Just got word, L-L is doing a Split-Frame, Skew wound motor, dual flywheel, GP-18 for August release in: BN (Green) MP (Blue/gray) NKP (Black) NP (Black) N&W (Blue) RI (CRI&P) (Red) Sou (Tuxedo?) MSRP $90. Order deadline is 01/30/04 - 7 months in advance. I hope they make enough. [ 02. January 2004, 21:59: Message edited by: wig-wag-trains.com ]
It appears that the LL has embarked on a program of re-doing all of their earlier N scale plastic-frame releases. This appears to be the latest. No B&O, huh? The B&O only had one or two of these anyhow, acquired in 1959--so it is too modern for me. I am still surprised at no B&O as 1)LL is based in Baltimore and 2) they did a B&O in the plastic frame, but then they did not do WM when they re-issued the FA-2s. There was a plastic frame A-A pair of WM FA-2s. Anyhow, modellers from the early 1960s through the 1970s ought to be pleased, particullarly N&W modellers of the early-to-mid 1960s--look at the choices you get: N&W and NYC&StL.
What a nice way to start off the new year! Looking forward to seeing pictures. If they make them as good as the GP20's, they should be a winner.
NP! Yay! Now I can put my GP7 shells back on my Atlas drives. Too bad I gave away my old LL spring drive mechanisms, oh well, I can give away the shells for them now too!
It does seem that Life Like is stepping things up a notch and becoming a real player in the N scale game. I'm sure I could always find a use for a GP18 (I believe Copper Basin Railway had one), although $90 for a LL is kinda steep. I'll just wait for the street price to come down or discount time since I'll have to repaint anyway. This does give me hope that a rework of the venerable F40PH is not that far off. Now if Bachmann steps up to the plate with better quality on their dash 8s, we could have a real game here. With all the recent steam and now this, it looks like the dawning of a new era in N scale!
The LL might re-do the cowl thing. Phishie says that the detail on it is not the best. The GF has one (actually, she has two-she bought that LL set with the powered/dummy/caboose). I have seen more than a few of these up-close, but I am not sure if the detail is any good as they are far too modern for me. I have noticed that the LL started the re-dos with the BL-2 and the FA-2. They ignored the cowl thing and the FP-whatever-it-is. I would normally be surprised at ignoring the F-unit, as the F-unit is still an 'entry-level' locomotive in other scales. There is also no decent running F-3 or F-7 widely and readily available in a variety of roads in N scale (the Kato is neither widely available nor is there much variety in roads--the B-personn SPECTRUM rates a C-plus, the PLUS a D-minus ) . One must consider that the detail is not as crisp on the LL F-unit as it is on other, later LL offerings. If they were to put their superb power chassis into an F-unit, they would need to bring the quality of the shell up to the level of the drive. If what PHishie says about the cowl thing is true, they will need to work on that. The Bachmann offers the cowl thing in HO. There is the possibility that they could offer it in N. They would need to upgrade the power chassis from the level of the SPECTRUM F unit. There is actually a rumour that the B-mann is planning yet one more attempt at upgrading the SPECTRUM F-unit power chassis. The SPECTRUM F-unit will not hold a steady 25 SMPH. This is not a major concern on a passenger locomotive like the cowl unit, but I do understand that more than a few roads used the cowl things for freight. I do not know for sure, as it is too modern for me. If B-mann or LL does do this cowl thing, it appears that some will be disappointed. All the same, I would not look for it from Atlas any time soon. They will do a P&LE/B&A K-6a before they do that one.
Not when it is identified as the Blue & Grey paint scheme. </font>[/QUOTE]Oh well looks like another paint job for my mate Mitch
all i have to say is ohhhhh baby, keep em coming i just hope they do the low hood version so i can put the newest release from microscale to use which is the mopac bicentennial gp18!!!!!!!! had started chopping up a gp20 and a gp7 but i may wait now!
I passed on the original version. Just didn't like the way it ran on the batch I tested. But with NP listed here, I'm going to be watching for these! Boxcab E50
The old plastic-frame weren't that bad for their time and technology. If you got a good one they were very good runners. It's nice to see Life-Like getting into the real "game" as you guys say. Both locos I own are from them and they are great!
Thanks Mitch it is an excellent scheme. I guess the MP that LL will be doing is this one? I think I still like the jenks blue anyday
Oh yeah. And this time around I'm buying a few. After monkeying around with my GP-20 it is the quietest loco I own. And smoooooth. Hey you guys, leave some of those NPs for me. Jacob
Man, I just finished upgrading my old ones with chassis from GP20s that I picked up when Model Expo was dumping them. I even went so far to modify the fuel tanks to look more like the GP18s should. Oh well. These old shells have sentimental value and the mechanisms were flat worn out after many years of going round and round on the club NTRAK layout.
