Why no FreeLance N scale models?

[drgw0579]

I was at the Colorado RPM a couple weeks ago and one of the vendors, HomeShops was displaying some of their ProtoFreelance models.  They had some neat models of some of the classic model railroads, like Virginina and Ohio locomotives and Cat Mountain and Santa Fe boxcars in HO.  But their N scale offerings were rather limited.  I asked the owner of the company about that and he said that they hadn't gotten a lot of response to their initial N scale offerings.  It's a small company so they can't do a lot of speculation, they need to be fairly confident that a project will sell before they invest a lot of resources.  One of his comments was that in the modern day railroads, with only a handful of major railroads, he sees a lot of (HO) modelers bringing in Freelance equipment for variety.  But that's not happening in the N scale world, apparently. 

I remember a bunch of years ago, I got some of Lee's Laural Valley hoppers, and I've lettered other cars for the railroads I've operated on in my local area.  But I guess I'm one of the only ones doing that.  Is anyone else here interested in this concept?

Bill Kepner
Ft Collins, CO

[Mark5]

I have zero interest in this, but there have been V&O models (FVM), VARR (from RW guy that we don't see here anymore), and of course Lee's Laurel thing (there are probably more that I am missing).

I think a sizable number of N scalers probably go for that sort of thing.

Mark

[wmcbride]

I own the V&O and one AM GEVOs.

I just liked the color of the V&O and I got the AM on a real deal.

[bbussey]

I have a very small amount of rolling stock honoring freelance roads such as V&O and Midland Road, as well as my own fictional subsidiary and some Micro-Trains SORC equipment. But overwhelmingly I prefer prototypical rolling stock.

[mu26aeh]

Look at most of the n scale set ups and train shows and a lot of them are running big modern era trains.   Look at a lot of HomeShops HO offerings.  What are they ?  Big, modern era equipment.  I'd say a very poor business decision to run 40' boxcars as their first N scale offering.  It's like Rapido saying n scale doesnt sell when they get poor numbers from barrel ore cars, Canadian passenger sets and 17 versions of Santa fe reefers.

[chessie system fan]

And are there any super famous N scale freelance railroads? I can't think of any.

[basementcalling]

And are there any super famous N scale freelance railroads? I can't think of any.

Maybe not, but I would buy N scale cars lettered for famous HO railroads. I have the V&O and AM units Fox Valley did. I was glad to see Home Shops venture into N scale, but questioned their choice of transition era boxcar for their first offerings given the N scale market tends towards modern. I have no doubt those same road names on a more modern era car would have sold better

[nkalanaga]

Part of the problem is that most of those model railroads WERE transition era, or at least 1960s/70s, and never had "modern" equipment.

[bbussey]

And are there any super famous N scale freelance railroads? I can't think of any.

It's true that all of the famous N scale railroad layouts are of prototype railroads.  Funny how that works.  But there have been limited-run factory-decorated N scale models of famous HO fictional railroads.  V&O, Allegheny Midland, Ohio Southern, Delta Lines, Virginia Central, Gorre & Daphetid, to name a few. 

The Metropolitan N Scale Club that was in Englewood NJ in the 1970s and 1980s had a fictional road for operating sessions called the Metropolitan.  There were three special run Micro-Trains boxcars that had the club name on the side, but an Atlas 50' flatcar with 40' trailer had the Metropolitan deco scheme on the flatcar and a club anniversary scheme on the trailer.  There were going to be Micro-Trains twin bay hoppers made in the railroad scheme for use with the operating rotary dumper, but decals were made instead to decorate a handful of cars.

[bbussey]

Look at most of the n scale set ups and train shows and a lot of them are running big modern era trains.   Look at a lot of HomeShops HO offerings.  What are they ?  Big, modern era equipment.  I'd say a very poor business decision to run 40' boxcars as their first N scale offering.  It's like Rapido saying n scale doesnt sell when they get poor numbers from barrel ore cars, Canadian passenger sets and 17 versions of Santa fe reefers.

That is the case today.  But 40 years ago when all of the longest train records were being set, they were done with MTL twin-bay hoppers.

[John]

And are there any super famous N scale freelance railroads? I can't think of any.

Nah -- we are all module people 

[drgw0579]

How many of us have railroads with their own identity?  The Super Famous model railroads seem to date back to when magazines effectively promoted them.  And N scale didn't have the same respect.  One of the first to get it was the Reid Brothers' Cumberland Valley.   While their identify was of the real railroads in the area, Fox Valley did do a car at one point lettered for the "Cumberland Valley System". 

I think a lot of the points made here are significant.  Even if the same percentage of N scalers that were freelance as they are in other scales, the difference in size of the overall market between HO and N makes a difference in selling 500 or 50 of a special run car.

Bill Kepner

[crrcoal]

V&O and Utah Belt come to mind

[Philip H]

I bought several of the Homeshops n scale boxcars to weather up and set somewhere to dust out their days. Guess it wasn’t enough.

I’d kill for one of their Ohio Southern SDs in n scale with half a dozen 50 footers to go with it in interchange service. I also think the Cat Mountain could be done on similar boxcars. And despite the FVM production of various V&O rolling stock, I think they could do a couple modernish renditions in rolling stock and locos.

That said, at 54 I’m probably one of the younger fans of those roads out there. If Firecrown ever got the gumption to do a book about the Ohio Southern it might enjoy a resurgence.

And what of well known modern n scale layouts? Aside from the Laurel Valley - which I too have numerous hoppers for - the first road that comes to mind is the Tenino Western. I know he has done decals for himself, but I don’t think he’s ever sold those. I would also LOVE some UB as well.

[Tad_T]

I have a V&O and an AM FVM boxcar. Because of my era, they are easy to justify and fit in.

I admired both of those influential model railroads.

I have no problem running those two cars.