TheRailwire
General Discussion => N and Z Scales => Topic started by: Dreadnought on May 27, 2017, 05:50:20 PM
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This thread is about vehicles you want to see in scale. There are already a good amount vehicles captured in scale, but the number of vehicles produced at any point in time is truly mind-boggling, meaning that a lot of vehicles fall through the cracks. What vehicles do you wish were available in scale?
One deficiency I've noted is buses in any era. There are certainly a few good buses out there, but I think I can count on two hands the number of different types. Shapeways lists a total of 49 items under 'Buses' in N scale, and most of them aren't US prototypes.
Here's a few buses I'd like to see myself; I model the transition era, so they are from around that time.
ACF-Brill Model IC-41
(http://www.imcdb.org/i006732.jpg)
Aerocoach Mastercraft P-372
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/8/7254/7678135814_e89cb62485_z.jpg)
Yellow Coach TD 4506
(http://auto-zer.com/uploads/yellow-coach/yellow-coach-td-4506/yellow-coach-td-4506-09.jpg)
A good deal of vehicles are available for the transition era already, so it must be very difficult modeling vehicles for anyone doing anything earlier. I briefly looked into modeling the '20's or '30's, only to find the shocking paucity of vehicles from that time!
What do you all want to see in scale?
Thanks for any replies,
Dreadnought
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Any of these would be nice.
(https://assets.cnhindustrial.com/caseih/NAFTA/NAFTAASSETS/Efficient_Power/Engines/CIH_HHP_Efficient_Power_Family_Lineup_FINAL.jpg?width=1280&height=562)
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I would love to have a Mack AC chain drive truck.[attachimg=1]
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I would love to have a Mack AC chain drive truck. (Attachment Link)
There's a kit, if that will do.
https://www.republiclocomotiveworks.com/show_item.php?ID=952
https://www.republiclocomotiveworks.com/show_item.php?ID=931
I'm not sure if the second one is actually available. It says there is 1 in stock as of Feb 18, 2015, but I bought one since then. So who knows.
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I want modern crew haulers. Chevy Suburbans and Ford Econoline vans. It would be nice to have shuttle service for my N Scale crews when they die on hours.
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This thread is about vehicles you want to see in scale. There are already a good amount vehicles captured in scale, but the number of vehicles produced at any point in time is truly mind-boggling, meaning that a lot of vehicles fall through the cracks. What vehicles do you wish were available in scale?
One deficiency I've noted is buses in any era. There are certainly a few good buses out there, but I think I can count on two hands the number of different types. Shapeways lists a total of 49 items under 'Buses' in N scale, and most of them aren't US prototypes.
Here's a few buses I'd like to see myself; I model the transition era, so they are from around that time.
Yellow Coach TD 4506
(http://auto-zer.com/uploads/yellow-coach/yellow-coach-td-4506/yellow-coach-td-4506-09.jpg)
A good deal of vehicles are available for the transition era already, so it must be very difficult modeling vehicles for anyone doing anything earlier. I briefly looked into modeling the '20's or '30's, only to find the shocking paucity of vehicles from that time!
What do you all want to see in scale?
Thanks for any replies,
Dreadnought
The TomyTec GMC TDH 4512 is probably as close as you are going to get to the TD 4506.
https://www.walthers.com/north-american-gmc-tdh-4512-bus-unpowered-world-bus-collection-yellow-green-white (https://www.walthers.com/north-american-gmc-tdh-4512-bus-unpowered-world-bus-collection-yellow-green-white)
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Anything sixties, especially medium and heavy trucks and farm tractors and implements.
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Well given that there will be no glazing , chrome , and paint , I think a crap load of Jeeps on a stick would be the easiest to glaze or not , and paint . I would wand mass quantities to satisfy the appetite of a few 40" flatcars .
(https://www.therailwire.net/forum/gallery/53_28_05_17_3_52_26.jpeg)(https://www.therailwire.net/forum/gallery/53_28_05_17_3_54_23.jpeg)
(https://www.therailwire.net/forum/gallery/53_28_05_17_3_53_08.jpeg)(https://www.therailwire.net/forum/gallery/53_28_05_17_3_53_45.jpeg)
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Anything from 1990- Today. Seriously lacking in this era... Especially GM products...
:facepalm:
I know it's really hard to get rights to GM products but it'd be nice.
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Semi modern (80-90's) Hondas, Toyotas and Nissans along with Chevy Caddy and Lincoln.
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90s - 10s construction equipment for my HTTX 60' flats - CAT Dozers, Excavators, Compactors, Loaders etc.
Intermodal trailer wise I'd need more space for the list :scared:
But a Wabash HD Duraplate trailer would be a good start.....
