Was just wondering if anyone has heard if MRC is going to continue the successful ModelPower N-scale stuff? Have thoroughly enjoyed their steam engines of the last few years!
MRC bought the rights to the tooling, so we'll see. Whenever I visit the MRC website, I can order MP products.
Just a quick update, I called to MRC and visited with somebody. He said that they just got their first shipment of stuff, HO, from MP and were in the process of sorting and inventorying, etc. The HO was first, of course, but he did tell me that they do intend to market the N scale as well. Just have to be patient and keep up the requests so they know that there is a demand.
It would be great if MRC came out with upgraded MP steam locomotives. Better electrical pickup, traction tires, DCC and a whole tender to add sound modules. WOW! I 'm getting chills just thinking of it.
Since I have several issues of Model Power steamers... with 'issues'... I don't have quite the enthusiasm you have with the acquisition of the line by MRC. In fact... I'm not sure what the acquisition is going to amount to. We still don't have a clear picture of the reason for the connection other than the same people who ran Model Power are going to be within the MRC organization. I'll reserve my expectations until I see some actual products with improvements... then... hope that they would resolve the electrical pick-up 'issues' ... with the previous Model Power issues.
Well it does give MRC a captive market for their decoders. The decoder market is getting crowded these days with all the sound decoders being offered. The only MP locomotives I have are two FP7's with the metal shell. Great analog engines which I use to haul long trains on an Ntrak layout. They seem to be indestructible in that they will run all day with the maximum limit of cars our club rules will allow [Trans are limited to the length of the yard siding on which they will be parked when not running]. This amounts to about 40 Atlas 90 ton hoppers.
The current pick-up scheme on the steam is a nightmare to try and work with not to mention the tenders also. As far as some of the MP structure kits etc. there are some in hobby shops here and there so they haven't completely dried up yet.
I hope to see upgraded locos from MP/MRC too. I have the 4-6-2, 2-8-2, and 4-4-0, and with change out of the tenders (Bachmann) and DCC added they are superb runners. Slow speed is a smooth and it crawls from tie to tie. I know these have had a bad rap but changing out the tender does make all the difference in the world. Changes I'd like to see to the engine are a different lighting setup and revamped wheel wipers for the drivers.
Not only that, but as I recall, one of the real problems with the pacific was the small screw in the middle of the underside. The screw is short and can strip out before you know it. And if it ever strips--- your loco is toast. If they could re-design that, it would be better.
If MRC plans to re-issue the old MP steamers, I sure hope it's with a different partner than Ajin. Apparently the folks at Ajin were the primary reason behind the lack of pickup upgrades (despite much pleading from MP). I don't know which tail was wagging which dog there, but it sure didn't work out very well for MP.
Can't argue they had/have their issues. Won't argue I love a metal shell! Hope MRC makes the investment. (And goes for the rights to continue the NFL series, but I may as well hope for world peace or US manufacturing jobs,before that will happen)
I have a few of the Model Power steam locomotives; all of which I hired the dcc to be installed. I am pleased with the results so far. I have only a test loop on a 42" x 70" table, so have not been able to test them with trains. The 4-4-0s run very nice; I have one directly as Model Power and a second that MTL sold with a set.
I've never understood all the complaints about Model Power's steam locos. I only have one (I'm a modern era modeler, but when Model Power produced a L&N, I had to get one), so maybe I just got lucky, but it's a beautiful engine, a very easy decoder install, and it runs flawlessly. My only complaint is the power pickup for the headlight is poor and the headlight flickers on all but the cleanest of track.
Anyone know what is really going on? It seems like manufacturing companies are sold and then sink into oblivion never to be heard from again. I'm still wondering about the Bowser/ Delaware Valley deal. Delaware Valley made some great covered hoppers but since Bowser bought them they haven't released any of the cars. I just read where Fox Valley just purchased the Red Caboose tooling. Of course Red Caboose bought the Precision Masters tooling who purchased the Unimate tooling. Outside of the Unimate couplers apparently none of this tooling has been put to use. Why waste the capital on something you don't plan to use?
I hate to say it but I think you are a bit out of touch... they have offered these in the past. From the Bowser website... 50' Airslide covered hopper -- all sold out. Cylindrical Hoppers -- advanced reservations being taken on new roads. N-scale is, at best, a sideshow for Bowser, who has dropped a number of iconic HO models in the past few years while sticking with their new acquisitions, such as the Stewart locomotives. Like Athearn you won't be seeing a whole lot of things coming from Bowser as long as they can make a mint selling their HO model line. But from time to time they are willing to throw us N-scalers a bone and the thing to do is to be ready to act upon it since they could disappear and not be rerun once again for a while. Their PRR N-scale models are the newest from them but I do not believe that we won't see anything from the DV line... it just may take some time for them to work reruns and new roads in because of the new PRR items in N being slotted manufacturing time to get the most out of those runs. More will come... it will only take time.
I just noticed an announcement, which must have been recently posted, by a New Jersey e-tailer, which states that MRC/Model Power Pacific class locomotives will be available in the 2nd quarter of 2015... and you can choose either DCC ready... or DCC/Sound equipped.
