Halloween preview at MTL

[peteski]

Isn't technology wonderful Ryan?

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[Missaberoad]

Isn't technology wonderful Ryan?

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Lol... Isn't it... I'm used to it being the other way around where us Canadians can't see it...  lets try that again...

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2lqd10_gir-the-doom-song_fun

Edit: Remove blocked in USA Youtube link 

[mu26aeh]

I just got an email from my LHS saying my cars are in already !! 

[peteski]

During my daily check of BLW, I found this link as well from MTL, graffiti grab bags ! 3-4 car packs that you don't know what you have until you open the bag.

http://www.blwnscale.com/mt-weathered-grab-bag.htm

I wonder if that indicates that the mass-produced graffiti cars aren't selling as well as MTL hoped.  I remember the initial series of graffiti cars (in the '90s, not produced by MTL) became a instant-collectible and a highly sought after series.  But now with ink jet printed cars released almost every month, how collectible are they?  Just like other recent series of cars from MTL (State Series Cars, Beer Reefers, Meat Reefers, Tank Car Series), many are still sitting on the retailer's shelves.

Sure, the grab bags have unique cars, but the ink jet printing technology makes this as easy as making one-off cars.  I suppose it is a good option to get some more pre-weathered/tagged cars for a modern railroad layout (or a collector.s shelf).

[mu26aeh]

Back to the topic at hand, I picked up my 3 Halloween cars today from the LHS.  Here are pics of both sides

20160924_140713[1] by Adam Henry, on Flickr

20160924_140834[1] by Adam Henry, on Flickr

I plan on trying to find photos of the "clean" sides and replicate those sides if not too difficult.  rrpicturearchives.net has the BNSF and NDYX cars, but not the NAHX car.

[tehachapifan]

I sure like the weathering on the "clean" side of the former Rock hopper!

[ryan_wilkerson]

Agreed!!!! That rust and fading effect looks so good.

I sure like the weathering on the "clean" side of the former Rock hopper!

[Ngineer]

I got my NDYX Monster 3 (094 44 170) car a few days ago. I ususally don't buy cars with graffiti as they are well out of my time frame.

But it looked good, so I ordered one.

The last car with graffiti that I bought was the TCMX Pumpkin hopper (094 44 320) from 2010.

I am AMAZED how much the printing has improved in those six years. While the pumpkin model is grainy and blurry, the monster 3 hopper is crisp and very, very detailed. IMHO the new model is a HUGE improvement over the old one. Absolutely stunning.

BTW, the price tag of the old model from 2010 says $ 32.80, the price tag of the new model from 2016 says $ 33.90. Micro-Trains, thank you for keeping the price increase low!

(I am in no way affiliated or payed by MTL for stating the above.)

   Javier

[peteski]

I am AMAZED how much the printing has improved in those six years. While the pumpkin model is grainy and blurry, the monster 3 hopper is crisp and very, very detailed. IMHO the new model is a HUGE improvement over the old one. Absolutely stunning.

It does appear that MT has upgraded their printer (or its print head).  In the past all the small lettering was still Tampo-printed in additional to the ink jet printed areas. Nowadays, the small lettering is also ink jet printed.  While I think this printing method is ideal for weathering and graffiti, I'm still no a fan of it being used to decorate the complete sides of their weathered boxcars.