January Micro Train releases have been...released...?

[Mark5]

I saw the artwork for the coming N&W hopper 8 packs 

[Smike]

Its time to put the cap back on the bestine...

[Cajonpassfan]

Otto, according to the description at the N Scale Supply (since MT website doesn't yet have the January releases), the Decker car is: 36' Wood Sheathed Ice Reefer
 

Looking at the photo and caption of the exact 1:1 car (in the Billboard Refrigerator Cars book), the real car was 37'10" long. 

Pete, I hope you're correct, but the pics do not look like the the meat reefer shorties, no floor cross beams showing, and the body style is 049, a 41' car. Time will tell, and if they are "meat reefer length" I'm definitely buying...otherwise, sorry MT....
Nice Hiawatha article btw!
Regards, Otto K.

[bbussey]

Otto, according to the description at the N Scale Supply (since MT website doesn't yet have the January releases), the Decker car is: 36' Wood Sheathed Ice Reefer
 

Looking at the photo and caption of the exact 1:1 car (in the Billboard Refrigerator Cars book), the real car was 37'10" long. 

Well, the stock number of the MTL model is 049.00.640, which makes it a 40' car with vertical brakewheel.

[nkalanaga]

Sirenwerks:  The body may be wrong, but the era is right for the GN cars.  They were built before the roofwalks came off, and some of the GN cars kept theirs into the 80s.  Con-Cor made a similar model MANY years ago, but they erred the other way, using a car with no roofwalk and a low mounted brakewheel.


http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=2576860

[delamaize]

I might have to pick up one of those Deckers reefers, I'm a sucker for reefers.

[Sokramiketes]

No Mike; he said "people will like this livery and it's highly unlikely that the actual prototype car will be tooled in the near future so what the hell; let's put an attractive livery on a car".... and people will like it and people, will buy it and that's profit for MT so that's good... and if it offends some people then we will live with it...........

It's their company - they can put Mickey Mouse on the side of a reefer if they want or the GN goat on the Greenville car.... there isn't a law against it, nor are they perverting the youth of America or Canada or any other place....

To review; Micro Trains NEVER claimed to be the almightly paragon of prototypical fidelity..... Yet you consistantly hold them to that standard... why ? Please explain it to me... because I really don't understand the consistant criteque.....

They are what they are Mike......... please, get over it.

I've been consistent in my message.  I don't care if foobies, or downright fantasy schemes, are done.  I do care if the correct schemes never make it to the model.  The chances of another manufacturer doing a 60' Greenville Boxcar is slim to none now that MTL has the tooling.  So I feel they have an obligation to put the proper schemes on it.  Maybe you don't agree, and that's fine. 

No manufacturer, aside from BLMA maybe, claim to be the almighty paragon of prototypical fidelity.  But, I comment on prototypical fidelity because I care about prototypical fidelity for any manufacturer.  I keep my comments on track.  I comment on things that shouldn't take extra money to get right.  I comment on things that shouldn't affect sales by doing it right. 

If you feel my criticism is only directed at MTL, then that's likely because of MTL's release schedule and percentage of issues. 

[chicken45]

Ugh - my money remains safe for another month.

+1

Josh

[Puddington]

I've been consistent in my message.  I don't care if foobies, or downright fantasy schemes, are done.  I do care if the correct schemes never make it to the model.  The chances of another manufacturer doing a 60' Greenville Boxcar is slim to none now that MTL has the tooling.  So I feel they have an obligation to put the proper schemes on it.  Maybe you don't agree, and that's fine. 

No manufacturer, aside from BLMA maybe, claim to be the almighty paragon of prototypical fidelity.  But, I comment on prototypical fidelity because I care about prototypical fidelity for any manufacturer.  I keep my comments on track.  I comment on things that shouldn't take extra money to get right.  I comment on things that shouldn't affect sales by doing it right. 

If you feel my criticism is only directed at MTL, then that's likely because of MTL's release schedule and percentage of issues.

