HO Nippon Sharyo Bi-Level Cab Car and Coach Set - Chicago Metra + possibly others

BMR777 Sep 1, 2013

  1. BMR777

    BMR777 New Member

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    I am creating this thread with the goal of having a model of the Nippon Sharyo Bi-Level gallery coach and cab car used by Chicago Metra put into production in HO scale.

    Photo of Cab Car: http://www.nipponsharyousa.com/products/pages/zusametra-pc1994.htm

    The Nippon Sharyo bi-level commuter car and cab coach are currently in service on Chicago's Metra and make up most, if not all of their non-electric passenger equipment.

    These cars were built by Nippon Sharyo to be compatible with Metra's existing Pullman and Budd bi-level cars so that both the Nippon Sharyo and previous Metra equipment could be run side by side until Metra could phase out the old equipment. Here is a photo of the old and new cars running together: http://www.railroadpix.com/images/passenger/pas_img_12/metra_01.jpg

    These cars would go great with the existing Metra equipment that is already commercially available, including Kato's Metra F40PH locomotive, Kato's Metra and RTA bi-level cars and True Line Trains MP36PH-3S Metra Locomotive.

    These same coaches are also in use on Caltrain and VRE. With minimal modification the Metra version of the coach could also be made to look like the Caltrain version. It would take a bit more work to make it look like VRE, but this would be possible as well.

    Car in Caltrain scheme: http://railroadpictures.net/Trains/Caltrain/IMG_2006_tn1024.JPG
    Car in VRE scheme: http://www.nipponsharyousa.com/news/tp120217-vre.jpg

    I propose the creation of a three car set of these cars in the Chicago Metra scheme. The set would contain two coaches and one cab car. I think the only way we can bring the Nippon Sharyo bi-levels to production in HO scale is to do it through SpecialRuns.com since I don't think Kato will take their N scale version and make it in HO.

    Please help me make these cars a reality!!! Click here to learn how you can help if you are not familiar with the SpecialRuns process. Otherwise, please post your number in this thread and let's make these cars a reality!

    Thanks,
    Brandon
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 1, 2013
  2. Mike_Arnold

    Mike_Arnold New Member

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    I'd definitely be interested in 3 or so cars. Count me in. I'm number 1 (2?)!
     
  3. Flashwave

    Flashwave TrainBoard Member

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    Metra stuff would sell like hotcakes comparatively, but if I may bring some challenges to bear:

    1)This is not a forum to be making new tooling (yet) unless someone here has a die casting machine and can make the cars garage kit style and is willing to partner with Trainboard. What SpecialRuns.com is about is asking the manufacturers to sell Trainboard a lot of 300 of an existing car with a custom designed (for lack of a better word) paintscheme on it. Thus, you need a company that A) is willing to do special runs like this, like Accurail or Athearn, and B)Already has a model of the Nippon Sharyo car in HO scale that they've made, sold, and the molds for are collecting dust in a factory somewhere.

    2)Metra is still an active company, which means licenses. Just as the fallen flag roads are still licensed by their parent companies. For a time, roads like SP were more expensive than roads like NW on the same car because UP chareged more to use SP logos because they still owned the SP than NS charged to use NW logos. Now, whoever makes these may already have a deal with Metra. But if they do, then that raises

    3)If they already have the rights to use Metra on their models and have the Nippon Sharyo car, why haven't they put 2 and 2 together and made a bajillion dollars already off of it? They might do like what True Line Trains has done for the NYCTHS and let Trainboard sell an exclusive car number, but they'd be selling the lion's share of the cars.

    4) I mustbe the only one in the world then who doesn't like the N scale Nippon cars by Kato, I keep thinking the windos look like they were made using a kid's craft hole puncher and is not up to the detail level that I see in Kato's either stuff. This is the first PAX set that Kato's done that hasn't attempted to sway me to N scale... But maybe that's me.
     
  4. BMR777

    BMR777 New Member

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    Thanks for your reply Morgan. Ah, I was kind of afraid it might be something like what you said where it's not so much releasing new models as it is releasing new variations of existing models. I guess if we're ever going to get the Nippon Sharyo cars in HO we just have to keep letting manufactures like Kato know we're interested.

