What I heard was FP7's from IM (HO) and GP35 from Athearn in HO.... This is really confusing, we need someone on the scene there.....
N Scale sound - from the Factory, sounds interesting.... I had been wondering which manufacturer would hit this mark first. Look forward to hearing the details about this.
Chuck from Feather River Trains is at the show today and tomorrow and I expect a full report from him when he gets back from the show.
Hoping Chuck checks in from the road, he usually does if he can get net access from his room. How about a modern LPG car???
I think Ron Maize from Hobby Smith was going to be there also. If so, Hobby Smith homepage may give some info.
Already delivered from Soundtrax, Digitrax & C-C </font>[/QUOTE]What locos are they presently available in ?
George, I think your t in c observation is right on...it portends great things from IM in an understated way. Ok, how about those ATSF-prototype stock cars we've been hearing hints about? And perhaps Atlas will release a new switcher...a good Alco S-2 would also be most welcome! Perhaps - be still my heart - even an announcement for an F45/FP45??? That would certainly generate excitement!
Perhaps some of the manufacturers are waiting for the Chantilly-Capitol Limited convention/show to announce new N scale items !
Not noted by anybody but on display and announced but IMRC are the CP/Sultran Bathtub gons. This came from Marty on the phone earlier this a.m.
Well, I went to the NMRA convention and attended the train show at the end of the week. I was surprised about the general lack of new N items shown. Atlas, LL, Bachmann, Kato, and Con-Cor were just showing prevously announced products. I saw more new Z items than N! (Aside: I did get to meet Robert Ray as we did have a couple tours together and I got to see those centerbeams he's doing in Z - pure works of art!. He did tell me that he is working on a UP-style wooden roundhouse as his next effort...) However, there were a few jewels to be found. You couldn't go a few feet without tripping over a vendor/manufacturer advertising DCC products. The Surroundtraxx sound system looked and sounded good as it probably will be a good option for N and Z. It can have up to 6 different locomotives at once with up to 12 different sounds per loco. Walthers is coming out with the Union Station and butterfly platforms in N. The Walthers rep indicated that they know N is a quickly growing market and they have many new products in the pipeline. Intermountain showed their upcoming F3's and sound-equipped FT's (work in progress for a future release). They had decorated samples of the 60' flatcar - Spring 2005. I asked about the HO FP7 and the rep indicated that they probably would do them in N if somebody else doesn't do them first. They will be doing a RTR version of the ex-Golden West UP CA3/4 caboose in all the schemes that they did in HO. MT didn't have much except for samples of the tri-level autorack. And yes it is a solid piece of clear plastic with the etched metal screens applied on top. It's out of my era, but it is a fantastic model - it makes the CC model look just like a blob of plastic. MSRP is not yet decided, but might be available by Chantilly. Key Imports is doing F3's, F7's, F9's and FP7's. F3's in ATSF PH 2 and 3 Warbonnet, DRGW 3-Stripe, GN Empire Builder, PRR PH 2 Single Stripe Green, WP Silver/Orange. F7's - ATSF Warbonnet, C&O Blue/Gray, DRGW Multistripe, GN, NYC, PRR Green, UP. F9's - NP TT green, UP FP7's - C&O, NP TT green, PRR Single Stripe - green, 5-stripe red, SP Black widow and Bloody Nose, WP Silver/Orange More Co, LTD is doing the Z-6 Challenger in brass (NP 5101-5103, SP&S 900-902 and GN 4000-4001). $1580 each release at the end of the year. They had the NP version in operation - very nice and smooth. Also they are doing a 12 car SP Coast Daylight in 3 sets including the articulated chair cars and 3-car diner for Spring 2005. Con-cor's sample of the 2-10-2 looked well-detailed. Bachmann's booth was very plain - main focus was demonstrating their new DCC system - they only N thing was an unlabeled sample of their 2-6-6-2. DI- I put a strong plug in for the steel GS gondola project that was announced some time ago. The problem is (as with most of the GHQ projects) that the car is too expensive to produce. They will try to limit the number of castings to get the car in the $20-25 price range. The new 53' trailers are a work of art! ( I just wish for a equivalent product for 35' trailers). The interesting thing about the show announcements is that I saw on 4 nscale last night that Atlas just announced new runs of the U25B, SD50, SD60, beer can tanks, and USRA boxcars - none of these were at the show - just a week ago. I'm hoping that there will be new announcements at Chantilly, but who knows? Peter
In response to what Warbonnet Fan mentioned earlier, I second the motion on the F45 and FP45. Hopefully we'll see something of these in the next year and a half? But while we're at it, a U23B would be good, various six axle U Boats would be cool, and, I would be totally jazzed to see an Alco RSD15 come out! John
Sorry! I was just frothing at the mouth about my wants. I wasn't intending to steer away from the topic of "current" product announcements!
Yes Peter accompanied me on a couple really nice tours. Here's Peter in Issaquah reading about this little engine:
