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Post by valenciajim on Dec 13, 2014 17:26:25 GMT -8
With all the talk about belly buttons, if anyone else comes out with on it will be like an umbellical hernia.
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Post by metraupwest on Dec 13, 2014 22:24:33 GMT -8
Just what we need- more UP-assigned road numbers for the Metra units!! It would be nice if they did road numbers from some of the other lines for a change.
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Post by Judge Doom on Dec 14, 2014 3:02:09 GMT -8
Funny how you guys always diss on a locomotive drawing.I prefer to wait and see it in plastic. C'mon, we know what this is. Walthers isn't going to completely retool their old shell. From what they've put on their website, it looks like the drive might be getting an upgrade, but otherwise it's the same tooling that's been selling for $50 on eBay with a noisemaker. Heck, it'd be cheaper buying one of those $50 models and adding your own sound decoder. Another interesting note: "* Prototypes in Service 1976 to the Present * Perfect for Amtrak & Regional Commuter Service * Factory-Installed Vertical Hand Rails * Molded Drill Starter Points". So the cab handrails are installed, but all the other grabs on the nose etc you have to drill and install your own.
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Post by cfranson on Dec 14, 2014 6:24:39 GMT -8
FWIW, I think you'd be hard pressed to find any prototype F40PH's in Phase II let alone Phase I. I've only seen them painted in Phase III (as the earliest F40PH's were delivered in 1975). Phase II painted F40PHs lasted, at least in limited numbers, into 1987, if not later. www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=268379&nseq=364None were delivered in Phase I paint.
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Post by tdspeedracer on Dec 14, 2014 6:40:57 GMT -8
Since, I already have two kato's and a detailed walther's unit, I won't be jumping on any of the above.
Granted there is ten years inflation, and the fact that I got some realy good deals on the stuff, but when I consider that I have about the same amount invested in my whole fleet of F40ph's(2 w/sound) as the retail price on the up coming Rapido unit w/sound... selling mine off to upgrade the fleet is not going to happen.
I have no doubts that when they are lined up side by side, the Rapido will be the cream of the crop though.
Trevor
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Post by atsfan on Dec 14, 2014 7:11:49 GMT -8
Is the Walthers one a complete retooling? I'm curious about the kato set though, that sounds like it might be nice. Absolutely not. I don't know of any all new locomotive by Walther's in the last 10 years? This will be like their SW1. Rehashed. And with a price twice as high as before.
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Post by atsfan on Dec 14, 2014 7:12:57 GMT -8
Funny how you guys always diss on a locomotive drawing.I prefer to wait and see it in plastic. C'mon, we know what this is. Walthers isn't going to completely retool their old shell. From what they've put on their website, it looks like the drive might be getting an upgrade, but otherwise it's the same tooling that's been selling for $50 on eBay with a noisemaker. Heck, it'd be cheaper buying one of those $50 models and adding your own sound decoder. Another interesting note: "* Prototypes in Service 1976 to the Present * Perfect for Amtrak & Regional Commuter Service * Factory-Installed Vertical Hand Rails * Molded Drill Starter Points". So the cab handrails are installed, but all the other grabs on the nose etc you have to drill and install your own. Walther's must have corned the market on #78 drill bits. I don't buy "any" Walther's products with drill your own grab irons as it is a night mare to do so.
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Post by Great-Northern-Willmar Div on Dec 14, 2014 7:29:51 GMT -8
Will be interesting to see what short cuts they take on the HEP E8. My guess is its coming with porthole windows.
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Post by packer on Dec 14, 2014 8:07:24 GMT -8
C'mon, we know what this is. Walthers isn't going to completely retool their old shell. From what they've put on their website, it looks like the drive might be getting an upgrade, but otherwise it's the same tooling that's been selling for $50 on eBay with a noisemaker. Heck, it'd be cheaper buying one of those $50 models and adding your own sound decoder. Another interesting note: "* Prototypes in Service 1976 to the Present * Perfect for Amtrak & Regional Commuter Service * Factory-Installed Vertical Hand Rails * Molded Drill Starter Points". So the cab handrails are installed, but all the other grabs on the nose etc you have to drill and install your own. Walther's must have corned the market on #78 drill bits. I don't buy "any" Walther's products with drill your own grab irons as it is a night mare to do so. I don't know about #78 bits, but I've been buying a bunch of #80s on Amazon. They actually are decent, I can do several Stewart F-units before they start to dull, and they seem pretty sturdy too. As for the Walthers F40PH, so it's a warmed over turd with a sound decoder? I have a pair of Katos I added weight to and I'm happy with them, but I may wind up getting a pair of Rapidos if finances permit
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Post by rails4dmv on Dec 14, 2014 12:44:27 GMT -8
Is the Walthers one a complete retooling? I'm curious about the kato set though, that sounds like it might be nice. I'm also curious as to what is going to be in the F40PH Kato set. Since they've already done N scale Amfleets, maybe they are going to release them in HO. If the shells on the older Walthers F40PH's are easily interchangable with these newer sound version, I might pop for one. I have a Walthers F40PH in NJ Transit colors, I would love to have with sound.
