There are some really great models out there, and we have been really lucky to get some really great new models produced in the past few years, but I reckon there are some un-filled holes in the freightcar market where there is either no model, or a model that could be bettered...(although please lets not get into a RTR-vs-Kit-vs-Death-of-the-hobby-yet-again style argument here!), what do you folk see as the biggest holes in the marketplace? My thoughts: * 50's/60's built tank cars, with Atlas and Walthers both churning out pretty good frameless tanks for the 1960's - to modern era, there is a big gap between the steam era 8-10k tanks and these modern frameless ones that seems to be filled only by the Athearn 62' tank. * A "modular" modern (late 70's +) autorack, one that you can build as a roofless or end door-less version for period modelling, you would need to have see through holes I guess... * A better detailed mechanical reefer, Athearn's curent 57' model is not bad, but one with a see-through generator section would be rather stunning I think. *Bang up to date - a TTRX three unit spine car, these are the really cool ones that can take 3x57' or 6x28' trailers, or up to 53' containers. Very cool looking, and distinctive cars. What are your thoughts?
First off (and I know 'm not alone on this is C636s and M636s. The differences between the two are minor and a couple of user added parts could make picking one easy. Stewart has the drive already, so whats up here??? More options in plastic sleepers. Currently you can get a 10-6 pattern from Rivarossi or Concor or Walthers, and a all duplex roomette from IHC or Rivarossi. Beyond that, it's brass car sides. There are indications this may be improving, but at the moment it's very frustrating. A variation on this would be a generic dome coach interior for IHC/rivarossi cars and a Budd Dome from Walthers.
SD45t-2---> ( or some type of Tunnel Motor) complete with chassis. --->A Better C40-8 / C40-8W than Cachmann's too short, too fat and fragile gearing GE's. SD70MAC---> that has nice detail but not like Athearn Genesis type where is it over my budget. B23-7 --->doesn't anyone else make them? bachmann puts out a decent B30-7, I think they have the same body. GP38---> High Hood Version? GP30---> High Hood Version? [ 05. December 2002, 14:15: Message edited by: A&A 6183 ]
Too right! Models of these would be great! I think the truck wheelbases are different between the C628/630 and the 636, and again to the M636 though (waving my magic wand!) Walthers has a 6-6-4 and 4-4-2 PS sleepers listed for next year, I think these are smooth side cars as they include "painted" roadnames like GN. Happy now? Oh, they have a budd dome listed as well, but no indications as to what prototype it's based on. [ 05. December 2002, 14:35: Message edited by: Martyn Read ]
Well Athearn does an SD40T-2, but we are still short of the '45 version, and they are starting to appear in various other folk's rosters 2nd hand. Intermountain have been rumoured to have one on the go (there's one coming from them in N scale) but as far as I know it's still just a rumour in HO. Good call, Bachmann had a "totally retooled" one listed on their "new products" sheet this year...but we shall see how much "retooled" it is! Kato has one coming, which has made the day of most BNSF modellers! But it's doubtful you will find one cheap... Rail Power Products did a shell for these, as Athearn has bought them it may appear from them at some point...or if you can find an RPP shell you could paint your own. The Bachmann ones weren't too bad but had the thickest handrails known to mankind!!! The GP38 (and GP40 and SD35) have been done hinose by Atlas in the last couple of years, very good models (again, not cheap though). The GP30 hinose I would like to see, they are very cool looking loco's. Good suggestions folks. Any more? [ 05. December 2002, 14:55: Message edited by: Martyn Read ]
Now Walthers made a run of these a couple year back, I bought 5 of them all CSX. they came with weights, but still were so light that I had to buy fishing weights and Glue them with CA and put a load on. They are long since gone and replaced by Bowser models
A turntable kit that can handle an Allegheny or a Class A that doesn't cost as much as my car payment. More steel cabeese. Lots more. Sound decoders that don't cost as much as a turntable kit.
