In the January edition of ModelRailroader magazine the Union Pacific 3-unit Gas Turbine was voted most wanted HO locomotive.
Wich manufacturer do you think should make this model and what are you or we willing to pay for it?
This locomotive is on my most wanted list for some time, Overland makes a fabulous series in brass, but they are out of stock and not everyone can afford brass models
I suggest Broadway Limited Imports. I imagine the sound would be AWESOME!
How about Lionel HO? They did an awesome job with thier Challenger. Or maybe Trix? Have you seen their double unit ALCO PA’s?
I’ve seen their Alco PA’s But I think trix is overpriced compared to e.g. genesis and P2K
I haven’t seen the survey but if it is like the polls here the result is useless. Questions like, “Would you prefer a challenger or a gas turbine?” result in answers that mostly aren’t accurate because while the resultant opinion is valid the question is biased to begin with. The guy saying turbine could actually be saying to himself what I really want is a Baldwin Centipede but I have to choose between the two. I doubt very much that the bulk of modelers are waiting in line to buy any UP engine. PRR modelers have been asking for years for MP54 commuter cars and from what is discussed elsewhere on other forums most of us want 10-12 or more. Overland by the way just announced they are closing and all future items are canceled. All the effort will be going into BLI offerings.
it’s the “from the editor” article and they state that nearly 3000 peolple responded casting votes for hunderds of locomotives, Maybe they could publi***he complete results of the voting somewhere on their website? And maybe you are right that noone wants another UP locomotive, and I can keep dreaming of an affordable 3 unit UP Gas Turbine ( and I even won’t mind paying to UP for their copyrights)
I want one and I would pay up to twenty dollars American if I were of good quality and made by moXel power or backmann with a three pole motor and two wheel electric pickup. FRED
I would suggest that LifeLike make the UP gas turbine and the PRR coal turbine in the Proto 2000 Heritage line. As for the Baldwin Centipedes, I would let Stewart handle those, they have been on a Baldwin kick lately.
Later…
BLI
Well a 3000 vote survey isn’t a conclusive amount considering the size of the hobby and extrapolation is dangerous. My MBA in Marketing from the U. of Chicago spent three of the twenty courses on how to do marketing studies because there are so many variables that influnece answers. Proctor & Gamble spends billions of dollars on consumer marketing surveys and still brings out products that don’t make it. Would it be nice to have a UP Turbine offered? Sure. I appreciate quality and detail as much as anyone. MY personal opinion is that this isn’t an engine that most people are going to line up at the hobby shop to put a deposit on since it is a one railroad small classs engine. Unique but minor in the overall scheme.
Lionel http://www.lionel.com/ has annouced an HO scale Veranda Turbine (click on HO, then scroll past all the Challenger pages) , and Resin Trains http://www.resintrains.com/ has an HO craftsman kit of suitable for #51-56 and adaptable to #57-60. So, we are covered for two of the four styles, and #50 could probably be bashed from a pair Resin Train shells.
If these two products sell well, I suspect that we will see the three unit turbine offered. You know what you have to do - buy these models !!
[bow] BLI [bow]
Hmm, I think you’re right. P2K would probably do a great job.
BLI seems most likely, cause they listen to what people want. [:0]
I hope BLI. I don’t have use for a Turbine so I think BLI should so i can have sound.
The number one steam loco mentioned in the above survey was the Santer Fay’s 3751 Northern. I see BLI is colose to bring this loco out! I wish I modeled ATSF, now!
kato. can anyone imagine how powerful that would be if all 3 pices were powered?
I hope you realise that there would be an engine in the gas tender, would be nice to have that running on the layout!!
Yeah, BLI would be awesome because of the sound. Those turbines sounded like jet planes! Imagine the sound!
Lifelike Proto - probably Proto 1000 as they seem to release less common locos as Proto 1K - witness the Erie-Built, DL109, etc. I’d guess it would retail at about £140 over here - Proto 1K single locos are around £40 so for a 3-unit loco this wouldn’t be too far off the mark.