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Post by The Ferro Kid on Dec 14, 2014 14:58:26 GMT -8
[Snip] Also new, is finally an updated Walthers Proto Amtrak E8A, now w/HEP details. [Snip] What routes did the Amtrak E8As with HEP typically run? Thanks!
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Post by Great-Northern-Willmar Div on Dec 14, 2014 15:25:43 GMT -8
[Snip] Also new, is finally an updated Walthers Proto Amtrak E8A, now w/HEP details. [Snip] What routes did the Amtrak E8As with HEP typically run? Thanks! 305 worked with CNW bilevel commuter cars out of Chicago on the run to Campaign. It wore the 305 number for only a couple of years before it was renumbered 497 in 1977. As the 497 it spent its career on the east coast in Connecticut, New York Massachusetts pulling Amfleet equipped trains.
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Post by railthunder on Dec 14, 2014 18:45:22 GMT -8
I wish they would have also done the unit in Phase II and III paint. Phase II it would have been right at home pulling the Amfleet cars. Just my two cents worth! On another note, I think an E8B Amtrak steam heater car retrofit would be a great addition as then some of those Phase II F40PHs could at least pull some steam heated passenger trains until we get an SDP40F someday?
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Post by railthunder on Dec 14, 2014 18:50:38 GMT -8
Will be interesting to see what short cuts they take on the HEP E8. My guess is its coming with porthole windows. I was told by a Walthers rep a year or so ago that the E unit series was designed to be done with or without portholes so they could do different combinations. We'll have to see though.
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Post by sd80mac on Dec 14, 2014 21:59:14 GMT -8
In regards to the E units, they've already done a run of Pere Marquette/C&O E7As with the portholes removed, so I think you'll see that on the E8s, too. The new Walthers Proto series engines are definitely expensive but in my opinion you get what you pay for. My E7s are some of the quietest, smooth, best looking and running engines I own.
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Post by neilgross on Dec 14, 2014 22:19:48 GMT -8
For those who are upset about the $200 DCC and sound version of the F40PH, the list price of the DC version has jumped from $64.98 to $129.98. It's a shame because I think the Walthers F40PH was the last decent locomotive that could still be had at an MSRP well below $100. Athearn's RTR minimally upgraded blue box engines, such as the GP38-2, are now $100 and their F7 is $85. The Walthers Trainline GP9 and some Lifelike and Bachmann engines are probably still well below $100, but I don't think of them as decent models. I feel bad for people who want to get into the hobby for more than just the beginner train set. There doesn't seem to be a way to dabble in the more prototypical end of the hobby without making an "all-in" financial commitment.
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Post by atsfan on Dec 15, 2014 4:05:24 GMT -8
For those who are upset about the $200 DCC and sound version of the F40PH, the list price of the DC version has jumped from $64.98 to $129.98. It's a shame because I think the Walthers F40PH was the last decent locomotive that could still be had at an MSRP well below $100. Athearn's RTR minimally upgraded blue box engines, such as the GP38-2, are now $100 and their F7 is $85. The Walthers Trainline GP9 and some Lifelike and Bachmann engines are probably still well below $100, but I don't think of them as decent models. I feel bad for people who want to get into the hobby for more than just the beginner train set. There doesn't seem to be a way to dabble in the more prototypical end of the hobby without making an "all-in" financial commitment. Massive price increases are the norm today for trains. So are massive drops in sales volumes. The industry is rapidly following the same path as the brass industry.
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Post by John Sheridan on Dec 15, 2014 6:12:17 GMT -8
Massive price increases are the norm today for trains. So are massive drops in sales volumes. The industry is rapidly following the same path as the brass industry. No it is not. Stop spreading this lie which is based on nothing more than your opinion. If it were you would not be seeing the products which are coming out right now. There are plenty of lower-end products on the market right now. Accurail & Bowser are two that offer low cost freight units. If you wanted lower-end Diesel Bachman offers plenty of models that are pretty economical.
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Tom
Full Member
Posts: 229
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Post by Tom on Dec 15, 2014 7:16:25 GMT -8
Wow. $199 MSRP with probably a short discount for dealers, that would be my guess. The decoder they're putting in doesn't even come close to the sounds offered by the Rapido offering (ST doesn't have a correct sound set for an F40) and the lack of detail on the model is difficult to justify the cost in my view.
