I have put couplers on the pilots of both of my Key cab forwards, the swing of the locomotive is about the max for my 15" radius curves. I can see where this may be a concern for IM, since the last thing they want is someone making a return because it won't traverse their 9 3/4 radius curves without pushing cars off the track. I just hate the waiting game.
The solution is easy, provide two different coupler/pilots, Kato supplies alternate long shank couplers with locos for those with sharp curves.
I agree with Westfallen on the dual coupler idea, however, IF, they didn't anticipate this, and retooling would be neccesary, that solution would probably lead to delay
I talked with one of their reps at the NMRA National Convention in Anaheim last Summer. He said they were considering a preinstalled DCC sound decoder and that they might reopen reservations if that happened. Since they did not take that step or make any additional announcement, it does not look to be in the cards. They could surprise everyone, but it sounds unlikely.
I'm pretty sure if the economic disruption everywhere is the reason for delaying the project too. There are far more important places for capital to be spent in tough economic times. Hobbies are probably not near the top of most household budgets... except maybe mine
Latest Release Dates The latest according to Intermountain is the September October time frame. Year not specified. This came in the form of an E Mail today from Intermountain. I would rather have a quality working model with the bugs worked out than something for the forums to bash.
Pete: Unfortunately the "bash brothers" will be out in force no matter how well the AC-12 runs. That is the nature of forums.
With the cab forward out soon, anyone know of any popular model in brass that has not been duplicated in mass production?
ATSF 2-10-4? Anything ATSF other than Bachmann's questionable quality 4-8-4 and Walthers' "only used for a couple of years on Raton Pass and nowhere else" 2-8-8-2. I'm sure everyone here could come up with a list a mile long. I seriously think though, that if it's not a generic looking USRA type that can be done in multiple roadnames with little modification, or a flashy streamliner like the GS4 or a big artictulated that the average modeler, who is happy running anything on his layout, will look at and say "Wow, I've got to have one of those", our chances of seeing it are pretty slim.
Hey Westfalen if it wasn't for us guys who buy locomotives that don't fit our era all the time and we buy them just because we like them, then certain locomotives would never be made. I model mostly the SF and UP so why would i buy the IM cab forward? I can justify the big boy and challenger but the CF, there is only one reason because i like it, plain and simple. I'm all for the 2-10-4, 4-8-4 (UP & SF) or how about the SF 2-10-10-2, now there's an engine i would like to see made. I also would like to see the UP 4-12-2 and all incarnations of the turbines, maybe some day i will see them until then have fun. Dave
Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying there is anything wrong with running whatever you like, I've got two GS4's myself, along with a lot of other stuff that you'd be hard pressed to find on the Santa Fe in Texas in the 50-60's even with the wildest imagination, and have fun running it. I'm just saying that the flashy, high profile stuff sells better, Kato, Athearn and IM didn't need a crystal ball to know the Daylights, Big Boys and Cab Forwards were going to walk out the door on their own, what surprises me is that it's taken so long for anyone to do a Cab Forward. I'd probably line up for an ATSF 2-10-10-2 as well, even though they were only used as Cajon Pass helpers in the 1910's and 20's. I'd like the 2-10-2's, 2-6-2's, 4-4-2's, etc as well though, maybe someday they will come too.
C&O Allegheny (2-6-6-6); the Texas type in general (2-10-4; the SF version was somewhat different from eastern roads such as the C&O T-1, Pennsy J and others, but a standard mechanism could be used with different drivers/shells); N&W Class A. Even though I model the Nickel Plate, I have a Challenger, two N&W 2-8-8-2's on pre-order, and I'll probably pick up a Big Boy at some point. I'll definitely buy a cab-forward when these come out, and I'd get one or two copies of any of the big steam models listed above if someone made them (actually, I have a photo of an SF 2-10-4 on NKP rails; it was being leased to the Pennsy, I think, and was making a light move somewhere around Bellevue). There's just something about big steam that's mesmerizing . . . sort of like Halle Berry or Megan Fox . . . :tb-biggrin: John C.
I think if the manufacturers focus on the quality of the mechanism, pull, DCC compatibility, detail and vary the size, I'd buy anything in steam. How many folks have Bachmann 4-4-0s because they are so darn cute, knowing full well they won't pull more than a few small cars around a small loop? In general, I bet you could satisfy a lot of steam folk with undecorated units that had a small variety of key details that could be switched. Couple that with a good run of decals. Specific era folks could get better units and the fun folk... Well, I'd spend money. I wonder how companies can pick the right diesel units, where paint is so specific? I like 2 things. Steam and anything Amtrak, It seems I'm not alone as Amtrak E8s were the only ones that stayed hard to get in the last Walthers run and the F7s were popular in the IM run, yet PCM and Kato seem to have passed on them. If they can't hit a generic guy like me, how do they pick the right livery, for the person that knows what was run in the 50s, or where the Raton pass is?
Pretty much anyone who watches the market and EBay can pick the correct livery. For example, it took Atlas over 30 years to realize that black is the color for tankers! A new run of tankers would come out, and poof! black was gone. Three years later, you could still get white in any roadname, but black tankers would fetch over $60 on EBay! Of course, some vendors would say, "We're all sold out, but the market is saturated so we won't do another run." tongue: On the question of brass models, I was thinking more of models already done that are still viable as a brass run. Snowplows and MOW, that's my idea. The D&RGW Jordan Spreader I got is scarce as hen's teeth. Perhaps the spreader set from Donner Pass? A working rotary in N Scale would also sell very very well. I guess brass should still be used on models where strength of delicate details precludes the use of plastics. Some manufactuers have started making hybrids to keep the cost down, which is a great idea.
