When it comes to freight locomotives, someone–even if Overland or Broadway Limited up on the $$$ scale–is quick to put out the latest GE or EMD offerings. But why are passenger/commuter trains starting to lag so far behind? Here is my wish list. Maybe someone somewhere knows of some company about to spring them on us–or someone will be inspired to contact the manufacturers. I can’t do it alone!
Amtrak Superliner I/II, Horizon, and Amfleet cars in the Phase IVb scheme.
Phase IV is now really starting to be erased. Walthers are the ideal ones to put out a new set of their Amtrak cars in the new colors. I’ve written them twice on this issue. Why did they stop at Phase IV and not IVb? This is the model railroad mystery of the Spinx.
Failing that–why has no one put out Phase IVb decals?
MPI MP36 locomotives
A niche offering but Caltrain and Metra are running them. This is a definite prototypical necessity if you bought any of those Caltrain Bombardier cars.
Nippon Sharyo Gallery Cars
Again, something I’d expect a small manufacturer to take on. Caltrain and Metra again are running them. On a side note, if you’re trying to run modern day Metra commuters, you are in a world of hurt.
Burlington Northern/RTA/Metra E9 locomotive
A classic but it seems no one–not P2K or Broadway Limited has thought about putting out these locomotives? Those old Model Power ones with the incorrect livery don’t count!
F40PH-2C and -3C
So Athearn puts out great ACE and Trirail Bombardier cars…but no one puts out the correct locomotive to run them?
VIA Dome Observation car
Walthers Budd cars were great–especially the modern VIA cars. But what’s up with the dome-less observation car?
Amtrak California and Surfliner Cars
Overland does both–though the California Cars are out of production and the Surfliners are a
I would also like to see Amtrak Phase IVb equipment and Amtrak California/Surfliner Cars. Another car that I would like to see made is the Amtrak Pacific Parlour Car.
A BN E-9 with QSI sound fitted pulling bi level commuter cars would look great on my layout,
i have an Amtrak AMD 103 from Athearn pulling 5 superliners in the “tracks in the sand” blue colour scheme, it’s not right but it’s all i’ve got[:(]
I mean no disresepct but you are being spoiled by all that is available today. even 15 years ago if the items you want were a must have you would be kitbashing or scratchbuilding them. The PRR historical society is working very closely with a couple of manufactuirers to insure the offerings are accurate and represent the most common forms. On one model the tender doghouse had two options and the tooling for the second one would have been $15,000 in addition to the other tooling. That is for one new part. I can’t see many of these items being commercially produced nor do I see the market for them. Just my opinion.
You don’t have to wait. Even though they’ve been out of production for well over 10 years, Bachmann HO scale Metroliners appear regularly on Ebay, many of them in “new condition”. Funny thing is that even though they’re Bachmann, they look pretty accurate!
They’re easy to work on. All you have to do is carefully remove the body, take off the pantographs and soak in 91%alcohol. The Bachmann paint floats off in 5 minutes!
Srub off with a soft bristled toothbrush.
I’m currently working on a set and am repainting them to Penn Central. I’m going to install DCC, LED interior lighting, LED headlights, and painting the seats to that “weird orange” color that the prototypes had. A friend of mine will make up the logos for me.
The only downside to this is that the single truck motor in the power car stinks! After I finish painting the bodies, I’m checking out repowering options.
I’ve been taking my time on them over the past year. I’m picking up the pace on them now as they’re starting to look good.
Just wanted to let you know that you have a decent option.[;)][:D]
BNSF4ever,
I assume the “Phase IVb” Amtrak scheme is the most modern one, correct? If so, there is a perfectly logical reason why nobody makes decals for it. You see, Amtrak sold all the rights for modeling it’s modern paint schemes to Walthers and only Walthers. Even the latest Overland “Genesis” GE’s have “Copyright Walthers” on the box, and the same goes for the Athearn’s in the “blueberry” scheme. Walthers, I’m guessing, will simply not allow other companies like Microscale to make these decals.
