My pusher asked me today if I wanted to order a BN unit. Said he saw first runs are UP 1318, NS 2203, BN 1919, but the artwork shows 322, and Conrail 9594. I haven't seen any other news on this, so just hear say for the moment. The BN unit should be 322, 1919 is a GP9 number. Will be getting them as long as DCC ready. Or easy conversion.
I still reckon it's a possibility, although hopefully remote because if they do it will end their re-emergance as an N scale loco manufacturer before it even starts. Why would you design a new switcher mechanism these days without a headlight in the cab end, Kato, Atlas and even Bachmann can do it.
I really don't see why they are waiting on the Flexicoils...the SP/SSW had 240 units EVERYWHERE.....that will be a huge seller, AND the UP got those!
I'm not a manufacturer, but is it that difficult and expensive to have directional headlights?? Its kinda a bummer to only have lights working at one end! Is it easy to put your own in? Doesn't pretty much everything come with directional headlights nowadays? dave t
More to the point, with the availability of nano LED's nowadays, what reason would they have for not installing directional headlights in a switcher; especially since MTL is not a low cost provider for N scale locomotives?
We're assuming its only a single headlight. No one at MT has said its one or two. Sure most manufacturers say directional, but the only other loco MT has made has been FT sets, which only have the one. So maybe whoever did the artwork/info doesn't know and just put working headlight. Not everyone at MT is a model railroader, some are just there because it is a job.
Or they find out what N scale modellers actually want before it goes into final production. Heaven forbid that should happen.
If Kato can make an NW2 with a drop-in decoder and Atlas and Bachmann can make Alco switchers with DCC factory installed (Atlas with sound no less) MTL will no longer be the leader in N scale if they don't do the same. I just asked the question straight out on facebook if they were using the Life Like mechanism, hopefully they will say no and put and end to my speculation.
Is that confirmed information from MTL or are you just speculating on the other side of the fence from me.
Based on what MT reps are saying (or at least one MT rep), MT has designed their own proprietary mechanism for the 1500 and are in the process of working with one (or more) DCC manufacturers in order to see if a PNP decoder can be designed for it. There is absolutely NO indication that MT is using the Life-Like mechanism, so you might want to give that particular dead horse a break. Cheers, -Mark
This is a quote from MT that was posted on Railwire - "Thank you for contacting us with your questions here. We are working with Digitrax to make the locos plug ‘n play, but still have some things to sort through before we know for sure. We understand that it’s very important to many modelers that it be plug ‘n play, so we’ll do our best to make it happen. -Ben"
Ok that's good news. It is 2013 though, plug 'n play DCC should be a given not something that's being worked on and might happen if they can figure it out.
