately alot of these pictures will be small.
but should be good enough for reference.

This is the oldest and longest production run locomotive from USA Trains and it
would be a shame it they did dis-continue it, but values on the older units
would go up. Getting power train parts for NW-2 locomotives will "never" be a
issue as the "new" Alco S-4 has the exact same chassis, motor blocks and truck
frames.

EMD Trainman

 

[EMD Trainman]

R22050 USA Trains 20 Tonner

So what was USA Trains 2nd locomotive they introduced you ask? It was
the 20 tonner switcher.

Right after the introduction of the NW-2 in 1997, USA Trains worked on a little
basic switcher which would use one power truck. This idea came up because USA
Trains wanted to offer a basic starter train set that was cheaper than the NW-2
starter set which featured a NW-2 locomotive, a American Series box car and a
woodside caboose.

Between 1997 and 1998 USA Trains introduced the 20 tonner locmotive which was
"knick named" the "Mighty Moe" They also started to offer the "Mighty Moe"
starter train sets. Todat the 20 tonner "Mighty Moe" is long gone and out of
production as well as the "Mighty Moe" train sets are also no longer offered.
The "Mighty Moe" could not pull alot but was great for someone to start out
with. Also I believe this locomotive would have been great for someone to use in
miniing operations or to move single cars around at a factory like with the
Plymouth switchers used in real size railroads by factories. I don't think the
full potential of the "Mighty Moe" was seen for the many applications that you
could use it in and therefore discontinued.

The Mighty Moe 20 tonner photo albums are now available for your viewing pleasure

Enjoy
EMD Trainman

 

[EMD Trainman]

USA Trains R22100 EMD GP-7 / GP-9

USA Trains designed a new tool mold for it's 3rd
locomotive introduction and this time it was for the EMD GP-7 and GP-9.
Depending on the road name is whether the model GP-7 or GP-9 was used. The only
difference between the USA Trains GP-7 and GP-9 was that the GP-9 had a "Dynamic
Brake" on the locomotive and the GP-7 did not. Believe it or not you can convert
one to the other very easily. The "Dynamic Brake" part of the GP-9 locomotive
was just a simple seperate piece that just slid over top of the locomotive, this
was so that two seperate molds were not needed to make both models, just a
simple 1 piece extra part.

The GP-9 was the "first" road locomotive that USA Trains made and
was also the first to use the "Power Trac" drive system which feature
traction tires instead of heavy weights like the NW-2 which did not have
traction tires, but used weight. For the first time there would be many features
and details that would seperate the USA Trains GP-9 quality from the rest of the
G scale world such as the use of "real" road numbers, exact paint schemes for
raod numbers, offering locomotives in multiple road numbers for "realistic"
double heading, metal hand rails, see thru walk ways, red green directional
marker lights, detailed cab interior with figure and the list goes on.

The USA Trains GP-7 and GP-9 was a huge success story and broke many
boundries of the G scale world of making a good quality train with fine details
and parts, but for alot less than the cost of a brass model. When the GP-7 and
GP-9 were orignially released, they only cost $129.00 to purchase them. The USA
Trains also won the 1998 Model Railroaders Readers Choice Award in 1998 for the
GP-7 and GP-9. For years the EMD GP-7 and GP-9 was a very popular seller, but
like anything else that had a long run, alot of road names are being dropped and
will not be re-issued.

The USA Trains GP-7/GP-9 photo album is now available for your viewing pleasure

Enjoy

 

[EMD Trainman]

R22150 USA Trains 44 tonner

The fourth locomotive that USA Trains introduced was the GE 44
tonner switcher in 1999. This would be the first switcher that USA Trains used
thier "Power Trac" system. It also featured dual working smoke stacks, metal
hand rails, operatins headlight and a detailed cab interior. Howeve at that
point in time the USA Trains GE 44 tonner did not become a real popular switcher
like the NW-2. The USA Trains GE 44 tonner could definately out pull the NW-2
because the 44 tonner had a Power Trac system and the NW-2 did not. Sales on the
USA Trains GE 44 tonner slipped and today has now been long discontinued.
If someone wanted one today they would be a hard find. USA Trains also tried to
market the 44 tonners in starter sets, but again they were not as popular as the
NW-2 starter set.

The USA Trains GE 44 tonner photo album is now available for your viewing pleasure

Enjoy
EMD Trainman

 

[markoles]

I am trying to understand the reason behind this post. It seems all propaganda-ish. Are you copying sales flyers verbatum?

