I think they should skip "Nixon". I know I won't buy one. //not intended to get political. Mods feel free to delete this if it starts.
Milwaukee Road Tri Level Enclosed Auto Racks,and a bay window caboose international version. Steve Church Milwaukee Road Iowa Division
As MTL offers Z scale GP & SD models, they should at least do 2 body shells. One with DB, one without. There is no need for Z to go back to the bad old days of Nscale when the GP7 was the one with DB & the GP9 was the one without. I don't mind adding other road specific details later. Since they did the GP's in MILW, it's time to do a Midwestern Caboose.
Joe, et. al.; As is plain by my avatar, I collect MKT. I have never seen an N scale MKT tank. I have MKT tanks in O and HO. If you do a red one, please don't make it pink like some of the larger scale manufacturers have. They tried to simulate the red as faded in the Texas sun, but to me the cars just look shiny new pink. The Katy Railroad Historical Site says, "[SIZE=-1][FONT=verdana,arial][FONT=verdana,arial][SIZE=-1]Katy Red is hard to match due to how fast the sun faded the color. Most people use Floquil ATSF red for the early diesel eras, in the Barriger era Floquil Bright Caboose Red is real close. Again all the reds faded quickly and road grime changed the color ever more." It doesn't have to be red though... or maybe you could do more than one color. [/SIZE][/FONT][/FONT][/SIZE] I hope you'll consider this for us MKT N scalers.
I would love to see Micro trains do the SD40-2 in N Scale,with and without dynamic brakes.The fuel tank can always be shortened if it didn't come that way.A bar window caboose international version would be nice. Steve Church Milwaukee Road Iowa Division
I will settle for accurate paint schemes on accurate body styles .. less foobies and other fantasy schemes
To the MTL Rep: Trying to "cow cow" to two different markets is tough, not easy to gauge and certainly hard to keep track of, So I'll give you some recommendations from a 40 year modeler, most in N. I won't comment on the collectors issues, but only to say that the "runners" as MT refers to them are model railroaders first, collectors last. We run our railroad and most try to emulate the prototype (if applicable) or at least simulate RR operations. We don't keep MT cars in the plastic to retain the "factory air" and no regrets opening the box and weathering the cars. Along these lines you also have two factions in the Runners world: those whom run the transitition period, and those whom model modern or current day operation. I will not comment on post 60's equipment because I model the steam era late 50's. What we are short of is cars with late 40's 50s era paint schemes. I model New York Central and although the Central came out with the jade green paint job, I don't model it, or incorporate them in my railroad period. I like the simpler box car red with black or white logos. This goes for all cars of the period. Note in the late 50's newer cars were showing up with newer paint schemes and I do incorporate some of them, just not all. What we are seriously short of in N from the 50's periods (or before) is heavy weight passenger cars, 50's era correctly modeled trailor on flat car (Piggybacks) with all the correct deck hardware and tie downs, and dont forget the round nose trailors and all the variations of same, on another item, along with the heavy weights the railroads were overstocked with troop cars sleepers and the like. most of these were converted to mail and express. or other uses. On a passenger trains these conversions were as common as the passenger cars themselves. Note New York Central trains often ran with all mail and express cars. Another item 8 k gallon tank cars, yes intermountain done them but from what I hear the tooling is broke and bringing them back is not an option. 