Just take my money already

[mmagliaro]

...
...

Here is my "take my money list"
SP AC-9
SP MT-4
SP GS-1
SP P-10 (with and without skyline casting)
PRR T-1 (someday by BLI)
Heisler
Jordan Spreader


When any of the above show up in brass, they demand top dollar.  Are the manufacturers of seeing this?

I wish there were more steam models too, but to be honest, they have been coming out at a steady, albeit slow, trickle.  A PRR M1 and K4 recently, most notably.

But my main reason for commenting here is your above remark about brass.  The market is not there for that kind of "top dollar" spending on these engines in large quantities
You can't look at the prices that these engines command in brass and conclude that a commercial plastic model for $300 or so would be able to sell enough to make good money.  Brass releases, by definition, are targeted at very low volume markets.  A plastic commercial model has to sell big volume for a manufacturer to be interested - say, 10,000 or more.  I admit that 10,000 is an educated guess.  But that's my story and I'm stickin' to it.

I'm not saying a plastic T1 won't sell.  I'm just saying that you can't tell that just by the way the brass one sells.

[atsf3751]

Bachmann has a large selection of USRA and Vanderbilt tenders, when they are available. There are, however, two tenders missing from their selection.

Model Power had a small Vanderbilt tender available and if you bought it undecorated it came with both a coal and oil bunker, would love to have a few more of them. You can get them now by buying a steam engine.

One tender that has never been available in N Scale plastic is the whaleback tender. I had one on a brass 2-8-0 and that is the only one I have ever seen.

Marty Young
San Diego, CA

[SPsteam]

I would be happy to see some of these models released in any medium, brass or plastic.  Boo Rim is still a viable player in the HO brass market and they built the DMI&R Yellowstone a few years back and it was a solid performer.  Perhaps an importer would take another chance on some N scale items to fill the void.

The return on plastic may not be the answer.  However a minimal investment by bmann for another shell for their EM 1 to make an AC-9 would probably sell rather well.  Just my 2cents.

[jmlaboda - RIP]

One tender that has never been available in N Scale plastic is the whaleback tender. I had one on a brass 2-8-0 and that is the only one I have ever seen.

Then don't look at the thread I've linked to below... would hate to change your mind...

https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=31112

[atsf3751]

Then don't look at the thread I've linked to below... would hate to change your mind...

https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=31112

You have my permission to change my mind. The hardest part is the tender shape and it appears that has been found and is a good start. Time to get some books out and see if one of my many tender chassis will work. THANKS!!!

Marty Young
San Diego, CA

[SPsteam]

Did the GHQ vandy tender ever come to fruition?   

[JMaurer1]

I am 100% on board for all of your suggestions.!

Superturbine made a AC-9 shell for the Bachmann EM-1:

https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=33282.msg381179#msg381179

and a MT-4:

https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=28312.0

and a GS-1

https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=31896.msg356921#msg356921

but he is taking a break from trains right now to take care of some other things (can't wait for him to return). There is also a whaleback tender for sale on Shapeways for Bachmanns 4-6-0, however he is currently changing the design so that it will fit the Bachmann tender with DCC with no mods needed (can wait for this either).

IMHO: MFRs want to make engines that can be offered for many roads which is why diesels are so prevalent. One set of molds can be painted and sold in dozens of roads paint schemes (and most roads has several different paint schemes to choose from). These same MFRs have tried to do the same thing in steam, but there are not very many roads that used a 'standard' steam engine (with the exception of the USRA steam locos that have been offered in the past). Most roads had steam engines 'custom made' to their specs. There is no confusing a Pennsy locomotive for any other road. Same with the SP (or Harriman roads). So most MFRs have stayed away from the expense of designing a locomotive that can only be sold for one road (the exception was ConCor...nothing funnier looking than the GS-4 that they sold painted for the Pennsy...no really).



Still, somehow Kato can do it and make money. Just wish Kato made more and reran old engines (check out the prices that Kato GS-4s are going for now). All we can do is keep our fingers crossed and hope that others take the chance and try what Kato has already been successful with doing (Atlas, I'm talking to you especially). 

[Rasputen]

Overland Models has already offered a Jordan spreader, both low blade and high blade.

