Input wanted for new MTL products

[Gozer the Gozerian]

I would hand over 5 of my closest friends to a third world dictator for a Baldwin AS616.  ;D Both the FM and the AS have been at the top of my wish list for the next power unit.  I think we are close to looking at the possibilities now that we have our power trains back near production.  S-1 through 4 are at the top as well.  I guy can dream!

Joe
MTl

Hmmm, if MTL likes the odder stuff, how about a FM H10-44 or a Baldwin AS616 or DRS6-6-1500 or S12 or a DT6-6-2000.

[Dave Schneider]

I would hand over 5 of my closest friends to a third world dictator for a Baldwin AS616.  ;D Both the FM and the AS have been at the top of my wish list for the next power unit.  I think we are close to looking at the possibilities now that we have our power trains back near production.  S-1 through 4 are at the top as well.  I guy can dream!

Joe
MTl

If you can get MTL to produce a FM H10-44 in the next year or two I will have my son's name changed to Joe. Heck, I'll changed my daughter's to Jo while I'm at it.

Until then, just remember....outside braced 40' boxcars.....outside braced 40' boxcars.....outside braced 40' boxcars....you are getting sleepy..........outside braced 40' boxcars.

Best wishes, Dave

[ednadolski]

<chiming in, in my day-late and dollar-short fashion, so this just is FWIW...>

Existing cars I'd most like to see lowered & body-mounted (sounds harsh, doesn't it?):

It's always going to sound a bit harsh perhaps, but it is good that at least we are talking about this and looking at ways to make improvements.   The honest truth is that I've slowed down on my N-scale purchasing somewhat of late, particularly MT, with a key reason reason being that that for me it has become a bit discouraging to know that most of what I buy will require the additional time/effort investment of customized or semi-customized lowering and body-mounting before I can put these cars to use as I would like.  I've always loved the high quality MT tooling and graphics, and I honestly don't mind much if a given car is not a precise replica of a prototype, but I really prefer to put my time into detailing and weathering rather than just trying to bring a car up to (in my mind) a basic level of appearance and operational standard.   That said, I want to reiterate that the new MT ATSF hopper is great!   Thanks for doing that one  

Thanks for hearing me out!  

Ed

[Catt]

Guess I will chime in here with my $2.00 worth of wishful thinking in no particular order.

1 lower the exsisting cars and bodymount the couplers,in both N and Z scale

2 Harriman passenger cars in both N and Z scale

3 Bring the ACF Center-Flo and PS-2CD covered hoppers to Z scale

4 GP 38/-2, GP40/-2,GP50/60 to Z scale

4a design a shorter coupler so they can be body mounted on diesels with out looking silly

5 GE U boats in Z and or some Alcos

6 make the roofwalks on the Z scale boxes a seperate piece so the cars can be modernized

7 195 ton 4 truck flatcar in both scales

That should cover it for this year. ;D

[James Costello]

New body mount coupler pockets for 1015/1025 to represent longer "cushioned" draft gear.

[gelboy45]

Joe

Please consider:

. Converted troop cars

. Heavyweight passenger cars in two tone grey and shadow stripes - and a new combine.

. Baldwin diesels  ; 0)))

and a big thank you for the opportunity to suggest future models.

Gerry (Baldwin!) 

[TiVoPrince]

I would hand over 5 of my closest friends to a third world dictator for a Baldwin AS616.  ;D

Glad 
thar I would not be counted amongst Joe's five closest friends, at least this once...

[asarge]

You're right JJ, but I'd sure be tempted to up the ante!

[milw156]

New body mount coupler pockets for 1015/1025 to represent longer "cushioned" draft gear.

Amen to this one! Although I seem to remember Brian was working on this idea too, haven't heard anything recently.
Would also like to be able to purchase just the draft gear boxes for 1025's to convert truck mount to body mounts (or throw em in the box like you did the low profile wheels a while back)

[milw156]

I'd also love modern bulkheads.  Sorely missed, and a car I need a ton of to properly model the CFNR.

I'd also echo the sentiments on different variations on the 89' flat.



The California Northern interchange run to the UP used Trailer Train JTTX900000 series 89' flats.

Boy Matt, that would be nice. In my neck of the weeds, there seems to be a new pipeline project every summer, so a bunch of these & the cranes used to unload & transload to trucks would make for a cool use of a siding! The WSOR had bunches of them parked on sidings near Janesville a few years ago.

[TiVoPrince]

You're right JJ, but I'd sure be tempted to up the ante!

Hoping 
that I'm not among your 'top ten' in that case...

[sirenwerks]

I gotta ask, wouldn't the troop car conversions be more suitable as after market products, say etchings? For the most part, they're straight up car side and truck replacements, and they're a very (very) niche product, considering each modification was a little different from the next.

A company like TrainCat could have many offerings available much quicker than MTL could have one; leaving NYC, B&O, B&M, RI, etc. modelers all happier quicker, rather than bickering amongst themselves who should get their model first. (Cannonball promised all these, in N scale, many years ago but they never materialized.) Most of these were one color paint jobs with simple lettering, and not too challenging in the decal department either, so even those with very minimal skills can have what they want, along with the personal satisfaction of completing a modeling effort rather than just purchasing a ready-to-run product.

Hell, maybe even MTL could develop and market these conversion kits, including car sides, replacement trucks, and decals for specific models, and instructions for the hoople heads. Expand its product line. Personally, I'd like to see REA express cars.

[sundowner]

How about switching the flat head screws that come with the couplers to Phillip head, makes it allot easier to screw down.

[wm3798]

The boys in the white lab coats need to work on eliminating the slinky effect without diminishing the reliability of the couplers.
And I second the motion for phillips head screws, and maybe even make them out of something that a magnetized screwdriver can catch.  With those changes you can reduce your production numbers by half, because all of the screws will actually make it into the couplers, rather than half being sucked into the carpet of doom...

Lee

[ednadolski]

The boys in the white lab coats need to work on eliminating the slinky effect without diminishing the reliability of the couplers.

Love to see that too, but I don't think it's possible as long as there is a spring in series with the load -- there is always a point where that design will resonate.

Ed