Athearn SD70

[Pathtimber]

Athearn is now announcing SD 70s in N scale!
I'm super excited about this, I always wanted an Illinois Central for run through.

There are some interesting road names that they're making as well ......


http://www.athearn.com/Search/Default.aspx?NYA=True&Page=10

[C855B]

Cool for semi-modern modelers, but SP&S and NP? Really?

[jnevis]

Athearn has never been one to shy away from "WTF?"  Almost ConCor-esk in it.

[Mark5]

At last the spartan cabs ...

http://www.athearn.com/newsletter/022417/12_N-scale_SD70_022417.pdf

[Scottl]

Tempting, a few IC units still run on CN.

[davefoxx]

Tempting.  I chased two brand-new Norfolk Southern SD70s up and down the hill at Saluda, North Carolina in April 1994.  It was my first chance to get up close to modern power, and I remember how big these locomotives seemed as a mere twenty-four year-old.  I watched them triple the hill on the afternoon return trip from Spartanburg, South Carolina with a mixed manifest.  One of the best railfanning experiences I've ever had.

Hmm, I always wanted to model a mountain line with helpers and lots of coal.  Perhaps that new Model Railroader Video Plus project layout "Canadian Canyons" could be modified . . .   

DFF

[basementcalling]

They have UP. Nuff said. Wonder if they will have inserts for the under walkway details?

[Englewood]

Nice! I'm in for the UP and an IC unit. I like to see fantasy schemes, and apparently I'm not the only one, as lots of manufacturers are jumping in. Hopefully there's another run of SD75s in Santa Fe in the not too distant future.

[drgw0579]

Well the UP version is a fantasy scheme, for the traditional cab.  UP didn't have any, not even from mergers.  They had 85 regular cab SD60's but no SD70s.  Of course the 1000+ unit SD70M fleet with the wide nose continues on.

I once asked my contact at IM about fantasy schemes.  He said they normally do well.  It's a way to get some return on investment on a model that might otherwise have limited appeal.  They don't want to do this on a regular basis and they want to clearly label the fact that it is "fantasy".  Even so, I've heard stories of modelers giving them the riot act over the fact that "<railroad X> would have never painted their snow plows like this". 

Bill Kepner

[Ed Kapuscinski]

I'm glad they're doing fantasy schemes.

Why?

Because it may make some models viable that otherwise wouldn't be.

Would I lose sleep over a PRR painted AEM-7 if I could also get them in Amtrak? No friggin way.

[chessie system fan]

If they're doing fantasy stuff, I'm surprised they didn't do the SD60 EMD demo/lease unit(s) with radial trucks.  It's reasonably close too, by NP and NP&S standards.   


Edit:  Here's a picture.

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=296966

[Mark5]

Just in case anyone is curious, the SD70 was built for NS. Conrail (to NS specs), IC, and a Peruvian railroad (export).

The 24 Conrail units went to NS, all of these are still in service on NS (56 units, total 80 units including the Conrail units). Some are being rebuilt to AC with fat cabs).

A handful of the 40 IC units were wrecked and scrapped - but the rest still serve on CN.

I might get one and high nose it.  (it would be my first Athearn loco!)

Mark

[jdcolombo]

Sigh.  Guess I'm going to have to get a couple of IC units for our Ntrak setups here in Central Illinois. 

Then I'll have to put sound in them.

But the local crowds will like seeing them. 

John C.

[Philip H]

Cr@p now I'll have to rethink my layout concept.

[ljudice]

NS standard cab SD70 - wow!!!!

We just need Kato to do a correct C44-9W like they did for SP and BNSF....