Now that the Challenger is out and is soooo wonderful, what is the chance Athearn could use this platform for a espee cab forward? I know there are differences, but isn't the initial work done? And done extremely well if my Challenger is any example? What Athearn has accomplished could launch a profitable market for them if they can produce quality steam to follow the Challenger. Not only that, but they hit a grand slam which means we will have confidence in their ability to follow their initial success with more large steam. Boy, the mind is great and you really can think about a lot more than you can get, Doc
The cab forward also makes a great Yellowstone when run the other way around, increasing the market and just about eliminating N Scale brass steam...
Two cab forwards? Why would Athearn attempt to tool up for an SP cab forward when InterMountain has already announced it intends to offer an SP AC12 in N scale? I would hope Athearn went to a smaller steamer, but they'll probably go bigger, to the "Big Boy", like they did in HO. :cat:
Athearn will probably follow the steam loco schedule of it's HO line. Some good running small steam would be nice especially those steamers that are missing from the ranks of steam loco's produced in the last 10 years. So as Gregg stated, a "BigBoy" by Athearn looms on the horizon. With the successful introduction of the "Challenger", I expect all steamers in the future to be outfitted with DCC/DC controls and sound. That's where the market is heading. Stay cool and run steam....
Have to agree ... definitely look for the "Big Boy" next from Athearn. :thumbs_up: Athearn has long had the "Challenger" and "Big Boy" in their HO line ... that's part of the reason they produced the Challenger... that and Con Cor was effectively "neutralized" by the Rivarossi bankruptcy and never able to have the dies and such, which CC owns, returned from Rivarossi. As for the IM Cab Forward ... I'm already stuffing my piggy-bank again!!:happy3: :happy3:
I'll tell you why Athearn would produce a cab forward even though InterMountain has announced it. Athearn has set the bar and is a proven platform while InterMountain steam is an unknown. Plus, given all the problems with tunnel motors and the incorrect dimensions on the F units, why take a chance on InterMountain steam? But notice I didn't say I won't buy a cab forward if InterMountain gets one out in a reasonable amount of time. I may be enamored by the Challenger but I am still an Espee man, Doc
If they do a Challenger, then the Big Boy, and a FEF Northern, they could be the king of the UP steam fleet. With help from the MDC units, perhaps they could also do some steam switchers? How hard would it be to drop the front truck & update the details?? A set of reefers would look nice behind the Big Boy. Kato could make a nice Excursion Steam Set.
My gut tells me a Big Boy is next since the outline is a stretched challenger. I would love to see them do an FEF. My choice of Cab Forward would be an AC-6.
I'm with you on the 4-8-4. Frankly I'm up to here on strictly freight locos. There is nothing out there to pull a long string of heavyweight passenger cars, except maybe diesels. An ABBA consist of FT's gets the job done but a steam loco with some pulling power would be much more pleasing. PCM missed a good bet by not making its inaugural steam offering an N scale Santa Fe #3751 4-8-4 that was so successful for BLI. Ben
Now wouldn't that be a hoot? The 3751 is being looked at for an excursion to San Diego during the NMRA convention in 2008. Having Athearn deliver an N Scale 3751 DURING the trip would make for great advertising! :teeth:
I think we will see another run of Challengers before anything else. I know i want the UP in grey. After the Challengers we will see the Big Boy, i'll take 2. Then after the Big Boy we may see a yellowstone. Of course all the above is just my opinion and guesses although i hope i am right. I would also like to see a UP 4-12-2, SF 4-8-4 #3751 and a UP FEF in Grey or black. Think i like big steam? Dave
You smacked the nail right on the head; I'm not necessarily an RI fan but they did roster an impressive stable of steam lokes and an R-67B would be my selection for a mid-sized drivered 4-8-4. My choice for a 2-10-4, however, would be a T-1. As far as the Challenger platform as a window to something else, those 68 inch drivers lend themselves in the direction of a C&O H-8 (2-6-6-6) more than an AC- anything.
A BigBoy is the next logical step for Athearn, followed by Cab forwards and Yellowstones. Maybe the C&O H8 or N&W A class will be done in parrallel on the challenger frame and mechanicals since the engineering is already half done. This would keep us East coast modelers interested too. I would hope that an 0-6-0 or 0-8-0 switcher would be on the menu as I would tend to buy several locos in several roads to meet my needs or a dozen undecs. If Athearn listens to the customers, they will fix the nits that have been picked on the Challenger. They could do a little better research on the next new model to prevent these issues from cropping up, like reading the forums.