50's era caboose, New York Central had a unique one, and although it doesn't fit the profile your asking for it might surprise you with the sales figures if you do. North eastern cabooses tend to be shorter than the western prototypes due to clearance restrictions in the east. How about a heavy duty flat cars with 6 wheel buckeye trucks, no one came out with these except for a kit (wood and metal) back in the 70s. Other things MT could do?? we don't like the slinky action of MT couplers, can you guys revise them? Also the couplers are way oversize, the Z scale couplers are closer and a lot of us are using them for N scale. Electric uncoupler that can be used (and not seen) under code 55 track and smaller. Inexpensive and reliable with a push button operation would be nice. If you want to tackle a locomotive try for something unique something unlikely to be done in N scale (unless its brass) My suggestion? A 4-6-6-t suburban steam locomotive, they were used by the B and A and some eastern roads for suburban commuter service. Looked like a mini hudson on steriods operated in reverse, by uncoupling the train and moving to the rear, and operating backwards to the originating terminal. It has a very large boiler for its size and shouldn't be a problem fitting with dcc a motor and flywheel. Got big ones? try that one, I'd bet they'd sell like hot cakes (especially if you also made the heavy weights) One big Issue and I don't know why Micro trains is resistant to this, (after all way back when you guys started it all) is you have to get those pizza cutters trimmed down to NMRA specs. Read again: YOU HAVE TO GET THOSE PIZZA CUTTER WHEELS TRIMMED DOWN TO NMRA SPECS. BECAUSE THIS IS 0NE MODELER THAT ISN'T GOING TO PAY PREMIUM PRICES FOR A CAR OR LOCOMOTIVE AND THEN HAVE TO GO TO A SECONDARY SOURCE TO PURCHASE WHEELS. I DON'T CARE HOW GOOD IT LOOKS, HOW WELL IT TRACKS, IF IT DOESN'T FOLLOW NMRA SPECS FOR FLANGE DEPTH, I AM NOT BUYING IT. I ALREADY HAVE ENOUGH CARS TO CHANGE OVER. PART II; YOU GUYS CHANGED THE FLANGE SHAPE OF YOUR FINE SCALE WHEELS. THE FLANGE IS TOO SHARP, IT ACTS LIKE A RAZOR BLADE TRYING TO FIND EVERY FLAW IN THE TRACK ESPECIALLY AT TURNOUTS. I BUILD TURNOUTS, I AM VERY GOOD AT WHAT I DO. EVEN I WAS HARD PRESSED GETTING THE POINT RAILS TO FIT SO SNUGGLY THAT EVEN YOUR LOW PROS WOULDN'S PICK THE POINTS. BUT IT TOOK AN EXTRA 10 MINUTES OF MICRO FILING. NOTE ANY SKEWING OF THE TRUCK EXABORATES THE PROBLEM BY FORCING THE WHEEL FLANGE ON TO THE RAIL. note: the capital letters means this is something you guys really need to address and soon. Thank YOU for allowing our inputs Rob Modeling the New York Central in Gods country, Anchorage, Alaska
How about some 100 ton roller bearing trucks? and put metal low profile wheels in them while you're at it!....dave
grandpa Joe D', This is not what you were asking for when you started the thread, but I feel it's a very important point that I just have to get off my chest. I think you really need to do some stuff to get Nn3 of the ground. In particular... you must put out some locomotives. There is no reason to buy the Nn3 cars if they can't be run. Once upon a time... I remember some little Mogul class engines which were put out...IIRC by Micro-Trains... but that was before I actually got any Nn3 cars. It's virtually impossible to get any Nn3 locomotives at this time... unless you build them yourself by canabalizing Z scale Marklin lokies. NOT my cup of tea! So... while I understand why you're asking for suggestions to improve on Micro-trains strengths, I feel that it is MORE important instead to consider the little brethren of N scale and support their motive power needs too. Thanks
I did not read this entire thread, only the first and the last page. And yes, we need some good heavyweights, and it would be nice to see some Nn3 engines. I like the narrow gauge cars, but I will not buy them just to put them somewhere on a track where they can get rusty. It would be nice to have an engine that can pull these tiny cars. The engines that are now available in Nn3 are far too expensive!
Any wood sided centre cupola caboose, these things were everywhere yet all we see are steel sided cars, and please, please, please heavyweight head end cars so we can model everyday passenger train operations (I don't want to run the Broadway Limited or Hiawatha through my corner of the rural US) they would sell and sell I promise you!
Runner packs of tank cars. Those we'd have seen in the pre-1970 era, hauling bulk oil, etc. Good old black ones. Such as UTLX, SHPX. Boxcab E50
Almost anyone wants heavyweights. So how is it possible that manufacturers don't make them??? The Broadway Limited is nice, but it is just one unique train from one railroad. I'd like to see coaches that can be used for commuter trains, or for the short daily trains in remote rural areas. Why do we get sleepers while there are no coaches???
I agree! Maybe a K36 or K27 Mikado or something. It would be great if you would rerelease the Nn3 gondolas and flats as well. Been a real long time since I could find any of these at a rate less than that of gold. lol Chuck
