Micro Trains August 2017 Releases

[thomasjmdavis]

Was it a mail express car like this one?

http://abpr.railfan.net/abprphoto.cgi?february00/02-28-00/bXo-baggage-atKentOh-Dec80.jpg

Since there is a picture of it readily available online, it could be that very one...

But not to manufacturers... we could really use the baggage-15'mail car.  They were used on branchlines all over the country, and many railroads closed up the RPO window (or sometimes not) and converted them to full baggage express cars.   

[wcfn100]

Was it a mail express car like this one?

http://abpr.railfan.net/abprphoto.cgi?february00/02-28-00/bXo-baggage-atKentOh-Dec80.jpg

That looks like the one.

Jason

[JoeD]

Is MTL starting a new road name series with Norfolk & Western or is this just a single car?
If so, it's interesting seeing as how there are gaps in the current series.  Joe, when will these be completed?

Rick

We are working with a world renowned expert here on Railwire to do these    So far we are going to do all the appropriate body styles and they should come out every month.  The straggler will be the single window coach later this year and we normally release the proto (NYC) first, but also do the ongoing project, so it's possible if they had these, it would be on top of the heap.
JOe

[JoeD]

Exactly.
I was just trying to inquire in a more polite manner if MTL was going to make that same mistake twice.

Maybe whoever prepared the images for the website just reused the artwork from the previous release.
Or, since the previous release is still in stock, maybe they're thinking of (re)printing a new roadnumber on them and including them in the 5-pack.

Nevertheless, would still like to know if that's the way the baggage car in the upcoming 5-pack will be lettered, or not.

I'll check on it, but if you have pictures of something more proto, please forward them

thanks

Joe

[JoeD]

That explanation doesn't say anything about the friction properties of the axle points in the sideframes, which is what I'm most curious about.   However, now that you made me reread the MTL announcement, I do see another benefit.
The FVM axles are thick.  And while more weight and sturdiness is always nice, sometimes this causes a problem with the axle rubbing against a body mounted coupler when things are tight.  So thinner axles would be helpful.

In roll tests here they performed as well or better than some of our test samples. The Wheels of Time cars I tested rolled about 30% further which was insane...

Joe

[GhengisKong]

I imagine being RP25's they will fall somewhere between the FVM fine wheels and the FVM wides...

I will be picking some up and I hope they are a success. Perhaps a semi scale version or a ribbed back (for added pleasure  ) are in the future  @Shipsure hint hint 

Also Joe is there a timeline for any new TSC developments? I've been holding off buying more, waiting to see what is coming...

I see what you did there...

[Point353]

I'll check on it, but if you have pictures of something more proto, please forward them
thanks
Joe

Already posted back on page 1: https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=42477.msg535685#msg535685

But here it is, again: http://rr-fallenflags.org/bo/bo-ba664abr.jpg

Not a prototype photo, but the same paint scheme:
http://marketplace-images.trainzauctions.com/2401b4fa095011f142e3fe3dcf1083e8945aa2ef-K2_002.jpg

[Bill H]

I'll check on it, but if you have pictures of something more proto, please forward them

thanks

Joe

Hi Joe:
Take a look at http://rr-fallenflags.org/bo/bo-ba664abr.jpg

Perhaps Jerry L could direct you to more with centered lettering. Most of my references are on videos where the centered lettering was the norm.
Kind regards,
Bill

[bbussey]

Nothing appealing to me this month, but it's nice to see the N&W heavyweight series launch.

[Ngineer]

The Wheels of Time cars I tested rolled about 30% further which was insane...

Great news! Looking forward to those wheels.

   Javier

[Cajonpassfan]

In roll tests here they performed as well or better than some of our test samples. The Wheels of Time cars I tested rolled about 30% further which was insane...

Joe

Joe, I must be the only one confused by the above statement "They" I assume are the new MT metal wheels, and "they"performed as well or better than some of "our test samples". MT's current, most recent wheels? Other brands? The WoT cars rolled 30% further, or you mean they rolled further with the new MT wheels? (Some of my WoT cars, as much as I love them, don't roll well at all). To me, the important question is how they perform relative to the MT wheels they are replacing.
Thanks, Otto K.

