ScaleTrains Upcoming Announcement

[arbomambo]

Perfect for my 1957 era!!!
Finally, a ScaleTrains product I can actually use!

[Mark5]

What's "UP"? 

Sure glad I didn't waste any time watching this thread.

Mark

[basementcalling]

A surprise.  Con Cor only did  Veranda turbines that I know of, never the original full cab units.

Wonder if they will do the double ended demo version. After testing, UP decided to eliminate the second cab. I hope someone at Scale Trains reads Turbines Westward to get all the details right. I need to check my copy to see if the grills and vents are accurate.

Yea, if these sell, veranda turbines would be a logical next step.

[genemaddox]

I don't model any specific era, I just buy what I like. I like to run all different eras. I am pleased they are doing these 2 turbines and also hope they do my favorite (the Veranda version). Scaletrains.com make some beautiful engines and I have not been disappointed in how they run and the detail on the Rivet counter series is incredible.
 
gene maddox

[Smike]

Nice model but wallet is safe. Interesting choice for N Scale with all the other money making gaps still open.

I hope they re-run the Dash-9’s so I can continue to support the cause.

[UP Simon]

Sorry ScaleTrains no money from me
Don't get me wrong I think you have a great product, but you need to look at the N Scale market a little closer
There are big gaps in the N Scale market
Ones that many people here would be happy to tell you about, where you can make a heap of cash
But, a single road Loco that ran only briefly isn't it

[ChristianJDavis1]

Which is a relevant point - I thought I heard Shane said they were only able to power the end trucks, which is like the Con-Cor Veranda and U50. Question is - where is the bolster swivel point? Centered on the span, or centered on the powered truck. Makes quite a difference in the appearance around curves.

That's weird if true, considering Hallmark/Samhongsa got all the wheels powered on their U50 models (same running gear). Only real problem I could see would be it limits the minimum radius by a lot.

It is a seemingly-weird choice, but I think they are cool. If I modeled UP or found one for a really good price, I'd be tempted to pick one up just to have.

[kiwi_bnsf]

Okay, so I need to preface this post by saying that I think that ScaleTrains represents the current state-of-the-art in terms of N scale production. Their Rivet counter line is simply unmatched in quality and road-specific details, and they have really knocked it out of the park with the locos that they have already released. I own a dozen of their Dash 9s, and even the operator versions are better in decoration and detail than Kato.

I model a specific era (the late 90's) and therefore this new announcement is not for me. So obviously this post could come across as me being grumpy that this model isn't something I can use (and I am grumpy)!

However, I'm concerned because I've heard ScaleTrains say several times in their videos that "N scale doesn't sell for them". I can completely understand that HO is always going to be a bigger slice of the revenue pie, but the problem is that I don't think the N scale and HO markets work the same, and ScaleTrains is making a big mistake in terms of their tooling investment.

My worry is that such a massive dollar investment in tooling has gone to a model that is limited to an extremely narrow prototype road, era, and locale. ScaleTrains have now done this with two rounds of UP Turbines, the Carbon Black covered hoppers, and also (perhaps to a lesser extent) with the C39-8.

The N scale market is not nearly as crowded as HO, and I don't think that there is such a need to bring a totally unique model to market in order to insulate against competitors. In fact I think N scale is the opposite — ScaleTrains can take their quality advantage and produce "popular" models at a better quality and they will sell out. By popular, I mean models that can be produced in multiple runs across many different roads in many different paint schemes (like the Dash 9).

Some examples (discussed ad naseum on this forum) might include:
      SD40  (has only been done in a handful of roads by Kato, and not since 2011)
      GP50
      C36-7
      U30C/U33C/U36C
      CF7
      SDP45 / SD45M  (even this obscure loco could be EL, BN, CR, SP, NS)
      SD45-2 including B-units  (Intermountain models are completely MIA)
      AC4400CW (especially SP) [leverages existing tooling]
      AC44C6M [leverages existing tooling]
      SD45 [ScaleTrains have the CAD in HO]
      SD40-2 [ScaleTrains have the CAD in HO]
      Tunnel Motors [ScaleTrains have the CAD in HO]

My N scale mates (albeit a minuscule sample size) like to run multiple unit lashups and long trains. We think nothing of buying 5-6 road numbers of the same loco at a time. Any of the above locos would instantly elicit dozens of sales. The UP Turbines (both runs) have garnered zero sales from us.

I get that introducing yet another SD40-2 might be a risk, but SD45s, SD40s, and even Tunnel motors have simply not been available in quantity (let alone quality) for years. I also don't see why N scale needs Tunnel Motors with see-thru grilles, and why that would be a reason not to bring them to N as a Rivet Counter line with etched grilles (but I digress — I think me and one of my mates might be able to sell out a run of Tunnel Motors by ourselves…).

These new UP Turbines will surely be great models, and there will always be a sizeable chunk of the N scale market who are not nearly as sad as me, and just want to buy and run what looks cool. I really hope that this market segment (plus the UP proto-modellers of the correct era and locale for these UP Turbines) is enough to quickly sell out this run.

I just think there could be a much longer and more sustainable path for ScaleTrains in N if they directed their tooling investment towards models with broader appeal.

Anyway, I'll get back in my box now.

Cheers

[squirrelhunter]

I'll take the contrarian view on these- they are going to sell the hell out of them.

There are two things that obviously sell in N scale- AySF warbonnet F units (along with their associated passenger trains) and UP mega steam/diesels/turbines.

We are about to have 2 different versions of the Big Boy, Athearn has done multiple runs of the challenger, ConCor sold tons of U50's and veranda turbines and Bachmann sold a ton of their crummy DD40AX. Scale Trains has done TWO runs of the Big Blow turbines, which all things considered are a rare prototype. Big UP power sells.

I bet a bunch of N Trak guys will buy 1 or 2 to double or triple head with their Big Blow turbines when there are train shows again.

[C855B]

That's weird if true, considering Hallmark/Samhongsa got all the wheels powered on their U50 models (same running gear). ...

I went back and reviewed the announcement. Shane bobbled his script on this, slightly confusing the issue. He said "All wheels are powered, so you have sixteen wheel pickup," and then said, "Unfortunately because of the size of the model, we weren't able to power all of the axles, so you have the front and rear truck that have the gearing...".

So it's 16-wheel pickup, which is good, but only four axles powered, a la Con-Cor.

[sundowner]

Athearn did this in Genesis HO, scaletrain should have no problem selling this to those who bought Big Boys and Challengers since the ran together at the end of the big steam era.

[Mark5]

Oh yeah, I think these will sell well. These are iconic (though not my cup'o'tea, many will like this flavor). 

[SP-Wolf]

Look like Scale Trains will finally get some of my money.

Wolf

[bman]

Guess I'm stuck with my C39-8 and some covered hoppers from them a while longer. Hope they sell well though as helps them keep the lights on and I can save up for when they produce somthing I can use.

[Englewood]

They will sell, and they will sell well. What most people here fail to see is that a huge number of modelers don't limit themselves to a specific road or era. If it's big and interesting, they'll buy it. A GP38 looks too much like a GP40, and most of us don't have the inclination to spend thousands of dollars on out of print books or hundreds of hours pouring over obscure web sites trying to figure out whether a locomotive is right for the Long Subdivision on October 3, 1954 at 11:30am. Although I'm mostly a 90's SP guy, I'll buy one. And I will run it, pulling a string of Kato Maxi IVs or maybe an autorack train. And it will bring a smile to my face. I'm sure Scaletrains knows what they're doing. After all, they're the ones with money invested in this.