From the Yahoo HOn3 forum, there seems to be nothing major. Just variations on various themes (passenger cars, C-19). The convention is not over yet, so let's hope they still come up with something like a new K engine, or some new car at least. Otherwise, I'd say "what a bummer!" As once a major new model is announced, there will still be at least two years till it starts getting delivered.
I think they might be waiting until the last day, C&S/RGS boxcars and stockcars... come on, Please. Alex
The various cars announced at the Hickory convention are now at the Blackstone website. No details about the C-19s yet.
no word in the latest BS blog It's been a while since we last heared about the upcoming C-19 releases. And who (like myself) expected some first infos, got another disappointment with the latest blog. I don't know why BS keeps the lid so tight instead of trying to make everybody's mouth watering. It's clear that they'd like to provide definitive info. But those who were at the Hickory convention got some preliminary info that all of us unlucky ones might appreciate as well. Maybe they are afraid receiving too many unanswerable questions as long as things are not nailed down yet? Well actually, it's the release date of a K-36 and/or 28 that really makes me restless. But as long as these C-19s are not "out of the way", we can hardly expect any progress there. On the other hand, I had not planned to buy any C-19, but I now have two of the nice litte engines.
The word I get is that a dealer sent a huge order of C-19s back and that's why BS hasn't announced road #s for the second run. I spoke with Mike Wolfe last Saturday and begged him to build a (guaranteed sellout) K-36. However, I doubt we'll ever see that happen.
That first point would at least explain the delay, but why not communicate that there are some more of the formerly "sold out" ones available? As for a K-36, it's clear that the costs would be considerably higher than what we had in the past. I think that's not only a China problem, but also related to the weak US Dollar. And if BS wants to be on the safe side, they may calculate with a smaller number of sold models. Though the K-27 re-issues showed that the market is probably there for other K's, more so than for the smaller C models.
As of today, BS lists only a single model (#347 unweathered with sound) as NOT sold-out. Thus, either someone has not made their homework, or else those returns are pretty much all gone already?
Anyone hear of a C-19 in the new run that has it's boiler painted "Russian Blue" with a diamond stack?
Yes, that's on the listing posted in a Yahoo forum. But that list, while apparently distributed at the last train shows, is still not officially out. Probably more a compilation of what is intended.
Finally, the new announcements are found on the BS blog page: http://soundtraxx-soundbytes.blogspot.com/ Order deadline Jan 13! More NF tank cars, two CYCX cars, and the listing of C-19s that was in circulation unofficially in some forums. Great stuff, but prices are up! And that by a rather large amount. And if you want an engine for display, you have to pay for sound anyway. There will be no non-sound models released.
Wolfgang, I very much like your layout. But the sound makes me nervous after just a very few minutes. This holds for most such sound equipped engines. I think there is too much of the same. I recently visited the layout of a HO group in my area. And the steam engine that was running had its sound modulated or altered by long stretches in the "underground" or hidden parts of the layout. That was one of those cases where I loved the sound for a much longer time. But usually, it's fine as long as I watch the operation fully concentrated to see what is going on. And soon after the train sound becomes a background sound, like when I start discussing things with some people, that sound starts to bug me. I have some diesel engines that are equipped with sound, and my grandchild soon wanted to have it turned off when I tried to just demonstrate the then new item. Thus, I think this ubiquitous sound pushing is more a fad. It's nice to have sound every once in a while. But I usually prefer not to have it. Compared to the original, there is still too much that does not fit. I presume it's a problem of the speakers that don't bring the deep components of the sound. But it's also that the original sound changes quite a bit as a train passes, whereas it always sounds the same when a model train goes by. Thus, while the engines may be meant to be operated, it does not mean that the basically unchanging sound has to be there all the time.
Per email from Blackstone today, the Russian Iron Blue scheme will only be offered as undecorated. Mark
C-19 details on web site now The details are now on the website for the announced second C-19 release: http://www.blackstonemodels.com/new/c19/catalog.php Just click on the blue engine name to get to the corresponding folio page.
