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Post by ddatrainman on Jul 8, 2016 8:10:23 GMT -8
That admiral cab is really impressive. I'll have to pick one up, definitely looking good for scaletrains and the prices you can't beat that MSRP for what you're getting. Now we'll have two definitive SD40-2 available, the GMD from Bowser and this.
Wonder where ATSFan is lol...
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Post by ddatrainman on Jul 8, 2016 8:11:16 GMT -8
I suddenly have dozens of Athearn and IM SD40-2's that just became obsolete! Ebay is gonna be flooded in the coming months.
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Post by carrman on Jul 8, 2016 8:16:10 GMT -8
First impressions from viewing their introductions and looking at it on their web site. Great looking model. Crisp tooling, nice stance. On a scale of 1 to 10, I give it a 9. Definitely a worthy model of the SD40-2. Great looking traction motor blower duct on the trucks and great job on the sanding lines. I find two things that sadden me. 1. Gross mold parting line on the nose. 2. No EMD builder marks on the truck side frames like what Athearns have. Those two items are fairly trivial. Number 1 can be easily fixed if you paint your own models. Number 2 is not an easy fix, but most likely overlooked by everyone else but myself. I like those kind of minuscule details. Questions I have for Scaletrains. 1. Will these models be offered as undecorated later on? Say a SUPER Undec. A box that has ALL the parts to build ANY version. 2. Are the trucks at the correct spacing? 3. Is the frame scale width? 4. Will you be offering the cabs and cab interiors as purchasable items? I wish Scaletrains GREAT success on this model. I am on the fence if I should replace my fleet with these. The deciding factor will most likely be if they are offered as undecorated models. Would be nice to make that small addition to the side frames with the builder markings. Just saying :-). Brian Per Shane, the EMD logos and nose mold lines WILL be rectified for production. Dave
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Post by carrman on Jul 8, 2016 8:18:03 GMT -8
Not to be a Negative Nelly, but has anyone seen a locomotive from Scale Trains actually run? A new drivetrain and selection of a quality motor are not trivial matters. Youtube video shows a production sample turbine hauling 70 cars up a 2.2 percent grade. Dave
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Post by Deleted on Jul 8, 2016 8:20:07 GMT -8
I have 8 Original Kato SD40-2's that I have been working on. 4 of them painted up in L&N grey and yellow and decaled. 1 stripped and 1 undec ready for paint. 2 still needing to stripped and repainted. With this announcement for the ultimate 40-2, should I keep these engines or get rid of them like Brian Banna suggests. Decisions,Decisions. I am not suggesting getting rid of them. For me personally, I am in if they offer undecs in the versions I need (MoPac). Undecs are the game changer for me. If no undecs, then I will just continue to roll my own. So undecs will open my wallet and put my Kato/Athearn units on a dusty shelf. I am VERY impressed by their pricing. Very affordable to replace my entire fleet if undecs are offered. Brian
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Post by areibel on Jul 8, 2016 8:21:06 GMT -8
I wonder if they'll do a Tunnel Motor Version as well?
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Post by Brakie on Jul 8, 2016 8:21:53 GMT -8
Why so cheap. $139.99 for no noise and 199.99 for noise. Could they be counting on modular tooling for other lokies. They are making it pretty hard for Athearn at $134.95 to sell theirs and forget intermountain. Or If one is so incline he can go with the Operator SD40-2 for $79.00 no noise or $119.00 with. A winter evening of installing grabs plows and uncoupling bars and you have a decent looking SD40-2. Either the Operator or the "Rivet Counter" sounds perfect and with risk of being lynched I will say the "Operator" will look far better then the older supped up former BB RTR SD40-2. Still my Athearn RTR SD40-2s is in no danger of losing their home after I buy a noisy "Operator" SD40-2 and I will add my own grabs,plow and uncoupling bar.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 8, 2016 8:22:49 GMT -8
Per Shane, the EMD logos and nose mold lines WILL be rectified for production. Dave Well for me then, the ST SD40-2 just moved into the 10 spot. Finally the quintessential locomotive of the 20th century has been given its due respect in the modeling world. SWEET! Brian
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Post by Brakie on Jul 8, 2016 8:24:24 GMT -8
I suddenly have dozens of Athearn and IM SD40-2's that just became obsolete! Ebay is gonna be flooded in the coming months. I hope so..I can pick up two Athearn Southern SD40-2s on the cheap.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 8, 2016 8:27:09 GMT -8
...........and I do not see any glue blobs either!
