Seeking suggestions for MTL Product Line Up

Joe D'Amato May 21, 2011

  1. Joe D'Amato

    Joe D'Amato TrainBoard Member

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    First I want to say I was sorry for not posting sooner. I was forwared an email expressing concern that I had left N out while asking the same for Z. Not intentional...just ran out of time before work and once I got there...well you know, all those trains got in the way :eek:)

    Anyway, this is my tri annual request for what you'd like to see MTL produce. I'm not strictly bound to cars with lots of road names, but the more the better. One-off's are a hard sell in this or any other market, so keep that in mind. I'm starting my wish list, and could use a little direction.

    Again, thank you for your interest and suggestions.

    Cheers

    Joe
    MTL
     
  2. Flash Blackman

    Flash Blackman TrainBoard Member

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    More cars with body mount couplers. Retrofit older styles with body mount couplers.

    Thank you for the opportunity to input our ideas.
     
  3. Espeeman

    Espeeman TrainBoard Member

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    A ventilated boxcar would be nice.
     
  4. r_i_straw

    r_i_straw Mostly N Scale Staff Member

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    Nn3 passenger cars or even a narrow gauge stock (cattle) car.
     
  5. Tinhare

    Tinhare TrainBoard Member

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    More cabeese or is that cabooses. I never can tell which is which. Both in reprints with new road numbers and new models for example the NP shorty caboose.

    I also agree with the previous post about body mounted couplers.

    I'd also like to see more runner packs and weathered releases.

    Thanks for asking.
     
  6. DCESharkman

    DCESharkman TrainBoard Member

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    Well for startes, I like the way MTL direction has changed with the release of the body mounted coupler on the ATSF Hopper, the change in wheels and the release of the Heavyweight cars!

    So:

    How about runner sets with 6 cars instead of 4?

    I too would like to see the conversion to body mount couplers on existing cars.

    I liked the end of the Pizza cutters, now how about going into quality metal wheels like FVM makes?

    Perhaps a Heavyweight set with RPO, Baggage, Diner, coaches, sleepers and a obeservation/parlour car as a complete train.

    It may be too soon, but since we are going towards body mounted couplers, why not include the cut-levers and hoses too?

    Last, but not least, we need to ease back on the fanasty stuff. Ringling Brothers is fine, but presidents and holiday stuff etc is a bit overdone.

    Maybe add a few new tank car types, there are so many to choose from and they are all good!

    Thats all for me, and thanks for asking!
     
  7. Jazzbass01

    Jazzbass01 TrainBoard Member

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    Please, something resembling a B&O caboose. Multiple numbers would be a bonus!
     
  8. brakie

    brakie TrainBoard Member

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    Joe,I would love to see Southern "waffle" boxcars in N. I would buy several.

    Speaking of Southern are you aware finding a 50' Southern boxcar is like finding a pirate's treasure?

    Examples:
    50' boxcar

    SOU #33687

    Waffle:

    SOU 556060
     
  9. Ken Ford

    Ken Ford TrainBoard Member

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    Multiple runner packs with different numbers for unit train cars like the 108110 BN 100T three bay rotary end hopper - these ran in gaggles, not singles. Do a new runner pack of them every few months so people can build full-sized unit trains.

    Pipe dream: a new coupler with a Z scale sized head in an existing box, preferably without any slinky effect. If I had to choose between slinky under tension and slinky under compression, I'd choose the latter.

    Even bigger pipe dream: a second dummy version of the above coupler for unit train usage - something that fits into one of your standard draft gear as a direct replacement for automatic couplers.
     
  10. oldrk

    oldrk TrainBoard Supporter

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    How about some stuff from the late 1800s? Bobber caboose. Ensign hoppers, that kind of stuff that goes with the new bachmann 4-6-0 and the Athearn 2-8-0 and 2-6-0?
     
  11. CNW 1518

    CNW 1518 TrainBoard Member

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    I'd love to see some more grain hoppers..

