Fox Valley Models seems to be intent on becoming a significant player in our scale. I know I am happy about this. If you had told me a week ago that someone was going to come up with any Hiawatha in N scale soon I would have pulled a Wayne's World and replied, "Shaaa, right, and monkeys might fly out of -"
Looks like this is going to be a winner! FVM's is doing great things with N Scale and I am glad to see it! Keep up the good work Matt!
Hmmmm... FVM announced the GEVO... Kato soon after announced their own GEVO... FVM announces 1935 Hiawatha... ...Kato.. I hope this pattern continues.
As long as Kato does a different version, having more quality N scale manufacturers is not much use if they are all going to make the same thing. I bet FVM have the guys at Kato thinking though.
Very pleasantly... 'sort of'... surprised. Charlie Vlk had hinted to a big announcement on the Atlas Forum last week. The clues seemed to indicate a Milwaukee Road model of some sort from a manufacturer in the state of Illinois. I guessed Hiawatha from Kato... them backed off and figured instead a Great Dome from CCS/Des Plaines Hobbies. I really hadn't given Fox Valley a serious thought for another locomotive... since they had recently announced the GEVO... and even less for a full consist of passenger cars since they haven't done any in the past. That was the REAL surprise in my mind... but a pleasant one. Now we need Fox Valley to deliver a quality model... and hopefully not vaporware. I will support their effort and pre-order one... something I'm getting reluctant to do now... specially with a new (and unproven) manufacturer.
Good News!! This is very, very good news! It shows that there are manufacturers out there not afraid to do steam! And even do prototypical steam that only ran on one railroad :tb-ooh: Now, I personally do not need most of the cars, but the "Colombian" operated with hand-me-down equipment in 1949, so I guess I will be able to sneak some Hiawatha cars in. I am not sure yet if I like the packages: Getting the engine plus six cars in one package for 400 USD appears to be a reasonable proposal, but I do not need the engine. So I can see some happy trading coming up.... This is what pulls my Colombian: (I know, I know: The pants are still missing....) But I will buy one FVM set for sure :tb-cool: Cheers Dirk
I, for one, really hope that Kato DOES NOT do a Hiawatha; and this isn't to knock Kato and their many fans out there... I say this because I do not understand the logic in the "n scale me too" movement. I understand that development takes time and it's quite possible that two companies could work on the same thing at the same time but n scale seems to break all Vegas odds for this happening. FT's, F7's, GEVO's etc........ Why do we need two guys cutting up one small pie; and please don't say " I don't like mfg _______, I only want products from _________" That approach effectively reduces the market to a few players and will make equipment harder to get and will result in price increases. I think we should a/ Be happy for and encourage smaller guys who step up like Fox Valley and others and b/ Encourage the big guys to re-invest in new products; improving their older tooling and keeping the hobby moving forward.... copy cat annoucements really don't help the hobby grow. My two cents worth anyway.... and I'm in for the Hiawatha !
Of course, now we need FVM to get back at Kato by announcing an SD45. Then, when Kato comes out with their (inevitable) me-too announcement, then Matt just says, just kidding! No harm, no cost, no foul, and we got Kato to do another (much needed) SD45 run. C'mon, Matt, how about it?
And with a not-easily reusable mechanism to boot. I don't know of any other Atlantics with 84" disc drivers.
I'm starting to wonder if re-using mechanism's is as common as we all think, especially for steam. One would think Kato to produce the 4-8-4 Northern by now with their GS4 Mech, but from the rumors Kato has no intent. Perhaps we're entering an age where re-designing a previous mech has no more advantage over just designing the whole thing from scratch? I suppose that's getting off on a different topic though.
Most of the time i would agreed with you. But if Kato were to do a 1952(or 42) Hiawatha it could very well be a plus for both companies, as while you would still have people who would only buy one. Many would be more likely to buy the both the newest FVM and Kato sets if they go together like a pair of Hiawatha would.
Milwaukee Road 1935 Hiawatha Set is AWESOME news and something I have been waiting for a long time!!! As for Kato making the same thing? NO, please do not double efforts! Kato can make the 1938 is it? Milwaukee Road F7 4-6-4 Hudson Hiawatha steamlined steam loco and matching cars! that would be "awesome awesome" as the kids say, and complete my dream to have both complete trains in N scale! There they are together at the station! more info here: http://ironhorse129.com/Projects/Engines/Hiawatha/F7HudsonHiawatha.htm http://www.minnesotajones.com/hiawatha_page.htm http://www.friesch-artist.com/hiwgalry.html
If you want to sell your loco, I'd be interested. I'm looking for an 4-4-2 atlantic platform. I would almost consider purchasing the train, but it would look out of place on my western road. Now if FVM would model a SP atlantic so I don't have to.
Well, even though you wouldn't find any Hiawathas on NKP rails, this set is simply too good to pass up. Plus, those of us that can really need to support efforts like this; if we're going to have diversity in the kinds of stuff that is available, we need to show that it will sell and make at least a modest profit for those who take the risk. Already reserved one, with one each of the extra coaches. John C.
FVM is definitely taking on a lot.....a new , never before produced engine (that only fits one railroad, although hopefully the chassis can be used again) with a set of prototypically correct cars (again that only fit one railroad). And having it out by this summer. But maybe they have the right idea......their ribside Milw. boxcars are gone the minute they hit the shelves. I'm crossing my fingers and putting an N version on pre-order.
Mark, My thoughts exactly. With databases (warehouses) of digital parts, why not? For model railroaders, this is the Holy Grail, at least for mechanisms. The fly in the ointment might be the shell. That is still expensive to model, and then mold. Even with digital tools. I think that your premise is that mechanisms are getting easier to design because of computers and softwre and catalogs (software) of parts. I agree. Now, what do we do about the shells that have to fit these mechanisms? This is a good-hearted challenge! I have no real answers. The exotic offerings of Dassualt and others promise to do this, but what potential manufacturer of hobby products could afford those suites? AutoDesk doesn't cut it when transferring designs to manufacturing, in my experience. This discussion is not that far apart from the main discussion.
Matt said these should show up the second week of July. Just in time for the NMRA show. Get your orders in now! Obviously, FVM is in the Chicagoland area, so I think you'll see a good deal of Milwaukee Road stuff from them. As stated earlier, you can't even find any of the ribside cars, so there's obviously a demand for them, and Matt's done his homework. Branching out and tooling this set for HO is a huge bonus too, and it takes a shot at Walthers, and their piece meal way of selling complete train sets. The whole thing is $500 in HO, you can't get two of their Life Like E's (with sound) for that. $400 in N, is a steal IMHO. I just need to convince the wife to let me get one! Trust me, Matt is on his game, and FVM is here to play with the big boys. If he isn't one of the big already.
