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Post by James Ashley on Apr 8, 2024 8:09:46 GMT -8
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Frank
Full Member
Pulling for you!
Posts: 248
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Post by Frank on Apr 8, 2024 9:09:12 GMT -8
That bowling alley is way cool, looks similar to the vintage grocery store they announced not long ago building wise.
Are those big domes the same used by the original Auto-Train? If so, big missed opportunity there.
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Post by Mr. Trainiac on Apr 8, 2024 9:22:51 GMT -8
That bowling alley is way cool, looks similar to the vintage grocery store they announced not long ago building wise. Are those big domes the same used by the original Auto-Train? If so, big missed opportunity there. The Auto Train domes were ATSF, the upcoming Walthers model is the GN dome. Walthers produced the ATSF domes two years ago for the BNSF and ATSF business train; but no Auto Train yet. Walthers has the tooling for the autoracks and has produced them in the past. I wonder if that tooling still exists; that may explain why it hasn't been re-run in many years. If the tooling was destroyed, they may be reluctant to make more Auto Train cars since the racks are a pretty important part of that consist. Either way, it's interesting that Walthers is making a standalone passenger car run. Lately they have been following the 'name train' format where all the announced cars fit a certain theme. Is this a sign that more Amtrak or potentially GN cars will be coming soon? A 'rainbow era' name train would be a pretty cool set idea. |
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Post by NYSW3614 on Apr 8, 2024 12:06:37 GMT -8
There's a good variety of Auto Train rolling stock Walthers could have done; the lack of which boggles me but that's Walthers for you. Maybe be a rights thing? Atlas has done the power. Does Walther want to be able to do the whole thing?
Joshua
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Post by GP40P-2 on Apr 8, 2024 15:18:06 GMT -8
There's a good variety of Auto Train rolling stock Walthers could have done; the lack of which boggles me but that's Walthers for you. Maybe be a rights thing? Atlas has done the power. Does Walther want to be able to do the whole thing? Joshua Really all that they are missing are the CZ mini domes (BLI has it), and the U36Bs, Atlas, though they have the U-boat parts with the U28B, just need a new radiator area. But that they have never rereleased the auto carriers says something…… |
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Post by Christian on Apr 8, 2024 15:30:08 GMT -8
That bowling alley is way cool, looks similar to the vintage grocery store they announced not long ago building wise. So far as I can remember, this is the first googie style building kit. Certainly the sign is. Some of you might recall The Jetsons. It really dates a railroad because folks very soon realized how ugly googie signs and buildings were. Modernistic replaced googie in the early sixties. |
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Post by grabirons on Apr 8, 2024 17:02:58 GMT -8
Great, Tank you.
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Post by Baikal on Apr 8, 2024 17:05:15 GMT -8
That bowling alley is way cool, looks similar to the vintage grocery store they announced not long ago building wise. So far as I can remember, this is the first googie style building kit. Certainly the sign is. Some of you might recall The Jetsons. It really dates a railroad because folks very soon realized how ugly googie signs and buildings were. Modernistic replaced googie in the early sixties. It is a cool building, but not Googie. More of the late, ronded version of Art Deco (Late 20s to WW2 ended all that), what with the round corners. Looks steamship or drigible influenced, or the bus station kit. Pre-rockets to the future. But the post sign is Googie for sure.
This Walther's kit is much closer to Googieness (end of WW2 - 60s. The Atomik Age, Mid-Century Modern). Check out all the glass & flying angles. The sky's the limit, nothing can stop us! Except the sign!
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Post by lvrr325 on Apr 8, 2024 17:39:29 GMT -8
Don't have room for one but I will buy one of those Bowling Alley kits. That sort of style is... well, right up my alley
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Post by cp6027 on Apr 8, 2024 18:20:02 GMT -8
That bowling alley is way cool, looks similar to the vintage grocery store they announced not long ago building wise. Are those big domes the same used by the original Auto-Train? If so, big missed opportunity there. I agree the bowling alley is very cool! And you are correct, the bowling alley is the exact same kit as the vintage grocery store but with slightly different trim and signage. Rear and blank right side wall elevations are exactly the same and same door/window patterns on the front and left side elevation: www.walthers.com/grocery-store-kit |
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Post by hudsonyard on Apr 8, 2024 18:24:33 GMT -8
The chemical tanks are solid cars, i'll be in for the hooker ones at the very least.
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Post by Christian on Apr 9, 2024 2:10:40 GMT -8
In light of Baikal and CP6027's comments, I looked at the bowling alley more closely this morning. It's really a hodgepodge of styles. The Walthers photos show a kitbash of the grocery which is 60s - brick box with prefab entry parts. (Paint job gives the modeling away.) The curved marque and standing letters does reek of Deco. When it gets here, I'll probably enforce the deco look by sheeting the sign with enameled steel panels with Monel trim.
I bought it for the sign!
