Athearn Announcements December 27, 2024

[Mark5]

After several months without N scale, N scale returns.

Yup, more Big Boys! https://www.athearn.com/on/demandware.static/-/Sites-athearn-us-Library/default/dwea343455/announcements/january-2025/02_GENN_Big_Boy_122724.pdf
This time also with Fantasy schemes (SOUTHERN, Santa Fe, Ndem  )

F89-F flats: https://www.athearn.com/on/demandware.static/-/Sites-athearn-us-Library/default/dwa042b576/announcements/january-2025/05_GENN_F89F_Flat_Car_122724.pdf

45ft Fruehauf Z-Van Smooth Trailer: https://www.athearn.com/on/demandware.static/-/Sites-athearn-us-Library/default/dwfbed65cd/announcements/january-2025/10_ATHN_45ft_Fruehauf_Z_Van_Trailer_122724.pdf

[C855B]

Thank you. Very good. I need to take inventory of the current stash of pig flats to see where I stand. Nice that they're doing the early TTX scheme.

The objective here is to model UP's "Super Van", their flashy competitor to Santa Fe's "Super C". When the service started it was typically four (!!!) DDA40Xs on the point of 15-20 loaded piggyback flats. HP-per-ton was approaching infinity. A total adrenaline rush the few times I was trackside when it passed.

The trailers with this announcement? Not so much. All are >1980. The era of the the "Super" expediters came and went with the 1970s.

[basementcalling]

My eyes, my eyes!!!!! He screams after scrolling to page two of the Big Boy announcement PDF.

Gawdzooks.

[Englewood]

I already have all the Big Boys I'll ever need. But they must sell extremely well, as Athearn keeps rerunning them at least once a year. I do wish they'd rerun the Triple 53' TOFC flats they did a few years ago. I definitely need more of those.

[peteski]

I already have all the Big Boys I'll ever need. But they must sell extremely well, as Athearn keeps rerunning them at least once a year.

That might be a bit of a exaggeration.  Athearn introduced N scale Big Boy 2008 (MRC sound decoder version), 2013 (Soundtraxx sound decoder version) and 2017 (DCC-Ready version).

It has not been rerun "at least once a year".  I recall quite a bit of gap between runs (up to several years). Having mention that, I agree that with BLI and Kato, there is a glut of Big Boys. Athearn might get burned on this one.

[Philip H]

More trailers to find an excuse to buy.

[DirtyD79]

Man at this point you can probably buy one Big Boy from every manufacturer that ever made them and have more of them than ALCO ever made.

[James Costello]

The trailers with this announcement? Not so much. All are >1980.

Aside from the UP, they're also all foobies for the Fruehauf trailer. The HO guys got two more paint schemes then N, which at least included a MILW proto scheme.

The SBDZ is close, and probably an acceptable stand-in for me.

[James Costello]

Nice that they're doing the early TTX scheme.

Just watch that XTTX reporting mark if you care about such things. Yes, I am still salty Athearn announced a 4 hitch version a couple of years ago but then only produced them as regular 2 hitch TTX flats without any warning.

However, it is REALLY good to see a proper TTX "Twin 45" flat with the WTTX, which IIRC is even a first for N.

Being a patched out, +1991 release is even better for me.

[James Costello]

After several months without N scale, N scale returns.

At least they're being real about the deliveries - these all show August 2026 expected dates!

[nkalanaga]

I have no use for a Big Boy (too old, wrong region) or a 45' trailer (too new), and already have five of their TOFC flats (no scheduled TOFC service on my railroad), my finances are safe.  Just as well!

[lock4244]

Hmm, $35 for a single trailer. I fear for the future of the hobby, this is ridiculous.

[Ike the BN Freak]

Anyone know how late the XTTX flats lasted? I'm in for the WTTX flats at least, and probably all the trailers but the BNSF. Wonder if the ramps are just part of the standard cad, I didn't think any twin 45s had ramps.

[OldEastRR]

Hmm, $35 for a single trailer. I fear for the future of the hobby, this is ridiculous.

Ha! Wait until all the new tariffs kick in! "Model Railroading for the Rich and Famous" will debut.

[learmoia]

Man at this point you can probably buy one Big Boy from every manufacturer that ever made them and have more of them than ALCO ever made.

Hmm...  Not quite... 23.. (but I may have missed some)
G Scale
MTH

O Scale
MTH Railking
MTH Premier
K Line
3rd Rail Sunset (Brass)
Williams (Brass)
Lionel Scale
Lionel LionMaster

S Scale
American Flyer (Lionel)

HO Scale
Revell / Monogram
Rivarossi / AHM
Broadway Limited
Athearn
Tenshodo (Brass)
WMC (Brass)
Key (Brass)
Marklin / Trix (*May be the same tooling as Rivarossi/AHM)
MTH / Scale Trains

N Scale
Athearn
Rivarossi / Con-Cor
Broadway Limited
Kato

Z Scale
AZL


Strangely,
Some Big Boys have not yet been produced in N scale.
Athearn   AT&SF   6000
Athearn   NdeM   4000
Athearn   SOU   4075
Athearn   UP   4000
Key   UP   4000
Athearn   UP   4001
Rivarossi   UP   4002
Athearn   UP   4002
Athearn   UP   4003
Rivarossi   UP   4004
Athearn   UP   4004
Rivarossi   UP   4005
Athearn   UP   4005
Rivarossi   UP   4006
Athearn   UP   4006
Broadway Limited   UP   4007
Athearn   UP   4007
NONE   UP   4008
Athearn   UP   4009
Rivarossi   UP   4010
Athearn   UP   4011
Broadway Limited   UP   4012
Athearn   UP   4012
Rivarossi   UP   4013
Athearn   UP   4013
Broadway Limited   UP   4014
Rivarossi   UP   4014
Kato   UP   4014
Athearn   UP   4014
NONE   UP   4015
NONE   UP   4016
Athearn   UP   4017
Athearn   UP   4018
Broadway Limited   UP   4019
Athearn   UP   4019
Athearn   UP   4020
Key   UP   4020
Broadway Limited   UP   4021
Broadway Limited   UP   4022
Athearn   UP   4022
Broadway Limited   UP   4023
Athearn   UP   4023
Broadway Limited   UP   4024
Athearn   UP   4024