Truthfully; I feel the only real obligation they have is to remain profitable; ergo the nature of our capitalist society. (if they did it in an environmentally responsible, safe manner and helped employ some people that would be a bonus too) I'm assuming they know their business model better than you and I; thus if they want to put a GN livery on the car, I assume it's because GN sells and perhaps another, more prototypical livery might not.... They can do with their tooling what they want. I just don't think they should be castigated for it.

[sirenwerks]

Sirenwerks:  The body may be wrong, but the era is right for the GN cars.  They were built before the roofwalks came off, and some of the GN cars kept theirs into the 80s.  Con-Cor made a similar model MANY years ago, but they erred the other way, using a car with no roofwalk and a low mounted brakewheel.

Uhuh?  And your point would be?  I might be able to overlook the one double rivet strip which is the major difference between the Greenville and AC&F car.  But in addition to that, the door's off, the roof is just wrong, and there's a Rocky where a Rocky shouldn't be.  But hey, they're in the ballpark of era and they got the Glacier green right?  For a GN fan it still screams just wrong, all just wrong.

The Con-Cor model is a Greenville car too, so I am not sure how it is supposed to relate to my interest in a GN car - the GN cars were ACF and the Con-Cor model has the same errors as the MTL car for a GN car.  But both put Rocky on their cars.  I want to see the photo of the prototype for that.  I have a sizable GN library and I don't find it in any of those books.  Did they do it just because he's so damn cute?

[Scottl]

The solution:  paint, decals

[mcjaco]

....then that's likely because of MTL's release schedule and percentage of issues.

According to some here a day late on their releases is worth getting up in arms about.

I'm always torn about the prototype paint scheme fidelity issue with any manufacturer.  I know certain roadnames sell, regardless if their correct for the car, loco, etc.  Should we expect these manufacturers to run correct schemes on these cars first when 1) they may not be big sellers, and 2) they need to recoup their costs as quickly as possible - thus the foobs that make them money out of the gate.  Foobs are a part of the business, and always will be.  Asshats are too small of a portion of modelers to think that we control what should and should not be produced.  Pretty sure FVM's had a post stating such around these parts awhile back.  And finally, no matter what we do here two things are likely to get repeated every month or so: MTL bashing.  Model Railroader bashing. 

And like the sands of time...

[DKS]

Truthfully; I feel the only real obligation they have is to remain profitable; ergo the nature of our capitalist society.

Why invite the worst consequences of our "capitalist society" upon our hobby?

[bbussey]

Truthfully; I feel the only real obligation they have is to remain profitable; ergo the nature of our capitalist society. (if they did it in an environmentally responsible, safe manner and helped employ some people that would be a bonus too) I'm assuming they know their business model better than you and I; thus if they want to put a GN livery on the car, I assume it's because GN sells and perhaps another, more prototypical livery might not.... They can do with their tooling what they want. I just don't think they should be castigated for it.

Technically, yes.  But a when model railroad manufacturer releases a prototypical model, it has a fiduciary responsibility to offer prototypical schemes on the model specifically for the primary reason that Mike stated - the model will not (in most cases) be tooled by another manufacturer.  The consumer base is too small in general to support multiple models of the same prototype, especially in N scale.  Yes, MTL has the right to offer any scheme on the model it chooses, in order to help keep the doors open, and most of its clientele is collector-based.  But the modeler-base is not small and the company still has an obligation to support that base with product or it will lose that business.  Or, another manufacturer eventually will deem that it can support that base more diligently, and tool its own version of the said prototype -- which does affect the sales of the original product and sometimes significantly so.

There are a lot of N scale models on the market.  The disposable income and available modeling space of most modelers is not at the point where they can acquire everything that appeals to them.  Most people have to be particular about what they buy.  Some decide the criteria on a road or scheme regardless of accuracy.  Others decide based on fidelity to the prototype.  Due to the increasing diversity of the N scale product line, the second group is growing (out of necessity in many cases).  Yes, a manufacturer can and should offer foobies on its products if it chooses, if that boosts profit.  But the prototypically-accurate schemes should take precedent, as it increases desirability overall and the company has an obligation to offer them.

[Scottl]

I think this is all being blown out of proportion.  People are grumpy on RW for some reason, need to mellow out and enjoy this.