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Defiantly anything modern, cars, trucks, construction equipment.
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There's a kit, if that will do.
https://www.republiclocomotiveworks.com/show_item.php?ID=952
https://www.republiclocomotiveworks.com/show_item.php?ID=931
I'm not sure if the second one is actually available. It says there is 1 in stock as of Feb 18, 2015, but I bought one since then. So who knows.
Yup - I knew about these (and have a couple of them). I'm just not good assembling the brass kit. It would be nice to have something in plastic. Thanks for the info.
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There's no Crown Vic police car in N scale. That always surprised me.
Quality N scale cars and small trucks seem to be either sixties or nineties, nothing in between.
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Judging by posts above, I may be in the minority, but am modeling the mid 50s. Could use early 50s Fords (Chevy can be had, especially if you are willing to paint). And the earliest American La France fire trucks readily available are the model 1000, which is a bit late for layout, so could use a 700 series.
And a whole sprue of early 50s taxi cabs ( early model Checker Marathon or ?)
They just don't make Jeeps like they used to. I mean, what would be the outcome if you stacked one Cherokee on top of another one and shipped them across the country?
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I have a feeling that given enough time for responses the requested vehicle range will cover from the early automobile days to the present, and cars, buses, trucks, and farm equipment. :) But fortunately there have been quite few vehicles being produced by small manufacturers (like Showcase Miniatures, our own Rasputin, and quite a few on Shapeways).
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There's no Crown Vic police car in N scale. That always surprised me.
Quality N scale cars and small trucks seem to be either sixties or nineties, nothing in between.
If you don't mind painting them, Willmodels has a 92-97 Crown Vic and a 98-2010 Crown Vic. http://stores.ebay.com/willmodels (http://stores.ebay.com/willmodels)
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I have a feeling that given enough time for responses the requested vehicle range will cover from the early automobile days to the present, and cars, buses, trucks, and farm equipment. :) But fortunately there have been quite few vehicles being produced by small manufacturers (like Showcase Miniatures, our own Rasputin, and quite a few on Shapeways).
... and not a '37 Hudson Terraplane in the bunch. :trollface:
I don't know if they're out there but "B" model Macks with flat beds, stake sides, cement mixers, dumps... the whole lot. I've seen the Internationals and Whites of that era (which is good) but don't recall the Macks. In my recollection they were at least as common as any of the others. Maybe that was a regional thing, too.
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Corvair, either early or late style (or both!).
Jason
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I already offer a 60-64 Corvair 4 door:
https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=40518.0 (https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=40518.0)
I also plan on offering an American LaFrance 700 series in the future.
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I already offer a 60-64 Corvair 4 door:
https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=40518.0 (https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=40518.0)
I also plan on offering an American LaFrance 700 series in the future.
Awesome, I missed that update.
Jason
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Almost anything I can afford to fill up a parking lot or two with 90's to 2010 vehicles.
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Anything from the late 60s, or anything from the 70's for me. Windows are very important!...
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I would like to see many of the Sylvan Scale Models vehicles done in N scale.
http://www.sylvanscalemodels.com/Vehiclepage%20new.htm
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I would like to see many of the Sylvan Scale Models vehicles done in N scale.
http://www.sylvanscalemodels.com/Vehiclepage%20new.htm
I spoke to Clare (Sylvan's proprietor) last February and he said that his is collaborating with Bryan (Rasputin) on some of his new N scale vehicles. But also, year after year, Clare tells me the same thing: the N scale vehicle kits don't sell well enough for them to expand their line of vehicles. It seems that N scale modelers just don't want the bother of painting and assembling these tiny autos.
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I have some 52 Chevys by Sylvan- and are very nice. And they do go together much like Rasputen's autos (and street sweeper) -which are really nice. Anyone who hasn't seen Rasputen's product should send him a PM for pics and a pricelist or check out one of the threads on his cars.
Sylvan is one of those companies that does very nice work, but their N scale product isn't carried by many retailers (at least in my experience). But worth hunting them down- some nice trucks and boats and nice little GTW station. http://www.sylvanscalemodels.com/Nscalecontent.htm
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That does it! everyone buy me a Power Ball ticket and when I win I will retire from the gov't and start a company dedicated to releasing three new N scale kit vehicles monthly, with see through windows and interiors.
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1970, 71 or 72 Plymouth Valiant.....a red one to go with my Duel truck! :D
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1970, 71 or 72 Plymouth Valiant.....a red one to go with my Duel truck! :D
I believe Rasputin makes one of those in N scale. Just ask @chicken45 :)
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1964 Rambler Ambassador station wagon.
