N scale Siemens SC-44 Charger????

[Ed Kapuscinski]

I also want to point out: while I think it's odd, and kinda ugly, I'm sure there's an actual reason that we're not aware of.

[peteski]

I also want to point out: while I think it's odd, and kinda ugly, I'm sure there's an actual reason that we're not aware of.

And I'll counter that with my thought that there should have been a way to mitigate any of those reasons.

Ed, we live in the 3rd decade of the 21st Century. With everything being designed in CAD, there should really be no place for such "reason" to exist. Imagine one of the German ICE, French TGV, or Japanese Shinkansen being designed with this type of mismatch?  That would never fly!  Even Amtrak's Acela was better designed (visually).   

Yes, I know, budgetary limits, blah, blah, blah.  I say "BULL-CRAP!".

[Ed Kapuscinski]

And I'll counter that with my thought that there should have been a way to mitigate any of those reasons.

Ed, we live in the 3rd decade of the 21st Century. With everything being designed in CAD, there should really be no place for such "reason" to exist. Imagine one of the German ICE, French TGV, or Japanese Shinkansen being designed with this type of mismatch?  That would never fly!  Even Amtrak's Acela was better designed (visually).   

Yes, I know, budgetary limits, blah, blah, blah.  I say "BULL-CRAP!".

My point is that we, as enthusiasts on a message board, shouldn't be assuming that we know more about the thing than the actual professionals who's careers are involved in it.

[davefoxx]

Well, I slept at a Holiday Inn Express last night, so I think the mismatch probably has to do with something like the passenger cars tilt but the power cars do not.  Either that, or the power cars were built to metric standards and the passenger cars built to imperial standards. 

DFF

[peteski]

My point is that we, as enthusiasts on a message board, shouldn't be assuming that we know more about the thing than the actual professionals who's careers are involved in it.

Ed, it is not about knowing or not knowing - it is all about esthetics.  I don't claim to be a railroad equipment designer, but I know that I do not like what I see. I then post my opinion about it on this forum.  Regardless of the reason - I don't like the way it looks. I Also stated that this type of cludgey design would most likely never happen elsewhere in the world.  No matter what kind of excuse or reason the designers had, I still do not care for its looks.

Remember that men yelling at clouds (or mismatched train consist)?  That's me dude! 



Compared to some members here I'm not all that old, but I'm a heck of a yeller!

[daniel_leavitt2000]

Well, I slept at a Holiday Inn Express last night, so I think the mismatch probably has to do with something like the passenger cars tilt but the power cars do not.  Either that, or the power cars were built to metric standards and the passenger cars built to imperial standards. 

DFF

If I remember correctly, the original project was to have the power cars occupied. This didn't work out, but the trailing cars were retained due to the design work being completed and the power units were adapted from other off the shelf euro designs.

That would explain the mismatched body. But the power units have a unique exterior that should have never-ever been approved. It is like some of the newer Shinkansen trains with the duck bill snout. Not a great look. Somehow the Amtrak version is even less elegant.

I think the most insulting part is that the original Acela was so iconic and good looking. It really had no bad lines. It brought back a sense of style and modernity that has been missing from passenger rail service since the 1950's. This thing is like the worst of Amtrak's vintage and tube era.

And the Charger is actually pretty cool looking. How did they get their premier passenger train so wrong?

[greenwizard88]

and the power units were adapted from other off the shelf euro designs.

Even if that were the case, they could really just weld some fins on, which could mitigate 1/2 of the problem. To me this screams lazy or lack of attention to detail more than anything else.

Unless there's some reason why they'd want to increase drag on the coaches.

[Englewood]

I like the look of the Shinkansen noses. That nose on the E5 just screams high speed!

[Bart1701]

Here's a question that's on my mind...

How good are Bachmann diesel locomotives these days? I had many of their early ones back in the 80's and I was not impressed. Poor runners, noisy, and not well detailed.

FYI - I am not a Bachmann hater. I do have their Consolidation steam locomotive and am very happy with it.

The Charger has been on my wish list for quite some time. Unless Kato announces one, I am thinking that I would need to bite the bullet and get the Bachmann Charger.

Thanks,
Bart

[daniel_leavitt2000]

Here's a question that's on my mind...

How good are Bachmann diesel locomotives these days? I had many of their early ones back in the 80's and I was not impressed. Poor runners, noisy, and not well detailed.

