What old zombies should come back, and who should do them?

[Kentuckian]

RSD-15 - Atlas or Kato

This. So much this.

 I know it’s not a zombie, but as long as we’re wishing I also would like an AS-616.

[thomasjmdavis]

If I could pick one freight car (more than one really- since there were several variations) to bring back from early N scale, it would be the various mid-late 1920s versions of the single sheathed boxcar.  Virtually every manufacturer and importer of the 60s and 70s marketed these in some variation.  Both Pratt truss (more  or less based on the 1923 ARA car) and Howe truss (per Spookshow's site based more or less on an ACF design). Nowadays, we do have excellent USRA vintage cars (which have 8 side panels rather than 6 common to the 1920s versions) and a perhaps once a decade run of the later Intermountain "war emergency" single sheathed cars, which are taller and have more modern ends and doors.  But I, for one, would be a customer for several of the 1920s era cars- especially if they were made to use interchangeable doors and ends to make accurate models of cars for various roads.

Passenger car- the Rivarossi ATSF diner (given it would be retooled, I would be even happier with a 1400 series diner, which was slightly larger and had 4 kitchen windows instead of 3).  In my perfect world, Micro-trains would take this on.  I don't realistically see this happening, but we can dream, can't we?  Or maybe I'll win the lottery.....  I am left to wonder, actually, if any of those folks on eBay who are trying to get $25 and up for Rivarossi passenger cars with pizza cutter wheels and rapido couplers are having any success (sorry, if you are one of those folks, but I won't pay more for a 20 year old version of a 50 year old design than I will pay for a vastly superior brand new MT car).

Locomotive- RSD-15 if it were produced in an RSD-7 version (or at least a high nose version I could detail as a -7).  Also, bring back the LL Erie Built.  This seems like a no-brainer with Hiawatha's of 2 eras (Fox Valley and Kato) and even if the ATSF was not impressed in real life, that loco is so handsome in warbonnet paint, I would not be able to resist.  When the Life Like version came out, kid's college funds, mortgage, braces, etc. were MUCH higher priorities than new locomotives....

[Missaberoad]

An updated RSD-15 and RSD-12 would be amazing... Same thing for all 3 phases of the H-12-44...

I would also be down for a U50, at least two made their way up to Minneapolis 😳

https://www.railpictures.net/photo/172713/

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1227738

On the freight car side it would be nice to see modern versions of;

- flexi-flow hopper
- ACF 5250
- ARA Howe/Pratt truss boxcar
- 40ft steel gondola
- 40ft war emergency gondola
- 50ft composite boxcar
- Usn helium car
- those chemical container cars
- that so weird its cool Santa Fe coal car

[Missaberoad]

If I could pick one freight car (more than one really- since there were several variations) to bring back from early N scale, it would be the various mid-late 1920s versions of the single sheathed boxcar.  Virtually every manufacturer and importer of the 60s and 70s marketed these in some variation.  Both Pratt truss (more  or less based on the 1923 ARA car) and Howe truss (per Spookshow's site based more or less on an ACF design). Nowadays, we do have excellent USRA vintage cars (which have 8 side panels rather than 6 common to the 1920s versions) and a perhaps once a decade run of the later Intermountain "war emergency" single sheathed cars, which are taller and have more modern ends and doors.  But I, for one, would be a customer for several of the 1920s era cars- especially if they were made to use interchangeable doors and ends to make accurate models of cars for various roads.

This! ARA and "alternate" ARA standard single sheathed cars are a huge gap for N scale steam/transition era modelers... There were huge fleets that dwarfed the usra cars in many cases...

A modern model with end/roof/door variations (like the Atlas 1932 lineup)  would be amazing...

[wm3798]

....  I am left to wonder, actually, if any of those folks on eBay who are trying to get $25 and up for Rivarossi passenger cars with pizza cutter wheels and rapido couplers are having any success (sorry, if you are one of those folks, but I won't pay more for a 20 year old version of a 50 year old design than I will pay for a vastly superior brand new MT car).

SO MUCH THIS!  I really enjoyed going to the train shows, especially N Scale Weekend, where you are dealing with guys who know what should have junk box pricing and what should be "collectible"  I see the old Arnold GG-1 on Ebay all the time priced like it's a new Bachmann with sound and DCC...     I was tickled to pick one up... no box and busted pan spring, for $40 at a show.  Couldn't be happier! 