(http://[attach=2])
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I believe Rasputin makes one of those in N scale. Just ask @chicken45 :)
Actually it isn't Rasputen. It's Jens Jahn (Madaboutcars) on Shapeways.
(https://c3.staticflickr.com/6/5836/30480386434_34b389149a_k.jpg)
https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=40517.msg501837#msg501837
https://www.shapeways.com/product/K3FXSZ5E2/1-160-2x-1970-72-plymouth-valiant?optionId=61141339
I do kinda wish @Rasputen offered a resin version. I'm stalled on my FXD car. Maybe next year Peteski will let me mail these to him so he can work his magic on them.
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I spoke to Clare (Sylvan's proprietor) last February and he said that his is collaborating with Bryan (Rasputin) on some of his new N scale vehicles. But also, year after year, Clare tells me the same thing: the N scale vehicle kits don't sell well enough for them to expand their line of vehicles. It seems that N scale modelers just don't want the bother of painting and assembling these tiny autos.
While there's not doubt a lot of truth to folks not painting and assembling much anymore, what about offering vehicles in an era that might entice folks to buy them? All of Sylvan's offerings are from the 40's and 50's. And with Classic Metal Works offering assembled vehicles of the same era(with the exception of the Galaxie and Impala) how big is that market? And the way CMW packaged their offerings was a bit strange to me as well. Who want's 2 of something in the same color? But even Atlas did this with the Ford cars and trucks they offered. Yes my family owned two Fairmont station wagons while I was growing up. But not from the same year nor were they the same color. Obviously there are reasons for offering 2 of each. But at least give us different colors. Which I believe CMW did this later on. Anyway, I do grow a bit weary of modelers being to blame when a product doesn't sell. What about offering a product that folks want to buy? I know it's very, very, easy to type that. But manufacturer's have to shoulder some of the responsibility of offering a product folks would want to buy as well. But I would agree that in this hobby the trend is moving away from kits.
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I spoke to Clare (Sylvan's proprietor) last February and he said that his is collaborating with Bryan (Rasputin) on some of his new N scale vehicles. But also, year after year, Clare tells me the same thing: the N scale vehicle kits don't sell well enough for them to expand their line of vehicles. It seems that N scale modelers just don't want the bother of painting and assembling these tiny autos.
I just submitted a three-part article with scores of photos on assembling and painting Rasputin's and Sylvan's beautifully molded resin car kits and Pam has accepted it for publishing in upcoming issues. I'm hoping this will help generate increased interest in these models.
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1964 Rambler Ambassador station wagon.
(http:// (Attachment Link) )
Ah, a classic - I quite like the car in your signature as well, though they'd certainly be a good bit rarer!
Anyway, I suppose I'll give you guys an update on what I've been up to. This thread has certainly given me a lot of ideas, and I've started looking into starting a resin car kit line myself. As you may have seen in my Lima LS-1000/1200 thread in another section, I'm trying to get together a resin kit company currently. I feel that, based on feedback from this thread and similar other threads, there is a good amount of demand in this sector.
Here are some details on what I'm going to try to be doing. I still have lots to work out, such as the manufacturer, designer, etc. but I'll just give you my ideas here. The kits would be offered in both HO and N:
- Separate Chassis and Body. While not only decreasing production costs (a station wagon and sedan will have the same chassis) this makes it easier to add details to the interior, such as figures.
- Window Glazing. A singular piece of clear resin would be included with each kit and glued to the roof to replicate glass.
- Facelift Capability. Many kits would include a few different grilles/bumpers in order to allow facelifts to be reflected midway through the car's lifespan. For example, a 1971-1976 Chevy Impala would include a pre-1973 bumper and grill and a post-1973 bumper and grill (1973 was the year that the Federal Government required fat safety bumpers to be added to all cars).
This would also allow a single kit to represent practically identical cars made by multiple manufacturers, such as the Chevy/GMC Suburban. - Exchangeable Chassis. Large truck kits would be sold as only the cab, with separate chassis kits being sold. This way, you would be able to buy a cab of, say, a Peterbilt Model 350 'Bubblenose', and then be able to choose a single-axle chassis or a dual-axle chassis, with different wheelbases available as well. This allows quite a lot of variability from a single cab, since trucks were almost as varied as locomotives in their setups.
- Detail Kits. Along similar lines, kits would be sold for converting cars from civilian to, say, a police car or taxi, instead of selling a separate taxi kit. The detail kit would include appropriate details, like a siren, as well as decals. The same concept could be used for converting a regular van to a utility van, or a regular truck to a utility truck, or for turning a tractor truck into a straight truck, dump truck, etc.