FYI - I am not a Bachmann hater. I do have their Consolidation steam locomotive and am very happy with it.

The Charger has been on my wish list for quite some time. Unless Kato announces one, I am thinking that I would need to bite the bullet and get the Bachmann Charger.

Thanks,
Bart

Most run well these days. Many of us have the 44, 70 tonner or S4 switchers and they are quiet and run slowly.

[Morning Daylight]

Well, I slept at a Holiday Inn Express last night, so I think the mismatch probably has to do with something like the passenger cars tilt but the power cars do not.  Either that, or the power cars were built to metric standards and the passenger cars built to imperial standards. 

DFF

Yeah this seems like the most logical answer. All credit to Michael Kam for the graphic and explanation, it seems to be done so that the tilted coaches and non-tilting power cars maintain the same profile on turns. That'll probably allow for slightly higher speeds on the antiquated infrastructure, especially in MNRR territory.

https://m.facebook.com/groups/avelialiberty/permalink/395959031801296/?refid=18&_ft_=qid.6988912861286320718%3Amf_story_key.395959031801296%3Atop_level_post_id.395959031801296%3Atl_objid.395959031801296%3Acontent_owner_id_new.100001258801227%3Apage_id.295496721847528%3Asrc.22%3Astory_location.6%3Astory_attachment_style.photo%3Afilter.GroupStoriesByActivityEntQuery%3Atds_flgs.3%3Aott.AX_OD_sFKdnycxhV%3Apage_insights.%7B%22295496721847528%22%3A%7B%22page_id%22%3A295496721847528%2C%22page_id_type%22%3A%22group%22%2C%22actor_id%22%3A100001258801227%2C%22dm%22%3A%7B%22isShare%22%3A0%2C%22originalPostOwnerID%22%3A0%7D%2C%22psn%22%3A%22EntGroupMallPostCreationStory%22%2C%22post_context%22%3A%7B%22object_fbtype%22%3A657%2C%22publish_time%22%3A1601867593%2C%22story_name%22%3A%22EntGroupMallPostCreationStory%22%2C%22story_fbid%22%3A%5B395959031801296%5D%7D%2C%22role%22%3A1%2C%22sl%22%3A6%7D%7D&__tn__=%2As%2As-R

[greenwizard88]

The Charger has been on my wish list for quite some time. Unless Kato announces one, I am thinking that I would need to bite the bullet and get the Bachmann Charger.

Bart,

On Kato's youtube stream the other day, they mentioned wanting to make one (especially now that Amtrak has a common variant) but it'll probably have to be on hold until after the Big Boy is finished. The implication is that they won't be tooling up an Amtrak cascades/surfliner/midwest or Surfliner variant.

Here's the link, they talk about it towards the end somewhere.

[Bart1701]

Thanks for the info. From what I heard in the video, Kato wants to do the ALC-42 (the long distance version). That's good since I'd like at least one of those, too. But it seems like only Bachmann will be doing the SC-44 - which I have a use for in its Midwest scheme. I have put in a pre-order for the Bachmann locomotive.

If we can get both of these locomotives from these manufacturers, I will be very happy!

Bart

 

Bart,

On Kato's youtube stream the other day, they mentioned wanting to make one (especially now that Amtrak has a common variant) but it'll probably have to be on hold until after the Big Boy is finished. The implication is that they won't be tooling up an Amtrak cascades/surfliner/midwest or Surfliner variant.

[bbunge]

In some of the larger NEC stations, many passengers may not even see the front of the train.  Even back in the early 2000's when I rode NEC/MARC trains on a daily commute on open platform stations, where you waited on the train, the majority of riders had their noses buried in books/newspapers.  There might be 300 people on the platform and this railfan/foamer was the ONLY person watching the train.  I suspect it's "worse" today with smartphones.

As fugly as they are and as much as it is disappointing, and it is interesting to hear there are technical reasons for it, I'm not sure the outside looks matter as much as inside looks, power outlets and critter comforts.  And yes, my desktop is a painting of a PRR T-1 with Raymond Loewy driving beside it in a Studebaker.

Bob

[reinhardtjh]

On Trainworld's Amtrak 50th Anniversary special event Kato USA announced N (and HO) Scale Amtrak Siemens Long Distance Charger.

Zoom forward to 2hr 20m in the video.
Start at 2:00:00 for the beginning of Kato USA's whole presentation.
Also, at 2:16:10 starts the various P42 schemes coming.