The title say’s it all, other than our wants and wishes for Loco’s and rolling stock, is there anything you would like to see manufactured, from the smallest detail part to a particular building or something else altogether.
C.P.has come out with these wildlife warning devices that I doubt would be a big seller in our hobby, but you never know.
I would love HO scale vehicles from the 1970s through the 1990s, and at reasonable prices. Several years ago Model Power and some other brands like Malibu International LTD, Motor Max Fresh Cherries made a bunch of nice cars which were sold at Walmart for $1 each. I bought one of each model but I wish I would have bought several. I see them now on eBay for 5, 10 even 20 times their cost. The model that seems to go for the highest price is the sole pickup truck except for the Bat Mobile which is being bought by a entirely different group of people. I would like to see a lot more variety of them. One model in particular I would like to see was the ever present Toyota SR5 4X4 pickup that was very popular in the 1980s especially among construction workers. 
Also there are several models of VW beetles but none of them are California Bugs 
or Baja Bugs.
I don’t know about the warning devices, but the availability of bears, moose and elk would be nice. Just not on the track.
My mind now returns to the early 50s and a first exposure to Lionel’s auto-load/unload action cars and such. Perhaps some enterprising company can produce wildlife that can climb onto the tracks (and off) at the push of a button. Why it’s the next iteration of DCC!
Well, there were some attempts made back in the 1980s…
I have always wanted to show a “raw” locomotive boiler being worked on or shipped in to my back-shop area. It would make for an interesting flat car load as well:
I could probably scratch something using styrene and some of those rivet decals but it is one of those projects WAY on the back burner.
Seems to me an outfit like American Model Builders (Laserkits) could knock something out like this. They have the Navy guns and other large flat car loads in their catalog. Maybe I’ll send them a suggestion.
Thinking of shop scenes, I’d also like to see a diesel carbody with parts of the hood and cowling removed so you could easily see the prime mover and internals. Again, like an engine being stripped or in for a major overhaul. I’ve seen it done by a few modelers but I simply cannot find the time for such an endeavor.
I have a bunch of spare carbody shells around but the plastic sidewalls are just too thick, even using a Highliner shell, the cutting gets messy being so thick.
Regards, Ed
I aree with Lone Wolf, there needs to be more 1:87th scale vehicles from the 70s and 80s. It seems most of the vehicles from that time are ones made By the german manufacturers and thus are mostly model used in Germany during the 70s / 80s.
Another vote for cars and trucks of the '70s.
And something to fill open auto-racks that didn’t weigh a ton and cost a fortune.
Eric
This would be of interest to me, too, especially if it included stationary boilers, as I’ll have an “engine works” on my layout. My use would be mostly as flatcar loads.
Wayne
“Other Than Locos or Rolling Stock What Would You Like to See be Made”
Coupler springs that don’t spring away going Weeeeee! at the first attempt to install.
Please note you didn’t ask for what’s possible, just what people want. (And I CAN’T be the only one who wants this…)
Hi, Wayne
Are you familiar with the Builders In Scale double boilers?
http://www.builders-in-scale.com/bis/kit/607.html
Speaking of “Engine Works” I’m in the process of building these beauties:
https://www.reynaulds.com/products/Faller/180383.aspx
Ever since my boyhood visit to the Henry Ford Museum I have had a fascination with huge stationary engines.
Take a look at what these folks have done:
OK, back to the original thread…
Regards, Ed
Forget vehicles of the '70s and '80s, I need HO vehicles from the '90s till today (only so many 50s and 60s vehicles you can have on a module without it looking like a classic car show), particular some transit buses of the modern era (eh, Rapdio?)
I took a look on Shapeways, and while there are some modern era transit buses available from Michael Peng et. al, they seem to be solid, which I hate the look of (‘painted’ windows never look right, and no interior possiblities without a lot of fuzty carving). That said, there are some N scale ‘5’ packs of 1990s vehicles for 40.00-50.00US$, solid of course, but that might not matter for autoracks. HO scale didn’t see 5-packs, but single HO Toyota Camry’s went for 10.49. To be fair, they did offer a few open (non-solid) buses in the line, which is cool.
HO Code 100 re-railers wothout those large black plastic crossing ramps. If they are made I can’t find them. I would like to install a couple on the main line.
Modern detailed loaded to the gills 18 wheelers.
Thanks for sharing those links, Ed. [:D]
Wayne
I’d like to see at least half of the building and landscape detail parts made for HO also be made available in N scale. It would be nice to see N scale building kits with a greater variety of architectural styles (especially those found on the west coast). I’d love to see some N scale kits such as the spanish/mission revival style train stations that the Espee built, such as those seen in the California Central Valley (Modesto, CA)and the LA Basin (Glendale, CA).
I would like to see a revised working HO scale trolley bus system like Brawa once made.
Trolley buses were short lived in the US, but saw limited use in nearly every major US city at the end of the street car era. With the transition era still one of the most popular with modelers, a nice trolley bus system might do well for some manufacturer.
Sheldon
A bulk trailer !!! Good for the late 50’s on. Second on the bi/tri level auto loads. Cars with no hub caps diferent colors and maybe even station wagon styles. – Ken
As a Western Maryland Ry fan and fan of all coal mining I would like to see details suitable for coal mines like the coal loading convetor belts and the equipment to support them. Lots of details would be usable for other industries too.
I agree with a detailed basic boiler being built or worked on in a shop would be a good thing.
More coal mine models would be nice. Perhaps a modular type that could be expanded and changed into various shapes and sizes.
oldline1
Just thought of something else… can I make more than one request[8-|]
How about a truly “integrated” signal system. One where I can source all the needed hardware from one supplier and add-on or customize the system as the layout grows or as my operating plan expands.
I have lots of Signal Animators from Logicrail and they work great for what they are but you have to find signals from other vendors (hit-or-miss, at best) and some are common anode, some common cathode, often you need different resistors on each of the LED colors.
I’d like to see more of a “plug-and-play” setup that can easily be integrated into a detection system and possibly JMRI. I’m aware of different manufacturers offering boards ov varying styles but I’d like to be able to work with a “Package Deal” including a reliable way to plug the signals into a easy to wire mounting pad.
If I recall Atlas began something of this sort some years ago but didn’t seem to get much support.
[2c] [2c] Ed
The Atlas signal system was way too expensive, and if I recall did not offer transition era or older signals - both it seems would be a death spell.
True signaling is so complex it is hard to make it “plug and play”.
I found it much easier to eliminate “block” signals and only model interlocking signals - a suggestion made decades ago by a number of experianced modelers from those decades past.
I found it rather easy to use relays and inductive detectors to accrately model interlocking or “home” signals, skipping over open country permissive block signals.
I also only model some “yellow” aspects.
Even on large layouts, the distances between