Scaletrains game changer

[nkalanaga]

Eric:  Since the PRR had a steam turbine, if they had been a transcontinental railroad, they may well have tried turbine-electrics.  The UP wasn't the only road looking for bigger power.

I imagine you've heard of "Big Liz", the FF-1, from 1917?  Pulled drawbars when leading, and telescoped freight cars when pushing.  A little ahead of its time, so didn't run long.

[tom mann]

Game changer: preorder with delivery in less than 4 years.

[unittrain]

Game changer: preorder with delivery in less than 4 years.

+1 

[Smike]

Lets be honest, the single biggest beyond all voids in N Scale engines remains SD40-2's

IM is having issues with bringing it to market.

Kato refuses to release any more (even knowing they have tooling)

So that would be the item to be delivered that would serve the most. 

[SP-Wolf]

To me, a game changer would be to produce a series of locomotives that are modular. somewhat like Stewart produced years ago in HO. If memory serves me right - they made an F unit body with a separate nose door (with and without head light), separate side grills (Horizontal or Farr), separate dynamic brake fans (with or without) and separate radiator fans. I am sure this could be applied to virtually any diesel. From first gen through current. So, produce a basic body shell with many of the external details molded separately.

Secondly, a real game changer. Do as Atlas and Kato --- produce what you announce in a timely manner. Or keep your announcement until you are sure the model can be produced.

Carry on,
Wolf

[JoeD]

Game changer: preorder with delivery in less than 4 years.

All of ours are 

Joe

[eric220]

Eric:  Since the PRR had a steam turbine, if they had been a transcontinental railroad, they may well have tried turbine-electrics.  The UP wasn't the only road looking for bigger power.

Maybe that's what they're making: the PRR V-1! 

The PRR actually was looking into turbine electrics in 1945/46, just as their last steamers were being delivered. Unfortunately, before the locomotive could move from drawing board to rails, PRR management discovered deisels, and the project was scrapped.

Actually, making a model of the V1 is a project that's been in the back of my mind for a long time. Given all the other projects I have, it's liable to stay in the back of my mind for a long time yet.

[VonRyan]

A true game-changer in N would be some RTR 4-wheel coaches. And a GWR 'City' class.

[ljudice]

Lets be honest, the single biggest beyond all voids in N Scale engines remains SD40-2's

IM is having issues with bringing it to market.

Kato refuses to release any more (even knowing they have tooling)

So that would be the item to be delivered that would serve the most.

I agree!

[Ed Kapuscinski]

I agree!

Yup.

[mmagliaro]

This has me thinking what would really constitute a game-changer in N scale.

For a locomotive, I think it would have to be a factory-installed DCC decoder with a built-in keep-alive capability.

If we broadened the spectrum to include all things N scale, I think we still have a very long way to go toward a bullet-proof track system with scale rails, integral switch machines, and North American tie size and spacing.

Other than that, maybe I lack the imagination to conceive of something that really is a game-changer.  With the exception of track, I think N scale stands shoulder-to-shoulder with HO in terms of detail, reliability, and even sound.

I'm convinced that smoke in N scale is probably a bad idea, if for no other reason than the residue it'll leave on rails.  N scale locomotives seem to always need every bit of electrical contact they can muster (it's probably more a weight thing than a size thing) and smoke oil residue won't help that at all.

+1
The most realistic response I read in here.

I don't think that whatever it is will be a game changer.
A true game changer would be something that changes the way we *all* build or run or operate trains.  No diesel or steam model or smoke unit is going to do that. 

Electrical pickup is still a major issue in N Scale.  Cleaning track, cleaning wheels, cleaning track, cleaning wheels... ugh.  Imagine what it would be like if every time you turned up a throttle, the engine just moved.  Every time.  No excuses.  No cleaning.  That truly would change the way we run and enjoy our trains.  So a battery-powered chassis, with a scheme for recharging the battery of course, would be a "game changer".  I don't think a built-in keep-alive for the decoder quite fills the bill, because although it's a nice convenience, this is a problem that has been solved, even though it means putting the caps in yourself.
The track/battery issue has not been solved.

And definitely: an accurate, reliable, solid line of track and turnouts.  We still have a scattershot smattering of half-working products in this regard.   Points that break, rails out of gauge, turnout dimensions and radii that are incorrect, dead rails, point rails that go dead, no easy system for driving throwbars and powering routes and frogs.  All these things are solved through a myriad of homebrew techniques that all mostly work, but you still cannot just buy track and turnouts off the shelf, plunk them in, and really have them work without working on them.

Oh... one more thought.  The idea of the modular steam loco.  I used to think this was a good idea and was possible, but now I don't.
Steam locomotives are as individual as fingerprints.  Look at 4-6-2's in PRR, NP, B&O, C&NW, etc.  That's the reason why for so many years, so many engines were "USRA" types (and we all groaned that they didn't look anything like the engines we each wanted for our roads).
They could make a lot of *parts*: cabs, tender bodies, tender chassis, tender trucks.  Even a whole line of drivers.  But it would be a product line for engine tinkerers and scratch builders, so I don't think it would be a game-changer.

[Missaberoad]

As mentioned above a modular Diesel locomotive would work however.

Take for example the much desired SD40-2 with a reliable mechanism and basic properly proportioned shell with the options of attaching the correct details (sort hood, fans, grills, dynamic brake section, blower housing) to make an accurate example of any of the dozens of variations made by EMD/GMDD over the years.

Such a line would be easily expandable and have alot of crossover between models (especially EMD)

The basic locomotive and parts could be available separately (similar to Canon and Co's line in HO)
For a modeler I think something like that would be a "Game Changer"  and might get the RPM crowd to take notice...

[James Costello]

Free standing details (ala FVM) factory installed?

[sd45elect2000]

I'd like to see a steam engine that will actually pull 50+ cars. To me THAT would be a game changer !

Randy

[ljudice]

+1
The most realistic response I read in here.

I don't think that whatever it is will be a game changer.
A true game changer would be something that changes the way we *all* build or run or operate trains.  No diesel or steam model or smoke unit is going to do that. 

Electrical pickup is still a major issue in N Scale.  Cleaning track, cleaning wheels, cleaning track, cleaning wheels... ugh.  Imagine what it would be like if every time you turned up a throttle, the engine just moved.  Every time.  No excuses.  No cleaning.  That truly would change the way we run and enjoy our trains.  So a battery-powered chassis, with a scheme for recharging the battery of course, would be a "game changer".  I don't think a built-in keep-alive for the decoder quite fills the bill, because although it's a nice convenience, this is a problem that has been solved, even though it means putting the caps in yourself.
The track/battery issue has not been solved.

Interesting - battery power, recharging perhaps by wireless (installed in fuel stands) - and perhaps a move to WiFi or NFC.
Integrated train to wayside communications for detection and signalling. 

All of this basic technology is incredibly cheap due to the zillion units of cellphones being produced. This is how R/C
drones acquired 2 way video and GPS.

Where will the next innovations come from??