[peteski]

Joe, I must be the only one confused by the above statement "They" I assume are the new MT metal wheels, and "they"performed as well or better than some of "our test samples". MT's current, most recent wheels? Other brands? The WoT cars rolled 30% further, or you mean they rolled further with the new MT wheels? (Some of my WoT cars, as much as I love them, don't roll well at all). To me, the important question is how they perform relative to the MT wheels they are replacing.
Thanks, Otto K.

I was confused too but waited for someone else to call this out.  I give Joe too much grief already.

[brokemoto]

The straggler will be the single window coach later this year and we normally release the proto (NYC) first, but also do the ongoing project, so it's possible if they had these, it would be on top of the heap.

It appears that N&W ran mostly single window heavyweight coaches and combines  (Is MT planning a baggage/passenger at some point?).  It appears that N&W did acquire some coaches from other sources, as well. I saw some photographs of ex-PRR and Wabash coaches that were paired window.  The presence of neither is a surprise, as PRR controlled N&W for some time and after PRR control, N&W swallowed Wabash.   I saw some photographs of some N&W coaches with Bethlehem rounded roofs.  When MT does issue the single window, I am sure that some Reading modellers would be very happy to see a Bethlehem roof to fit the car.  The
B-mann doodlebug roof is pretty close to one.



As the single window coach is based on a NYC design, at some point could we please have a P&LE?  The paint is easy:  Pullman green with gold NEW YORK CENTRAL SYSTEM in Central Gothic on the letterboard, car number and P&LE sublettering below the window line (car number above P&LE reporting marks).  In the 1920s and before, it read NEW YORK CENTRAL LINES in railroad roman on the letterboard, car number at each end and P&LE sublettering above the doors.  I would prefer the later lettering, though.  There used to be a P&LE HW coach painted and lettered in the newer scheme on display at Station Square, but I do not know if it is still there.

While on the subject of the P&LE, does anyone know where to find a photograph of P&LE baggage/RPO cars?  I would suspect that they would look  much like, if not exactly alike NYC baggage/RPOs, but I am not sure.  The MT baggage/RPO does look much like NYC's baggage/RPO, so if P&LE's looked something like that, i could get away with applying Microscale lettering to one.

[Sokramiketes]

Are the new metal wheels machined brass?  Or some sort of cast metal?

The Kadee HO cast wheel sets don't seem to do too well in HO, as they don't stay clean like a machined Reboxx or Intermountain wheel set.  I'm concerned looking at the photo that MTL might be going down this path as well.  And if they don't stay clean, then what is the advantage over the plastic wheels?

[Mark5]

It appears that N&W ran mostly single window heavyweight coaches and combines  (Is MT planning a baggage/passenger at some point?). 

And RPOs, Baggage Mail, Full Baggage,  Diners, Sleepers, etc - what where you thinking? 

It appears that N&W did acquire some coaches from other sources, as well. I saw some photographs of ex-PRR and Wabash coaches that were paired window.  The presence of neither is a surprise, as PRR controlled N&W for some time and after PRR control, N&W swallowed Wabash.

33% of stock is not enough to control a corporation, but there certainly was influence. PRR was happy to reap the healthy dividends!

N&W did not have any ex PRR paired window coaches (or any paired window coaches for that matter prior to the 1964 merger). After the 1964 merger N&W did pick up some from Wabash Heavyweights which IIRC quickly were or already were in MOW service.

N&W did have some Heavyweight cars which were coaches rebuilt from Pullman parlor cars (Class PN)  - maybe that is what you saw:

https://imagebase.lib.vt.edu/image_viewer.php?q=NS2671

N&W did buy some coaches from PRR in 1934 (Class PK) - they were all off the roster by the late 1940s:

https://imagebase.lib.vt.edu/imagebase/norfolksouthern/full/NS2662.jpeg

N&W also had some of these HW coaches (class PP) which were bought in 1942 and then sold to C&O in 1945:

https://imagebase.lib.vt.edu/image_viewer.php?q=NS2674

  I saw some photographs of some N&W coaches with Bethlehem rounded roofs. 

Not sure what you mean by this "Bethlehem". Some of the PG class coaches (the quintessential N&W HW coach) were rebuilt with "modernized" roofs: http://www.nwhs.org/archivesdb/detail.php?ID=65722

If you really get bored here is a roster of all N&W heavyweight equipment:

https://www.nwhs.org/qna/SteelCarRoster.pdf

Cheers,

Mark