I've been told that the shells are designed, cut and molded in the USA. They are then finished and drives put under them in China. -Mark
Yikes, I hope they're not going the Life-Like route where only the hood end has a working light. Another concern is that they haven't committed to DCC yet (although they are looking into it). This based on what a Micro-Trains employee posted on Railwire. -Mark
Mark, only the hood end with a working light and not DCC ready because there's not much space, who mentioned that they are using Walthers/LifeLike tooling for this model ? Peter
Hello Micro-Trains, the Kato NW2 has a working headlight on the cab end and is DCC ready and is a smaller locomotive than the SW1500, not to mention the Atlas VO1000 and MP15 and forthcoming Alco switchers from both Atlas and Bachmann. To make an N scale locomotive in 2013 that is not DCC ready is just plain living in the last century, come on MTL, don't let even Bachmann do better.
Not to be a stick in the mud....but.... I run all my diesels short hood forwards...except switchers. A light on the cab and not the hood just wont cut it. Before someone says "Just move the light from the cab to the hood." after I buy one....I suppose I could say the same...in reverse. ;-) But yea...DCC or easy DCC ready is the norm when making locos anymore. I like the FVM ES44AC I bought in that respect...a simple plug in chip on the back of the board. It came with a DC chip. Easy enough even for me to change a DC chip for a DCC one. I know both Digitrax and TCS make those. Too simple eh !!!
