New MTL Passenger Cars and SD40 Update.

Joe D'Amato Apr 2, 2007

  1. henrikH

    henrikH TrainBoard Member

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    Is it much to correct exept the see tru fans in the rear end?
     
  2. Calzephyr

    Calzephyr TrainBoard Supporter

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    The length of the SD40-T2 is also longer than a standard SD40-2. But... It would be a tremendous seller in Z.
     
  3. David K. Smith

    David K. Smith TrainBoard Supporter

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    ..........
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Oct 18, 2007
  4. Calzephyr

    Calzephyr TrainBoard Supporter

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    Grandpa Joe D'

    Chris brought up a good point...
    Micro-trains usually doesn't do complete sets of anything... so... if these passenger cars are released one at a time... it would be very frustrating for many "Z" scale modelers. I'm finding myself very anxious in "N" scale with the IMRC passenger car releases being done as individual cars over a period of several months or years. Granted, not everyone has $300 to $400 to shell out for a complete passenger train. Kato does it for half that much by issuing complete sets. If done individually, then all of the cars must be available in a reasonable amount of time (for a particular consist); otherwise, a drawn out collecting time may be objectionable to many. Perhaps a 12 car consist over a 12 month period would work. First up should be the California Zephyr :wink3ed:... then the Super Chief :biggrin2:... then you can do whichever you want :wub:
     
  5. rray

    rray Staff Member

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    If released one at a time, I will probably buy a bunch from the first release, strip them, then modify with replacement car sides.

    I only need 4 body styles total, coach length, dome, observation, and baggage, to make all the cars for a 12-15 car train.

    Sets would be nice. Outsource the whole train, and have them put in books like Kato does. Actually all the new Japanese model train companies are putting their trains in books like Kato does, even in Z:
    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    They are also starting day 1 with electrical pickups, car lighting, and car interiors:

    [​IMG]
     
  6. Mike Skibbe

    Mike Skibbe TrainBoard Member

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    You guys are starting to suggest things that are out of Micro-Trains niche in the market...

    They should be building to their strengths, not outsourcing full sets of passenger cars. There's a lot in the way of individual cars that can be done, and released monthly like they've been doing for years. Their tooling department isn't big enough to allow a full trainset like a California Zephyr. Atleast not in a timely fashion.
     
  7. rray

    rray Staff Member

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    Yeah, maybe we should all petition Pro-Z to produce North American trains for us, since they seem to have the strengths to do the job, in a Katoesque fashion. Did I make up a new word? Katoesque? :D
     
  8. HoboTim

    HoboTim TrainBoard Supporter

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    MTL Does Outsource!!!

    Where do you think the New Z scale Track System comes from? Oregon?

    Nope!

    Try that big Communist county to the East! Same place Katoesque items are made!

    Hobo Tim
     
  9. Joe D'Amato

    Joe D'Amato TrainBoard Member

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    Passenger Cars..

    Hey Grandpa Joe...

    Well, we are still struggling with just how to release the passenger cars. The first reflex of course is to do one car style, several different roads each month so within 4 months you would have the cars to do a set. The other option is to release sets, problem there is we don't have the capacity to do something like Kato (Katoesque???) with finished boxed sets out of the gate. My instinct is to do all four cars boxed and do two or three roads each month. We still have a few miles to go before we can figure out how best works for us and you guys. Remember, we are a small company with very limited resources and are investing way over our heads sometimes to keep Z pushing forward. N scale sales are predictable down to the car (when we produce enough!!), but Z is still all over the board. Most things sell out and dispite our efforts to keep stock on the shelf (other than the Undec GP..ouch), which is a doube edge sword. Too much left over and I get mean looks from management, sell out too fast and I get mean looks from you guys! I just want my oatmeal just right and if someone can figure that out for me...bless you.

    Back to important stuff, I am trying to move the four body styles forward at the same time so tooling/production can happen all at once. We might have to get creative as we co-exist with N and HON3 scales here. As we get closer to production then I can begin processing further body styles and other mfgs. My research so far has been like looking into a bottomless pit...so many car sides, so many options, which one to pick? I've narrowed it down to one prototype road and consist, one that I think offers the most optional color schemes without having to fudge too much. The problem with Passenger Cars is just that, after Heavyweights, Pullman Standard was in a position to offer a mind bending array of window set ups and interior options. Many roads has specific designs while others ordered out of a catalog. So don't be too upset with us if our windows are exact for a specific road...I can only do so much, and as my Ex Wife and all my daughters remind me...I'm just a man :eek:)

    Cheers

    Grandpa Joe D
    MTL


     
  10. Joe D'Amato

    Joe D'Amato TrainBoard Member

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    Open Fans

    Sorry, they will be closed, but we did mold in the fan detail below the fan guards. In order to have open fans it would require additional assembly and additional tooling and production....plus making them so the fit every time. Sorry... :eek:(

    Joe
    MTL


     
  11. Triplex

    Triplex TrainBoard Member

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    Not Conrail... their only SD40-2s were Phase II with Flexicoil trucks.
     
