ScaleTrains Upcoming Announcement

[prr7161]

  I’m of the belief that some manufacturers consider N to be nothing more than miniature Lionel, where most don’t follow a specific era/prototype. N scalers buy what’s cool. They go to Ntrak or T-track shows and run what they brung. The fact that many will buy a turbine that have no interest in modeling UP or that era bears witness. How many 4-8-4’s did Kato sell that still sit in the jewel case or people bought “just to have one”.
  I didn’t see that much in HO. I’m sure it happens, but more modelers stick to a prototype and don’t jump the track spending hundred of dollars on something they won’t use or can’t justify on their layouts.

Big, shiny, unique locomotives in any scale sell.  Most model railroaders are more collectors than layout builders, let alone prototypical layout builders.  My dad, for example, bought a set of Lionel HO UP turbines and happily ran them right along side his PRR duplexes on the basement roundy-round with no scenery (a layout which took some considerable convincing to build, btw).  The prototoype modelers tend to show up in publication mostly because they are the exceptions to the hobby at large.  There are of course more HO folks in raw numbers that are prototype modelers as in anything else since it is the dominant scale in the market, but they are still percentage-wise the minority.  I do think N scalers are expected to accept poorer quality at times, but that is not an issue ST seems to have.

[sundowner]

Kind of wondering why number 57 is being released without a tender and whether (i.e., as was the case with the "Big Blow" turbines) ScaleTrains will eventually make separate UP 22-C-GTE tenders available for purchase.

Also wondering if numbers 51, 52, and 56 will be sold with stainless steel Farr grill additions.

From the book Turbine Westward, cool book by the way.
As deliver the original 10 carbodie turbines had no tenders until UP discover that as the turbines burn the fuel they got lighter and loss traction because most of the frame was the fuel tank, the little tank you see underneath is for diesel for the hostler engine. UP then took the tenders from retire steam engines the and modified them for the turbines to keep the turbines fuel tank top off so it did not loose traction. Scale train is selling the tender seperately.

57 tested propane instead of bunker oil for about 1953 and had a special GATX tender to go with it.
Also 59 and 60 were mu together with a fuel tender in between them for while as 9000hp pair

[up1950s]

@up1950s

Talk to Lombard Hobbies.

I was able to get the item numbers for all 4 with tenders , DCC ready / no sound on Scaletrains website . I preordered on Lombard Hobbies , by the by the accept Paypal when they come in and have THE BEST PREORDER rules in the entire solar system and beyond . It can't be beat nor improved on . I was so satisfied my toes curled . Scaletrains also contacted me and asked for screenshots of my problem getting to their site so their developers can look into it , which I did . You know our own Peteski looks like the guy doing the video from Scaletrains . Anyhow thanks again for the tip .

[Cajonpassfan]

Looks like another great model from Scale Trains!
I’m not a collector and these are a bit too new and unique for my layout, but if these guys ever come out with the dual-cab #50, Thomas Hotchkiss photo below, I am in!
Otto K

[Rossford Yard]

Wish them well.  Talked to them at Salt Lake and they are dedicated and nice, just the type of mfg we would like to see succeed.

As to their choice, I doubt anyone wants to know if it fits my era or not, so I won't comment. It does occur to me that another stalwart of N Scale trains, Kato, has come to a similar conclusion, reducing new product and going for iconic name trains and locos over the more generic.  I am not sure what that says about the N Scale market, exactly, but if two pretty smart companies lean that direction, I would bet there is something to their strategy.

[pmpexpress]

From the book Turbine Westward, cool book by the way.
As deliver the original 10 carbodie turbines had no tenders until UP discover that as the turbines burn the fuel they got lighter and loss traction because most of the frame was the fuel tank, the little tank you see underneath is for diesel for the hostler engine. UP then took the tenders from retire steam engines the and modified them for the turbines to keep the turbines fuel tank top off so it did not loose traction. Scale train is selling the tender seperately.

57 tested propane instead of bunker oil for about 1953 and had a special GATX tender to go with it.
Also 59 and 60 were mu together with a fuel tender in between them for while as 9000hp pair

Thanks for all of the information that you have so generously shared.

Unaware that turbines could be run in groups, the pairing of 59 and 60 with a fuel tender would have been an impressive sight to see.

Although it was not mentioned on the home page or in the standard turbines' listing information, with the info that you supplied, I went back and perused the ScaleTrains website and finally found the separate UP 22-C-GTE tender release in the "Freight Cars" tab.

