Gleaned from the Athearn group on Yahoo!, this interesting bit of info, sent in originally by Tom Stolte of Oddballs Decals, who was at the W. Springfield train show: The folks from Athearn had the MP15AC shell on their table during setup this afternoon at West Springfield. "Is that an MP15AC?" I asked Mr. Engstrom. "Oh yeah," he responded. "We're going to be showing that this weekend." It was just a shell. It did not have all the parts in place, but it looked good. John Engstrom said it would be released in the Genesis line. With the introduction of the MP15DC by Atlas, the folks who model late-model EMD yard goats are in tall cotton these days!!
LIRR, welcome aboard! I am hoping for the same thing in N scale. What designates "A stone's throw from the LIRR"? I am 2 blocks from Fresh Pond Yard. Happy Railroading! Russ
Atlas is making one too http://www.trainboard.com/ultimatebb.php/ubb/get_topic/f/9/t/005059.html last picture of the first post.
Two different switchers - the MP15(DC) is coming from Atlas, and the MP15AC will be coming from Athearn in their Genesis line.
Even though Frisco only had 5 MP15DCs, all stationed in Birmingham, AL, it would be good to see one in red & white. It's good to see the MP15 line finally represented in plastic.
Frisco only had 5, and kept 'em around Birmingham. Someone in the front office got the idea that these diesels would make good substituted for GP7s in road-switcher work, but without a few necessary features (a toilet, for one), they didn't pan out. They spent their Frisco careers in service in Birmingham, AL. I may get Atlas' model, just for a collection.
I hope that Athearn & Atlas come out with these models soon...I could use some "Sister" power with my IHB GP-40P I just bought. Has there been any announcement on when these models (MP15AC/DC) will be coming into release to Hobby Shops?
I'll add to this on the MP15AC, if I'm not mistaken, but, I thought Concor made one of these in HO scale! However, I hope I'm not confusing this with a regular MP-15, or the like (EMD had a few different model types in real life), and I thought it was the "AC" unit when it was a DC unit or or the like, being they gave the MP-15 a few different destinations, I think they're even was an MP-15I but I'm not certain. BUT I do know that Concor made the MP-15 body style, I've seen it for sale before! I just don't know what actual destinatiopn it was.....
Con-Cor made the MP15DC - and I use the term "made" very loosely. While they were decent runners (the drive was made by Kato, IIRC), the shell was VERY crude. The Atlas version looks 1000% times better, IMHO. As for the MP15AC, it has never ben done in plastic, so it's going to be very well-received, IMHO.
SP, I know it was one or the other, as I've seen it advertised. I never had one in my hands to say how it was detailed and such. So, it was the DC unit, still with the knowledge I carry with me I can and would make one look like a brass model! (I don't much care for buying things already detailed, I enjoy it more myself when I do the work! Thats what the hobby is all about!)