Great, just what I needed, more Kato UP passenger cars! just kidding, ordered my set today, as long as I have under 50, it's not hording, right? I REALLY want a FEF-3, 844 of course, and I will get one from whom ever pulls the trigger first, be it Kato or Athearn, but here's the real profit maker, I'd get four of both the original and rebuilt versions. rebuilt version and tool car then I could retire those concor ones
Absolutely!!!! If whoever finally makes the FEF3 does NOT make that Aux tender to go with it, they are very foolishly passing on a great money making accessory. Heck, that even adds to the profit margin of making the FEF. I bet you're guaranteed to sell Aux tenders to more than half of those who buy the FEF.
Until Kato does some L&N stuff, I can't say I'm too interested in their offerings. I still may get some CSX stuff of theirs along with some hoppers or stack cars, but that'll be after the layout is running.
At least a few of the cars can also be used for other roads... Of course, by now, most already know that the Wabash had the dome - coach, which was inherited by the N&W when the merger took place. The car for a few years retained the UP paint scheme with N&W lettering before being painted in a dipped Pevlar blue, and later sold to the Central of Georgia where it served for a year or so before being transferred to the SOU when the CofG joined Amtrak. Autotrain also used the various UP domes (dome - coach, dome - diner, dome - lounge rblt. from dome - lounge observation). Its worth noting that the 10 - 6 (which should be a Pacific-series Budd car also would be correct for AMTK, MILW (ex-UP), SP (with the side panel added) and NdeM, so there are some possibilities there for the car to see further use. The 11 double bedroom car appears from the drawing to be a Pullman Plan 4198 car which also could be of use to AMTK. If one was to desire to kitbash the car into a corrugated car it would also be correct for SAL and SCL, as well as AMTK. The lounge car is a 6200-series car (formerly River-series) which is also correct for the C&NW and, believe it or not, RTA/Metra, though a vestibule was added to the car by RTA. Three UP cars went to AMTK and two went to Long Island. While I am not all that thrilled necessarily that they are doing a UP City train there are a lot of applications for the cars that they have beyond just Amtrak so I am at least happy that this is being done. I believe that it will prove to be a useful train consist that will provide for modeling other trains as well.
Well, I think they may sell more aux tenders than FEF's. I would buy an FEF, a tender for that, a tender to run with my Challenger and one extra.
Only new Kato release of interest, for me anyway, are the Rio Grande SD45's. I've got my 4 reserved and hopefully, I'll be able to pick them up from Rod in November, at the Denver GTE, so I can run 'em with a coal train! Too much UP stuff being made anyway....But, that's MY opinion only. Still, it does look to be a nice train. And maybe an Athearn Challenger on point....?? Mine's Rio Grande, and it looks good on point of the California Zephyr! More so, running over the Moffat Modelers layout!
Dang, all I need is one more passenger train. I better start saving my coins. Oh well, at least I won't have to buy locomotives for it. I have plenty of UP Es. Only problem is I only have one B unit. I guess I can run five A units elephant style.
You can also add one storage mail car (6328) to Amtrak (1170) and four baggage - dorm cars to AMTK (UP 6002, 6003, 6005, 6006 to AMTK 1570 - 1573).
The legions of UP/western rail N scale fans will be thrilled. For those in the minority, it's just sour grapes. Kato won't make another mistake as they know that western trains SELL! PS: Yes, an FEF3 is sorely needed.
Ive given up on athearn or kato. But then again i have some FEF and turbine tenders. By the way does anyone want a superturbine tender I have molds
I'm not a UP fan... but... I am a fan of correct passenger consists. What I have heard before... was that Kato was not making accurate passenger consists for the UP... so I was happy I didn't buy any. Does the consist shown on the previously noted posts indicate an accurate UP CoLA passenger consist? If it is an accurate replica of the CoLA... then I'll be a buyer. I probably won't buy the E8's though... I have Athearn Challengers in UP black and 'Greyhound' scheme... which could be substituted for the E8's. I don't know if a Challenger on the point of the CoLA would necessarily be unprototypical... so let me know please. I would also be in favor of an E2/E3 to head the CoLA or a CoSF. It really is ashame that Kato hasn't done other types of E units... as they would sell like hotcakes and could open the door for other passenger consists... particularly SAL and B&O. An FEF-3 seems like a overdue model in N scale... I thought for sure that Athearn was going to announce one for this winter... maybe now they will be more motivated to get one out.
While not on the topic of the UP train... I am also disappointed that the North Coast Limited is not in the works for 2011 (unless it might be a later announcement). If the this train was the 'Doozy'... I'm not really that 'Doozed'... but it may be something I'll buy. As Jerry Laboda mentioned, the newly tooled cars on this train may help to complete consists for future passenger train releases... though I'm not sure if any of these passenger cars would fit a correct NCL consist. So Jerry L... or anyone else who is well versed in passenger car consists... given all of the different styles of passenger cars that Kato has delevered over the past 10 year... how close are they to being able to fillout an accurate NCL consist? That... is probably the key issue holding back production of an accurate NCL.
Challengers demoted by 1955? Thank-you Jason. I sort-of felt the Challengers would have been demoted from premiere passenger trains by the early 1950's. No reason to believe they could have been used in an emergency... though by 1955... UP had plenty of other diesel power to subsitute for the E units. Were the E8/E9 units lettered for the CoLA or CoSF... I know the early E units had the train name lettered onto the A unit (or was it the B unit?).
I have a follow-up question. Kato has already made passenger cars. I assume they are NOT retooling 100% all new cars for this project. So for this project, what would be the newly tooled cars? The end car? Anything else?