Those are/were 4 bay hoppers and have a different end slope that the 3 bay hoppers. These have about the same dimensions as the modern coal gons (which we have all kinds of models of) and even have rotary ends so they can also be used in rotary dumps. the Bowser models are 45' hoppers. The eastern coal is much denser than western coal - a 45' hopper loaded in the west won't reach it's 100T capacity, so longer and taller hoppers were developed for use in the west. Since there are (or at least were 10 years ago) steel mills in Chicago, that did not have rotary dumpers (nor had space for a balloon track and the dumper) there is (or at least was 10 years back) a need for large capacity hoppers. 45' hoppers can 'stand in' but gosh, they just look too, well, small... Here are some pictures of the type of hopper cars I need to fill a couple trains with. Maybe it’s time to learn resin casting…. Here are some pictures of the type of hopper I am talking about http://chicago.railfan.net/cgi/photos.pl/?photo=00101301.jpg&page=CNW_870353 http://chicago.railfan.net/cgi/photos.pl/?page=SOO_62121 http://chicago.railfan.net/cgi/photos.pl/?page=MILW_120104
Rob, interesting choice, I had not noticed those cars were longer than the Bowser/Bachmann models (both nice models BTW)... The only other options out there are the old MDC five bay, and the modern equivalent promised by LBF. Not a big range, but then the modern coal scene is rather dominated by gons. I like the "time" answer BTW, I guess it has "money" as it's counterpart! Another thought I had... We have only one steel coil car on the market, surely there is a bit more variety out there? Or is it a case of finding a prototype that can be painted in 101 colour schemes? One prototype that comes to mind are the silver NS "Protect III" cars, i'm fairly sure that other railroads run similar cars but not in such a fancy scheme!
I could use some more loco's and cars for C&NW. It always seems they overlook me when they run a new line!!
Red Caboose has plans to release an HO scale version of their Evans coil steel car in the near future, so things will get a little better in the coil-car area.
You're not alone on that one. I model the SP&S and get Veeeeeery frustrated on occassion when someone does a run and doesn't include SP&S. The worst example was the new IHC run of C415s. there were only 26 prototype 415s built, and SP&S had two, but does IHC do them? Nooooooo! They do every other road in the western hemisphere, but not the prototypical roads!!! SOmthing else I'd like to see is an aftermarket conversion kit for the Proto GP30 to a high hood or a GP30B. I know they exist for the GP9s, but I haven't seen one for the 30s. On the topic of Proto, a torpedo tube GP9 would be nice, (especially in SP&S), but I admit this is a minor gripe. The GP7 really is close enough to get away with, but it seems like such an easy change.
LBF makes a hi-hood GP30 conversion kit - it's and older kit and I've never used it, so I cannot comment on it's accuracy, or how it captures the set-back "brow" the hi-nose GP30s had. Here's a link to the page that has them - scroll down towards the bottom: http://www.lbfcompany.com/parts.htm As far as the GP30B goes, Hi-Tech Details plans to make a coversion kit to fit the P2k GP30. It hasn't been released yet, and shows "TBA" for delivery date on the Walthers site - http://www.walthers.com/exec/search?category=Part&scale=H&manu=331&item=&keywords=GP30B&instock=Q&split=300&Submit=Search Hi-Tech Details produces Cannon-quality locomotive details (he tends to focus on GEs), so the GP30B kit should be very nice. The 40' P-S hi-cube appliance boxcar he did was very nice too - I sure hope he does some more freightcars. [ 08. December 2002, 17:40: Message edited by: SP 8299 ]
It's one of those Soo Line things. On the surface, The Soo seems like a really simple RR to model, lots of normal EMD locomotives and "railbox" X-Post boxes - but alas, once you start looking into it the locomotives were ordered in dribs and drabs over the years, and almost none of them are 'normal' and the X-Post boxes - well they have 7 rather than the 'normal' 6 posts (SLHTS came to the rescue there) The good news is the covered hoppers are all rather standard design - just no one makes the decals. Eventually I'll build up a fleet of LOs. Now the coal hoppers - these are an issue because I will need these in bulk - a Soo Train and a MILW train ran from Western Coal fields to Chicago Steel Mills. - yes, gons are run as well, but those go to power plants in WI. I model an unusual RR in a unusual time (early 90s) so heaps of the new 'modern' cars on offer in recent months are too new for me. I knwo the late 80's modelers have a similar problem... I'd love to see some Thrall covered hoppers. A scale width flush deck 89' flat would be nice too - but I don't have too much a problem with the Accurail too-wide flats - the width is not too noticable IMO.
<font color="336633">Along with C636's all I really would like is some decent 4 axle Alco Hi Aid trucks that I could put under my Model Power C415.... but mainly C636's!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!</font>
I'll second that, but I'd prefer they be attached to a decent mechanisim I could put under my old brass C415 shells!
