Scale-Trains doing Tier-4 Gevos....

[migalyto]

I just pulled the trigger on two myself. Nice thing is I have a few months to save up.

[conrail98]

Happy for you modern-era folks, for myself... meh. It also amounted to non-news news.

Actually, for any modeler this is news and here is why, this type of product is something ST can do for years and use the profits off of the 2nd and beyond runs to develop other smaller, less ubiquitous models. This is why they did this locomotive and SD40-2 in HO and why they are doing it in N scale, as they discussed on a recent podcast,

Phil

[ednadolski]

Glad to see these!  ST is definitely raising the bar for N-Scale - Kudos! 

I'm especially impressed with the underframe and fuel tank detail, something you rarely (never?) see on other models.  The brake cylinders & snubbers are a nice touch too, other models just have cast-ons.  The Loksound will be impressive, I have no doubt.

It would be interesting to dress one of these up with some scale-sized wire handrails/grabirons/piping, and the MT TSC couplers.  No cast-on grabirons to shave -- HOORAY!!!   And they are using TCP paint which should make touch ups a snap.

Admittedly the paint on these sample units looks a little on the thick side, and they seem to have the same windshield fit concerns as the turbines.... but that seems like stuff that can be addressed for production.


This could be the tipping point for me, to build Tehachapi Loop as post-2016! 


Ed

[Mark5]

Actually, for any modeler this is news and here is why, this type of product is something ST can do for years and use the profits off of the 2nd and beyond runs to develop other smaller, less ubiquitous models. This is why they did this locomotive and SD40-2 in HO and why they are doing it in N scale, as they discussed on a recent podcast,

Phil

Makes sense. Somewhere down the line this will enable a 1975 friendly product from S-T.

Mark

[basementcalling]

Hoping to see these in the operators line.

[mu26aeh]

I seen it mentioned in Chuck's FB video that the NS units will have flashing ditch lights included, on both ends.  Have to wonder how that is being done, using a Loksound decoder given the IMRC SD40-2's can't from the factory.... 

[C855B]

Actually, for any modeler this is news and here is why, this type of product is something ST can do for years and use the profits off of the 2nd and beyond runs to develop other smaller, less ubiquitous models. This is why they did this locomotive and SD40-2 in HO and why they are doing it in N scale, as they discussed on a recent podcast,

Welllllllll... yes, that is a valid point, but I'm not quite sure the N marketing plan is as cogent as that.

I chatted for a couple of minutes with the rep at the StL RPM show today, asking if things improved for the N scale carbon cars. He frowned and indicated, no, and they are still trying to understand why the demand isn't there in N as it was in HO. I responded that what is popular in HO is not necessarily going to be a demand item in N, that you don't want to make the same mistakes that ExactRail did. I stated my take that HO'ers are typically appreciative of unique cars because of the orientation toward individual models, rather than N, where by and large we are modeling whole trains and setting an ambiance. Oddball cars in the consist are, well, oddball, especially when there's no reasonable justification for the traffic in the train. I got, "But these cars are everywhere," and I argued that they were not, we rarely see them here in the Midwest, and outside of my years in California that carbon black cars "in the wild" are notable by their rarity. At that point I was getting what amounted to an eye-roll, so I gave up.

Anyway, bottom line, and also from my talking to them last year plus their mechanical execution of the turbine, I have that I-wish-I-didn't-have-this-queasy-feeling we are again dealing with 99% HO'ers imposing HO product priorities and designs on N. Clearly they're doing some great stuff and I will continue to stand behind (and buy the results of) their efforts, but I am concerned.

[C855B]

Seeing there are no pics yet (unless they're hiding elsewhere in the forum), here are snaps of the GEVOs:







Gorgeous.

[ai5629]

I seen it mentioned in Chuck's FB video that the NS units will have flashing ditch lights included, on both ends.  Have to wonder how that is being done, using a Loksound decoder given the IMRC SD40-2's can't from the factory.... 

NS units do have ditch lights on both ends.

[Hyperion]

There's pics all over their site.




This is probably my first post in probably 2 years.  I was surprised this morning that I bought one of these (got the email announcement and jumped right on one) before I'd even seen a thread on it here.  I've sold a lot of my stuff, but these were just way too damned impressive to pass up.

This is, without a shred of doubt, the first N-scale manufacturer photo of a product that I found truly impressive.  But I don't mean just the product itself, which is certainly no slouch.  The photography blows away everyone else.  The perspective, the sky, the FOV -- it gives the locomotive a sense of scale and realism that no manufacturer has even remotely touched in their marketing efforts.

I haven't bought anything in years, sold a lot of my stuff, there's decent odds I'll never actually build a layout... and I still found it irresistible.

[RBrodzinsky]

I seen it mentioned in Chuck's FB video that the NS units will have flashing ditch lights included, on both ends.  Have to wonder how that is being done, using a Loksound decoder given the IMRC SD40-2's can't from the factory.... 

They are using the decoder with the Next18 connector, so that has more active (not just logical) functions - basically an HO decoder. Same as they did with the Turbines. The IM units have a totally different board.

[C855B]

There's pics all over their site.
...

Yes, but that's their site, with all the marketing latitude to be applied therein - as you say - professional lighting and photography, "suggested serving" and all that. What I uploaded were models sitting on the table you could touch and see under lousy, everyday lighting. Still very, very impressive in person.

[ljudice]

Will be ordering a pair in NS...   One sound, one no sound....

These are very common in coal country - dominating (well 50%) of the Bluefield helper pool....

[Catt]

Almost pulled the trigger on a couple myself (CSX) but then I remembered that these big locos look rather silly on my new much smaller layout.But Damn they do look good. 

[mu26aeh]

They are using the decoder with the Next18 connector, so that has more active (not just logical) functions - basically an HO decoder. Same as they did with the Turbines. The IM units have a totally different board.

Thanks for clarification.  Still pissed IMRC and ESU couldn't get this correct on the SD40-2's