Tangent and N scale

[crrcoal]

Has Tangent given up on N scale? They haven’t released a new car in quite some time. Their covered hoppers were awesome. Was hoping for some new schemes. Was also hoping for maybe Clinchfield coal hoppers too.

[mu26aeh]

It was years between the quad hoppers and the 4750.  Still have a few more to go before seeing anything else from them

[Mark5]

It was years between the quad hoppers and the 4750. 

I checked this morning and it appears that they still have considerable stock on both of these. So, maybe they are less than thrilled with the response to their N scale product.

[C855B]

I checked this morning and it appears that they still have considerable stock on both of these. So, maybe they are less than thrilled with the response to their N scale product.

Uh huh.

I have a formerly-local friend who does a lot of consulting with predominately-HO makers of the limited-but-high-quality bent. Tangent, IIRC, was one of those. He said their interest in N was tepid, but they felt the need to establish a presence outside of HO. I think the "tepid" assessment is in play here.

I personally supported as much of their product that made sense for my modeling road and period - quad hoppers in <1980 schemes, which was still a significant outlay - but it was a blip against what it must have cost to produce. I suspect they have a lot of standing inventory, having produced quantities based on best guesses given their admirable "not announced until ready to deliver" policy. That's an enormous gamble given the number of schemes offered.

[GaryHinshaw]

As far as I can tell, most/all of the modern lease schemes they ran on the 4750s sold out pretty quickly.  But given that their core competency in HO is roughly 1950-2000 era, I doubt they're looking to expand into modern prototypes.  (Too bad, because their stuff is really nice!)  I'd be curious to know which of their current HO offering the folks here would like to see in N.

[garethashenden]

I want them to make their tank cars in N. I asked them at the Springfield show a few years ago and they said no. Not even a “We’ll think about it”, just “I can’t see that happening”, or words to that effect.

But better tank cars are needed in N.

[Curtis Kyger]

I wouldn't mind seeing the 3215 covered hopper in N-Scale.  In N-Scale the only option for this hopper is the old Bachmann 1960's tooling.

[Mark5]

I'd be curious to know which of their current HO offering the folks here would like to see in N.

A fair amount of their current HO offerings are covered in N scale (though mostly not in terms of open and closed hoppers).

For obvious reasons, I would love to see the N&W Roanoke Shops HC-71 4750CuFt Covered Hopper
https://www.tangentscalemodels.com/nw-roanoke-shops-hc-71-4750cuft-covered-hopper/

More tanks the merrier: General American 1957-Design 8000 Gallon Welded General Service Tank Car
https://www.tangentscalemodels.com/general-american-1957-design-8000-gallon-welded-general-service-tank-car

I'm sure there are N scalers wanting some of the more common open hoppers that Tangent has done.

[samusi01]

I'd be curious to know which of their current HO offering the folks here would like to see in N.

Their high-cube PS-1s, and NP / SP&S cabooses. That said, I've been happy with their 100 ton trucks.

[lock4244]

I have two of their 4750's, a CSX and a BN. Iirc, only the CSX fits my era, and just barely, so this car was not really something I could get behind.

Now those Greenville 60' and 86' boxcars are something I really could get behind...

[sirenwerks]

To me, the 4750 was a disappointment because it was the Trinity version and not the 1970s PS2-CD it produced in HO. Given the popularity of the 4750, it seems like a car manufacturers would take notice of all versions, especially given the wealth of paint schemes to be produced, and that they're still rolling around today, so they have appeal to a lot more modelers of many eras.
I get that producing a contemporary car means it might have more sales possibilities into the future. Hence the wealth of modern intermodal, coil cars, high cube TBoxes, and autoracks. But I still think N scale manufacturers don't have a firm grasp on what modelers are doing, except what they see on YouTube, in the mags, or from their friends. But that's an uninformed opinion, since I don't know any manufacturers. I think the modelers of today, many my age, are modeling what they grew up with. For me that's (early) 1970s. Some of that could be covered by boutique 3D printer shops, but given the era coverage of the PS2-CD, it deserves high-run casting.

[basementcalling]

Is there an all HO manufacturer out there that has really hit a home run out of the box on their first entry into the N scale market? Seems they all make the same mistake and pick a "safe" option, either one that sold well in HO, or is a great car, but other companies already offered in N scale.

N is not HO, and while we have more equipment offered by multiple companies than previously, we still remain largely a scale where one company can corral the market on a good prototype and make it hard for another company to duplicate their offering.

[GaryHinshaw]

Is there an all HO manufacturer out there that has really hit a home run out of the box on their first entry into the N scale market? Seems they all make the same mistake and pick a "safe" option, either one that sold well in HO, or is a great car, but other companies already offered in N scale.

[drift]
For my money Aurora did with their Plate F box car.  I know they've been hard to come by in the States, but the quality is great* and they've announced three new follow-up models now. 
[/drift]?

*Okay, the trucks were tight and the couplers were dodgy but the trucks were fixed in the second run and y'all know where I stand on couplers.

[James Costello]

To me, the 4750 was a disappointment because it was the Trinity version and not the 1970s PS2-CD it produced in HO. Given the popularity of the 4750, it seems like a car manufacturers would take notice of all versions, especially given the wealth of paint schemes to be produced, and that they're still rolling around today, so they have appeal to a lot more modelers of many eras.

Isn't the Intermountain model a PS version?

FWIW, the Trinity version was awesome for me, as it's nice to have new / clean 90s covered hoppers amongst the fleet of older 70s/80s era versions for my mid-90s era layout.

[mu26aeh]

Is there an all HO manufacturer out there that has really hit a home run out of the box on their first entry into the N scale market? Seems they all make the same mistake and pick a "safe" option, either one that sold well in HO, or is a great car, but other companies already offered in N scale.

N is not HO, and while we have more equipment offered by multiple companies than previously, we still remain largely a scale where one company can corral the market on a good prototype and make it hard for another company to duplicate their offering.

Home Shops bombed with their initial N scale release, at least IMO.  If they released N scale like their HO choices ( coil cars, big box cars, ie more modern) I think they'd sell out every time