Very interested in the propane fuel equipped 57, will have to locate some prototype photos of the special GATX tender that you referenced in your post.

With all of the information that you have managed to locate, it appears that I am going to have to acquire a copy of Thomas R. Lee's Turbines Westward.

[C855B]

...
Very interested in the propane fuel equipped 57, will have to locate some prototype photos of the special GATX tender that you referenced in your post.
...

Here's one:  http://www.snowcrest.net/photobob/upl9.jpg

There is another I have seen on the web... somewhere... with 57 and the propane tender at Colton Tower. It may even be in color. I can't for the life of me find it now, of course. 

I reserved #57 from ScaleTrains.com in blind hopes they will offer the propane tank at a later date. If not, the add-on bunker oil tender will do.

[pmpexpress]

57 tested propane instead of bunker oil for about 1953 and had a special GATX tender to go with it.

While my search for prototype photos of the special GATX propane tender failed to yield any results, I did locate some nice photos of a brass HO-Scale Overland Models OMI-5504.1 Union Pacific 57 Standard Turbine with Propane Tender that was painted by OMI and listed on the brasstrains.com website.

In addition, Worthpoint had a closed eBay listing with photos of an Overland Models 0334 Union Pacific Propane Turbine with Plated Tender #57 in 2-Rail O Scale.

While the propane tender's platform is consistent with the ones that are seen on UP PS-400 Bunker C tenders, the chrome plated tank, silver chassis, doghouse, and Richfield Research Project markings were unexpected features.

[pmpexpress]

Here's one:  http://www.snowcrest.net/photobob/upl9.jpg

There is another I have seen on the web... somewhere... with 57 and the propane tender at Colton Tower. It may even be in color. I can't for the life of me find it now, of course. 

I reserved #57 from ScaleTrains.com in blind hopes they will offer the propane tank at a later date. If not, the add-on bunker oil tender will do.

Thanks for posting the prototype photo.

Like you, I went ahead and pre-ordered #57 with the intention of adding a UP 22-C-GTE tender.

Now, after reviewing various photos of the OMI brass renditions of #57, I am going to look into bashing a model of the propane tender.

The first order of business will be to determine if there is any existing N-Scale tank car that resembles the one that provided the foundation for the propane variation.

Although I plan on ordering one or two of the other tender equipped models (and have been leaning towards #51 and #52 because of their later stainless steel Farr grill additions), a lack of artist renderings depicting any subtle detail variations between the various road numbers has left me undecided as to which ones to pre-order.

[Steveruger45]

That propane tender looks very interesting.  Maybe a CMX track cleaning car could be bashed to look like it and still clean the track?

[Ed Kapuscinski]

People are actually contacting them and expressing anger? Good grief!

I'm not in the hunt for one myself (well, time will tell!) but was actually thinking a lot of people are going to be thrilled and I was happy that new models are still being created given our current situation.

It doesn't surprise me. People have lost their god damned minds. It's what happens when people think they can say whatever crazy thing comes into their heads with no repercussions. I call it the 4chan effect. People let their lizard brains take over when they're yelling at a screen and it's being normalized.

It's ugly and I'm afraid it's only going to get worse until we figure out how to use this technology responsibly.

[Cajonpassfan]

...
It's ugly and I'm afraid it's only going to get worse until we figure out how to use this technology responsibly.

Well, yea, good luck with that...
Instead giving everyone free access to useful information to make better, more informed world, social media gave the nutcases everywhere a pulpit to spew their nonsense with abandon and no consequences or personal responsibility. And the rest of us put up with it.
Sad, on so many levels...
Otto K.

[tehachapifan]

This is why I don't participate in social media beyond visiting a few train forums. The angst I see people go thru, wondering if they should like, unlike, unfollow or unfriend someone based on something they said or support...or didn't say or support...seems way too stressful and exhausting to be worth it to me.

[u18b]

Somebody at ScaleTrains.com likes turbines. What's next, the Jawn Henry?

I confess.... if they made the C&O turbine giant... I'd have to get one.

[thomasjmdavis]

I confess.... if they made the C&O turbine giant... I'd have to get one.

If it had realistic sound, you could set it up to run on auto anytime a proximity sensor activated.  It could earn its keep as a burglar alarm and it would keep the cat off the layout.