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Post by NS4122 on Aug 6, 2023 16:48:42 GMT -8
I was browsing Intermountain's advance reservation page and noticed that they no longer have their Dash 9 listed there. Also, it isn't on the canceled products page either so I'm wondering if it's totally dead or it will be relaunched at another time.
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Post by cemr5396 on Aug 6, 2023 18:35:03 GMT -8
now that the Scale Trains and Genesis models exist I don't know they they WOULDN'T kill it. Especially since it doesn't seem they ever got any further than announcing the thing.
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Post by lvrr325 on Aug 7, 2023 0:15:59 GMT -8
The rate they bring things out the real engines will be as obsolete as Alco FAs by the time we actually see the model.
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Post by nstophat on Aug 7, 2023 2:51:29 GMT -8
Actually, IM still shows them on their product offering page, and are shown as still taking advance reservations. I agree though, they probably should just cancel the project between the ScaleTrains and Athearn offering.
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Post by gevohogger on Aug 7, 2023 3:52:42 GMT -8
Maybe they're just freeing up some factory time for the GP16s....
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Post by middledivision on Aug 7, 2023 7:16:16 GMT -8
Like the Broadway Ace, why bother when there are superior versions already available?
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Post by snootie3257 on Aug 7, 2023 7:37:37 GMT -8
Like the Broadway Ace, why bother when there are superior versions already available? If you’re talking about the SD70ACe, its selling point is its die cast body, frame, and fuel tank that will give it superior pulling power. Steve |
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cn2240
Junior Member
Posts: 76
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Post by cn2240 on Aug 7, 2023 10:29:51 GMT -8
As nstophat said earlier, the C44-9W is still on the Intermountain website. It's just that it is a "Future Production" model so the project is indefinitely put on hold.
Like others have said, there's no point in producing this model anymore. Not when literally all the schemes offered by IM have already been produced or are currently in production with Athearn Genesis or ScaleTrains Rivet Counter.
In general, IM seems to have gotten stale with their models. They used to be pretty good but nowadays they're just mediocre with the emergence of ScaleTrains and Athearn stepping up their game with their Genesis and Genesis 2.0 models.
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Post by cemr5396 on Aug 7, 2023 12:01:38 GMT -8
I don't have any doubt that Intermountain COULD have made a great model. Their ET44AC is on par with SXT's, IMHO. There are some things ST got better and there are some things IM got better.
But now that I have several of the Genesis Dash 9s in my fleet, I just don't have a need for IM to do them any more, and I imagine the same goes for most other people - whether they chose ST or Genesis (or both) for their Dash 9s. And regardless of whether or not a Dash 9 model would be a good seller and make money (I think it would, even as the third entry in the market) IMO it would be more worthwhile for Intermountain to pursue something else instead. Either something that has never been done before or even something that has but there is room for improvement. Or, improve some of their past models. Like the new and improved version of their GEVO Intermountain has been promising for years but has not seen the light of day yet.
If they were to improve their ES44 to the same level as the Tier 4, I would be very interested. Especially if they re-released the teardrop window CN versions.
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Post by cera2254 on Aug 7, 2023 12:35:44 GMT -8
Like the Broadway Ace, why bother when there are superior versions already available? Agree, does cast or not Im not sure why anyone would want that over the other available versions. |
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Post by hudsonyard on Aug 7, 2023 15:13:57 GMT -8
Like the Broadway Ace, why bother when there are superior versions already available?
lots and lots of guys lost on the way to lionelville, like most of BLIs customer base.
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Post by 690 on Aug 7, 2023 18:03:53 GMT -8
Like the Broadway Ace, why bother when there are superior versions already available?
lots and lots of guys lost on the way to lionelville, like most of BLIs customer base.
