N Scale Big Boy?

[SirTainly]

<borat>iiiiiiiizzz Niiiiiice</borat>

I'll take one!

[Ed Kapuscinski]

I think the antipathy comes from the scarcity of production resources.


These are so big that they'll only ever really fit on an NTRAK layout.

I think a lot of the frustration comes from wishing that we had more utilitarian models, that would actually fit the layouts of those of us who care about such things.

[SirTainly]

I think the antipathy comes from the scarcity of production resources.

This is something of non argument though, as whatever is produced is only relevant to some people. You might take the greater good as being more road names, greater geographical coverage or whatever, but someone would still get their knickers in a knot.

Should I start posting negative messages now everytime someone announces Pennsy (for example) only stuff?

[Mark5]

hehe, if true maybe this will kill the long standing Kato Big Boy rumors ... 

I'd guess these would do well, and Athearn already has the specs, eh?

I should switch and model UP!

[up1950s]

Well if Athearn follows its own HO line , there is a possibility of a plastic UP FEF-2 and or FEF-3 in a year or so , which is a year or so too long a wait . 

[wm3798]

I don't think I was being hateful, or even overly negative.  The Big Boy is certainly an interesting model to some, but I think the UP gets a bit more attention than some other roads.  I guess we're just a little tired of waiting for a few crumbs to fall off the table while UP fans enjoy the feast.

Lee

[biker_ray_pa]

Should I start posting negative messages now everytime someone announces Pennsy (for example) only stuff?

Well, let's see, that'd give you one negative message every, ummmmm.......OK, there's the PCM M1/M1a, and before that was the, uhhhh.....when did Minitrix announce the Pacific? 1975?

I'd LOVE to read negative messages about such announcements, because it would mean that such announcements were being made.  ;D ;D ;D


Ray

[Mark5]

Should I start posting negative messages now everytime someone announces Pennsy (for example) only stuff?

.....when did Minitrix announce the Pacific? 1975?


Ray

hehe, more like 1970. 

[up1950s]

I don't think I was being hateful, or even overly negative.  The Big Boy is certainly an interesting model to some, but I think the UP gets a bit more attention than some other roads.  I guess we're just a little tired of waiting for a few crumbs to fall off the table while UP fans enjoy the feast.

Lee

Well , I do agree with you to a degree . A WM specific steamer has to be balanced with how many would buy one , but there are gobs of SP & PRR layouts that should be catered to . They have brass , but need their share of affordable plastic . On the A board there is mumblings of an AC-12 from IMRC . That deals the SP fans and myself a long overdo loco . Precision's PRR M1 is coming , any season now . Maybe those mechanisms will lend themselves for the manufactures to do other locos , though I don't know if they would work for other classes or other roads . I think the problem is we were born too late for our own good . The younger N scalers will be blessed with many more choices than we had , but that saw is as old as model trains . We can't be that bad off though , 'cause I am going broke trying to keep up with offerings just in the freight car market .  

[SirTainly]

Well, let's see, that'd give you one negative message every, ummmmm.......OK, there's the PCM M1/M1a, and before that was the, uhhhh.....when did Minitrix announce the Pacific? 1975?

I'd LOVE to read negative messages about such announcements, because it would mean that such announcements were being made.  ;D ;D ;D

Ray

I knew that would get someone going..you are too easy to bait!  ;D

[Mark5]

IIRC the IM AC-12 was leaked at the Springfield show last winter. Look for it in 2009.

I'm sure Athearn's choice is highly dictated by a need to make a profit. In this case I agree with the choice, even though there's no way I'd buy a Big Boy.

This gives me hope that someday PCM might actually get into N scale in a big way (in the way they said they would way back when) and duplicate some of the BLI HO steam. But, I stopped holding my breath about that a while back.

I'm hoping Athearn will get around to doing this tooling again (the peaked end version in the middle - last done by MDC):

[DKS]

I think a lot of the frustration comes from wishing that we had more utilitarian models, that would actually fit the layouts of those of us who care about such things.

Could not agree more. It's nice to see the 0-8-0 being released, how about more unglamorous workhorses like them? Or, just to mix things up a bit, how about a Camelback (any wheel arrangement)? Atlas did OK by the Shay, why not a Heisler? Electrics, anyone? A boxcab would be cool. People are bashing centercab diesels left and right, so why not make some; let's start off easy with a GE 80-tonner, although a Whitcomb 65-tonner would be most welcome. The list of more generally useful locos could go on and on; personally, a Big Boy is about as useful for me as a mantelpiece decoration.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

I'm with David. I want workhorses.

It's tough to model a railroad with just bigboys and challengers, even if I WAS modeling Uncle Pete. I'd need the local power, yard switchers, way freight power, all of that stuff, just to make it work.

I guess the real issue is that the REAL money is in the "interesting" stuff, and that a work-a-day accurate consol (no matter how many a RR had, cough, PRR H8-10 2000+, cough cough) is going to get the "gee whiz" sale that a T1 or Big Boy, or Cab Forward will.

Even though I have a passing interest in PRR, I'd be tempted as all hell to pickup an H6, 8, 9 or 10, but have only a marginal interest in something even as big as the M1, let alone anything bigger. But I bet a lot of people do because they're more "interesting" and "conversational".

I guess that just means that like Lee, I have to eat the crumbs. But maybe that's ok too, since Athearn has saved me $700 by not doing anything I "have to have".

[3rdrail]

I was speaking rhetorically - the "Big Boy" is so popular because since No. 4000 had "Big Boy" scrawled on the smokebox door at Alco, both Alco and the UP hyped these 25 behemoths as "the largest in the world". You notice that UP has an FEF3 and a Challenger operating, but no Big Boy, don't you? Why? Because it won't fit on most lines. But, the PR hype stuck, and many "modelers" that don't know the UP from the CP will buy one. That's what matters to Athearn.

[up1950s]

I was speaking rhetorically - the "Big Boy" is so popular because since No. 4000 had "Big Boy" scrawled on the smokebox door at Alco, both Alco and the UP hyped these 25 behemoths as "the largest in the world". You notice that UP has an FEF3 and a Challenger operating, but no Big Boy, don't you? Why? Because it won't fit on most lines. But, the PR hype stuck, and many "modelers" that don't know the UP from the CP will buy one. That's what matters to Athearn.

Every manufacturer everywhere , no matter what they make , do it for the money . Now lets see how many " Thats not true " comments that stirs up .