Does anyone know if True Line Trains is still in business, or is it kaput? I saw on facebook that someone had remarked that as of 5/1/2018 better business bureau report, True Line Trains is not doing business. Was thinking of getting one of their Central Vermont/ CN wood cabooses, but now will go with Bluford Shops MP short body bay window caboose.
My understanding was that TLT was not doing very well. From their website, the last update is from Aug '16. Also, in 2017, the NYCSHS Modeling Committee withdrew advisory support from TLT’s NYC “Standard” (19000-series) wood caboose project after little communication from TLT over the past couple of years. (And it was NOT because of lack of orders.)
So, I wouldn’t count on them for the CV/CN caboose, or any of their current offerings. I was really looking forward to their NYC wood caboose. [:(] Guess I’ll have to start assembling the handful of Waterlevel Models kits I still have on the shelf.
Tom
That’s too bad that they may be going out of business, if they haven’t already. I loved their long since discontinued line of paints, and I have a thing for their CP slab side hoppers.
Dave
Their last Facebook entry was on May 15, 2018:
https://www.facebook.com/pg/TrueLineTrains/posts/?ref=page_internal
Their website is active too.
Regards, Volker
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Big plans - shoe-string budget. The Rapido SW1200RS hit them hard. I wouldn’t hold my breath on anything until they actually have it in hand …
Mark.
This is typical in this business these days. It take capital to get into manufacturing, even if you contract out the actual production.
Most of these companies are under capitalized to one degree or another. Preorders are proof enough of that.
Sheldon
Do an advanced search at the PWRS.ca website and then True Line Trains under manufacturer. They have them in stock in HO.
TomO
They did release the CV/CN caboose, I believe:
I was in line for some of the promised NYC cabooses but I don’t think I’ll be around long enough to see them.
Cheers, Ed
True-Line made some nice Canadian bulkhead flat cars. I almost bought one at MBK when I was in the B&M store but wasn’t sure if they made thru the Colorado Rockies so passed.
Many of these manufacturers that are basically one man shops seem to put a low priority on communication. The problem is at some point almost any rumor becomes believable.
I refuse to “do” Facebook because of the people who are behind it and other reasons. I do not understand companies that have allowed their webpages to look somewhat abandoned in favor of going entirely to facebook. But many have, just as many people now ignore their emails and assume all communications are by text. Not from me they aren’t.
I do know that as a rule ya gotta keep paying to keep a webpage going and theirs is still up. So that is a positive sign. Reluctantly I went to True Line Trains’ Facebook page and found this statement, dated May 15:
So lots has been going on, unfortunately I can’t speak about it yet. While I am sorry to leave everyone in the dark, things are going fine, and like I said, new developments are coming.
I can say however, that for the people wondering and talking about a new manufacturer making a D-10, I can tell you it isn’t me. If anyone thinks I would make another steam locomotive after the U-2, they
How interesting… I am now dealing with a manufacturer who has not updated their site since 2014. Yep. Apparently they were quick to respond to my query if they are still alive but have since gone into hiding when the matter of parts came up. Anyway, it is a major red flag when they stop updating/communicating.
As for trueline, their FH36 is nothing but issues and cost cutting that they never corrected. Based on that model that they were so “proud” of, id expect nothing out of them in the future.
Not to derail the topic, but Walthers makes this flatcar as well. Actually, the TLT and Walthers have very slight and subtle differences (different prototype builders of similar cars) and the Walthers one is more accurate for 90% of the paint schemes.
And they definitely made it basically everywhere on the continent, so anyone can use them. CN spans coast to coast, and British Columbia Railway cars would head south on GN/BN through Washington and Oregon for California and other western states.
@cv-acr
Thanks. Yes I was aware of the Walthers bulkhead and while I have not researched them, they do appear very similar to the TLT bulkhead I have looked at. Eventually I would like to add a BC scheme if any are appropriate for the late 1970’s.
I might be wrong, but didn’t True-Line Trains start out as the Canadian segment of Life-Like / Proto? Anyway, their Canadian cabooses show up from time to time at flea markets or online, so if you really want one you should be able to find it - although you might not find the exact paint scheme you want, may have to decorate it yourself.
I too was disappointed about the NYC caboose not being made, but I do have one of the Trix ones that is very nice. Those too haven’t been made for a while but show up once in a while - I found mine online at a US company that specialized in selling German / Austrian railroad models (can’t recall the name right now).
Hopefully the Trix caboose doesn’t suffer from the zinc pest if it has a metal underframe. Some of the Trix box cars did. I picked up some Trix coal cars NIB second hand and haven’t checked to see if they have any metal frame issues.
I’ll have to double-check the one that I have but, IIRC, the underframe on the Trix/Markin cabooses are just styrene.
Tom
Gotta check my Trix hoppers too.
IIRC, the Trix NYC caboose has a flat metal “bar” weight inside the car. Found a review from MR of it - puts to rest the idea that MR only does flattering reviews I guess!
http://mrr.trains.com/news-reviews/staff-reviews/2005/02/trix-ho-scale-nyc-caboose
MR also printed a subsequent article on how to fix the issues with the Trix NYC caboose. It was quite informative and helpful.
And I checked the one I had and the underframe is plastic.
Tom
The upgrade article by Terry Thompson (now with Walthers) that I think is the one you refer to was in the same Feb 2005 issue of MR as the original, and not entirely positive, review in MR. Page 28 for the upgrade article, page 104 for the review.
Dave Nelson