There a about five photos of the samples. (a Thank You to whom took them). They do appear to be Athearn/Atlas-like in construction. Nice body detail with what appears to be holes for (drilling/mounting) grab irons on the carbody sides. Handrails look to be within a reasonable size. Chassis appears to be following the common (Atlas/Athearn/Bachmann/Lifelike/Kato) practice of a "split-frame". (Which is Great for kitbashing!) It does look like solid, Do hope there is some density there for weight!! Trucks look nicely detailed with low-profile wheels. An the most intelligent idea done yet, is an actual plug for hooking up a decoder. Without removing the existing board!!! One of our members has already ordered three from our local hobby shop. He always likes to be the first!!! Way to GO, FVM!! :thumbs_up: Jerry G.
I have some C44-9W's and opened one up for a look, so it could be, but the older Kato split frame chassis and Atlas/LL/IM are all similar. Anyone have photos of the mechanism if the one on show was the final design? A good mechanism is just as important as how good the shell looks. If they use an 8 pin plug for the decoder I hope they leave room to put the shell back on unlike the Walthers 0-8-0.
Thanks for the crisp photos Scott. To me the mech looks VERY close to the Kato C44-9W that I just held up to your photos.
Ryan, major spotting differences are on the rear of the engine....take a look at the radiator forward...that is how you can tell...otherewise, no change to the outsid eof the cab, or most of the long hood....sept subtle stuff..take a look again now...
Newman, I guess my post wasn't clear. I took the shell off the Kato C44-9W and compared to Scott's photo in the link below and the mechanisms look very similar. But yes, the GEVOs do look very similar on the outside. I've been pretty good at sticking to the 1990s for my era but I already slipped with the WP heritage SD70ACe so might as well get a GEVO companion to run with it. http://www.trainboard.com/railimages/data/968/Portland_N-scale_convention_006r.jpg
LOW NUMBER BOARDS ON FVM GEVO? Thanks Scott for the pictures! On all the pictures I've seen I have not seen a version with low number boards. I hope they offer this as all the 1:1 scale CP versions seem to have low number boards, have a look -> http://www.mountainrailway.com/CP%208700%20Page%202.htm http://www.mountainrailway.com/CP 8800 Page 2.htm
I echo the sentiment. My line was going to be "I'm only going to buy one if they do Ferromex." That was how I was going to get out of it. Well, they've called that bluff! hah! I will have to wait and see if I can actually afford any.
I was just thinking 'if no Low number boards, then maybe FVM will switch from CP to CN instead' But then I remembered that CSX also have low number boards - so FVM must be doing a low number board version as well.
I hope so, otherwise it will be just another model that just doesn't quite match the prototype CP version and we have toooooo many of them already! Wait and see I guess.
If the do the correct versions for CSX, Its going to be costly for me as well. CSX has the DC version and the AC versions in two different cabs. I like what I see in the pictures from Scott, if I did not know any better I would say they were made in Japan because that mech sure looks like the ones in the -9/ac44/sd70m/sd70mac made by Kato.
I really like the KCS scheme. I see them running around here all the time. I also like the Ferromex. Then of course the UP and the BNSF. I have the feeling that this is going to get real ugly....
