Joe, With all of the requests for more 89 ft, TOFC flats, we will really need something to pick up and deliver the trailers. Micro-Trains could really cash in if they were the first to offer a ready to use modern (aerodynamic) semi tractor. A Freightliner Columbia could be decorated in almost every major trucking company's paint scheme, and they are seen all across the country. Carter
An addition to something you currently make would be rebuilt trooper sleepers into baggage cars, caboose, REA express cars. FTB's could be made into heater/cheater boxcars. Power for the MTL Powered Rotary snowplow. This leads to the first HW passenger cars. Get the molds from RR/Concor, then update them with rebuilt & AC roofs. Have the first RPO cars with operating doors & mail hooks. Operating doors on the baggage cars. After the 50th car in the State series is completed, consider selling some 3paks of the first 10 cars. For the Holiday Series, do a series of popular carols, like the First Noel.
This topic is easy... OTTX/QTTX 60' flatcars. IM is never going to come out with them. Used from the 60's 'til today with little modification. Jason
OK, I don't care who does Heavyweights as long as somebody does them. That said, MT doesn't come to mind as a player in this market, in my opinion. I take that back....How about a 13 section Pullman to go with the troop sleepers!
My first thought was the Pullman Heavyweight... waaaay overdue in N-scale. My second was a GE 44 tonner ... use the motors from Z-scale engines. They only have to be able to pull or push a couple of cars. Third thought, don't paint them Pan Am.... I'd at least like to be able to buy more than one!
wish list First I want to second the wish for Heavyweight Passenger Cars. From new tooling, which is probably better and easier than to reuse old Con-Cor tooling. Second, I would propose 40' round top box cars (PRR) and the B&O wagon tops. Though if I look at the releases for the 50' round box cars (PRR et. al.) I am a bit pessimistic. Never a rerun, even not for PRR. Now I ordered 3 undecorated cars in order to repaint them for PRR. Third, a wood 50' box car (as the one offered by Walthers) might be a good candidate. Fourth, a scale test car for the PRR.
I am in for Heavyweight Passenger Cars - I believe if I counted correctly this makes #6 on the request. Since Secret Weapon and I are tending to base oir modeling around the same thing I will just have what he is having. Mr X
In the modern freight car catagory for a car that hasn't been done, how about the new insulated refigerator cars that have a truck trailer style reefer unit mounted on one end. Several road name available including Tropicana, BNSF, UP. etc. I really like the idea of the modern freightliner tractor and the QTTX 60' flats also.
I suggest MODERN WOODCHIP CARS; These are HO scale models for example: LBF HO; Walthers HO (discontinued) and some kind of side extensions for existing 2-bay & 3-bay open hoppers. Even more interesting are these: MY first choice - Joe, if seriously interested, I can help provide information. Woodchips cars operate all over the country. Some stylesmore than others. Some styles in huge quantities........ multiple roadnames, including lass one Railroads and shortlines....... Yes, re-run the 89' TOFC car and upgrade for 'Twin 45' hitch arrangement. The M-T flat is different from any forthcomming TOFC flats from "others", so there is room for both......... Steven
I also agree that N scale needs a line of quality, correct heavyweight passenger cars. One advantage MT would have in doing these is that they already have the trucks. However, they must be done right... no shortcuts! Walthers and Branchline Trains make excellent heavyweights in HO and I would rather wait for them over having incorrect MT cars. Plus, having incorrect MT cars would delay any other company from entering this market due to saturation. They must be done right! Also, given MT's habit of publishing "series" of cars, about two months ago I made a suggestion direct to MT as well as on the Atlas Forum. It got excellent feedback. That suggestion is for a series of 1950s Circus Train Cars. No loco or caboose needed. Just lots of flat cars, stock cars, box cars, and heavyweight sleepers (and diner). You could do several different circus names if they allow; I'm partial to the James Strates Circus. And for each circus name, you could do several different road numbers for each type of car. So you could really string this series out. (I have a collection of about three dozen photos of the Strates train from the late 50s/early 60s.)
Suggestions Circus Trains have been considered and we are noodling around the idea. Lots of things to consider since a lot of the cars nomally seen are not in the MTL Catalog...I'd personally love to see them, thought about doing one in Z Scale last year. So far, sounds like Heavyweights are needed. I did some research last year into the Harriman cars, but too limited. Heavyweights on the other hand offers what we want, plus they would be easier to decorate than a Pan Am Car! Keep the suggestions coming! Cheers Joe MTL
Modern Kenworth http://www.makemymodel.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=28_42&osCsid=e6a36d316c480c04f8ac5da9c3548c53 There it is, although if you comapre these to Herpa Kenworth's, they make the Herpa trucks look very small. I'd like to see a Freightliner Colombia produced as well, especailly in undecorated. I drive one every day, and it is a very common truck, especially with the larger carriers, because they're cheap. When it comes to the 89' flats, I would like to see them done without trailers. MTL makes great trailers and containers, but they're super expensive, and IIRC, the longest one made is 48'. I've got tons of 40, 45, and 48' trailers, but would like a bunch of 53's. Maybe I just made another suggestion. Reasonably price 53' trailers.
"How about a wood center-cupola caboose? " I vote for the B&O version of this in N-scale. The photos and appropriate information have already been offered to MTL earlier this year. Thanks. Roger Perkins
Following up on my heavyweight suggestion, here are some of the cars I think are most needed: * Parlor 28-1 (plan 3416) * 12-1 Sleeper (plan 2410) * 8-1-2 Sleeper (plan 3979A) * 8 Sec-Buffet (plan 3989A) * 10-3 Sleeper (plan 3411) I'll note that several popular plans are still available in Pecos River Brass, which is why I didn't mention them. They include the 6-6, 12-1 (plan 3410), 8-5, and 14 sec. I think the 2410 12-1 and the 28-1 Parlor would be big hits.
I agree. They would make for great loads like these. There's a number of loads on 60' flats from the 1970's hear as well: http://www.mugii.com/Pictures/SE_Iowa_1970s/ I'd also vote for 89' flat cars and spine cars with UPS trailers.
I think that if we have a series of heavyweights, The nice thing is you can use 1 style for a fairly large ammount of roads, or give the modler the ability to "tailor" the coach to the specific road... I will be honest with every one I am NOT a huge rivet counter. But I think with the options of being able to make each coach a little unique to that road from a "generic" car would be a fairly reasonable offer. Plus it could allow costs to go down from MTL's end which would benifit us. I am also thinking out loud here and it could a very different perspective than other members think too.
