http://www.micro-trains.com/rbbb_main.php Information on the "advertising car" and Billboard Boxcars are on the site with limited info on Train sets, and Runner Packs. I have had high hopes for the RBBB equipment but this is not a good start. The "advertising car", which, for at least what I have seen, should be a converted piece of passenger equipment, not an ice reefer. We know the billboard poster cars are purely collector fodder so that is not a big deal. They are what they are, and I may even get them. The set's may be good news or bad, it's hard to tell. They say they are modeling the current era Red train so this means they are going to have to do a whole lot of tooling to get it right. Lot's of variations of smoothside passenger cars, containers and the circus flats. Where does this put the heavyweights? I was really hoping for a war or post war circus train, but it looks like that will not happen. Oh well, I will still keep a positive outlook but I would like to know more information.
I'm thinking that maybe some scans of old posters and the Alps printer would be able to make a nice stand in for the offerings. I would like to see more about the runner packs and train sets.
I figured the same thing... Announced around April 1.. Wow.. "Prototype" Circus Train and it's not an April Fools Joke... And the details finally come.. April (May) Fools.. 12 month set of collector cars with collector packs, FTs and a caboose... Go figure... However thinking a little more on it... They are doing a collector series on already paid for tooling which (if it sells well) provides funding for tooling for prototype cars which can not be done with currently tooled equipment.. I have a feeling the modern train is going to turn into MT 89' flats with resin casting loads and someones elses lightweight cars painted by MT.. Then the old train with MT 50' flats and MT heavyweights maybe a return of the Atlas 85' Stock car .. Even if it's somewhat close to the Red/Blue modern train.. I'd get a set.. but I'm not jumping on the collector set.. ~Ian
I don't care much for the collectors stuff but I am glad that MT will do the correct or closed to correct red or blue train in a train set and runners pack. The good thing about the trainset is that MT will not need to supply a locomotives because the like the proto train, we supply those.
Per Micro Trains Website "This winter Micro-Trains will produce prototype train sets of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey™ train sets based on the train cars that currently travel on the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey™ ‘Red Unit’. These sets will include a variety of passenger car styles, as well as several flat cars with trailers. Sets will be pre-ordered in advance. Price and release dates to be determined." Micro-Trains The Ultimate in N and Z scale model trains I think they want to build some excitement for the upcoming train set. My theory is why not shoot off a few cars related to the circus train and get people excited. Do not lose hope just yet!
Right now there's a lot of stuff in development that I can't address. The advance car is a vehicle to promote joining with RBBB not to be a specific prototype, just something we thought would be unusual and interesting. I think the proto folks will like what we are aiming to do...and the collectors will have things as well. Cheers Joe MTL