As far as E9A’s and cabbages, why don’t you just make them? At least these are relatively simple to do vs. creating an MBTA GP40MC or F40PH-2C.
Personally, I’d like to see MBTA Kawasaki tri-levels along with F40PH-2C’s for modern stuff.
Naturally, I’d love to have oodles of RTR post-war New Haven “8600” stainless steel cars. These are unique among all American stainless cars because they have turtleback roofs. This is very hard to reproduce by oneself, and so far the only plastic models are from Eastern Car Works.
I’d also have to suggest the NH’s pre-war “American Flyer” streamlined cars. These are the more likely to be made as they were made for several other roads including the B&M, BAR, LV, and a few southern roads as well. The NH cars lasted into the Amtrak era and also served the MBTA.
A commuter road in New Mexico is set to use the MP36 before the end of the year. Perhaps if more roads buy them a manufacturer such as Athearn could make them in the rtr line? But then again maybe not, because athearn is already painting F59PHi’s in the New mexico scheme…
NDBPRR has a great point–we are spoiled today. But I should also add my perspective in that I gave up the hobby when I was 17. At that time, sixteen years ago, it was Tyco, Bachmann, and Life-Like. Athearn blue boxes were the “upper scale” for me. Brass was out of the question! Today, one thing I’ve noticed is that it’s not really a hobby any longer for a little kid or even a teenager. The prices are just too high. Back then, a Kato GP50 in N Scale cost something 50 dollars. Today, I’m back to HO scale and 50 dollars probably won’t buy you a locomotive, and I doubt it will in N scale either–certainly not a “top end” one. So with the hobby geared more for adults and with more manufacturers, surely there is room for “niche” and for the “common?” That said, I have to wonder though at companies like Athearn. Sure, all those short line CF7s might be interesting but is there really a huge demand for a Pee Dee CF7? I think my local train store has had most of its CF7s on the shelf forever.
The earlier poster is correct too: Walthers has the rights to Amtrak Phase V. The current passenger car scheme is Phase IVb (I thought it was Phase V as well but apparently not). Phase IVb has that same blue stripe with the thin white and red ones up top. The new Amtrak logo replaces the old black “Amtrak.” There is also a reflective red stripe on the bottom oft he car. Now, I’m not sure if that scheme is also owned by Walthers.
I did read today from some online supplier that Athearn/Walthers are releasing sets later this year with the two new Phase V P42s and various combinations of Amfleet, Horizon, or Superliners. The sets will not include track or a power pack. I am VERY curious to see if these will be the same old Phase IV cars or brand new Phase IVb. I am keeping my fingers crossed.
Finally, I would love to scrafchbuild all this stuff but I’m hopeless. I can barely put together a Walthers Cornerstone kit!
Antonio, you might be interested in some of the powered trucks on this site: http://www.dckits.co.uk/ they have the Tenshodo SPUD in various lengths/wheel sizes) and an Australian power truck named the “Black Beetle” with similar variants - from what I’ve read the Beetle seems to be a better unit at low speed but costs a little more than the SPUD. You can also buy a dummy version of the Beetle to add pickups to the other end of the car - an advantage over the SPUD where only powered versions are available. Hope this is of use!
A merchant called Doc’s Caboose out of Kansas City. I haven’t seen reference to these sets elsewhere–not on Walthers or Athearn. But perhaps this store beat everyone to the punch. They don’t seem to be custom sets but an actual Walthers/Athearn combo offering. Let’s hope! Let’s hope too for Phase IVb!
Okay, I’ll join in–I’d like to see Walthers come out with some of the wonderful Standard head-end cars that they used to make as metal and wood kits way back when I had hair! One kit in particular–the Pennsy ‘horse’ baggage. It was actually used to transport race-horses from farm to track, and was one heck of a good-looking car. It could also be ‘adapted’ as an 85’ standard baggage car if you wanted (I did). Still have the original, but would sure like to see more head-end equipment from this manufacturer to compliment their new Pullman Standard cars. Hopefully, from the response to both the Walthers and Branchline pullmans, we’ll see some good head-end equipment coming out, soon.
Tom[:D]
