I know it is a long way to Christmas and I am not trying to rush the season, but I would like to see someone come out with a PCC streetcar. Both the pre-war as we ll as the post war versions could share the same mechanism with only the shell differing. I know we have the old Bachmann PCC but Bachmann or anyone else can do a lot better and save us the clunky details along with the white gears that are prone to fail. Bachmann's Peter Witt cars were heads and shoulders above their older PCC. These days I'm seeing more and more trolley and traction layouts or layouts with trolley and traction elements incorporated into them.
I'd just like to see some of the existing steam stuff come out in Milwaukee Road paint.......even if it wasn't 100% accurate. There are no 2-6-0, 2-8-0, 2-6-6-2, 4-8-4, 0-6-0, 0-8-0, 2-6-2 milwaukee locos. even though there are existing model of all of them.
I would like to once again see times where we did not need to all too often pre-order these extremely limited runs, increasingly expensive. And then wait and wait and wait and wait.
My wishes are for a Low Nose RS-11, RS-36, a U33C, an accurate CP C-630, M-630, M-636, and a series of detail parts for RS-3 Dynamic Brakes, round and "D" shaped RS-3 steam generator stacks, a good brand of Acrylic paint for Model RRs (esp late LV Cornell Red). Bruce
I would love an SP AC-9, but I doubt if I could afford to buy one with how much the other articulated locos have been going for these days. Other than that, fearing that I sound like a broken record, give me a Baldwin AS-616 (bonus points for an A &B unit), an SP MT with a skyline casing (and/or any other SP steam engines), and a "modern" 4-6-0. Also bring back the MP Vandy tenders. Finally (and this will never get done), the SP B-50-15/16 boxcar that Rapido just released in HO scale...especially in early Overnight paint (black body, Daylight red lettering).
Personally I would like to see rechargeable battery operated locomotives. I have an Apple watch and hearing aids that have multi-function capability that can run even up through two days without charging, recharge for a few hours and repeat. So I wonder why not n scale locomotives? Infact I think about this everytime I clean my track. Ralph
Electronics are extremely efficient, but motors and drive-trains, let alone the actual physical work load pulling a train, require a lot more energy. Electric motors can be pretty small & efficient, but they would be doing a LOT more work in a N scale locomotive than a smart watch does. HO or O scale might have a chance of having enough room available for a sizeable battery. N scale, not so much, at least yet. It might take a pair of loco's (one powered, the other a dummy carrying the batteries) to be feasible at first.
I wonder if you could manage wireless battery-powered locos in N by having them recharge via track power? Like a DCC keep-alive circuit on steroids. The track would still have to be powered, but since it's only supplying power to charge the locomotive batteries the requirements for flawless conductivity, complex block/district wiring, etc. could be greatly reduced. Anyway, I want an SW1500 that's actually readily available.
Kato to re-run their F-40s in AMTK, Atlas their C-420s in LV's Yellowjacket scheme and a correct northeastern caboose in anthracite road names with proper ride height.
I think some of the current complexity such as dual motors, sound systems and smoke units are forcing the prices way up. Manufacturers mind set seems to be they "need" to offer all these things and there's too few buyers at the price needed to pay for it all so let's NOT make it ! I remember the episode of "The Simpsons" when Herb got Homer to design a car for him and it ended up costing a fortune ........ I hope train manufacturers saw that episode.
My vote would be: A N scale SW1500 Switcher if it was in Great Northern Big Sky Blue...Now that would be super cool N scale vehiles