- Bulk Packages. A good amount of feedback has been that people want mid '70's or '80's automobiles for filling up autoracks or things like that. For that purpose, a bulk kit of cars would be sold that only come with one grill to reflect a certain model year.
Here's a little glimpse of the shortlist I've been putting together. Naturally, I can't hope to satisfy everyone's needs, but it seems the greatest want is late '60's-early '90's, so that's where I've focused first.
1975-1991 Ford Econoline Passenger Van
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/88/83-91_Ford_Club_Wagon.jpg/800px-83-91_Ford_Club_Wagon.jpg)
Would include details for 1975-1978 model, 1979-1981 model and 1982-1991 model.
1971-1976 Chevrolet Impala Sedan
(http://topclassiccarsforsale.com/uploads/photoalbum/1973-chevrolet-impala-4-door-sedan-1.JPG)
Would include details for pre-1973 model, and post-1973 model.
1965-1966 Ford Galaxie 500 Sedan
(https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/60/99/54/609954f253fbbc800df228e0203254b9.jpg)
1967-1972 Chevrolet/GMC Suburban
(http://13252-presscdn-0-94.pagely.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/1971-Chevrolet-Suburban-Front.jpg)
Would include optional Chevrolet or GMC branding.
1960-1963 Chevrolet/GMC C-10 Fleetside
(https://assets.hemmings.com/uimage/5917419-500-0.jpg)
Would include optional Chevrolet or GMC branding.
1982-1984 Honda Accord Sedan
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/45/1983Accord.jpg)
1974-1976 Dodge Monaco Sedan
(http://www.imcdb.org/i375360.jpg)
Here are some 'possibles':
Autocar DC-100
(https://www.trucksplanet.com/photo/autocar/dc-100/dc-100_20405.jpg)
Both day cab and sleeper variants. Would be compatible with single axle chassis with short or long wheelbase, and dual axle chassis with short or long wheelbase. For example, the truck in the picture would be a day cab with a long wheelbase single axle chassis.
MCI MC-9
(http://www.kevinsbusrail.com/greyhound/mc9-9s/gry_764.jpg)
Would include decals for a few different bus outfits.
That's what I would like to be able to do, anyway. I'm currently trying to get into contact with a designer, so I'll see how that goes. However, I am making no promises yet. This is simply a listing of concepts and possible products.
Tell me what you guys think of this.
Dreadnought
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Speaking of Autocar , This outfit had a plant 1/4 mile from me from 1953 to about 1973 . Big a$$ trucks . Common to Long Island then .
https://www.picclickimg.com/d/l400/pict/162262079933_/COLONIAL-CONCRETE-NYC-1953-AUTOCAR-DC103-11-CY-REX.jpg
(https://www.picclickimg.com/d/l400/pict/162262079933_/COLONIAL-CONCRETE-NYC-1953-AUTOCAR-DC103-11-CY-REX.jpg)
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I need cars for my open racks circa 1975 ...
Ford Pinto? Ford Maverick? :lol:
Mark
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Ah, a classic - I quite like the car in your signature as well, though they'd certainly be a good bit rarer!
Anyway, I suppose I'll give you guys an update on what I've been up to. This thread has certainly given me a lot of ideas, and I've started looking into starting a resin car kit line myself. As you may have seen in my Lima LS-1000/1200 thread in another section, I'm trying to get together a resin kit company currently. I feel that, based on feedback from this thread and similar other threads, there is a good amount of demand in this sector.
Here are some details on what I'm going to try to be doing. I still have lots to work out, such as the manufacturer, designer, etc. but I'll just give you my ideas here. The kits would be offered in both HO and N:
- Window Glazing. A singular piece of clear resin would be included with each kit and glued to the roof to replicate glass.
Here's a little glimpse of the shortlist I've been putting together. Naturally, I can't hope to satisfy everyone's needs, but it seems the greatest want is late '60's-early '90's, so that's where I've focused first.
Tell me what you guys think of this.
Dreadnought
Have you looked ad Rasputin's catalog of vehicles? Other than the lack of window "glass", his kits are excellent and I would hate to see any duplication.
Speaking of glass, while a block of clear resin is better than no windows at all, appearance-wise it is far from ideal. I would recommend that you consider making the glass out of thermo-formed (vacuu-formed) sheet of thin clear PETG. That would look 1000% better than a block of solid glass.
Small vacu-forming machines are readily available (even Micro-Mark sells one for a bit inflated price). Those are the ones used by dentists for making custom mouth guards. Then you could make resin or 3D printed bucks for the window molding and produce a dozen or so at a time. And that method to me seem to be less hassle than casting them out of resin (and worrying about air bubbles or rough surface).
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Have you looked ad Rasputin's catalog of vehicles? Other than the lack of window "glass", his kits are excellent and I would hate to see any duplication.
