Product news and photos from Springfield

[bbussey]

The progression to body mounts on the part of several manufacturers is interesting, and a good thing I think, especially for those of us who get rid of the truck-mounted couplers.  I am wondering why 1016s - do they provide extra swing and thus a tighter minimum radius?

It probably has to do with where the coupler pocket screw hole can be placed without detection.  The 1016 allows for a few more millimeters inward.

I just hope it doesn't mean that Atlas isn't releasing their 89' flat in N - I think the trash rack has jumped the queue in the shrink-ray machine.

Interesting that both the BLMA reefer and the new MTL 4427 use the 1016s.
I wonder how the F89-J's are coming ...

It probably does mean that Atlas is shelving a potential N scale 89-footer, especially since BLMA has their F89J coming shortly.  Another point I forgot to report - the brown F89J originals are coming before the first-announced RTTX versions.  They might even be released shortly after the ACF gons in March.  The HO brown F89J decorated pilot model was on display at the show (minus the bridge plates) and looked spectacular.

That wagon top's door design is a nice step forward - the separate door casting allowing modelers to present the car with an open door with some ease. Does anyone know if the Milwaukee rib-sides were done similarly?

No, the rib-sides have the door molded into the body.  The Wagontops had the separate door initially to allow for both styles, but Matt discovered afterward that the two bodies were necessary because the door sills also were different and the detail was too fine to render as a separate part.  The HO version has one body, with the doors and door sills both being separate parts to accomodate the two styles.  The N scale doors mount similarly to recent Atlas releases - so to model a car with an open door, you will have to remove the "blank plate" in the body and glue the door in the open position to the right.

The Exact Rail Evans 5277 looks good, especially the Norwood & St. Lawrence, yet I find no mention of them in N scale on the Exact Rail website. Not available for sale or what?

No, it will be announced officially on February 8 or February 15.  I believe it will be made available for sale at that time as well, so only a couple of weeks to wait.  Springfield is the first public announcement of the model.

Any clues from Micro-Trains on what the next heavyweight body might be?  I hope FVM comes out with a later addition of the Hiawatha with a bigger steam loco!  Good news on the GG1, I would like at least one version with the correct large Pennsy spelling and single stripe.

I know what the next heavyweight will be but I don't think I'm allowed to say.  I do not know what will follow in 2011, or how many.  At least one more.

Again, the Pennsy single stripe will be correct the next time it appears, whether a DGLE reissue or the red or the Congressional, but Kato will not be decorating replacement shells for the first DGLE run.

See, I noticed that right away [that the GG1 single stripe was incorrect] and I said nothing.  Now I feel badly.  But I learned my lesson!

Dave, you're the resident Pennsy expert.  I'm supposed to supply Kato with the correct font information for the PENNSYLVANIA and the numbers.  I told them that the number style used on the Penn Central artwork was the same.  If you would confirm with me which Times Roman is correct for the PENNSYLVANIA and what height it should be before Wednesday, that would be great.

Okay I have to ask.  What exactly is a parlor car?

A parlor car was essentially a first class coach, with one reclining/revolving chair per row instead of the usual bench with two or three seats.  They predominantly were used in the northeast, where the shorter distances between the metropolitan areas did not require as many cars with drawing rooms or sections.

 

[Ryan87]

Pud... How do you figure it's a bias against N-scale. with the exception of this current announcement (which isn't finalized) what passenger equipment has Atlas done in HO? By your argument they don't see the potential of passenger equipment in that scale either... or to extend your argument even further* Bluford, Bowser, Exactrail, Duluxe Innovations, Red Caboose, Traincat, Trainworks must "not recognize n scale passenger potential"...

I hate to pee on your corn flakes but your comments don't speak of bias they speak of silly...


*I'm not suggesting on the part of any manufacturer any bias or malevolence towards passenger operations and all comments above are tongue in cheek...

[Dave V]

Bryan,

FWIW, the font size for the PENNSYLVANIA is identical to the font size for the road number.  There's a welding seam along the side of the GG1s that began to show over time, and top of both the road numbers and the roadname are anchored to that weld seam, so it's clear they're the same size.  I'm looking through my resources to confirm the height in inches.  If I can't find it in books or online, I think I have a Microscale sheet with that scheme.

[Dave V]

MicroTrains is certainly filling my desired for heavyweight passenger cars.  Kato and Centralia have taken care of my needs for PRR lightweights.  Hell Gate Models takes care of my head-end needs.  All I need are some RB50s and I'm in hog heaven.

Odd that PRR was such a major force in railroading, yet for a while received very little N scale attention.  Over 10,000 locomotives were manufactured at Altoona alone, and yet, except for the Minitrix engines of the 70s, none were offered in N as RTR.  PRR did so many things uniquely (making sweet irony of the self-imposed "Standard Railroad of the World" moniker) that modeling PRR in N for a while was not easy.  But now the floodgates are open!

I almost hate to say this, but I'm looking forward to a break in new PRR product announcements so my wallet can catch up!

[sundowner]

Bryan

Thanks for the report. So what engines are in the Atlas catalog?

[SecretWeapon]

I am in no way an expert on Amtrak equipement but I think these are Amfleet II cars. They do not have doors at each end like the Amfleet I cars.

http://hebners.net/amtrak/amtAMFLT/amt25003.jpg

Your right, I didn't go down far enough when I looked up the car on that site. I saw the 23000 series & went with that.