Although production samples usually do not.
Brian
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Post by espeenut on Jul 8, 2016 8:32:27 GMT -8
I have 8 Original Kato SD40-2's that I have been working on. 4 of them painted up in L&N grey and yellow and decaled. 1 stripped and 1 undec ready for paint. 2 still needing to stripped and repainted. With this announcement for the ultimate 40-2, should I keep these engines or get rid of them like Brian Banna suggests. Decisions,Decisions. I have five Kato SD40-2's, all BN or BNSF. They are the most recent release from Kato, what they refer to as the mid production version. These have much finer handrails and stanchions compared to the original releases, and come with some prototype specific details along with operating ditch lights. I'm going to keep them as they are a later variant from the BN ones that Scale Trains is doing for the first release. BN had more SD40-2's than anyone so I will gladly pick up a couple of the Scale Trains BN ones along with a couple in UP.
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Post by carrman on Jul 8, 2016 8:32:48 GMT -8
I won't replace my current SD40-2's, but I WILL be down for MILW, GATX, or EMD Leasing when they get to them. I won't buy anymore Athearns.
Dave
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Post by Spikre on Jul 8, 2016 8:35:50 GMT -8
seems that everyone is alright that these arnt GENESIS locos ? that song sure changed fast !! Spikre
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Post by bnsf971 on Jul 8, 2016 8:41:27 GMT -8
I ordered a silent one, so I have something to put the sound decoder I got from Brian into. Basically how I looked at it was buying a decoder, with a free caricature of an sd40-2 included...
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Post by bnsf971 on Jul 8, 2016 8:42:26 GMT -8
seems that everyone is alright that these arnt GENESIS locos ? that song sure changed fast !! Spikre I think everybody was wanting Genesis level, not necessarily Genesis brand.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 8, 2016 8:43:42 GMT -8
They are not Genesis because Athearn did not listen and capitalize on it.
If these hit the market without operating issues and assembly issues, my personal view is all other 40-2's are going to be obsolete. The quality is there and the pricing is very appealing. Athearn cannot even compete with it in quality or price. The Athearn SD40-2 has run its final race.
There are only two SD40-2's now worth buying new. The GMDD from Bowser and EMD from Scaletrains.
Brian
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Post by nsfantodd on Jul 8, 2016 8:49:10 GMT -8
The pics look great! A good first model that will hopefully keep Scaletrains busy for years to come. It's also nice to see a company apply some downward pressure to pricing. Does not seem like keeping prices in check has been a priority for our current mfg's.
Although SD40-2's are very rare on the line I model, I be getting at least one Rivet counter Admiral cab for sure!
I appreciate Scale Trains efforts!
Todd
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Post by santafe49 on Jul 8, 2016 8:49:20 GMT -8
I see on the Operator version, there is a separate package of details that one can order to add grabirons, uncoupling levers, etc. SXT80254 is listed, but not on their website. Wonder how much that will be??
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Post by Spikre on Jul 8, 2016 8:52:11 GMT -8
the GETL shown recently had a rather obvious nose parting line also. this may be just due to Pre-Production samples,or maybe they just have problems with Noses ? best to wait and see how the Production units turn out. Spikre
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Post by milgentrains on Jul 8, 2016 8:52:40 GMT -8
seems that everyone is alright that these arnt GENESIS locos ? that song sure changed fast !! Spikre I think that this is a case of mass spontaneous SD40-2 orgasms.