Speaking of glass, while a block of clear resin is better than no windows at all, appearance-wise it is far from ideal. I would recommend that you consider making the glass out of thermo-formed (vacuu-formed) sheet of thin clear PETG. That would look 1000% better than a block of solid glass.
Small vacu-forming machines are readily available (even Micro-Mark sells one for a bit inflated price). Those are the ones used by dentists for making custom mouth guards. Then you could make resin or 3D printed bucks for the window molding and produce a dozen or so at a time. And that method to me seem to be less hassle than casting them out of resin (and worrying about air bubbles or rough surface).
peteski,
Thanks for the input. I actually meant a vacuum-formed piece, not a solid block of resin. Sorry if that wasn't clear. I will look into the things you mentioned. The windows thing is something that I have not discussed very much with anyone, so I will need to look into it further before the cars go into production - if that happens. Again, this is what I would like to do, not a guarantee.
In fact, I have looked at a lot of Rasputen's stuff. His kits are very impressive. I'm not sure I have the most up to date list of his available products (I got it from https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=40518.0 ) but a lot of his stuff seems to be '40's - early '70's. I don't believe I have duplicated any of the product he listed there in my list, except for perhaps the Dodge Monaco. You will note that I plan to offer these in both HO and N scale, though, while I believe he only does N scale.
If this gets off the ground, I will certainly talk with him further on the topic of duplication. I am making a bit of an effort to be more recent here, but I may, in the future, look into replicating cars of an earlier time period. I also want to do more trucks, buses, and other things like farm equipment, which I don't believe he does.
Again, this is all a proposal at the current phase. However, I don't believe I have proposed any duplicates of his products here.
Regards,
Dreadnought
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No, I don't think you have any duplication with Bryan (Rasputin), but I thought I should bring that up before you started selecting more prototypes.
As far as windows go, you stated "Window Glazing. A singular piece of clear resin would be included with each kit and glued to the roof to replicate glass." To me that seems to imply that a thick piece of resin would be included with the model, similar to how Wiking, some Kato or few other brand models are constructed. The solid slab window results in a prism-like effect which does not look very convincing as a glass window.
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I suppose that is a bit misleading, I'll go ahead and change it. I suppose the image I had in my head did not translate very well to words. It wouldn't be a clear piece of resin as you are supposing, though - I meant it as a hollow piece, but I think resin is not the best way to go now.
Regards,
Dreadnought
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I suppose that is a bit misleading, I'll go ahead and change it. I suppose the image I had in my head did not translate very well to words. It wouldn't be a clear piece of resin as you are supposing, though - I meant it as a hollow piece, but I think resin is not the best way to go now.
Regards,
Dreadnought
Even if you were envisioning a cast resin glass insert which is just a hollow part (like the ones injection-molded from styrene used on some models) then I still think that using a thin 0.015" or so vacu-formed sheet would not only look better (thinner, and clearer) but will give a better yield than cast resin.
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Even if you were envisioning a cast resin glass insert which is just a hollow part (like the ones injection-molded from styrene used on some models) then I still think that using a thin 0.015" or so vacu-formed sheet would not only look better (thinner, and clearer) but will give a better yield than cast resin.
Thanks for the input, peteski. It's very helpful.
Dreadnought
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Dreadnought,
This sounds very interesting, and I will do what I can to help promote your products. One other possible duplicate issue is the 1965-66 Ford. It seems like it would be very similar to the C in C model. http://www.pfc-cinc.com/catalog/item/297863/63504.htm (http://www.pfc-cinc.com/catalog/item/297863/63504.htm)
Good luck!
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That does it! everyone buy me a Power Ball ticket and when I win I will retire from the gov't and start a company dedicated to releasing three new N scale kit vehicles monthly, with see through windows and interiors.
I had this idea. Monthly releases like Micro-Trains. All US made. Even thought about ways to get around the choke box licensing issue:
1. Vehicles would be made of three primary parts: body, windshield and chassis/interior. Possibly with the body and windshield integrated and painted like Tomytec does. Maybe with a separate interior.
2. Chassis/wheels would be either molded into a display base large enough to eliminate the choking hazard.
3. Model could either be razor-sawed from base for use on the layout or left in place for display. Detailed chassis could be sold in bulk by a 3rd party (either FXD or resin cast).
4. A premium line would include models detachable from the base (obviously not GM cars), and include etched parts and extra details. These would focus on trucks and construction equipment.
Standard line would include two vehicles in one display case - one 3/4 view forward and one 3/4 view facing rearward. Target price would be $20-25.
Premium line would be only one model per display at a price of $30 each - think Athearn Marck R cement mixers etc.
