Proposed ESM/MTL limited run Auto Rack series from 2015

[bbussey]

Amazingly, it has been ten years.  This was the potential roster of auto racks from the project.  All of the models were to be detailed with painted decks and circus flaps (when present) and printing on the etched panels when required.  Only the Erie Lackawanna car was released at retail.  Two hand-painted Southern Pacific pilot models were made for promo purposes.

• Bi-Level with anti-vandal panels, TTBX/Erie Lackawanna.  Brown rack, yellow flatcar.
• Tri-Level with mesh anti-vandal panels, Southern Pacific.  Brown rack and flatcar.
• Bi-Level with anti-vandal panels, TTBX/Milwaukee Road.  Brown rack, yellow flatcar.
• Tri-Level with anti-vandal panels, TTKX/Seaboard Coast Line.  Yellow rack and flatcar.
• Bi-Level, no anti-vandal panels, unique placard arrangement, TTBX/Conrail.  Deepwater green rack, brown flatcar.
• Tri-Level, no anti-vandal panels, unique placard arrangement, CP Rail.  Black rack and flatcar.
• Bi-Level with anti-vandal panels, Grand Truck Western.  Blue rack and flatcar.
• Bi-Level with anti-vandal panels, TTBX/Norfolk and Western.  Black rack, yellow flatcar.
• Tri-Level with anti-vandal panels and integrated placards, Cotton Belt.  Brown rack and flatcar.
• Bi-Level with anti-vandal panels and integrated placards, TTBX/Louisville & Nashville.  Yellow rack and flatcar.
• Tri-level, no anti-vandal panels,  TTKX/Illinois Central.  Orange rack, yellow flatcar.
• Bi-Level with anti-vandal panels, TTBX/Union Pacific.  Brown rack, yellow flatcar.

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[garethashenden]

Would these work commercially as kits? I know you prefer to sell complete cars, and the kit price might be the same as the assembled car. But a kit is better than nothing isn’t it?

[bbussey]

Micro-Trains hasn’t released kits of any kind in 40 years. They definitely aren’t able to now as currently constituted.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Damn. What could've been.

[davefoxx]

It’s been ten years!?  Well, I suppose that’s about right, since I’ve been out of N scale for eight years.  Incredible.  I vividly recall being tempted for the SCL car.

DFF

[garethashenden]

Micro-Trains hasn’t released kits of any kind in 40 years. They definitely aren’t able to now as currently constituted.

I was thinking more along the lines that they send you a bunch of plastic and you organize it into kits with the etches and decals. Lots of sorting and boxing for you, obviously, but it might work. If they’re willing to sell the unpainted plastic parts in bulk.

[bman]

I remember you had proposed making the anti vandal panels available w/o the racks to folks (like me) who have several Microtrains racks. I'm guessing the up front demand wasn't at a level to move ahead with the project? At least I was able to get the EL car. Then I got super duper lucky and ran across a 2nd EL car recently and plan to turn it into a CR bi-level. If only I played the lottery..... 

[Missaberoad]

Damn! I kind of wish you hadn't posted this.
Seeing the list makes me wish this could have come to fruition even more, alot of really cool ideas in there.

I still haven't been able to find a EL car, the last one I was bidding on was damaged by the previous owner and still sold for 3 figures.

One of these days I'll track one down.

Micro-Trains hasn’t released kits of any kind in 40 years. They definitely aren’t able to now as currently constituted.

Not precisely true, while the cars themselves were assembled my CNW gondola came as a "Kit" for all the extra accoutrements. As do most cars with lazer cut add-ons.



Definitly understand the reasons why these didn't happen. But if they were to ever see the light of day again I would be more then willing to pay Trainworx collector proces for them! 

[Lemosteam]

Sorry if I am missing something here.  Is the flat car not readily available or was that a one-off car for this project?  Secondly, @bbussey , is the etch design your IP? 

Could you not sell the etches to folks as a kit who want to add and paint them to a flat car (if available) themselves? I would think you could recoup the etch investment fairly well.

[Jesse6669]

Could you not sell the etches to folks as a kit who want to add and paint them to a flat car (if available) themselves? I would think you could recoup the etch investment fairly well.

If they can't I'm pretty sure someone can...

[bbussey]

I was thinking more along the lines that they send you a bunch of plastic and you organize it into kits with the etches and decals. Lots of sorting and boxing for you, obviously, but it might work. If they’re willing to sell the unpainted plastic parts in bulk.

Kits of that nature don't sell, especially unpainted ones.  I'm also not inclined to package multiple kits on that scale, definitely not with the dealer discount structure.

I remember you had proposed making the anti vandal panels available w/o the racks to folks (like me) who have several Microtrains racks. I'm guessing the up front demand wasn't at a level to move ahead with the project? At least I was able to get the EL car. Then I got super duper lucky and ran across a 2nd EL car recently and plan to turn it into a CR bi-level. If only I played the lottery..... 

Yeah, there wasn't enough demand for those or for the Athearn anti-vandal panels.  I really wanted to do the panels for the Athearn cars because it would have taken the detail to another level.

Not precisely true, while the cars themselves were assembled my CNW gondola came as a "Kit" for all the extra accoutrements. As do most cars with lazer cut add-ons.

Laser-cut wood plates and 3d-printed parts added to the existing cars isn't at the same level of detail as the auto-racks would have been.  It would be much easier with the 4C processing they now employ.  But ten years ago they still were masking and painting.  And the extra labor and modification of components pushed their limits then on the EL car, pre-fires.

Sorry if I am missing something here.  Is the flat car not readily available or was that a one-off car for this project?  Secondly, @bbussey , is the etch design your IP? 
Could you not sell the etches to folks as a kit who want to add and paint them to a flat car (if available) themselves? I would think you could recoup the etch investment fairly well.

The auto rack was modified-MTL by MTL, the etches were ESM and would require additional stanchions from MTL to fit a standard auto rack.  The demand isn't there to warrant an independent etch-run.

[Lackawannae8]

I have a couple of those. need more.

[jagged ben]

That SP car would have been fantastic.

Lol it's been ten years and I finally assembled the etches onto my EL car last year.   . But it's been run!

[bman]

Yeah, there wasn't enough demand for those or for the Athearn anti-vandal panels.  I really wanted to do the panels for the Athearn cars because it would have taken the detail to another

I forgot about panels for the Athearn rack. That would have looked great. I ran out out grabbed a couole because of that possibility. Lol. No worries. I needed them either way. Athearn has had at least two more runs of those since then. Wonder if it's worth your time and effort to see if there's enough interest in them? Or is it even worth it at this time?

[Memster1]

I saw one at a train show in Rochester in Dec 23.  I didn't grab it (god only knows why) and thought about why I didn't until Sept 24, when I searched eBay, and found a brand new one selling for a small premium.  I got it for $45 plus shipping.  I really hoped to find anti vandal panels for my other 5 open bi level racks, and stumbled across Plano Model Products http://www.planomodelproducts.com/nautorack_scq.html but alas, they no longer make them.  Im still searching for another 1(or 2) as Im modeling that era where these were prevalent, and fully enclosed racks were just coming onto the scene.

Hope that ESM might consider a new release of these.  I for one am in!