[Missaberoad]

Overland Models has already offered a Jordan spreader, both low blade and high blade.

They do and I'm actively seeking one...  however they are rarer then hens teeth and typically sell for more then 500$ with popular schemes going for insane amounts...

I do hope someone jumps on this, Micro-trains is my first thought for seems up their alley (low volume, many schemes, highly detailed)
but I'd just be happy to have one or two

http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/soo/soo-rd816ads.jpg

[sp org div]

Overland Models has already offered a Jordan spreader, both low blade and high blade.

Well Id sure like to get my hands on one of their Jordan Spreaders in SP paint....
http://espee.railfan.net/nonindex/spmw/spreaders/4033_spmw-spreader-todd_montgomery.jpg

Jeff

[jmlaboda - RIP]

Time to get some books out and see if one of my many tender chassis will work

The designer says it is intend to fit the Bachmann 4-6-0 tender chassis.

Overland Models has already offered a Jordan spreader, both low blade and high blade.

Good luck finding one... and expect to pay out the yazoo for it!!!

What about some sort of Harriman (SP or UP) Consol???  Always have liked them ever since I first saw one done by Model Die Casting.  Had hoped that when MDC started doing N-scale that they would do one in N but such never happened.  Definitely would look better than what the Bachmann Consol. does.

[atsf3751]

So most MFRs have stayed away from the expense of designing a locomotive that can only be sold for one road (the exception was ConCor...nothing funnier looking than the GS-4 that they sold painted for the Pennsy...no really).
 

There almost was. I was at a train show and in the Concor booth was Jim Conway. One of the engines on display was an N Scale 4-8-4 painted for UP. The boiler was brown (use your imagination for what a long brown boiler looked like), the cab was yellow and the skirts were gray. I looked at the model and commented that it would also look good in Santa Fe red and silver Warbonnet. He said good idea and wrote it down in his notebook. Obviously wiser heads prevailed because it never appeared.

Marty Young
San Diego, CA

[atsf3751]

There is also a whaleback tender for sale on Shapeways for Bachmanns 4-6-0, however he is currently changing the design so that it will fit the Bachmann tender with DCC with no mods needed (can wait for this either).

Read that and ordered two. Gut the tender, keep the tender pickups, and one of the tiny decoders should fit without a problem.

Marty Young
San Diego, CA

[SPsteam]

Just watched an MT-4 and a MT-1 sell at auction.  Surprisingly the MT-4 only went for $560 whereas the MT-1 went for $822.  I would have expected the MT-4 to get more than the MT-1.   Athearn are you watching?

[Maletrain]

What would I buy?

B&O P-1c or P-7 (look much like USRA heavy)
B&O P-3-Washington/Baltimore commuter trains.
B&O Q-4
B&O T-4 (bought used from the Busted and Mined, so could be sold to B&M modellers)
B&O Big Six

P&LE A-2a-ALCo's last US steam.  I am surprised that no manufacturer has done this one.
P&LE H-10, especially with a vestibule cab.

I will definitely second the P1, P-7, Q4 and Big Six

But, I think I would rather see a T3 than a T4.  The B&O had many more T-3s, and they are more unique looking.  That said, from a manufacturer's viewpoint, the T4 can also serve as a B&M model, and maybe some others, too.  I don't know of any other 4-8-2s that were made by adding boiler sections to 4-6-2s and 2-8-2s, like the B&O did to create the T-3s.

As we have often said before in theads like this, once a mechanism that runs well is developed, putting various detailed shells on it should not be much more expensive than producing a model like the B&O wagontop caboose.  So, for instance, I don't see why Bachmann could not put a well detailed T-3 boiler on their USRA Light Mountain mechanism, or a detailed P-7 boiler on their K-4 mechanism.  And, tenders should not be that tough, either.  The Bachmann Berkshire already has a tender that is close to the T-3b and P-7e tenders. 

If the big manufacturers won't do it, then maybe the Shapeways vendors will start filling those needs more frequently.  Bachmann could then just sell mechanisms. That would definitely get them more sales for the same investment.  And, it would make their "lifetime guarantee" actually mean that they can repair or replace any mechanism that they sell.