I'm surprised only one has mentioned the ubiquitous and completely peculiar Atlas C-Liners that are now relegated to obscure storage bins under every N scale layout in America, never to run (not that they ever did) again.  It was such a strange prototype,  yet such an omnipresent model in the early years of N.  More than 2 billion must have been produced.

Of course, you can pick one up on Ebay for $99, but with free shipping!

Lee

[ncbqguy]

Rather than nominating a prototype done in the past, I would strongly advocate a concept....
The Japan-built Con-Cor NYC J3A Hudson used a simple, low parts count, easily assembled, robust smooth running and powerful mechanism design.
This design has been abandoned in favor of increasingly complex, over engineered fiddly nightmare mechanisms which fail mechanically, electrically and do not perform nearly as well as this ‘old zombie’.
Unfortunately, only one manufacturer has followed this proven design....Micro-Ace copied it and has released many, many steam engines of various classes with detail variations......of Japanese prototype and intended for their domestic market.
With very minor adjustments to accommodate DCC and Sound aftermarket or alternate factory equipped models this superior design could be used to bring moderately priced steam to the US market.
Charlie Vlk
Railroad Model Resources

[thomasjmdavis]

Rather than nominating a prototype done in the past, I would strongly advocate a concept....
The Japan-built Con-Cor NYC J3A Hudson used a simple, low parts count, easily assembled, robust smooth running and powerful mechanism design.
This design has been abandoned in favor of increasingly complex, over engineered fiddly nightmare mechanisms which fail mechanically, electrically and do not perform nearly as well as this ‘old zombie’.
Unfortunately, only one manufacturer has followed this proven design....Micro-Ace copied it and has released many, many steam engines of various classes with detail variations......of Japanese prototype and intended for their domestic market.
With very minor adjustments to accommodate DCC and Sound aftermarket or alternate factory equipped models this superior design could be used to bring moderately priced steam to the US market.
Charlie Vlk
Railroad Model Resources

+1 

This is why most of my power tools are older than my children (who are well into adulthood).

Question: I have a Hudson, but not an S2- did that latter loco use some of the same design elements and/or have some interchange-able parts? (drivers for instance) 

[peteski]

I'm surprised only one has mentioned the ubiquitous and completely peculiar Atlas C-Liners that are now relegated to obscure storage bins under every N scale layout in America, never to run (not that they ever did) again.  It was such a strange prototype,  yet such an omnipresent model in the early years of N.  More than 2 billion must have been produced.

Of course, you can pick one up on Ebay for $99, but with free shipping!

Lee

Um, look at reply #13 in this thread.
https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=48339.msg640591#msg640591

[Missaberoad]

Um, look at reply #13 in this thread.
https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=48339.msg640591#msg640591

That would be why Lee said only one. 😉

As far as C liners go my flavor would be 4 axle so the former lifelike model suits me...

[peteski]

That would be why Lee said only one. 😉

As far as C liners go my flavor would be 4 axle so the former lifelike model suits me...

OK, you got me there.
But I'll add my yearning for one of those unusual 5-axle locomotives, so now we have 2 requests. 

[eja]

How about an "Erie Built" ??

[Point353]

OK, you got me there.

Does that mean the curmudgeon jumped the snark?

[chicken45]

How about Kato doing Centipedes?

[cjm413]

Since the Minitrix U28C is a late version, basically identical to the U30C, the Kato U30C is very close to it.  All we need is for Kato to rerun theirs...

How about Con-Cor's C636?

Minitrix U28C is a U30C - note the two small intakes ahead of the main intake that GE added only after U30C (and U30B) production had started.  I have an old shell stashed away for a U30B...



I don't know what Minitrix was smoking when they added that weird square opening.

A decent C636 would be nice...

[Missaberoad]

Minitrix U28C is a U30C - note the two small intakes ahead of the main intake that GE added only after U30C (and U30B) production had started.  I have an old shell stashed away for a U30B...

I don't know what Minitrix was smoking when they added that weird square opening.

A late u28c would definitely be welcome... I'd be up for a couple...

Interesting point on the u28/u30 differences.
Looks like L&N had units with a single small intake, I believe they were very late production U28 tho...

Does that square hole represent anything from reality?