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Post by milgentrains on Jul 8, 2016 8:56:35 GMT -8
Ebay is gonna be flooded in the coming months. I hope so..I can pick up two Athearn Southern SD40-2s on the cheap. Good for me as well since Conrail's Sd40-2's ran on flexicoil trucks.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 8, 2016 9:02:24 GMT -8
I hope so..I can pick up two Athearn Southern SD40-2s on the cheap. Good for me as well since Conrail's Sd40-2's ran on flexicoil trucks. Oh, I am sure when ST gets to the Conrail version. They will be riding on the correct trucks. Which will then set them up for pre -2 locomotive trucks. Brian
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Post by Judge Doom on Jul 8, 2016 9:22:51 GMT -8
Per Shane, the EMD logos and nose mold lines WILL be rectified for production. Dave Well for me then, the ST SD40-2 just moved into the 10 spot. Finally the quintessential locomotive of the 20th century has been given its due respect in the modeling world. SWEET! Brian It may be wise to see how they perform, operationally, before declaring an outright 10 without having one in your hands. I have no doubt that Scaletrains can deliver on the top American SD40-2, but as the old saying goes, don't count your chickens until they're hatched. Why so cheap. $139.99 for no noise and 199.99 for noise. Could they be counting on modular tooling for other lokies. They are making it pretty hard for Athearn at $134.95 to sell theirs and forget intermountain. Likely an extra enticement for potential on-the-fence buyers, and a small advantage that lets them compete with the 1000lb gorillas and monkeys already in the room. If it were say $159.99, the price-conscious buyers would probably look at theirs and the Athearn, and pick the Athearn (even though they'd probably be getting a better product with the Scaletrains '40). The low pricing of the operator units is a bit of a surprise, but a welcome surprise in the era of rising prices on models from China (even on basic stuff like Atlas Trainman cars).
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chuckc
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Post by chuckc on Jul 8, 2016 9:23:37 GMT -8
I don't have time to post much but I did want to check in here and say WOW!
I'm assuming the rivet counter line will accurately model the phases correctly.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 8, 2016 9:28:20 GMT -8
It does appear that as they develop their tooling on these models and various versions that undecs and parts will be offered. This question has been posed to them and answered.
Now I am all giddy!
Judge Doom, I know we are all getting a bit ahead of ourselves with excitement for this model and not knowing its performance. But dang, it has all the ingredients for a superb external model and now a GREAT base for custom model builders. Personally for me, the drive does not matter. I can fix that, but I really feel I will not have to. I am fairly confident it will be a good one. We'll see though.
Brian
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Post by iccn1000 on Jul 8, 2016 9:47:42 GMT -8
This is huge for those who want an accurate SD40-2. Your mileage may vary, but this was very much needed in the industry.. Time to dump some RTRs. Thanks Rob Gruber www.dcctrain.com
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Post by Brakie on Jul 8, 2016 9:50:22 GMT -8
Judge Doom,Look at the price of their "Operator" sound SD40-2-$119.00..At street those will be the best deals in town and average Joe Modeler will gobble them up.
I been waiting on a affordable SD40-2 with DCC/Sound and I'm more then willing to add the required grabs,plow and lift bar.
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Post by riogrande on Jul 8, 2016 9:51:28 GMT -8
seems that everyone is alright that these arnt GENESIS locos ? that song sure changed fast !! Spikre I think everybody was wanting Genesis level, not necessarily Genesis brand. Yes, most say they want Genesis level - Genesis being a standard of sorts - which obviously in some ways might be still improved on such as the headlights, the handrails or in the case of my Genesis GP40-2's, the wavy sides sills.
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Post by snootie3257 on Jul 8, 2016 9:55:08 GMT -8
If they make a Union Pacific snoot nose with double auxiliary uncoupling levers, count me in! Steve
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Post by loophog on Jul 8, 2016 10:01:23 GMT -8
Judge Doom,Look at the price of their "Operator" sound SD40-2-$119.00..At street those will be the best deals in town and average Joe Modeler will gobble them up. I been waiting on a affordable SD40-2 with DCC/Sound and I'm more then willing to add the required grabs,plow and lift bar. The price that scaletrains lists in their products basically is the street price, they don't play that high MSRP mark up then let retailers mark it down game. Look at the price on their water tenders, $119 for the set from them and the same price from MBK or anywhere else, same on their $13.99 Evans boxcars. But yes their listed price on the SD40-2 is very attractive! Even for the rivet counter at $199 sound, figure if it was a Genesis the MSRP would be $299 then retailers would discount to $225-$265 so looks like a great value! Heck I spent $100 just to add sound to my $100 Athearn RTR's, so for the same price you can have the Scaletrains one that's going to be far more accurate!
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