This is just me, but the BLI SD40 is actually a pretty decent starting point for a Canadian SD40. Sure, it’s not a Genesis or Rivet Counter level model for details, but it runs smoothly and quietly. It has fairly accurate details (some might be a bit clunky), but the other nice thing is that many of the details (inertial air intakes, radiator grills, fans) are all separate parts and are easy to replace. Another nice thing for me was that the paint also strips off it quite nicely, compared to earlier releases by BLI (a bath in 91% isopropyl has the paint coming off in about a half hour). Between the SD40s, and some of their other models in the work (upcoming GP30/35), it really does feel like BLI is making a genuine effort to at least improve their product. They’re the only ones offering Canadian style steps on RTR models, besides the Bowser SD40-2s, and they’ve listened to buyers who don’t want to deal with their DCC system, and offered DCC ready models again. |
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cn2240
Junior Member
Posts: 76
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Post by cn2240 on Aug 9, 2023 17:42:36 GMT -8
I don't have any doubt that Intermountain COULD have made a great model. Their ET44AC is on par with SXT's, IMHO. There are some things ST got better and there are some things IM got better. But now that I have several of the Genesis Dash 9s in my fleet, I just don't have a need for IM to do them any more, and I imagine the same goes for most other people - whether they chose ST or Genesis (or both) for their Dash 9s. And regardless of whether or not a Dash 9 model would be a good seller and make money (I think it would, even as the third entry in the market) IMO it would be more worthwhile for Intermountain to pursue something else instead. Either something that has never been done before or even something that has but there is room for improvement. Or, improve some of their past models. Like the new and improved version of their GEVO Intermountain has been promising for years but has not seen the light of day yet. If they were to improve their ES44 to the same level as the Tier 4, I would be very interested. Especially if they re-released the teardrop window CN versions. Regarding the ET44AC, I'd say the SXT model is definitely better than the IM one. The sound from the SXT models is crisp and loud whereas the sound produced by the IM ones is quiet and muffled. I liked the sound file that the recent IM releases have compared to the one that the SXT models come with from the factory but SXT has since posted the same sound file on their website so I just switched the sound files on all my SXT models and now I don't see any reason as to how the IM model is better compared to its SXT counterpart. I've also found that I have to do more maintenance on my IM models as their wheels get dirty much more easily versus my SXT and Genesis models with whom I usually don't have any issues with dirty wheels. I'm also not a fan of the IM packaging where you always need a screwdriver to either take out the model or put it back in the box. That can get a bit cumbersome especially with a model as heavy as the IM ET44AC. The colors and the level of detail on the IM models also make it look more cheap compared to the SXT models for me (I know the IM model is usually cheaper than the SXT one but the price difference should be more IMO). I just saw some pictures of the latest IM release and it looks like nothing has changed so I'll probably just stick with SXT models. |
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Post by wagnersteve on Aug 9, 2023 17:52:55 GMT -8
August 9, shortly before 10 p.m., EDT
Re InterMountain, here's part of what I wrote last Saturday on another thread on this forum:
"Regarding InterMountain Railway Co., I'm not sure how many hobbyists outside New England realize that there has been a major turnover in the firm's management. A successful businessman in Massachusetts was a major investor in the firm for many years as well as a mainstay of the North Shore Model Railroad Club in Wakefield, MA, where he ran enormously long trains, often powered by cast metal Tiger Valley models of Alco diesels. He was the founder of Reboxx, which produced fine wheel sets in many axle lengths as well as excellent storage boxes for models. His wife died a few years ago, and after years of health problems that reduced his activities he died at the age of 96 in April of this year. Younger members of his family have not continued his business activities related to model railroading."
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Post by locochris on Aug 9, 2023 19:04:55 GMT -8
I could see ScaleTrains buying InterMountain in the future if things don't start to get better for them soon.
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Post by middledivision on Aug 10, 2023 7:30:02 GMT -8
^^^
Too many duplicate models.
The Twin Stack cars and GP10/16's are the prizes.
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Post by cemr5396 on Aug 10, 2023 10:21:34 GMT -8
yeah, Scale Trains buying up another company is juuuust what the hobby needs.
/sarcasm
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Post by cera2254 on Aug 10, 2023 11:08:41 GMT -8
yeah, Scale Trains buying up another company is juuuust what the hobby needs. /sarcasm At least we might actually see some of the GP 10 or GP 16s. LOL |
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Post by alexandrianick on Aug 10, 2023 17:04:38 GMT -8
yeah, Scale Trains buying up another company is juuuust what the hobby needs. /sarcasm Better to just have IMs product line just go gentle into the night? |
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Post by cemr5396 on Aug 10, 2023 20:36:55 GMT -8
yeah, Scale Trains buying up another company is juuuust what the hobby needs. /sarcasm Better to just have IMs product line just go gentle into the night? If Intermountain goes tits up of their own doing that is a completely different situation. Even then, the list of companies I would rather get IM's tooling over Scale Trains is...... long. Pretty much everyone except Rapido is on it. |
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Post by Colin 't Hart on Aug 11, 2023 5:42:03 GMT -8
I don't have anything against ScaleTrains but I really hope they haven't bitten off more than can chew with all of their acquisitions.
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Post by drolsen on Aug 11, 2023 16:03:24 GMT -8
Regarding InterMountain Railway Co., I'm not sure how many hobbyists outside New England realize that there has been a major turnover in the firm's management. A successful businessman in Massachusetts was a major investor in the firm for many years as well as a mainstay of the North Shore Model Railroad Club in Wakefield, MA, where he ran enormously long trains, often powered by cast metal Tiger Valley models of Alco diesels. He was the founder of Reboxx, which produced fine wheel sets in many axle lengths as well as excellent storage boxes for models. His wife died a few years ago, and after years of health problems that reduced his activities he died at the age of 96 in April of this year. Younger members of his family have not continued his business activities related to model railroading. I hadn’t heard that J.P. Barger passed away. I spoke to him on the phone once years ago during my brief stint working at M.B. Klein. This was before they started their Modeltrainstuff web business, and I told an old fashioned order from him (on a paper form) over the phone. I still remember that he ordered a bunch of Life-Like 3-bay coal hoppers (the ones that Walthers later added to their line). That was back when someone could place a special order, and the hobby shop contacted the manufacturer and ordered the item(s). I recall that he wanted something like 50 undecorated hoppers. He told me he was a longtime customer and seemed genuinely interested to hear that I was a new employee. We chatted for about 5 minutes about our modeling interests. I really didn’t know who he was until I heard his name connected to Reboxx a few years later. I got the impression he was a kind and genuine person. Here’s a link to his obituary. J.P. Barger, 1927-2023Rest in peace, Dave |
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