    I bet that Kato is hesitant to do a run of these cars in HO since they made so many of the Pullman cars in Metra recently. They probably haven't seen those sell as well as they wanted, but what they probably didn't realize is that the cars in that scheme were only around for a little bit and are not a good fit for Metra modelers, whereas the Nippon Sharyo cars are the future of Metra and what they should have released in HO to begin with.
     
  5. Flashwave

    Flashwave TrainBoard Member

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    Actually, i wouldn't be half surprisd if what they arecseeing in Metra sales are not so much people modelling Metra, as it iis people modelling areas Metra is in and want a train or two for completeness. Give the Nippon Sharyos time to become recognized, very rarely now so we get models of "the future" before we get models of the Present. And right now, thats the PS cars.

    Also, remebering that Kato is primarily an nscler, the P42 was their first newTooling HO in a few years. You might have better luck poking Walthers, since they are the primary HO pax equipment. Even if the Kato cars are a little better and better priced. Best of luck!
     
  6. jogden

    jogden TrainBoard Member

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    I am interested in these. Count me in as number 3(?).
    (Yeah, can you believe we are still in single digits and I lost count! :rolleyes: )

    I think Walthers is the most likely for getting RTR cars, although getting them to do a special run for it might be difficult. As has been mentioned, if someone did Metra, they would probably sell like hotcakes, so Walthers might be more interested in selling such cars for themselves, rather than making them up as a special run. Of course, I'm no expert, this is purely speculation. It certainly would not hurt to ask them about it!

    Anyway, if we can make this happen, I would be interested in quite a few of them, as my intended model railroad hosts Metra.
     
  7. BMR777

    BMR777 New Member

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    Thanks Morgan for your latest reply. That makes sense, although I wouldn't say that the PS cars are really present day anymore. I work where there is a rail line going behind my building and the Metra trains go by every day and I can say I haven't seen a PS car on any of the trains in YEARS. On a recent trip to Chicago on Metra into Union Station none of the other Metras seemed to have the PS cars anymore either, so I don't think they're in use anymore and have mostly all been replaced.

    That's a good idea about contacting Walthers. I actually have the address of their product development team in my email somewhere, I can post it here if anyone is interested in writing them to see if we can get some new Metra products. I know I will be writing them. :)
     
  8. Flashwave

    Flashwave TrainBoard Member

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    And so as to not be a compete negatove nancy, we might be able to wok out exclusive car numbers though...
     
  9. BoxcabE50

    BoxcabE50 HOn30 & N Scales Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Actually, this forum is for talk about TrainBoard Special Run cars.
     
  10. Flashwave

    Flashwave TrainBoard Member

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    I think that was the goal, although I think the OP was thinking TB had the power to get new or at least retooled models that TB would sell exclusively, rather than straight repaints. I mentioned getting an exclusive car number the same way the New York Central Tech Hist. is selling a certain car number of TrueLineTrains' new cabeece as an attempt to not be a complete bore on the topic, but it occured to me after last night that that goes out the window if Walthers even had the NS cars since their cab nubers are done by decal.

    Regardless, since there's no Nippon Sharyo cars in existance at all there's nothing that TB could buy 300 of and sell to raise funds, I'm gonna make a motion this topic gets tabled...
     
  11. BoxcabE50

    BoxcabE50 HOn30 & N Scales Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    At present anything done would be through using existing tooling. Multi-car sets would likely be investment dollars far beyond cash flow abilities here. Meanwhile, we still have 50+ of the M-I N scale cars to go......
     
  12. Deezy

    Deezy New Member

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    I would honestly buy 30 of these cars if they came out. I think that Kato is a good candidate, since their PS cars are awesome, particularly in push mode. I wouldn't dare pushing 10 walthers cars backwards over a handful of tight curves and several switches into my union station, but the Kato's did it with finesse. Everybody on this thread shpuld make a suggestion to Kato.
     

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