ESM - Pennsy G26 pre-production proofs pics

[SirTainly]

Far as I know, they are RTR.  got 3 on order already.  Can't wait to see what Tom could do to make these grungy, banged up and realistic in service.

Leave them in a hot oven for a bit, drop them in the coal hole, leave in the open for 2 weeks...place on rails and run...


In seriousness, they do look neat.

[unittrain]

I'll take the Penncentral, Conrail and Pennsy! These really look good.

[tom mann]

Why do these look so sharp?  Is it a new technique in the tooling?

[Chris333]

I remember they first RP'ed them to cast in resin I believe, but later changed to tooling them. They do look sharp and I hope more transition era cars are on the way from them.  ;D

[GaryHinshaw]

I don't mean to be a prick about this, but I don't see the tooling being any better than the MT tooling on their (25-year-old) drop bottom gon.  Mind you, these look like great cars, and they no doubt have better ride height and paint schemes variety than MT, but I'm not sure I see the tooling as being a quantum leap (unless it's the interior rivets?).

But I'm glad to see them nonetheless!

[wcfn100]

I don't mean to be a prick about this, but I don't see the tooling being any better than the MT tooling on their (25-year-old) drop bottom gon.  Mind you, these look like great cars, and they no doubt have better ride height and paint schemes variety than MT, but I'm not sure I see the tooling as being a quantum leap (unless it's the interior rivets?).

But I'm glad to see them nonetheless!

I'm guessing that you haven't noticed on the MT straight side gons that the rivets on the sides go off the bottom of the car into nowhere. 

Jason

[tom mann]

I don't mean to be a prick about this, but I don't see the tooling being any better than the MT tooling on their (25-year-old) drop bottom gon.  Mind you, these look like great cars, and they no doubt have better ride height and paint schemes variety than MT, but I'm not sure I see the tooling as being a quantum leap (unless it's the interior rivets?).

But I'm glad to see them nonetheless!

To me, all the rivets look extremely well done.  More rivet-ish than previous model rivets.   I don't know what it is.

I don't have the MT car to compare with, however.

[James Costello]

Why do these look so sharp?  Is it a new technique in the tooling?

I'll guess that M4D did the masters.

[GaryHinshaw]

I'm guessing that you haven't noticed on the MT straight side gons that the rivets on the sides go off the bottom of the car into nowhere.   

Nope - hadn't noticed that, but somehow I'm not surprised...  :  The only one I have is a Kadee-era fishbelly gon (MSRP: $3.50).  Aside from ride height, it's still state-of-the art after all these years.  If only they made 'em like they used to...

The new ESM rivets are very sharp!

(BTW, I meant drop-end gon, not drop-bottom gon, in the earlier post.  My bad.)

[bbussey]

Why do these look so sharp?  Is it a new technique in the tooling?

I'll guess that M4D did the masters.

Tom, no new technique to speak of in comparison to current model design efforts.  We design our own 3D solid models from scratch and send the digital files directly to the toolmaker.  They look more intricate because of the inside detail I believe, and the integrated coupler pockets.

We have been working on this project for a long time.  At first, we did attempt to bring it to market as a resin casting.  But the leaps in tooling technology in recent years made it affordable to offer it in the way we had always envisioned.

... The only one I have is a Kadee-era fishbelly gon (MSRP: $3.50).  Aside from ride height, it's still state-of-the art after all these years...

The floor of the MTL car is too thick as well.  Our floor and underframe are one diecast part -- so the car sits at the correct height over the rail and the top of the floor is where it belongs as well.

You can't see it in the photos, but I believe the floor detail is the best feature on the car.  All the drainage holes are present, and you can tell where the center sill, cross beams and bolsters are by looking at the intricate rivet pattern.  There are close to 2,000 rivets on the floor top if I remember correctly.

bb

[GaryHinshaw]

Our floor and underframe are one diecast part -- so the car sits at the correct height over the rail and the top of the floor is where it belongs as well.

Very nice.  I'd love to see more flat cars made this way too (hint, hint).   

[bbussey]

Very nice.  I'd love to see more flat cars made this way too (hint, hint).

Such as this one? 

bb

[Frank Amato]

Aww, what a tease!!!

[Bob Bufkin]

Don't think anyone has done this type of car in N before.  Quite teasing and tell us what road names will be available.

[wm3798]

There's a living breathing WM car like that at the Beano Museum... You can easily reach it with a tape measure... ;D ;D

Lee