I just saw MRR’s Trainfest report. It looks like the former Tower 55 SD70ACe will be in Athearn’s Ready To Roll line. I kind of expected it to be a Genesis model, with a version available with Tsunami sound. Some may find this to be disappointing, but at least the RTRs have very near Genesis level detail now. I suspect the only differences will be a gold motor instead of a Roco motor, and it will only be sound ready.
I still think it will be a Genesis model.
The RTR thing might be a typo. The T55 tooling would be genesis quality. Unless they’re going to put them in the RTR line to undercut MTH’s price. That would be a pleasant surprise.
Well, if you consider the detail and overall quality of the locomotives and cars specifically developed for the RTR line (SD45-T2, Santa Fe 50’ reefers, etc.), a RTR SD70ACe would fit into the line quite nicely and provide some serious bang for the buck. I think Irv would approve.
I can tell you first hand when I looked at it at trainfest it was of genesis quality, I asked them about sound and was told soundtraxx is recording a sd70ace tsunami decoder for factory sound.
I seriously doubt that Athearn would take the molds for Tower 55 products and downgrade them to Athearn RTR quality. But technically speaking, even Genesis can be called RTR – they are, after all, ready to run out of the box.
Athearn’s official web site does not list the SD70ACe under either category.
I have two of the original Tower 55 AC4400 models decorated for the fantasy Southern Pacific Black Widow scheme and can safely say that Athearn’s would have to be Genesis to be of equal quality.
It wouldn’t be downgrading if T55 did all the dirty work. I can see Athearn being able to offer Genisis engines at RTR levels, because that’s all the more they had to pay for them. Now, is this right? Dunno. Probably not, I don’t know how far along the T55s were.
one look at the gas turbine and you find it doesn’t really matter if the box says Genesis or RTR on the Athearn premium models.
metal railings and grabs, cab interior, many brass and etched parts,
road number specific details and paint,
even the box is all genesis, except for the RTR label, of course!
speaking of which I recently bought some athearn rtr cars to find out they are the former genesis cars but with normal trucks (no more working roller bearings)
Has anyone seen the video in Cody’s Office? I know this content is for subscribers only, but he did a special report regarding the train show and interviewed the Athearn rep. He showed a pre-production sample and there was the model with a cab interior installed. My guess is that it has a pretty good chance of being a Genesis model. Only time will tell.
This is taken from an announcement Athearn made in 2008 (Septermber 20, 2008 actually). Read from it what you will:
Athearn Acquires T55 Tooling
Athearn® Trains is excited to announce we have purchased select tooling from T55, the plastic division of Overland Models. T55 is one of the model railroading industry’s leading producers of high-quality injection-molded models. Using T55’s outstanding tooling, Genesis will soon be producing a run of General Electric GEVO (ES44AC and ES44DC) models, as well as EMD SD70ACe and SD70M-2 models.
These prototypes are the most current locomotives from North America’s primary builders, and are found in the fleets of Union Pacific (including the Heritage Fleet and Bush Presidential Library and Museum), BNSF, CIT Leasing, CSX, Canadian National, Canadian Pacific, EMD Demonstrators, Ferromex, Florida East Coast, GE Demonstrators, Kansas City Southern, Montana Rail Link and Norfolk Southern.
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Just as these locomotives are the backbone of today’s Class One and Regional railroads, they will also be an important addition to Athearn’s Genesis® series of top-of-the-line HO models. Locomotives, in keeping with Genesis standards, will be offered with and without sound. They will also feature directional lighting; operating ditch lights