I voted with my Heart...I'm NOT a steam guy...and $400.00 would go a long way towards finishing up THERR.....
Um, few? More than half of the responders to the poll were instrested in either one or both. I think you'd be hard pressed to find another locomotive that would get such high levels of interest.
An AC-9 would be a nice fill-in between my Intermountain AC-8 & AC-10. But... I doubt Athearn would do it... still wondering why Intermountain hadn't announced one. Sent from my SM-G530T using Tapatalk
Intermountain might get around to it by the time I retire in 15 more years. Someone should make some more SP steam. It sells period. I would hazard as good and probably better than UP stuff. Ac-9's, MT-1-5's, SP 1-4's and GS-4's or heck even an F1 or 4. They all sell.
Welllll.?.?.?.... At the time I looked there were only 16 in favor of buying... 14 not buying. Not as big a following as I expected considering how quickly these tend to sell out. Sent from my SM-G530T using Tapatalk
Yeah... I like the 'skyline' boiler shroud on the SP steam engines... they probably would sell very well. Sent from my SM-G530T using Tapatalk
I'm not. We are talking about a single road loco and with the Big Boy, a single line loco. While I model a fictitious SP line, even a cab forward might not fit what I am doing.
Yeah... that's another issue... era and location specific. Sometimes it comes down to the 'collector' urges that over-rides the don't 'need' to have factor. Again... easier to get 'urge' over the 'need' if the price is low enough. Sent from my SM-G530T using Tapatalk
Bumping this up to get the poll viewed. Right now... it looks like the majority of TB voters are not interested in either model. A bit surprising... but... there is still a three more weeks for the poll to be open.
Keep in mind that Athearn has prior runs of both the Big Boy and Challenger which will also affect any poll results. Also worth noting, if this were actually a statistically significant poll sample then the total audience would be so small that the hobby would be considered dead. I have a UP excursion fleet. I already have 844 and a 3985 oil Challenger and just need 4014 to bring the steam shop contents up-to-date.
I realize that a poll which includes only Trainboard participants is but a microcosm of the total N scale community; however... the models being offered are equally unique themselves. I have no idea how many copies of each locomotive type and corresponding road numbers Athearn produces in each run. I know that they are fairly quickly absorbed by the market. It is very possible that these models will run out before some buyers get a chance to purchase them.
Not sure if I will buy the SP&S Challenger. I bought the Clinchfield version and lettered it SP&S 910. Doesn't have the enclosed cab, but I'm not sure I want to spend the money just have the enclosed cab. John
I would have said both if they were available for ~$200 each, preferably without sound. At $400, the answer will more likely be neither. I'd be buying them primarily because I want to collect models of preserved steam in addition to my other interests, not because they're useful for my northeastern setting. They'd spend most of their time in a display case, only running occasionally. They're beautiful models, but at that price I can't justify them. Then again, if they were big, niche Pennsy steamers, say a T1 and a Q2 or some combination to that effect, I'd find a way to make it happen. I absolutely have spent that much money on single Pennsy models before (though not in N). Just a matter of how much I want the models (they'd be nice, but I won't cry over missing them) relative to how much use I've got for them (not much at all). I have bunches of stuff that's off-road or out-of-era, but nothing that cost twice as much as the same quantity of equipment better fitting the time and place.
I would have to say this is an interesting thread for me. I love steam I love the thrill of standing next to something that "sounds like it's falling apart." ( someone somewhere sometime on here said this.) I like that there is such detail being done to the new models coming out. I like that it's being athearn. I like that there is more coming out all the the time.. Here, is what I don't like. The pricing of some of these "road specific" locos. While bachman and model power produce generic locomotives (for the most part) they still are moderately manageable to the wallet. I still see old athearn articulateds for sale, used, at near new prices. I feel their maybe a gouging going on for those who presumably collect. They can price them however they want. It's just my observation of the current trends of the hobby. With many people changing out the sound decoders also, just makes me shake my head sometimes. I understand. I really do. But like I said, someone found a way to gouge... And us foamers are so eager to spend. Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk
The biggest drawback to mass producing N Scale steam lokies is that most of them are very unique to the railroads they served on. Our N scale universe is only 1/3 the size of the HO universe. The HO'ERS are fortunate to have enough potential buyers that manufacturers are more willing to risk making some of the more unique steam lokies. That's not to day that HO'ERS get these product cheap. The manufacturers still put a hefty price on them in HO too. I would imagine that a similar post on the HO forum might generate a higher positive turnout. Sent from my SM-G530T using Tapatalk
I think some of the manufacturers have also shot themselves in the foot with their past run sizes that in turn has affected how people run their locos. Not much good in having a loco which should be under warranty but can't be fixed because the manufacturer failed to make enough spares or extra locos when the run was produced. Not only that but the scarcity of some locos because they were smaller runs has led to as new or higher prices on some locos.
Yep, Cal. Your most likely right. The HO market is much larger than N. Also it's easier to work on. I just think their needs to be a change somehow. Not sure how to describe that change. The market is what drives these new concepts. But with such small runs. Folks who wait to see reviews. And the pricing. It sure makes it tough on those that don't have a big budget. Or want to wait until reviews are done. The mfr says, It's buy now. And, we might be able to fix it, if we have parts. And they might. Maybe. Still skeptical about these 400 dollar share runs. A man I know said to price myself for the rich when it comes to my business. They will pay the price for good work. Up to five six times above average. I never saw how this logic even worked until lately. And it does work. Crazy. Buy I have seen it for myself. I am almost afraid that this hobby is headed that way.. Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk
Regarding the high Neither number, it may be that this represents modelers like myself who model smaller steam era railroads. For instance the B&M never owned an articulated locomotive to my knowledge. I'll admit that I enjoy seeing big locomotives running at shows, but that's as close as I get to buying one.
Looks like it may be a while yet. A reputable online dealer just put up an announcement that these have been delayed until March 2017.
