Look, its been awhile since this subject was hashed over here on the forum so I’m going to resurrect it. I am aware that these “wish lists” serve absolutely no useful purpose other than to give us a place to express our N-Scale dreams.
I just looked in on todays Model Railroader Newsletter and saw that Division Point Models - whoever they might be - is offering an HO-Scale L&N “Big Emma” for September delivery. I will not attempt to disquise my envy! This beast is, however, going to carry an $1,800.00 price tag - and even if I were in HO-Scale wthout a profound change in my economic situation it might as well be $18,000.00 accompanied by a little red wagon!.
As I stated I am absolutely envious of you HO-Scalers; I would love to see one of these offered at a reasonable price in N-Scale!
Now, in the last year or two N-Scale has acquired a Challenger and a Big Boy from Uncle Irv and Company; Bachmann introduced a Heavy Mountain; Kato is offering a GS4; and Intermountain has signalled production of an AC12 - I guess it is going to be an AC12 - for fall delivery. I may possibly have missed something but those come readily to mind at this moment!
What steam locomotive could the manufacturers announce that would cause you to tilt over backwards in your chair and require an ammonia capsule to revive you back to consciousness?
Me? well in addition to the aforementioned “Big Emma” the following offerings would bump me into the "Transition Era’ quicker than you could say "Jack Robinson’ and decide my future purchases!
an Allegheny;
a Yellowstone; now that they will have the required 64" drivers maybe Intermountain will reverse their 4-8-8-2 and design one;
a low- drivered dual-service Pacific; and
a dual-service Northern a la something akin to Rock Islands R-67Bs or MoPac’s Northerns rebuilt-from-their-Berkshires or eve
Military Miniatures in Review (MMiR) magazine has a feature wherein they publish their readers’ collective wish list.
It’s a win-win for the readers and the manufacturers. The manufacturers get to see what the readers want and the readers (eventually) get what they want.
Maybe the Model Railroader folks ought to look into doing something like that.
Craig, maybe our gracious hosts on this forum might just consider conducting an occasional poll on desired offerings. The problem with any electronic poll would be somehow or another overcoming that “slanting” which would result from some bonehead voting 586 times for the Bigfoot and Southern Railroad’s Class M2 Consolidation.
Model Railroader magazine used to conduct polls of this nature but I don’t remember having seen one in a coon’s age.
An Allegheny or Yellowstone would be very nice, but an N&W class A or unshrouded class J would make me wet my pants. The A in 6 or 8 numbers would be fine for starts and all of the wartime built J’s would be nice. A baby J model and a Z would also get my attention!
I’m not a steam modeler by any stretch, but a generic 4-8-4 that could be bashed into a WM Potomac would get me down of my fat wallet… Did I say fat? I meant flat…[:I]
“Big Emma” in affordable HO? Dream away, buddy. Not unless it’s either USRA, N&W or UP. And you lucky N-scalers already HAVE a Yellowstone from Benchmark. Okay, it’s expensive, but so are the ones in HO. So Kwitcherbitchin,’ LOL. We’re ALL in the same boat on that baby. [:D]
Seriously, though, I agree with you that N-scale could certainly use a steamer ‘kick’ with more variety. You’ve got a GS-4 much sooner than we have–and from all that I hear, it’s certainly a better runner than the plastic GS-4’s currently available in HO. And I sincerely hope for you N-scalers that the projected AC-12 from Intermountain is a better runner than the HO version. It’s a beautiful looking loco, but from almost every report I’ve heard, it’s a real disappointment as far as running quality and pulling power. Hope they get the kinks out for your scale.
Philip, a Russian would indeed be nice; ANY Decapod would indeed be nice.
I seem to remember talk that Bachmann had an N-Scale Russian in their future production schedule; this was quite awhile back and was probably no more than a WAR prompted by their HO-Scale introduction.
There have been a number of responses here indicating that modelers would like a 2-10-2. About a year ago I followed a thread over on idiotboreddotcom concerning Con-Cor’s Santa Fe offering. N-Scale modelers have become out and out finicky and they don’t let pass today the compromises that they let pass 20 or so years ago. Unfortunately a lot of us modelers accepted the Its only N-Scale argument which was shoved under our noses - maybe “down our throats” would say it better - those many years ago when the world was very young and which we have only begun to challenge in, say, the last ten years. I, of course, am not sure just why Mr C’s 2-10-2 went awry in some of it’s bellweather proportions. It is really hard to tell whether the body started out too long and the frame measurements were compromised to fit or whether the frame started out too long and the body measurements were compromised to fit. Whereever the case lies - and no matter how it runs - it just don’t quite look right.
I’m going to make a statement and I hope that this leads to some discussion and introspection; it may not be exactly within the theme of this topic but, nevertheless, it does chamber into what we would like to see offered in this modeling scale - our modeling scale.
There should be absolutely positutely no reason whatsoever why every piece of N-Scale motive power and rolling stock offered should not have the ability of operation on Code 40 rail. N-Scale
Bachmann was working on it for their Spectrum line, but they shelved it indefinately because they said they couldn’t find a motor to fit it. Seems funny that Atlas can find a motor for their tiny 19th century 2-6-0, and Z scale steamers have motors, but Bmann can’t figure it out, but oh well…we all lose I guess.
It just seems to me that a Russian Decapod would be a real winner since they were on so many roads.
Same goes for the 4-6-0…they were all over the place.
As for the flange issue…it’s getting better then it was, but finer rail has just become more mainstream in the last few years. OK, maybe the last 7-8 years. The Atlas line, which has been at the center of much debate, was introduced in 2002. I think it will take some time to see a total changeover, but there have been great strides in the last few years. The only one taking backwards steps is Micro-Trains. They used to include low profile wheelsets in their cars, but now you have to buy them seperately. Shame on them!
I would agree, and also suggest the Baldwin standard Decapod as well.
I was not aware of the inaccuracies in the ConCor 2-10-2. Considering that this is IMHO, a rather high-priced piece of equipment, then that means I would need to add the USRA 2-10-2 to my list.