Clearly, you are putting together some kind of comprehensive history of USAT. This might be better done under one of the "BLOGS". It is likely to be buried when you are done listing your stuff.

"Ro Trains" and "Charles Ro Supply" were always intertwined, weren't they? USA-Trains was the new brand name for Ro trains, but I don't know when that happened. Charles Ro Supply Co is the parent company of USA-Trains. Their main business is O gauge trains, specifically Lionel.

Where are the albums?

 

[Greg Elmassian]

Why can't you take this guy at face value? He collects USAT.

Hmmm... if you had substituted Aristo in this thread, would you have complained?

I've never seen you complain on "Aristo propaganda" on new products, like the famous "Kuppler"...

Greg

 

[EMD Trainman]

Greg, Thank you for your support. Yes I'm a huge USA Trains collector and what I'm trying to do is share information with "Other" USA Trains fans

EMD Trainman

 

[Rod Fearnley]

So how do I get to the Pdf's?
Rod

 

[EMD Trainman]

markoles


So you can better understand where I am coming from, yes basically I'm putting together a "shorter" version of USA Trains history as well as photos and PDF documents. Everything that is written here is with my own words and not copied from any sales flyer. These posts I made are based on 10 years of colecvting USA Trains and exchanging information with other people. If you are not a USA Trains fan than I guess you would consider it propaganda but I mention no other manufcaturer in this post.

You are a little off on your USA Trains history which is why I started this post to clear up confusions others may have.

Charles Ro Jr actually started off with a Beauty Solon Buisness and later decided to sell Lionel Trains from one of his Beauty Solon stores. This moved on to become a full blown buisness which eventually became Charles Ro Supply Company. He sold only Lionel trains when the buisness first took off, but when Lionel moved thier molds out of the country there was a one year delay of delivery of any new Lionel Trains. Then Charles Ro wo admired LGB G scale trains went ahead to start making his own G scale trains to go with the LGB trains and in 1986 Ro Trains was established. He first introduced what is now known as the American series box car and American Series reefer car which are in 1:24 scale ratio. Put a USA Trains American series woodside reefer car next to a LGB woodside reefer car and you can't ell the difference. At this time Ro Trains and Charles Ro Supply were indeed two seperate companies. By the end of 1988 Charles Ro decided to Merge both Ro Trains and Charles Ro Supply into one comapny which is USA Trains. Charles Ro is still a Lionel dealer as well as a diret outlet of USA Trains sales while also selling Aristocraft, LGB and alot of name brand G scale trains today. Yes Charles Ro Supply main buisness has always been Lionel trains since the day he opened the doors.

EMD Trainman

 

[EMD Trainman]

Rod Fearnley,

Very Easy, simply click on my profile phot go to my profile and click on the link in I have provided in my profile section.

EMD Trainman

 

[EMD Trainman]

Here is another fact about Ro Trains. Ro Trains was a company for only 1 year before combining with Charles Ro Supply and becoming USA Trains. There was a Ro Trains 1st annivesary car released which was a woodside box car and would be the only anniversary to be celebrated under the Ro Trains name. I'm not sure how many were made, but they were produced back in 1987. I'm one of the lucky few who owns a Ro Trains 1st anniversary wodside box car and I took it with me to the East Coast Large Scale 2010 spring train show in York, PA. I was able to get both Charles Ro Sr and Charles Ro Jr to sign my Ro Trains 1st anniversary woodside box car. It now sits on a shelf for me to admire.

 

[EMD Trainman]

To be fair, I do own a Aristocraft Mallet and it has been a great performer which pulls 23 USA Trains American woodside rolling stock and does it quite well I may add. I also own a Aristocraft stock car which I have set up as a horse transporter. I can't forget about my Aristocraft REA Rio Grande caboose in the "orange" paint scheme which is hard to find these days. I also own a LGB of America modern box car in the rail box road name as well as LGB "Queen Mary" series Rio Grande box car. I just prefer USA Trains. So I don't have many other manufacturers trains, but I have them.

EMD Trainman

 

[blueregal]

Welcome to our group, and thanks for all the USA info!! I have joined your group, and I am looking forward to all the posts and pics! I posted a few pics on there to get started in your group. Again Thanks Regal

 

[EMD Trainman]

Regal,

You are welcome and also welcome aboard I'm glad to always have a USA Trains fan aboard.

EMD Trainman