New NSE Special Runs - MTL Cars

[dcr1793]

A couple new graffiti special runs. These cars were decorated and weathered by MTL prior to the transition and are very limited. Besides the graffiti each car is lightly weathered.

Each car has unique graffiti on both sides designed in-house.

NS Boxcar - FREDEX - Side A (NSE MTL 26-06)


NS Boxcar - FREDEX - Side B


NS Boxcar - EYEZ - Side A (NSE MTL 26-07)


NS Boxcar - EYEZ - Side B


BNSF Open Hopper - Tooooooot - Think It's Train Time - Side A (NSE MTL 25-24)


BNSF Open Hopper - Tooooooot - Think It's Train Time - Side B


BNSF Open Hopper - Luke Come to the Dark Side - Side A (NSE MTL 25-25)


BNSF Open Hopper - Luke Come to the Dark Side - Side B

[Rossford Yard]

Where would these be available?

[EspeeGoldenState]

Where would these be available?

https://www.nscaleenthusiast.com/NSE_SR_Pages/NSE_NS_Limited_Editions.asp

[rodsup9000]

  At NSE of course


https://www.nscaleenthusiast.com/NSE_SR_Pages/NSE_NS_Limited_Editions.asp

[peteski]

There is something funky about that graffiti. Most to me look too perfect for graffiti and look like decals (which I'm sure they are not if done by MTL in their ink jet printers).

[Sokramiketes]

There is something funky about that graffiti. Most to me look too perfect for graffiti and look like decals (which I'm sure they are not if done by MTL in their ink jet printers).

Looks like a high school photoshop project instead of spray can graf, for sure. 

[peteski]

Looks like a high school photoshop project instead of spray can graf, for sure.

Yeah, these look cheesy compared to previous MTL graffitied models.

I wonder if Atlas let go of very skilled MTL's gaphic artists who could at first duplicate prototype graffiti, superb printed weathering, and later even whip up their own realistic looking graffiti and that these were designed by someone else?

[Sokramiketes]

Yeah, these look cheesy compared to previous MTL graffitied models.

I wonder if Atlas let go of very skilled MTL's gaphic artists who could at first duplicate prototype graffiti, superb printed weathering, and later even whip up their own realistic looking graffiti and that these were designed by someone else?

Seems to indicate they were done before the shut down.  But I think this is probably the post lawsuit concern way of making graffitti, where it's vector artwork and looks too perfect. 

[peteski]

Seems to indicate they were done before the shut down.  But I think this is probably the post lawsuit concern way of making graffitti, where it's vector artwork and looks too perfect.

OK, but the lawsuit and MTL subsequently moving away from depicting prototype graffiti was several years ago and their graphic artists started producing very realistically looking graffiti as their own work. Why would they go cartoonish out of the blue?

If these were done pre-Atlas then maybe the artwork was done by someone at NSE and MTL just decorated they cars with that artwork?  Just like their annual convention car with artwork by the mysterious GROG818?

[Scottl]

The thing I noticed right away is graffiti starts at the car bottom on prototypes while these are all floating up high.  You would need a serious step ladder to do that.

[Sokramiketes]

If these were done pre-Atlas then maybe the artwork was done by someone at NSE and MTL just decorated they cars with that artwork?  Just like their annual convention car with artwork by the mysterious GROG818?

This makes sense.  It's just not the same touch and artistic eye. 

[bbussey]

NSE does all of their own artwork.  I suspect in this case that they simply submitted finished Photoshop files to MTL.  This effort isn't horrible, but I agree that MTL set a lofty standard after years of fine-tuning the process.  These offerings still will be popular with the NSE membership.

[nscaler711]

There is something funky about that graffiti. Most to me look too perfect for graffiti and look like decals (which I'm sure they are not if done by MTL in their ink jet printers).

Outside of the Vader, it all looks like something included in Clip Art....

[bbussey]

I think people here tend to forget that we aren't the target audience for the bulk of the NSE product releases.  The collector base that is the core of the NSE membership loves them.  They prefer fantasy over prototype.

[EspeeGoldenState]

They prefer fantasy over prototype.

And that right there after 14 years, I'm most likely not renewing my NSE membership. Now I realize they only commission stuff, and I'm sure George will say Intermountain and factory shutdown, but its been almost 8 years now the rerun of the ATSF Bicentennial SD45-2 announcements, and back in 2022, Frank said they would be here by the end of the year. I keep waiting on the last 2 pieces of a series of the KCS Holiday train, but now that CPKC exists, and the Holiday train is now retired, I'm not holding my breath they will get done.

The thing I noticed right away is graffiti starts at the car bottom on prototypes while these are all floating up high.  You would need a serious step ladder to do that.

This trend of where the graffiti has been placed on NSE cars has been going on for a while, they float upwards to the bottom middle of the car, and just looks gimmicky.

https://www.nscaleenthusiast.com/NSE_SR_Pages/NSE_KCT_Rolling_Thunder.asp
https://www.nscaleenthusiast.com/NSE_SR_Pages/NSE_KCT_Lighting_Strikes_Twice.asp