Although I thought about doing this myself (this is was Northeast Truck Company was supposed to build to), I also thought it would be a great opportunity for Micro-Trains to diversify. In fact, they could use their standard jewel case inverted as the display case glass.
Also thought that a Micro-Planes line would be a great addition too: a new plane monthly in various schemes - all in 1/160 scale. Obviously price would vary wildly from Citation to 777.
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daniel_leavit2000,
That's a pretty good idea for getting around the licensing issue, if I do say so myself. Excuse my ignorance, but what is Northeast Truck Company? Is it still in business?
I'd love to work together with you guys to form the best business possible. I've already got a few things in the works right now, such as a loyalty club (10% off all purchases, 15% off pre-orders) as well as 'Golden Ticket' coupons (every production run will have a free coupon for a model of equal or lesser value inserted randomly), but I do like daniel's ideas for three releases a month. The Micro-Planes line is also pretty interesting, though I don't know if many people would be willing to drop the sum of money required for a 16" long model of a 777. I've never actually seen an airport scene on a model railroad in person, but perhaps that is just my inexperience - or perhaps those models would not be meant for railroads?
Regards,
Dreadnought
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daniel_leavit2000,
That's a pretty good idea for getting around the licensing issue, if I do say so myself. Excuse my ignorance, but what is Northeast Truck Company? Is it still in business?
I'd love to work together with you guys to form the best business possible. I've already got a few things in the works right now, such as a loyalty club (10% off all purchases, 15% off pre-orders) as well as 'Golden Ticket' coupons (every production run will have a free coupon for a model of equal or lesser value inserted randomly), but I do like daniel's ideas for three releases a month. The Micro-Planes line is also pretty interesting, though I don't know if many people would be willing to drop the sum of money required for a 16" long model of a 777. I've never actually seen an airport scene on a model railroad in person, but perhaps that is just my inexperience - or perhaps those models would not be meant for railroads?
Regards,
Dreadnought
There are lots and lots of small planes to model (like military fighter planes and all those small private airplanes) before jumping into airliners. :)
Are those 3 models per month actually different vehicles or just same (or re-released) models with different decoration? I can' imagine any small company (cottage industry) being able to release 3 different models per month for any extended period of time.
I interpreted Northeast Truck Co. as the name of Daniel's future manufacturing business.
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There is actually a healthy market for plane models out there. Most currently are produced in multiple scales and sold at airport gift shops and travel destinations (I know of at least 4 shops that sell these in MBK mall in Bangkok alone). I am sure there are enough aviation enthusiasts out there that would collect these - just look at how many aviation blogs there are compared to trains.
And while a 16" model certainly is large, jets are pretty easy to produce. A 777 would have less parts than the average freight car with applied grabs.
Northeast Truck company was a stillborn venture I started several years ago. The ultimate goal was to produce American made models of vehicles. Two build up capital, the company was to grow in three phases.
Phase 1: Shrink several models to N scale using hydroshrink. Cast these parts in resin and sell on eBay like WillModels does. This would be the "Standard Line"
Phase 2: Take all profits from phase 1 and hire a contractor to create 3d models which would be printed and finished, becoming masters for pewter models. This is how Showcase is doing business now. This is the "Silver Line"
Phase 3: Take the capital raised from the first two ventures along with the contractor and produce tooling for the first RTR display model. This would be a sedan and wagon version with low licensing fees to reduce costs. Micro-Trains, Bowser or Rix would be contracted for the molding with MTL or Bowser to finish and paint.
The maturing company would then take these steps:
Phase 4: Use capital from previous ventures to add tooling and models, add a "Platinum Line" with etched parts and full chassis and wheels.
Phase 5: Grow enough capital to bring production in-house with a small dedicated factory and paint shop.
I got caught up in the basement side of things... I needed to rebuild my basement to set up for production. Now that it's built out, I have no more money for crazy adventures and this whole thing was left on the back burner.
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There are lots and lots of small planes to model (like military fighter planes and all those small private airplanes) before jumping into airliners. :)
Are those 3 models per month actually different vehicles or just same (or re-released) models with different decoration? I can' imagine any small company (cottage industry) being able to release 3 different models per month for any extended period of time.
I interpreted Northeast Truck Co. as the name of Daniel's future manufacturing business.
I'll have to see what production costs are like for each new mold. What I think I'll be doing is having the grille and other detail parts 3D printed, since they are small in HO scale and tiny in N scale, meaning it wouldn't be too incredibly expensive to print them - I think. The rest of the car will be resin, and, as I said before, since you can have common chassis between cars, it might be possible to create a 'family' of cars on a monthly basis, with, say, a coupe, station wagon, and sedan. That might be a goal, though, instead of a starting principle, depending on sales.
Dreadnought
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daniel_leavitt2000,
That's certainly a sound plan. I suppose I will be going around things a little differently, in that I am paying for a professional to design the resin molds upfront rather than shrinking a vehicle to N-scale as you supposed. I don't believe I will do any production on my end, but rather just be a distributor. Naturally, that's a much more expensive route, but I feel it is the better route due to my limited skills.
I'd love to hear some more of your ideas with regards to this business line. You said earlier that you would like to focus on trucks for the 'platinum line'. I would also like to produce a good amount of trucks, as well as farm equipment and etc. Did you have any specific sorts of trucks in mind when you mentioned that?
Again, I'd like any input I can get on what you guys think would make this type of business better. peteski's input has already been incredibly helpful.
Regards,
Dreadnought
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You have some big plans here and I hope that you succeed.
I might buy some reasonable kits, but I can't see myself spending $30 for a finished model of a passenger car unless it is the same quality as the Trainworx trucks. But even then I won't be buying dozens of them. I'm basing my statement on Daniel's estimated prices.
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You have some big plans here and I hope that you succeed.
I might buy some reasonable kits, but I can't see myself spending $30 for a finished model of a passenger car unless it is the same quality as the Trainworx trucks. But even then I won't be buying dozens of them. I'm basing my statement on Daniel's estimated prices.
peteski,
I can agree on the price point. That is a little high. Vehicles are part of scenery and should thus be relatively inexpensive, since you're going to need a ton of them. No matter how detailed your vehicle is, it's still a secondary matter compared to trains and etc. on a model railroad.
Dreadnought
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As a general thought.... I like Daniel Leavitt's concept of producing at several quality/price points. What I will need for my planned urban layout, more than anything else, are parked cars by the curb and "traffic"- something cheap, not necessarily highly detailed, definitely NOT rolling. Along the lines of the FineNScale 50s Chevy 6-packs. Saving the more detailed models for the foreground.
Anyway, best of luck in your various projects. Looking forward to seeing what you come up with. But I do warn you, if it wasn't on the road (or the track) by 1956, I will probably pass, as I have a limited budget and a big layout planned.
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thomasjmdavis,
Thank you for your kind words. I can also agree on the different price points idea. My thought with regards to this is to first produce relatively high quality kits (let's refer to these as 'Foreground' cars, since they're meant to be right where they can be seen best), then, later on, to modify existing cars in order to produce a lower-quality version - 'Background' cars. These would differ by being a one-part casting, with clips extending from the inside of the body to hold the axle in place. I don't know of the manufacturer who did this before, but I've seen cars like this. I think it might be Life-Like; they were injection-molded plastic and relatively low quality, but cheap. It would be the same idea, but they would come unpainted to save even more, and so you wouldn't have to try hard to find different colors. These wouldn't have an interior and not have the fancy features like exchangeable grilles, and would be aimed at the lower end of the market to fill up background scenes.
Of course, an urban scene will need more than cars. As I mentioned in my original post, N scale needs more buses, and, for an urban scene in the '50's, you will also need a good amount of trucks, taxis, etc. etc. I hope this is a sector of the market I can capture.
Dreadnought
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Speaking of Autocar , This outfit had a plant 1/4 mile from me from 1953 to about 1973 . Big a$$ trucks . Common to Long Island then .
https://www.picclickimg.com/d/l400/pict/162262079933_/COLONIAL-CONCRETE-NYC-1953-AUTOCAR-DC103-11-CY-REX.jpg
(https://www.picclickimg.com/d/l400/pict/162262079933_/COLONIAL-CONCRETE-NYC-1953-AUTOCAR-DC103-11-CY-REX.jpg)
While we are talking mixers, how about a Mack DM 686 with a McNeilus mixer body?
[attach=1]
Or go a little old school, a Mack H81 with a Rex mixer body?
[attach=2]
[attach=3]
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I haven't posted here for a while but the title of this thread caught my attention. I have been making, casting and selling N-scale vehicles on eBay (Willmodels) for over ten years. The discussion (so far) has been interesting. A lot of ambitious ideas out there which will require a lot more commitment of one's resources.
Asking members of an N-scale forum what they want in regards to N-scale vehicles and the answer you'll get is "everything." One of my biggest challenges in this venture has been trying to figure out what to make and what era to make it has brought me (as a lone wolf modeler) to pretty much make whatever I want and not get hung up on trying to hit the nail on the head with every release.
The idea of cranking out two or three vehicles every month, with all the complexities of the ultimate N-scale car model seems like a stretch to me. If you have plenty of time to dedicate to each model. If you don't have the time, hopefully you have the money to pay for someone else's.
