Of all the products being offered by different companies in the decal and small plastic part/detail items category, what is missing from the market? What do you want that you just cannot find? I have a friend who is looking for a niche in the market of model railroad products. I like N, but I am asking about HO products too.
For HO scale:
Would like to see “See-Thru” aftermarket locomotive grills offered in plastic.
Was good to see that level in detailing when Athearn introduced Genesis cab and hood units with those grills.
See Thru grills (radiator, dynamic brakes, blower housing, etc) for 1st and 2nd generation EMD, GE, ALCO, and Baldwin hood units have been suggested before but other than the Tunnel Motor and F40 radiator, not much else in that area is offered, AFAIK.
Stuff before WW1.
OK, two responses so far, but can you elaborate a bit? Is your friend a resin caster or a machinist looking into producing products? If so, does he/she have the equipment and capital for such a venture?
Figures of hard-hat miners and construction workers in realistic poses - a few years ago several people expressed an interest in same, and frustration over their unavailability.
I need a couple of dozen myself - in HO scale. The typical American worker in HO scales down pretty accurately to a typical Japanese worker in HOj (1:80.)
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
I wouldn’t mind seeing more late 1960’s through early 1970’s vehicles and truck cabs. Some examples include an International Fleetstar truck cab, an International Scout, some Allis Chalmers and International farm tractors and more cars. They would look great on my streets and farms, not to mention as loads on flat cars and open auto racks cars popular in that era. I model HO, and so far I haven’t seen these items. I know you asked about detail parts, but for some modelers vehicles are details and they are small enough to be individual resin castings. Hope this helps.
In all scales: Figures portraying US military and naval personnel in poses that would have been seen around railroad stations, USO canteens, etc. in the 1940s-1950s. (Not in combat gear.)
Also, choirboys/altar boys in cassocks and surplices.
Very much needed is farm machinery in the 1950, 60s and 70s time frame. Specifically not John Deere brand, which is available in abundance. What I am looking for specifically is early 1950s Minneapolis Moline tractors in both tricycle and wide front versions.
I would love to see more low nose kits and an AT&SF Topeka Cab. Besides Santa Fe, there was a plethora of shortlines who ran a GP7/9u.
I would also love to see a BQ23 cab and for Model Railroader to either put out Seaboard Central box cars or decal sets
Antonio,
Have you checked out RailFlyer Model Prototypes?
I have enjoyed their products for a couple years now & they continue to compete it the ‘scale’ marketplace. As to your request, they probably have the fans you are looking for, & would take a suggestion if they don’t have it in the line up now.
http://www.railflyermodel.com/
Hope that helps!
TnT & Mike,
Yeah, I would love more IH tractors, '70’s thru current Quad Trac!
I was told the Topeka cabs are in final production, see the pevious post & RailFlyer site, they are thinwall & extremely crisp & clean. If the Canadian widecab is any indication, the Topeka’s will be incredible! The Canadian ones are one piece slide molded & results in a very precice & square & out-of-the-box ‘ready’ unit, the quality can’t be beat, especially with the PE & wire accessories that come with it. It’s worth a look.
I would suggest your friend not limit him/her self to one scale. Niche markets for plastic parts/detail items exist in all scales. These products are usually harder to find for Z, S, and O than N and HO.
I would love to see some archbar trucks in S scale, currently only brass ones at $35 a pair are offered. Plastic ones under $20 would be great.
Enjoy
Paul
I just saw the Topeka cab on the website. NICE!!!
OOH, I almost forgot! SW13/14 kits.
An accurate, reasonably well-running and moderately priced Civil War era 4-4-0 would probably sell rather well , especially with the 150th anniversary of the conflict. Many of the 4-4-0s on the market now are actually slightly later and more suited to the era of western expansion.
Detailed injection molded brake shoes and brake beams for heavy weight passenger trucks like those once sold by Central Valley for their passenger trucks.
They were designed for their trucks, but worked well on Athearn and other brands as well. See what people are willing to pay:
Sheldon
Modern railroad men with safety vest and maybe a RC belly pack in HO and N.
Forklifts with propane tank or propane tanks for available forklifts.
I too second the notion of S scale arch bar trucks but would also like to see other truck designs in plastic, make mine the T section Bettendorf, a true niche in any scale would be Bonn ice roof hatches in etched metal that can be formed into shape without dammage to the intricate louver detail. Many a reefer of the teens and twenties were so equipped, i’ll take my in S scale please and by the dozen.
Dave