scaletrains.com Dash-9's are shipping

[greenwizard88]

I don't think its the plow solely, I just think the T4 Body is higher than the Dash 9 body. If you compare pilot deck heights you can see the T4 is higher as well. All the widecabs should be the same height. Shouldn't matter if its an AC4400CW, Dash 9, ES44AC, T4 GEVO, or a AC6000CW.

I suspect I'll be getting an email from my LHS before long with my two UP units arrival. I've been told these should come with LokSound V5s, can anyone confirm this?

Chris

The plow can definitely be higher up and still look right. I think the pins on the plow are too high up, making it too low. Hopefully the next run will have a better plow, and we can get spare parts. The current one even snags on Kato frogs

I can confirm that they're v5 sound decoders -- or at least that's what they say. They appear to have the same acceleration/deceleration as the v4 ones though, which I find very nice.

[jagged ben]

  Just wondering, what about the Operator line? How is it detailed and are the details that do need to be added, are they pre-painted or are unpainted like the HO detail parts that you have to order separate? And isn't packaged different? For $99.99, I gave thought to ordering one.
Thanks, Ralph

I believe the operator line comes with molded on parts for things like grab irons, and there is nothing to be added.

[peteski]

I can't get past the idea models are so detailed, they make everything else look toy like in comparison. 

To a certain extent they look too detailed maybe?  Sometimes I wonder if some details are maybe over scaled (I doubt it) to make them noticable, and they stand out where I wouldn't notice them in the prototype.

No need to wonder Ian - some of all those wonderful added-on details are not doubt oversize (starting with grab irons), so yes, they do stand out.  I'm not trying to be negative - just being realistic.

Then there is the thing that your expectations for an N scale models are for much plainer looking models, so all the extra details look too busy.  Sort of like you cranked up color saturation on your color TV.  Images are still real, but seem exaggerated and unnatural.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

I believe the operator line comes with molded on parts for things like grab irons, and there is nothing to be added.

Additionally they all use the same shell, so the NS ones have low headlights, etc...

[ljudice]

Got my 2 - wow - a 20 year wait for accurate NS Dash-9's....

Stunning models - looking forward to the next release!

With SD60E's almost here, Atlas C40-8W in dashed frame stripe and the Kati SD70ACE's in January, this is exciting!

[ednadolski]

To a certain extent they look too detailed maybe?

Aint no such animal. 

Ed

[peteski]

Aint no such animal. 

Ed

Yeah, if you want a museum-quality model to sit in a sealed glass case.
But if a model is subjected by more or less ham-fisted operators on a layout with regular operating sessions, then there is such a thing as too much detail. 

[reinhardtjh]

And as of yesterday (10/25/2019) they are in stock at MBKlein's.  90 different roads/numbers/realism levels with 5 out of stock already.

https://www.modeltrainstuff.com/search?search_query_adv=DASH+9-44CW#/filter:brand:ScaleTrains/filter:custom_scale:N/perpage:90

I got 3 NS units as DC/DCC ready since I have a number of LokSound 5 decoders waiting for use and it's marginally cheaper to provide my own with my own choice of speaker and enclosure.

[daniel_leavitt2000]

Are the Rivet Counter UP red sill stripe versions appropriate for the late 90's? What about the BNSF?

[Missaberoad]

Are the Rivet Counter UP red sill stripe versions appropriate for the late 90's? What about the BNSF?

The UP with the small nose shield are ex SP units and are post 1996, depending on when individual units were repainted. Photos would be your best reference...

https://www.scaletrains.com/product/rivet-counter-n-scale-ge-dash-9-44cw-union-pacific/

The BNSF H2 units scaletrains chose were delivered Jan thru Nov 1999.

https://www.scaletrains.com/product/rivet-counter-n-scale-ge-dash-9-44cw-bnsf/

[ednadolski]

Yeah, if you want a museum-quality model to sit in a sealed glass case.
But if a model is subjected by more or less ham-fisted operators on a layout with regular operating sessions, then there is such a thing as too much detail. 

 

Well I should think that operators who have a habit of destroying their hosts models would tire pretty quickly of paying to replace them.  Likely too they wouldn't be getting themselves invited back, but in such case then you would only be getting what you ask for.   (And BTW how to they keep from knocking the models off the tracks when switching?)   

Anyways that's a pretty lame case for less detail.  The real constraints are the cost & capacity tradeoffs, hence the separate Operator and Rivet Counter lines.   

Ed

[peteski]

 

Well I should think that operators who have a habit of destroying their hosts models would tire pretty quickly of paying to replace them.  Likely too they wouldn't be getting themselves invited back, but in such case then you would only be getting what you ask for.   (And BTW how to they keep from knocking the models off the tracks when switching?)   

Anyways that's a pretty lame case for less detail.  The real constraints are the cost & capacity tradeoffs, hence the separate Operator and Rivet Counter lines.   

Ed

Oh come on Ed, unless you have never been involved in regular operating sessions (or sunning NTRAK layout during tran shows), you know that no operator is perfect. Oopses will happen. But if the oops happens to a less detailed model, it is not as bad as when your super-details model falls off the track and lands on its side (or worse).  Just saying . . .

I'm not against super-detailing, just saying that more basic locos have their place.  Also, pretty much all models I have that have been super-detailed at the factory have visible glue or even fingerprints with CA glue fogging on the model's surface.  I understand that this is because they are done on an assembly line where things are done as fast as possible (neatness is not the priority). I guess that is a compromise modelers are willing to accept for having factory installed details glued onto the shell.  I would rather have well decorated model with less details than one with sloppily applied details.

[martin station]

Peteski,
   That's why I was looking at the Scaletrains Operator Dash-9. Both of my BNSF tier 4 Gevos look great except for the applied brake cylinders on the trucks. Almost every one is crooked with several approaching a 45 degree angle. It might not bother some, but for me it takes away from what is really a nicely detailed locomotive. I wish I knew of a way to fix them without the risk of braking them off. Also the Operator would not make my Katos seem so plain.
Ralph

[Maletrain]

It seems like the idea of supplying an "operator" level of detail with a package of customer-applied super details is being tried again by Scaletrains.  The last model I know did that was the Kato Heavy Mike. I like the idea, but, from the number of Mikados I have seen that never got their hand rails applied, I suspect I am in the minority.

[dem34]

It seems like the idea of supplying an "operator" level of detail with a package of customer-applied super details is being tried again by Scaletrains.  The last model I know did that was the Kato Heavy Mike. I like the idea, but, from the number of Mikados I have seen that never got their hand rails applied, I suspect I am in the minority.

I was much noobier when I tried, but I remember over a year ago buying a Kato Mike and trying to add the handrails. I gave up when I lost over half of the clips into oblivion due to how light they are and  the combination of the parts pressure fitting into notches.