I can't believe it.....I'm actually getting the scoop in on you guys, usually I'm the last one who finds this stuff out. The first page of the April issue of Model Railroader shows an ad by Exact Rail and they are producing the cars in both HO,(available now) and N Scale, (soon). You can see pictures of the HO cars on their website; ExactRail - Welcome - The Next Generation Of Model Railroading (TM). I hope the N Scale cars are as nice as the HO cars look, but I hope they are not the same price. 2slim
Hmm... wonder who use to make those things??? And I wonder who mentioned first that it would happen??? Hmm...
I hate that they don't specify on their website that the models are HO. That's a sure way to turn off N scalers, or at least this one. If they are already advertising an N scale version in a mag, their website should make clear that the online pictures aren't of an N scale model. Not that I can't tell, but still...
It's to bad they don't have any of the N Scale models on the website yet, especially since the ad says "New HO & N Models Available Now At www.ExactRail.com" AND all of the cars shown in the ad are N-Scale; however, each of the three cars that they currently have on their site do specifically say "HO Scale"(near the bottom of the page for each individual car under "Additional Information").
You and me both... one less class I'll have to scratch build... BUT...(there always seems to be one...) the rumor is the release will include the Box, Vert-A-Pac and a Trinity 5161... not the chip gons:tb-mad:
If they are going to do a Trinity Hopper, why in gods name would they do one that is already out there? I would need my own economic stimulus if they did the 6351's instead. A large 4 bay that is NOT an ACF car is what is needed.
Alas it's not a rumor - it's a full-page ad in the April MR. And their 5161's don't even look as good as the IM ones. I keep hoping it's an April Fool joke. -Gary P.S. I agree that an RC-quality tri-level rack would be nice, or 6351's, or an LPG tanker, or a Trinity 53' well car, or *any* TOFC, or a TBOX, or... (and that's just the modern stuff).
Exact Rail Well I placed an order for one High Cube (SP). See how it looks and how the order process goes. And I'll see how many more I might order. They look quite nice well detailed, If the N Scale look as nice I could use quite a few, but priceline would have to be rite as well. But detail is on Spot. Well just as I posted this post I received an email on shipment confirmation so that answers the order process part. "Excellent" for First impressions. I shall return as soon as it arrives with pics of course.
Nice Autoracks How about the ones that Red Caboose make; in my opinion they are some nice prototypical cars. And at a fair priceline. Only problem with them is availability, but used to be able to pick them up on Feebay.
Vert-A-Pacs are great! I need a couple to haul those Vegas on my Secret Places Sub... MILW, and of course, D&RGW. I look forward to this release. Sure, it won't please all parties, but this car will fill many a small niche in many 1970's rolling stock fleets.
The Hy-cubes and Vert-a-Pacs do look nice, and it's great to see a new player in the freight car business! I just don't see the value of offering a 5161 when the IM model is one of the best-quality modern freight cars in N today. But maybe they're spectacular. Gary
I had actually done quite well forgettng about vegas, and fords answer to it the pinto. I will need more therapy now. I don't remember seeing vert-a-pacs back then on the rails, wonder where they ran? It would be nice to have an open auto rack with the corrugated sheets on the sides to compliment those wonderful 70's.
Once the VertAPacs are out in N, I may have to open the wallet to trains again. Got a pic of one of those in MoPac, but of course that'll mean paint and decals. But that's fun!
The Vega may not have been one of the best remembered of Chevy's offerings, but the Vert-A-Pac is a distinctive car that will add variety to any layout set in the 70's. Vegas were built in Lordstown, Ohio's GM assembly plant. My dad built them back then, and still works to assemble Chevy's finest at GM Lordstown. So, it has a special place in my heart for the Vega. A lot has changed since then, but they still ship thousands of cars via rail. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chevrolet_Vega
Well, from the photos of the HO scale stuff from the March MR it looks like these are well detailed models. But as Gary said, 5161's are being done by IM very very nicely, and there sure are a lot of other freight cars out there that are either not being done or are not being done in a wide variety of schemes. I'm thinking 2-bay cement hoppers, sure atlas, IM, and MT are doing modern 2-bay hoppers but there are LOADS of roadnames and owners that are not being made and that you cannot get decals for. There are also Canadian Pacific style steel coil cars and covered gondolas set-up for steel coil duty (Hubert's was apparently doing these in HO but never N scale). Intermodal-wise there are all sorts of 40' cut-down cars not being modeled, especially the articulated all-purpose sets. In any event, before I turn this into a "what needs to be made or is not being made" thread, my point is that the 3 models they have apparently announced are all apprently not being made by anyone else or at least in small numbers, the 5161 would seem to be an odd choice than, especially since another very well-made but costly modern hopper (the Hawker Siddly[sic]) is about to hit from PWRS that is cutting into hopper funds! nonetheless, still great to have the other products and a new quality manufacturer, just some (uninvited of course! :tb-err thoughts on the 5161. my best to everyone, Jan