  12. david f.

    david f. TrainBoard Supporter

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    i think it's great MTL is doing them at all. smooth side is a good choice, too, as they fit in to so many rail roads. as for which cars: coach is a no brainer, baggage seems like a logical necessity, and an observation would be very nice. domes are favorites, but a lot of these were corrigated (except for UPs, i think). so a diner might be the other good choice. but whatever you guys make we will buy!

    i think i like the "once a month" approach and after that release all the finished sets you want. the one question i would have about releasing them all in sets, is whether MTL would get so dedicated to making railroad specific sets that individual cars would be hard to come buy. (of course that would allow some trading to occur ... on the auction site or off ... which may be a good thing, i don't know).

    i think the one message we keep repeating is that there is a market for MTL to release things in undecorated sets too. you guys have a lot of product, and you are limited to a degree on what you can produce at once -- which makes releases heartily welcomed, but also frustratingly slow. with every new car (or loco) there's generally a long lag time until our favorite road is released (unless you model the big, modern, railroads).

    so even if we bought an undec set, i think we would also later buy MTL decorated sets when they finally came out in our roadname, because MTL does them SO well!

    i feel you pain. thanks for feeling ours. it will be interesting to see how it gets decided.
    dave f.
     
  13. rray

    rray Staff Member

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    I will be happy at whatever we get, as I am sure they will be much better than the Marklin cars are. You can't blame me for wishing big though? :D
     
  14. ztrack

    ztrack TrainBoard Supporter Advertiser

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    Robert,

    Okay, you floored me. Those pictures of the Japanese trains are very interesting. I frist thought they were N. I have been busy tracking down the company. They are not Kato, but a company called ProZ. Check out this link:

    http://www.railpage.com.au/f-p764577.htm

    There is some thought they might go for the US market. Anybody know more about them? I am trying to find an official web site or more info.

    By the way, I like the trains in a book concept. Marklin use to offer special sets like that in Z. I have a few.

    Rob
     
  15. RSmidt

    RSmidt TrainBoard Member

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    CSX refurbished SD40-2's

    Well, this East Coast guy for one would rather see NS, Conrail than CSX. Of course, I'll want a high nose SOU unit eventually. ;-)

    Actually, while many Class 1's are getting rid of their SD40-2's now, CSX just refurbished a bunch for use as cab signal leaders on divisions signaled with cab signals still.

    Joe (Maryland Joe that is), the DC Z group will be doing a show in Brunswick May 19-20. Still not that close for you, but a little bit closer.

    Randy
     
  16. RSmidt

    RSmidt TrainBoard Member

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    Japanese Z trains

    Rather than starting a new thread here, I'll just say that anyone interested in the new Z items coming out of Japan needs to join Garth Hamilton's Japanese Z yahoo group. Garth is more up to date on these new releases and planned projects than anyone else (at least anyone who speaks English). He also has quite a bit of good info on them on his www.Nn3.ca webpage.

    Randy
     
  17. RSmidt

    RSmidt TrainBoard Member

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    As far as undecorated units are concerned, I agree with Tim that the only way they would sell well was if they were the first ones released. That way the folks who really want them would buy them rather than stripping and then reducing the future market for undecs.

    One other thing that hurt the GP35 undec was that the price was higher than some of the more simple schemes as well. Heck, at one point you could get Smokey the Bear GP35's for $116 on EBay! I won't even ask why MTL did those. I will ask if they sold more Smokey the Bears than undecs?

    Randy
     
  18. RSmidt

    RSmidt TrainBoard Member

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    I'm really looking forward to both the SD40-2 and passenger cars releases what ever they come out as. Just remember folks, the items that sell the best and help spread Z scale in general will be more general releases that could be more widely applied. If you want something specific, I'm sure someone will come out with retro kits at some point and Joe even mentioned that they might do add on detail parts of some kind.

    Here is a sort of related question, what prototype, if any, are the Marklin passenger cars based on?

    Thanks,
    Randy
     
  19. rray

    rray Staff Member

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  20. J o e

    J o e TrainBoard Member

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    Randy,

    If I recall correctly Brunswick is pretty close to Frederick. If that is the case there is a very good chance I'll make the show it'sonly about 2 hours from me. The place I work at just started 9/80 work weeks for the summer (basically you work over a little (9 hour days) and get every other Friday off. So hopefully I'll have a 3 day weekend during the 19-20th. Please send directions!

    Thanks for the info - Joe
     

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