I'm not trying to be a wet blanket here, I just want to throw in my two cents and wish anyone who wants to "give it a go" the best of luck.
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jimmo,
Thank you for your kind wishes. I'd just like to state that I don't think the three-a-month goal is very likely either, at least in the beginning, due to the many difficulties and high costs of producing each new mold. I simply think that it is a nice idea to attempt to have that many different models so quickly, but I doubt I will actually be able to have that sort of release schedule.
Thank you for sharing your experience in this industry, as well. It is very helpful, and I hope that what I want to do in this line of business will translate into action rather than remaining as speculation.
Regards,
Dreadnought
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I'd just like to state that I don't think the three-a-month goal is very likely either, at least in the beginning, due to the many difficulties and high costs of producing each new mold.
It's not the mold that is difficult and expensive--at least not at the beginning. The time and expense of creating the masters will set you back more--especially if you have to have modifications or corrections made.
In your mold production, don't forget to consider the cost of replacing the worn molds along the way. One thing I found annoying when I was buying cast resin kits was filling bubble holes and the odd protruding shapes caused by chunks (of the mold) taken out by the resin castings over time.
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jimmo,
Your point on the expense of masters and the replacement of worn molds is duly noted. I hope that I will be able to be in the position to have to replace the molds at some point, if only because that will mean the molds are seeing enough use to require replacement. Thank you again for your kind help in this matter.
Sincere thanks,
Dreadnought
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Jimmo would know this better than I, but you have to replace RTV molds fairly often. You can probably only get about 30 good castings out of a mold before it starts to deteriorate. Well, that probably depends on the number of undercuts. You can keep using the slightly damaged mold, but the product quality would suffer.
I'm curious: how experienced are you in making urethane resin castings in RTV molds?
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While there's not doubt a lot of truth to folks not painting and assembling much anymore, what about offering vehicles in an era that might entice folks to buy them? All of Sylvan's offerings are from the 40's and 50's. And with Classic Metal Works offering assembled vehicles of the same era(with the exception of the Galaxie and Impala) how big is that market? And the way CMW packaged their offerings was a bit strange to me as well. Who want's 2 of something in the same color? But even Atlas did this with the Ford cars and trucks they offered. Yes my family owned two Fairmont station wagons while I was growing up. But not from the same year nor were they the same color. Obviously there are reasons for offering 2 of each. But at least give us different colors. Which I believe CMW did this later on. Anyway, I do grow a bit weary of modelers being to blame when a product doesn't sell. What about offering a product that folks want to buy? I know it's very, very, easy to type that. But manufacturer's have to shoulder some of the responsibility of offering a product folks would want to buy as well. But I would agree that in this hobby the trend is moving away from kits.
Yes. This. I didn't know Sylvan even did cars in N because... they're way too old for me. You can only have so many "car shows" on a layout (for me that limit is 0... it's December).
And while I understand the nostalgia factor for a lot of this stuff, the fact of the matter is, I bet that wholly 60% of the N scale modeling market models after 1970, and probably 50% of those people modern 2000+.
Modern stuff sells. Look where much of the "big money" in tooling is going. Oil cars, modern EMDs and GEs, etc...
You wanna sell a bunch of vehicles? Make a mid 90s Toyota Camry or Honda Accord.
You wanna sell me a bunch of vehicles? Go look at sales data from 1980 and start working down the list.
And don't do a damned Delorean. I want stuff I can use.
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peteski,
I've no experience at all in molding. As I said before, I am planning to contract out the production work instead of doing it myself.
Dreadnought
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peteski,
I've no experience at all in molding. As I said before, I am planning to contract out the production work instead of doing it myself.
Dreadnought
I wish you best of luck on your future venture.
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peteski,
Thank you sir. You are very kind.
Dreadnought
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Coal trucks are essential to modeling coal railroading after the 60's, and there is a pretty big void in all scales concerning them. The smaller types of dump body trucks available really don't work for coal trucks. I'd like to see older and newer MAC and East dump trailers to go with available trucks to make the tractor trailer type coal trucks. I'd also like to see these smaller types of coal trucks typically used to haul raw coal from mines to prep plants and loadouts.
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Since I am in the modern era I would be happy with anything from 1990 up. I am very partial to Mustangs though.
Jeff
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I would like to make a request here and ask if you guys wouldn't mind stating (when you post) if you are only interested in RTR (ready to run) or if kits would be of interest.
As a modeler I am not opposed to a good RTR but what I have found is most RTR models need a little help to fit into a scene. Unless you are modeling a fantasy you know that not every car and truck out there (especially in winter) has shiny black wheels.