Keep it DC and keep it cheap.
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Post by Donnell Wells on Dec 15, 2014 8:53:10 GMT -8
Massive price increases are the norm today for trains. So are massive drops in sales volumes. The industry is rapidly following the same path as the brass industry. Please, let's not go down this road...
Donnell
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wictl
Junior Member
Posts: 74
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Post by wictl on Dec 15, 2014 13:38:28 GMT -8
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Post by Spikre on Dec 15, 2014 13:54:49 GMT -8
?? think that tmurruy may be refering to a Proto F40PH,not the Trainline version which may be DWSO ? or maybe not ? Spikre
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Post by The Ferro Kid on Dec 15, 2014 14:37:59 GMT -8
?? think that tmrruy may be refering to a Proto F40PH,not the Trainline version which may be DWSO ? or maybe not ? Spikre You nailed it: the distinction is Walthers Mainline versus Walthers Trainline product lines. LOL at your use of "DWSO"!
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Post by atsfan on Dec 15, 2014 16:16:57 GMT -8
Massive price increases are the norm today for trains. So are massive drops in sales volumes. The industry is rapidly following the same path as the brass industry. No it is not. Stop spreading this lie which is based on nothing more than your opinion. If it were you would not be seeing the products which are coming out right now. There are plenty of lower-end products on the market right now. Accurail & Bowser are two that offer low cost freight units. If you wanted lower-end Diesel Bachman offers plenty of models that are pretty economical. So your word is fact and mine is a lie and just an opinion? Wow. Your birthday must be coming up in 10 days. Keep believing your own "fact" that prices are not rising and sales are not dropping as a result. I will pay attention to reality.
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Post by Great-Northern-Willmar Div on Dec 15, 2014 16:21:46 GMT -8
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Post by Donnell Wells on Dec 15, 2014 17:48:08 GMT -8
No it is not. Stop spreading this lie which is based on nothing more than your opinion. If it were you would not be seeing the products which are coming out right now. There are plenty of lower-end products on the market right now. Accurail & Bowser are two that offer low cost freight units. If you wanted lower-end Diesel Bachman offers plenty of models that are pretty economical. So your word is fact and mine is a lie and just an opinion? Wow. Your birthday must be coming up in 10 days. Keep believing your own "fact" that prices are not rising and sales are not dropping as a result. I will pay attention to reality. Strike two...
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Post by Donnell Wells on Dec 15, 2014 17:52:27 GMT -8
I'll take one "cheap drive" unit please...
(Never was a fan of the *new* Proto drive)
It seems the only difference between the new and old unit is the Proto drive and added handrails. The shell looks to be the same. I'm not sure why a new motor and trucks (which are currently tooled and available) add $60 the the price. We must be paying for the brand...
Donnell
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Post by Great-Northern-Willmar Div on Dec 15, 2014 20:41:01 GMT -8
I'll take one "cheap drive" unit please...
(Never was a fan of the *new* Proto drive)
It seems the only difference between the new and old unit is the Proto drive and added handrails. The shell looks to be the same. I'm not sure why a new motor and trucks (which are currently tooled and available) add $60 the the price. We must be paying for the brand...
DonnellIts kind of ridiculous when a Walthers DCC/sound F40PH with a stripped down Tsunami is the same MSRP as the Rapido stealth F40PH. If I was willing to fork out $199 for the Walthers, another Big Headed Ben gets me a truly remarkable model and sound decoder with the Rapido. Rapido's is brand new tooling and Walthers is a decades old model with a tummy tuck and 21st Century pricing.
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Post by Judge Doom on Dec 15, 2014 20:47:17 GMT -8
I'll take one "cheap drive" unit please...
(Never was a fan of the *new* Proto drive)
It seems the only difference between the new and old unit is the Proto drive and added handrails. The shell looks to be the same. I'm not sure why a new motor and trucks (which are currently tooled and available) add $60 the the price. We must be paying for the brand...
DonnellSame reason we're still paying $80 for Athearn F-units whose tooling was probably paid off decades ago...*Barry White voice* pure profit baby! (minus costs of course). But I bet they won't sell any, death of the hobby and all. In fact, I think we should all liquidate all the model RR items we own, starting with atsfan's collection, because after the crash it all won't be worth shi-er, sheep
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Dec 15, 2014 20:53:40 GMT -8
Massive price increases are the norm today for trains. So are massive drops in sales volumes. The industry is rapidly following the same path as the brass industry.
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