HO: SD40-2 glut

[Mark5]

While N scale has suffered through sporadic availability of this essential diesel, HO seems to be getting them from all directions! (Kato, BLI, Athearn, who else?)

Athearn's latest includes a Hi-nose!

[wes_sutton]

I've always though this to be a bit of a no brainer.

Kato are never going to have enough capacity to corner the market. I would have though the endless colour schemes and prototype variations would be enough temptaion for a manufacturer and they would have at least a decades worth of business just covering the major ones.

If PCM were really serious about cash flow and first up success, wouldn't an SD40-2 have been a better bet than the E units?

Wes

[SirTainly]

If PCM were really serious about cash flow and first up success, wouldn't an SD40-2 have been a better bet than the E units?

Wes

I think PCM were trying to capture the high end of the market, hence needing to add stuff like sound. With the sound decoders around when they announced the E units you needed something with a big enough shell to carry the speaker, and the SD40-2 would have been too small.

Personally I think an SD40-2 would be most likely from Athearn in N.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Hmm, an Athearn SD40-2, that's an interesting possibility...

How have the SD70s been? I know they had some teething problems, but I think they've got them worked out now, right?

To be completely honest though, I'd MUCH rather see them from Atlas.

Think about it, while they'd need to do a new frame, they already have the trucks (the HTCs from the SD50/60/60m), and it'd probably be a lot easier to swap in the flexicoils for my CR fleet.

[ljudice]

I think HO-ers hate the Kato SD40-2, hate the BLI SD40-2 even more and are not
too fond of the Athearn SD40-2, which why it has been upgraded....

I'd be more than happy if Kato just offered the SD40-2 more frequently...

[Mark5]

I'd be more than happy if Kato just offered the SD40-2 more frequently...

I still refuse to buy Athearn diesels.

Atlas would make them better than Kato (no more extra wide hoods!). Much better in fact. As a bonus they'd probably release some road names.

The odds of getting anything from Kato besides Cal Zephyr cars on a regular basis seem slim to non-existant.

[Atlanticflier]

Hmm, an Athearn SD40-2, that's an interesting possibility...  for my CR fleet.

How does the F-45/Fp-45 chassis/mech measure against the SD-40-2 ??

[Robbman]

Message deleted

[nscalesteve]

they already have the trucks (the HTCs from the SD50/60/60m)

...which is probably the best truck in N scale ever - yeah right !   

[daniel_leavitt2000]

The Atlas HTC truck would not fit under a short nosed SD40-2. My bet is with Walthers or Athearn with an outside chance of PCM.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Crap, well maybe we'll get lucky by being able to easily swap sideframes?

Or at least parts to do a more involved chop job won't be an arm and both legs...

[Mark5]

If Athearn does the SD40-2 in N scale I fear we'll be doomed.

But who knows? Athearn is trying to do better (they got rid of the 3 poles).

Now, lose the glue.

This is such a core model that many of us would probably settle for a less than stellar model.  :'(

Well, there was that Bachabomination SD40-2 a few years back.  :

If Walthers does it though, there's room for hope.

[lock4244]

You're all dreaming about anyone but Kato doing the SD40-2 in N scale. Walthers, PCM, Athearn... why they've got E and PA's to do(plicate).

Atlas? Better bet, but with the popularity of the SD40-2, why bother when they still haven't released an SD18 or GP9B or C636.

What I find annoying about N scale is the fact that we have to beg and plead for SD40-2's.

SD45's? Forget about it.

SD40's? For some reason they do some obscure paintscheme.

C44-9W? Yeah, even the HUGE BNSF fleet can't get Kato (BNSF #1) to release them.

NW2 but no S1, S2 (Arnold doesn't count, it's too old), S3, S4.

Kato hasn't done the F40 in Via yet (yeah, yeah, I know technically Via has F40PH-2's but a point like that hasn't stopped them before... CN C44-9W with the totally wrong cab comes to mind).

This all seems bizarre to me.

[nscalesteve]

Kato hasn't done the F40 in Via yet (yeah, yeah, I know technically Via has F40PH-2's but a point like that hasn't stopped them before...)

Mike, have a little more patience with Kato ( ??? ), they will announce soon (in the next couple of years...) a F40PH with ditchlights - take a close look to the F40PH drive, there is room for a light tube or light assembly... one can only hope !   ;D

(CN C44-9W with the totally wrong cab comes to mind).

Mike, that was over 10 years ago - nowadays they would produce them with the right cab, and trucks, and walkways...
...maybe they are milling the new mold right now while I'm writing here... one can only hope !    ;D

[daniel_leavitt2000]

I belive the VIA F40s will come in time. I bet they will release them with passenger cars as a set (sort of like the Superliners). I wish they would do the P42 in Con-Dot/NH scheme. Those are stunning.

If the Challenger is any indication, we should see some nice engines from Athearn in the future. The F45 samples I have seen were well done, though they sis not show window glass, and its anyone's guess if they will use glue. Personally, I think Athearn is past that stage and should be producing some very nice engines in the future.