4 All-New Locomotives; Live Feed From the Railroad Hobby Show

[Point353]

Is that spring on the coupler a "rivet counter" detail?

[peteski]

Is that spring on the coupler a "rivet counter" detail?

 

[jagged ben]

Let's be fair to Kato...  They did step variations, handrail variations, numberboard variations, cab roof variations, and DB vent variations on their early runs of Dash-9s.  Years later they did the correct cab-windows, ditch lights, and trucks for later BNSF and for SP and some UP.  (Although, I'm pretty sure they only ever did four BNSF H2 numbers, and only 2 were correct details.)

We're not getting any of that variation from ScaleTrains Operator line, at the same price point.  We've got H1 without gullwing cab or wide handrails, CNW without low numberboards or underdeck mounted ditchlights, NS without high headlight.  For those counting, I think the UP Operator offerings have correct details, although maybe there's something I missed.

Obviously the Rivet Counter line is much more ambitious.  Other than the Santa Fe trucks mentioned (which depend a bit on exact era and roadnumber), all details seem to be correct.  I didn't even know there were different air conditioners until now. 

Honestly though, I'm torn.  There's something about the appearance (particularly the grabs on top of the nose) that just gives me pause about pre-ordering these.  I've added some details to my Santa Fe Katos that make me not want to replace those.   Not to mention if I decided to replace my Kato Dash-9 fleet, I'd use up my entire annual train budget.   It's kind of a high-stakes decision.  I really don't need two different brands of Dash-9.  (Kato's Santa Fe red is too dark and Scale Trains looks too light.) 

I think I might wait for a correct Heritage 1 in Rivet Counter, since I 'need' those and Kato never did them with the right ditchlights or the improved underdetail.  Next run?

[peteski]

Honestly though, I'm torn.  There's something about the appearance (particularly the grabs on top of the nose) that just gives me pause about pre-ordering these.  I've added some details to my Santa Fe Katos that make me not want to replace those.

That is exactly how I see most models with separately-applied grab irons, but after the last time I mentioned it, I'm not going there again. Well, maybe a little. In N Scale, they (to me) appear overly thick and placed too far from the body.

Another thing that bugs me is that other than Kato and MTL, most manufacturers haven't figure out how to apply paint so it doesn't look like a layer of molasses coating the model.  Paint on Kato and MTL models is nice and thin.  I guess it must be the "made in China" thing.  They must be using different (more viscous?) type of paint

[basementcalling]

I guess I should have tried selling off my extra Kato -9s before now. Man I have too many of them in UP and CNW.

Peteski, must be a Pete thing, but I agree on the free standing nose grabs. Maybe its the China thick paint making the wires look out of scale?

I'm feeling a bit deceived by the billing of 2 new N scale locos. These releases are just 1 loco with 2 levels of detail. Scale Trains needs to learn to count.

[squirrelhunter]

Scale Trains will have another announcement for another locomotive in operator and river counter later in the year.

[GhengisKong]

Scale Trains will have another announcement for another locomotive in operator and river counter later in the year.

Any idea on how long?

[daniel_leavitt2000]

Probably the NMRA convention this summer.

[jagged ben]

I guess I should have tried selling off my extra Kato -9s before now. Man I have too many of them in UP and CNW.
...

Unless you've been meaning to unload them already, keep in mind they are more accurate than the Scale Trains Operator versions, at least if the UP are the ones with low numberboards.

[jagged ben]

That is exactly how I see most models with separately-applied grab irons, but after the last time I mentioned it, I'm not going there again. Well, maybe a little. In N Scale, they (to me) appear overly thick and placed too far from the body.

Another thing that bugs me is that other than Kato and MTL, most manufacturers haven't figure out how to apply paint so it doesn't look like a layer of molasses coating the model.  Paint on Kato and MTL models is nice and thin.  I guess it must be the "made in China" thing.  They must be using different (more viscous?) type of paint

I'm not opposed to the free standing details in general.  I think the C39 looks awesome.  There's just something about the busyness around the windshield on the dash 9 that's getting to me.  Maybe if either the windshield wipers or the grabs or both were etched finer or molded on...

As far as the paint, do you think Kato uses a machine?  A video from the Scale Trains factory showed hand spraying.

[peteski]

I'm not opposed to the free standing details in general.  I think the C39 looks awesome.  There's just something about the busyness around the windshield on the dash 9 that's getting to me.  Maybe if either the windshield wipers or the grabs or both were etched finer or molded on...

As far as the paint, do you think Kato uses a machine?  A video from the Scale Trains factory showed hand spraying.

UNless the free-standing grabs are added by a fastidious modeler (and are made from very thin wire, have very thin layer of paint, and are installed with properl distance from the body, I don't much care for them applied at the factory.  In nproduction quantities, then can't do them justice.
I realize that making them true scale is pretty much impossible in N scale, but slightly out of scale woudl still look ok, if installed correctly and without thick paint buildup. That somethign that only a fastidious modeler can accomplish without time constraints of a production line.

As far as the paint thickness goes I really suspect that it is the paint itself.  I think Kato and MTL use paints similar to AccuPaint or Tru-Color paint.  I have been told that those are not conventional paints, but inks.  So they result in much thinner layer than conventional paints, regardless whether they are sprayed by a robot or by a person.  Also you can see MTLL using plastic color which is close in color to the final paint color. That also reduces the amount of paint needed to produce solid coverage.

You will have to try really hard to get a thick paint buildup using Tru-Colro paint, but do that with other paints (even like Floquil or Polly Scale) and you can easily glop the paint on thick, so it fills in the small details on a shell.

[wazzou]

I think the ST C39-8 handrails are the best I've seen.

[sundowner]

ST make it a selling point that they uses Tru-Color paint, and tell you which colors for touch ups.

[peteski]

ST make it a selling point that they uses Tru-Color paint, and tell you wish colors for touch ups.

I thought so until I actually tried a match. Not quite accurate. That is something I will expand on later in a separate thread.

[ednadolski]

More or less equal.

From a distance perhaps, but to my eye the difference in this pic is rather striking.  Esp. comparing the vertical handrails in that pic, the factory ones look some 50% thicker (possibly even a bit more).  The light/contrasting colors make a difference too in the overall impression.   That being said, plastic factory parts are no match for well-done wire parts like these 

Ed