[bbussey]

...All I need are some RB50s and I'm in hog heaven.

Pic of the pilot casting is here from the public Yahoo NScale album:

Odd that PRR was such a major force in railroading, yet for a while received very little N scale attention.  Over 10,000 locomotives were manufactured at Altoona alone, and yet, except for the Minitrix engines of the 70s, none were offered in N as RTR.  PRR did so many things uniquely (making sweet irony of the self-imposed "Standard Railroad of the World" moniker) that modeling PRR in N for a while was not easy.  But now the floodgates are open!

You think so?  I don't know ... from the early days, Pennsy was one of the big roads always printed on N scale equipment, along with ATSF, PC and UP.  Back then, when tooling up specific esoteric prototypes was the exception rather than the rule, two of the three Riva Rossi smoothside passenger cars were Pennsy prototype; all of the Lima heavyweights were Pennsy prototype; Arnold released a GG1; Atlas/Roco released the jumbo whale tank; Minitrix released a G36C gon; and MRC released a (sort-of) X58.  And since the dark ages of the 1970s, a lot of Pennsy-specific models have been released.

[bbussey]

So what engines are in the Atlas catalog?

The same models that I listed in my report at the top of this thread.  The roadnames are too numerous to list here.  There were at least 40 new engines on display at the show.  I'm sure that the PDF version will be posted on the Atlas website within the next few days.

[Dave V]

Bryan, I keep coming up with 16" on the letters and an 8" stripe.  This was on several sites including PRRT&HS discussion forum.  They seem to refer to a Railroad Model Craftsman article in December 1975 that give these dimensions.  No less a PRR electric guru than Bruce Smith endorses this size.

My scale rule shows about 16 to 18 inches both on the numbers for the PC GG1 and on the Kato lettering on their E8.  Remember, Kato did this same post-1954 shadow keystone scheme on its E8.  Although they botched the Tuscan on that version, the lettering size and font are fine.  If they can match that font size and type, they should be good to go.  Would like to see a more correct lettering buff, though.



Important, though...  The keystone on the E8 is much smaller than on the G.  I would suggest only the lettering and numbers be fixed on their G.  The stripe and keystone look fine.

[Bob Bufkin]

Bryan

Agree with you assessment on PRR models except for PRR steam.  As Dave said, early K4 and B6 were the only ones I can think of except for was expensive, don't run worth a crap brass models.  I do think Kato is missing out on not doing a K4 update with various tenders.  They would fly off the shelves just like the GG1.  Also a 2-8-0 in PRR would be a good seller.

[Brakie]

Brian,Thanks for sharing your report and photos..

Now I must do some deep thinking.. ???

[Dave V]

Bryan,

Who's making that again?  That looks sweet!

Oh, and I should caveat.  I entered N scale in 2002, so my impressions are based on that.  Yes, I found a lot of "stuff" lettered for Pennsy, but much of it was foobie.  About that time Bowser rolled out the Pennsy cabins and H21 hoppers in N, and I was in heaven.

The Lima cars and Minitrix locos are great, but they weren't recent tooling by 2002.  Although they're really not bad even by today's standards.

I still bemoan the fact that HO scalers have K4s from four different manufacturers to choose from plus brass, and we have but Minitix or brass.  That's frustrating, especially now with all this great PRR heavyweight equipment begging for something with a Bellpaire and 6 drivers to pull them.

[ArtinCA]

MMmmmmm  Trash Cars...



I'll be able to knock these off the list..

[bbussey]

Bryan, I keep coming up with 16" on the letters and an 8" stripe.  This was on several sites including PRRT&HS discussion forum.  They seem to refer to a Railroad Model Craftsman article in December 1975 that give these dimensions.  No less a PRR electric guru than Bruce Smith endorses this size.

My scale rule shows about 16 to 18 inches both on the numbers for the PC GG1 and on the Kato lettering on their E8.  Remember, Kato did this same post-1954 shadow keystone scheme on its E8.  Although they botched the Tuscan on that version, the lettering size and font are fine.  If they can match that font size and type, they should be good to go.  Would like to see a more correct lettering buff, though.

Important, though...  The keystone on the E8 is much smaller than on the G.  I would suggest only the lettering and numbers be fixed on their G.  The stripe and keystone look fine.

Dave, this is excellent news that Kato already has the proper PENNSYLVANIA artwork in hand in the form of the original E8 artwork.  If the Calendar font used for the numbers on the Penn Central unit is correct, then they have all they need and it is simply a matter of letting them know.  Is the buff color on the GG1 incorrect as well?  If so, what color should it be?  Also, what color is the red used in the stripe of the silver Congressional scheme?  I know the keystone shadow is PRR Tuscan red.  Since Kato's intent is to offer every known GG1 scheme (which makes perfect sense in selling as many Gs as they can), I want to make sure that no more mistakes happen.

[Dave V]

Bryan,

I'm thinking PRRT&HS has that info...  I'm not as much of an expert as you're giving me credit for, at least in terms of actual paint colors.  I've never paid attention to the Congressional scheme since I don't really like it.  The red stripe matches the red on the keystone, but the font on the road numbers appears smaller than the font on the roadname.

The buff color on the current single-stripe looks OK to me...  I meant I don't want them to emulate the ochre they used on the older E8.  They keystone looks good, including the shadow.