Micro-Trains releases January 2021

[kscessandriver]

I see the ACL heavyweights continue to get pushed back. While I'm not in a hurry to get them (don't have any particular reason to have them), it gets to be frustrating to see things pushed further and further back.

[thomasjmdavis]

I see the ACL heavyweights continue to get pushed back. While I'm not in a hurry to get them (don't have any particular reason to have them), it gets to be frustrating to see things pushed further and further back.

I would rather see them pushed back a month or two and everything done well than see them hurried to make an arbitrary delivery date.  With the Talent fire and Covid, there are any number of possible delays beyond their control.  It could be as simple as having to wait for a paint delivery (ACL purple is not something a manufacturer would use everyday and would always have in stock).  For me, better that they take their time and get the colors right (unlike some other manufacturers I could name).  Or, if it is a matter of number of orders, I am sure the folks who ordered already would rather see a delay to collect a few more orders than a cancellation.

If I'd had my druthers, they would have done these over a few months as separate cars- I could justify a coach (one of the trains I am working on is a mid 50s Dixie Flyer, which is a mix of ACL, LN, NCStL and CEI with occasional guest appearances of other roads) but don't need the sleepers.  I'll hope for a few add on cars in the coming months that I can pick up one at a time, or that some seller breaks up a set and I can pick up a coach on eBay.

[Point353]

If I'd had my druthers, they would have done these over a few months as separate cars- I could justify a coach (one of the trains I am working on is a mid 50s Dixie Flyer, which is a mix of ACL, LN, NCStL and CEI with occasional guest appearances of other roads) but don't need the sleepers.  I'll hope for a few add on cars in the coming months that I can pick up one at a time, or that some seller breaks up a set and I can pick up a coach on eBay.

Have you tried contacting MTL to see if they would sell you whichever individual car(s) you want from the set being made?
If set has yet to be produced, perhaps they could accommodate such a request?

[Maletrain]

Paired window baggage coach combine, someday, please.

[thomasjmdavis]

Have you tried contacting MTL to see if they would sell you whichever individual car(s) you want from the set being made?
If set has yet to be produced, perhaps they could accommodate such a request?

MTL has done a BIG favor for me in the past and if anything, I already "owe them one".  This particular car is not that big a deal to me, and I think I will save any remaining "good will" I might have with MTL for some future time.  But yeah, as a company, they will go out of their way to accommodate the needs of their customers.

BTW- while I am no expert on IC (other than the commuter cars I rode back in the day), the IC set in the current offerings looks very nice.  Hope that one does well also.  Hopefully, sooner or later they will add a few more body styles, if the "sets" turn out to be profitable. (Santa Fe baggage lounge.....Santa Fe baggage lounge.....Santa Fe baggage lounge.... I wonder if subliminal suggestion actually works?)

[IAIS513]

$135.00 a 3'pack for TBOX 

[southernman]

This is going to be an expensive month. I’m loving it though.

[Philip H]

More TBOX goodness

[peteski]

$135.00 a 3'pack for TBOX 

Yes, that is the MSRP for that 3-pack. That is a bit odd, considering that these aren't weathered/graffiti'd, and the previous run of the 3-pack was $15 less expensive. Also surprising considering that the 5-pack passenger car set from this month is only $15 more than the 3-pack of the TBOX cars. 

[Mark5]

Also surprising considering that the 5-pack passenger car set from this month is only $15 more than the 3-pack of the TBOX cars. 

I would speculate that the TBOXes are more labor intensive.

[thomasjmdavis]

from the MTL TBOX listing:

Our model features separate end
ladders, door hardware, brake rod, cut lever, etched-metal brake
platform, body-mounted couplers and 36” metal wheels.

None of my dozens of MTL 20s-50s era boxcars has any of those separate parts, so the TBOX looks to be more labor intensive and have more tooling (not to mention etching, etc) than most MTL offeringss.  And the TBOX is BIG by comparison to an MTL "standard" boxcar- so larger tooling as well.  And with the separate door hardware, I would speculate that the pad printing of the doors is fairly intense to get all the tiny lettering in the right place without bits of the pad getting caught on bits of the door hardware, and handling generally needs to be more precise so as not to damage the cut levers and little etched bits.

And PLEASE, my friends, STOP pointing out to MTL what a great value their passenger cars are until after a combine comes out and I get as many as I want.

[Mark5]

And PLEASE, my friends, STOP pointing out to MTL what a great value their passenger cars are until after a combine comes out and I get as many as I want.

Tom, what kind of combine are you hoping for? Single window or paired?

[kscessandriver]

I would rather see them pushed back a month or two and everything done well than see them hurried to make an arbitrary delivery date.  With the Talent fire and Covid, there are any number of possible delays beyond their control.  It could be as simple as having to wait for a paint delivery (ACL purple is not something a manufacturer would use everyday and would always have in stock).  For me, better that they take their time and get the colors right (unlike some other manufacturers I could name).  Or, if it is a matter of number of orders, I am sure the folks who ordered already would rather see a delay to collect a few more orders than a cancellation.

If I'd had my druthers, they would have done these over a few months as separate cars- I could justify a coach (one of the trains I am working on is a mid 50s Dixie Flyer, which is a mix of ACL, LN, NCStL and CEI with occasional guest appearances of other roads) but don't need the sleepers.  I'll hope for a few add on cars in the coming months that I can pick up one at a time, or that some seller breaks up a set and I can pick up a coach on eBay.

Don't get me wrong, I get it, and I'm not complaining. I mean, its not like MTL is Intermountain bad when it comes to releasing things. I don't buy a lot of MTL stuff, and I'm not usually pre-ordering it, so I'm not sure if a rolling delay like this is normal or not. They'll get here eventually, and that's good enough for me.

[learmoia]

I would speculate that the TBOXes are more labor intensive.

Only because that have to make so many to meet the pre-orders

[thomasjmdavis]

Tom, what kind of combine are you hoping for? Single window or paired?

Yes.  Or both. As it happens, for trains I model, I could use either.  Plus, assuming that the baggage end was 40% or more of the length of the car, I would probably figure out ways to kitbash them into baggage cars and coaches that were different from the current baggage car and coach offerings.

My number 1 choice (if I won the lottery and could pay for the tooling) would be an ATSF late 1300 series (they did a lot of renumbering) baggage lounge.  I know I could cut and paste one out of old Rivarossi shells, but a nice shiny one in 2 tone gray would be most welcome.