    CNW, RI, UP.. Those would be nice.
     
  12. atsf

    atsf TrainBoard Member

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  13. BoxcabE50

    BoxcabE50 HOn30 & N Scales Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Ditto that suggestion.

    Also, please keep the 65xxx series tank cars coming. Good old-fashioned black utility tank cars. Especially in reporting marks as SHPX, GATX, UTLX, NATX...... Which were once so commonly seen. Re-releases of additional numbers in black, such as Richfield, Tide, Texas Oil, Conoco and.... Coverage of those many post-WWII gas companies we saw until the (ugh) mega-merging days :( began.

    Boxcab E50
     
  14. jpwisc

    jpwisc TrainBoard Member

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    I'd like to see the PS-2 hoppers in some patch schemes. TC&W, RRVW, FURX would all be nice. Thanks for asking!
     
  15. TetsuUma

    TetsuUma TrainBoard Member

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    Regarding cars you don't already make, I would suggest the following:
    • BNSF Trinity reefer with the icicle paint scheme.
    • CB&Q NE7 Waycar (Caboose).
    • 85' garbage skeleton flat with containers
    There are a lot of new/different paint schemes I would like to see but I think that is another topic.

    Andy
    Tetsu Uma
     
  16. tgromek

    tgromek TrainBoard Member

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    I would like to suggest a runner pack of BN 100 ton hoppers in the earlier scheme, without the rotary coupler end painted white. Since the MTL car isn't the same as what the BN used, painting the end white only makes that difference stand out more.

    New BN Open Hoppers at 21st Street

    But, if they must be done in white, I'm OK with that.

    Or, you could also do the NP, skip the single release, go straight to the runner pack

    NP 73678
     
  17. mark.hinds

    mark.hinds TrainBoard Member

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    Hi Joe,

    How about improving the RDA couplers? :) Remember we spoke about this several months ago... From another post:

    1) Most recent MT coupler types have an imperfectly-implemented RDA (Reverse Draft Angle) modification, which can cause the knuckle tips to catch when magnetic uncoupling is attempted. Here is my suggested fix:

    a) Ensure that the RDA couplers are burnished (rubbed with a smooth metal tool) with graphite on the working surfaces (internal and external) per MT's instructions. If already assembled, at least squirt some graphite into the coupler box and flick them open a couple of times to distribute.

    b) More importantly, narrow and round off the flat tip of the MT RDA coupler knuckles, and burnish. (Try not to remove the reverse angle when doing this). The portion to be removed is marked in orange in the image below. The coupler assembly is best removed from the car/engine when you are doing this.

    [​IMG]

    Mark H.
     
  18. SteamDonkey74

    SteamDonkey74 TrainBoard Supporter

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    Those logging projects you have going in Z, including any vehicles like the bulldozer.
     
  19. brokemoto

    brokemoto TrainBoard Member

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    There are manufacturers that sell nineteenth century cabooses, flat cars, box cars and refrigerators. MT even sells nineteenth century refrigerators. Refrigerators are the only nineteenth century cars that MT sells.

    No one sells a nineteenth century hopper.

    No one sells a nineteenth century tank car. Yes, there is the B-mann, but keep in mind that the tank car took its basic modern form in the 1840s. No one sells a tank car like that.

    Bachmann sells a nineteenth century 'gondola', that is really a flat car with sides. No one sells a real nineteenth century gondola, especially a hopper bottom gondola. Some of the nineteenth century equipment could be used for narrow gauge, as well.

    How about a nineteenth century hopper bottom gondola?
     
  20. Kevin M

    Kevin M TrainBoard Member

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    I will second a Waffle side boxcar in Southern. I would also like to see a shorter caboose such as the little wood ones NP had (a few made BN green). I think the level of detail already on MT cars are good. Cutlevers and air hoses are nice but only a small percentage of modeler's would apriciate them and they do bring the price up, it is something that can bee added.
    Kevin
     

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