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Post by idgara on Apr 9, 2024 7:01:57 GMT -8
I noticed all the reefers were steel not wood. Are any close to prototype?
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Post by locochris on Apr 9, 2024 8:02:05 GMT -8
I think those are the same dome cars that Bachmann makes.
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Post by edwardsutorik on Apr 9, 2024 8:13:47 GMT -8
I think those are the same dome cars that Bachmann makes. Why do you think that? Ed |
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Post by Mr. Trainiac on Apr 9, 2024 8:24:43 GMT -8
I think those are the same dome cars that Bachmann makes. The Bachmann domes are ATSF Big Domes. The window arrangement is mosty the same between the ATSF and GN cars, but the side corrugations are different. The GN car has the Budd 'slab side' panels below the window band. |
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Post by riogrande on Apr 9, 2024 8:34:48 GMT -8
I think those are the same dome cars that Bachmann makes. The Bachmann domes are ATSF Big Domes. The window arrangement is mosty the same between the ATSF and GN cars, but the side corrugations are different. The GN car has the Budd 'slab side' panels below the window band. But are they from the same molds as Bachmann or are they from newer tooling? |
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Post by gevohogger on Apr 9, 2024 8:44:25 GMT -8
Surely it is newer tooling. The Bachmann tooling is probably 50+ years old!
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Post by locochris on Apr 9, 2024 9:25:59 GMT -8
I think those are the same dome cars that Bachmann makes. Why do you think that? Ed I meant that I thought they were from the same prototypes, but I didn't know the ATSF and GN cars were different. |
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Post by jonklein611 on Apr 9, 2024 9:33:23 GMT -8
Here's the Bachmann model:  |
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Post by edwardsutorik on Apr 9, 2024 11:13:37 GMT -8
The most obvious (to me) difference between the ATSF and GN cars is that the GN don't have fluting on the lower sides.
Walthers has done big domes in the ATSF, GN and MILW designs. The Bachmann is closest to the Santa Fe, at least in the fluting. Comparing views of the Bachmann and the Walthers ATSF cars might turn up other differences--I'm going to assume that the Walthers will be much closer to prototype, if there's a difference.
The blank section of the letterboard (which I suppose IS the letterboard) on the Bachmann car shown in the previous post looks really funny and off, to me. It doesn't match the ATSF or the GN.
Ed
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Post by gevohogger on Apr 9, 2024 11:33:21 GMT -8
The blank section of the letterboard (which I suppose IS the letterboard) on the Bachmann car shown in the previous post looks really funny and off, to me. It doesn't match the ATSF or the GN. Ed That looks like it is made that big to accommodate the Auto Train lettering. But that's just a guess on my part.
The GNs have five lower-level windows, too, if I remember right.
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Post by lvrr325 on Apr 9, 2024 11:50:38 GMT -8
I have had both models. Entirely different tooling.
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Post by locochris on Apr 9, 2024 12:16:42 GMT -8
I was thinking Walthers isn't doing a phase 1 style car because there were none of the ex-GN's, but I found one: #9364 Prairie View. It has a different window arrangement though. Could be more too. A future run maybe.
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Post by edwardsutorik on Apr 9, 2024 13:19:28 GMT -8
The GNs have five lower-level windows, too, if I remember right.
The GN cars have five on the other side--they match the Bachmann on THIS side. Ed |
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Post by riogrande on Apr 9, 2024 14:17:40 GMT -8
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Post by hudsonyard on Apr 9, 2024 14:52:41 GMT -8
I noticed all the reefers were steel not wood. Are any close to prototype?
Unless those BREX cars are flagrant foobies I think I may get at least one, i'm a sucker for reefers...
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Post by edwardsutorik on Apr 9, 2024 15:48:49 GMT -8
The other side, as mentioned earlier. Ed |
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Post by NYSW3614 on Apr 9, 2024 17:32:25 GMT -8
I noticed all the reefers were steel not wood. Are any close to prototype? From my amateur eyes, regarding the Armour cars- the doors are too tall, the lettering looks a little tall, and there should be a black area under the doors. They look better than the Scale Trains kit tho and I may get one or two as stand in. Bummer, there were 2,000 Armour cars made 1948-1949 by General American with some rebuilt by PCF in 1956. 1,916 left in April 1957. Maybe one day someone will do them right. Joshua |
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Post by drolsen on Apr 10, 2024 2:46:10 GMT -8
Really all that they are missing are the CZ mini domes (BLI has it), and the U36Bs, Atlas, though they have the U-boat parts with the U28B, just need a new radiator area. But that they have never rereleased the auto carriers says something…… Atlas has done two runs of the auto-train U36Bs. You can see them listed here in the 2016 and 2020 announcements: Atlas HO U33/36B Locomotives I never saw it in person but have always loved the original auto-train scheme. I was very tempted to buy a pair of the Atlas units but wasn’t sure if we’ll ever see models of the passenger cars. I’d definitely buy any that Walthers would produce. Dave |
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