The Nominees for the N Scale Vehicle of the Year Awards

[cfritschle]

8th Annual N Scale Vehicle of the Year Awards

I need help once again with selecting the nominees for the N Scale Vehicle Association’s Annual N Scale Vehicle of the Year Awards.  The voting for the awards will take place at the National N Scale Convention in Medford, Oregon in June.  However, provisions will be made for absentee voting if you are unable to attend the convention.  In keeping with tradition, six nominees are needed in each of the two categories; the New N Scale Vehicle of the Year and the Enhanced N Scale Vehicle of the Year.

To qualify for the New N Scale Vehicle of the Year Award, the model must be 1:160 scale (or at least marketed and labeled as 1:160 scale) and have been made with all new or substantially new tooling, and the initial release of the model must have been between January 1, 2011 and April 30, 2012. 

To qualify for the Enhanced N Scale Vehicle of the Year Award, the model must be 1:160 scale (or at least marketed and labeled as 1:160 scale) and have been made with existing tooling or mostly existing tooling.  The model may have been enhanced with something as simple as a new paint scheme, or the model may be the result of some new tooling combined with an existing model.  The initial release of the enhanced model must also have been between January 1, 2011 and April 30, 2012.

If you could nominate up to three N scale vehicles in each of the two categories, it would really help determine which model vehicles were the most popular with N scale modelers.  Each “nomination” you make for of an N scale model vehicle will count as a preliminary vote for that model.  The six models in each category with the most preliminary votes will be on the final ballot.  You can record your vote “publicly” (and campaign for your favorite models) by responding in this thread, or you can vote privately by sending me an email with your list of choices.  The last day to nominate a model (cast a preliminary vote) is May 15, 2012.

In case of a tie in the preliminary voting, model vehicles that have NOT already received an N Scale Vehicle of the Year Award will receive preference.  The prior winners are listed below:

2005 New N Scale Vehicle of the Year – Athearn Ford C canopy cab fire truck
2005 Enhanced N Scale Vehicle of the Year – Classic Metal Works IH R-190 semi-tractor with reefer trailer
2006 New N Scale Vehicle of the Year – (Tie) Athearn John Deere 7820 farm tractor and Classic Metal Works IH R-190 semi-tractor with stake bed trailer
2006 Enhanced N Scale Vehicle of the Year – Athearn 28-foot pup trailers with converter dolly
2007 New N Scale Vehicle of the Year – Athearn Mack Model R cement mixer truck
2007 Enhanced N Scale Vehicle of the Year – GHQ Ford L-8000 snow plow
2008 New N Scale Vehicle of the Year – Athearn Mack Model B dump truck
2008 Enhanced N Scale Vehicle of the Year – Athearn Mack Model B cement mixer truck
2009 New N Scale Vehicle of the Year – Wheels of Time Mack C-49 transit bus
2009 Enhanced N Scale Vehicle of the Year – Classic Metal Works 1954 Ford F-350 RR MOW truck with utility bed
2010 New N Scale Vehicle of the Year – Athearn Flxible Visicoach intercity bus
2010 Enhanced N Scale Vehicle of the Year – Woodland Scenics Ike’s Ice Cream truck
2011 New N Scale Vehicle of the Year – Classic Metal Works 1953 Ford Country Squire wagon
2011 Enhanced N Scale Vehicle of the Year – Athearn Ford C Fire Rescue in new paint schemes

A previous winner of the New N Scale Vehicle Award does not qualify for the Enhanced N Scale Vehicle of the Year award, if the only enhancement is a new paint scheme. 

Carter

[cfritschle]

Absentee Ballot for 8th Annual N Scale Vehicle of the Year Awards

Nominees for New N Scale Vehicle of the Year Award (Vote for one):

___ Herpa Opel Manta B

___ Micro-Trains vintage circus wagons

___ Trainworx 40-foot corrugated side trailer

___ Trainworx 40-foot hi-cube drop frame trailer

___ Trainworx 40-foot drop frame parcel trailer

___ Wheels of Time PC-90 Piggy-Packer

Nominees for Enhanced N Scale Vehicle of the Year Award (Vote for one):

___ Athearn Ford C box van in UPS paint scheme

___ DeLuxe Innovations 40-foot container chassis

___ Wiking HR 18 yellow mini excavator

___ Wiking Lanz Bulldog red tractor with sickle mower

___ Wiking Mercedes-Benz O 302 tour bus

___ Wiking vintage VW Beetle 3-pack

If you will not be able to vote in person at the N scale convention in Medford, Oregon, you may vote absentee by sending me an email listing your choice for the New N Scale Vehicle of the Year Award and/or the Enhanced N Scale Vehicle of the Year Award.  The last day to vote absentee will be June 15, 2012. 

Note:  Members of the N Scale Vehicle Association’s Yahoo Group can vote in the following polls.

The poll for the New N Scale Vehicle of the Year Award can be found at this link:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NScaleVehicleAssociation/surveys?id=3104023

The poll for the Enhanced N Scale Vehicle of the Year Award can be found at this link: 

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NScaleVehicleAssociation/surveys?id=3104024

Thank you for your participation.

Carter

[James Costello]

Are we going to call the WoT Piggypacker as a vehicle? If so, it has my 1st nomination in the new category.

[James Costello]

2nd new would be the Trainworx 40' UPS drop frame trailer.

[M.C. Fujiwara]

Gotta go with CG N Scale's stagecoach:



http://www.shapeways.com/model/542947/n-scale-stagecoach-3-pack.html

or the telescoping boom forklift:



http://www.shapeways.com/model/310583/n-scale-telescoping-boom-forklift.html/?material=61

Both are lovely pieces of modeling and add a lot to you layout.

[Philip H]

I'll second the Trainworx 40ft nomination, as well as MC's suggestions.  That boom lift is on my list . . .

[peteski]

I also agree that Trainworx 40' "UPS style" trailers should be on the top of the list.
But I'm not sure if shapeways "kits" qualify here. It seems to me that the voting is for ready-to-run models.

EDIT: since now I know that the PiggyPacker qualifies, here mis mu updated vote:

1st choice: WOT PiggyPacker
2nd choice: Trainworx 40' "UPS stuel" trailer
(Now if only someone would come out with tractors to pull those babies. I would love to see them on the layout's roads rather than just on a railroad flats.)

[cfritschle]

Are we going to call the WoT Piggypacker as a vehicle? If so, it has my 1st nomination in the new category.

Yes, the Wheels of Time Piggypacker qualifies as a vehicle.

Carter

[cfritschle]

I also agree that Trainworx 40' "UPS style" trailers should be on the top of the list.
But I'm not sure if shapeways "kits" qualify here. It seems to me that the voting is for ready-to-run models.

Kits do qualify.

[Bob Bufkin]

I also vote for the Trainworx 40' "UPS style" trailers

[Ian MacMillan]

For me it would hands down be the Trainworx UPS trailers.

[Chulvis]

Wheels of Time Piggypacker! Best of the best in my opinion.

[pennsyfan1361]

+1

Wheels of Time Piggypacker! Best of the best in my opinion.

[Roger Holmes]

Wheels of Time Piggypacker! Best of the best in my opinion.

+2 and not just because I am under the spell of Chulvis

[w neal]

The trailers are fantastic, but I wonder if they were just wanted SO badly by everyone that they seem like the best!

The piggypacker has all that detail and its positionable?!? Too cool!!! I would have to vote for it.

I know, apples to apples.

Anywho, they are both great models.