Walthers October 2024 New Product Announcements

[James Ashley]

Walthers October 2024 New Product Announcements

PDF:

trains.walthers.com/hubfs/PDF/New%20Product%20Express/October_2024_Walthers_New_Product_Announcement%20C.pdf

Video:



WalthersProto EMD NW2

Multiple tooling variations to cover Ph I, II, III, and IV units.  ATSF, IHB, NKP, NYC, SOU, UP, and Undec

www.walthers.com/catalogsearch/advanced/result/?name=NW2&sku=&manufacturer_name%5B%5D=18469

WalthersProto Trinity 14,000 Gallon Molten Sulfur Tank Car

CGTX, FHRX, GATX, ITDX, TCPX, TGOX, TILX, TILX

www.walthers.com/catalogsearch/advanced/result/?name=sulfur&sku=&manufacturer_name%5B%5D=18469

WalthersProto 40' Gunderson Rebuilt Well Car

NOKL, TTX x5

www.walthers.com/catalogsearch/advanced/result/?name=40%27+Well&sku=&manufacturer_name%5B%5D=18469

WalthersMainline EMD F7A/B

BLE, EMD Demo, LV, Reading, NYC, WP

www.walthers.com/catalogsearch/advanced/result/?name=F7&sku=&manufacturer_name%5B%5D=18467

WalthersMainline 100-Ton 4-Bay Hopper

C&EI, C&NW, Conrail, D&RGW, ICG

www.walthers.com/catalogsearch/advanced/result/?name=4-bay&sku=&manufacturer_name%5B%5D=18467

WalthersMainline 41' Ballast Hopper

Amtrak, BN, CP Rail, Conrail, CSX, Herzog, NS, UP

www.walthers.com/catalogsearch/advanced/result/?name=ballast&sku=&manufacturer_name%5B%5D=18467

WalthersMainline 89' Bi-Level Open Auto Rack

BN, GTW, IC, L&N, WP

www.walthers.com/catalogsearch/advanced/result/?name=bi-level+open&sku=

Walthers Track

Street Track sections - Asphalt, Brick, or Concrete

www.walthers.com/catalogsearch/advanced/result/?name=street&sku=&manufacturer_name%5B%5D=20976

Walthers Cornerstone

Transformer Factory

www.walthers.com/catalog/product/view/id/487533

Coffee Shop

www.walthers.com/catalog/product/view/id/487529

Prototype is based off of a small diner in Grand Rapids, MI:

maps.app.goo.gl/4L3FCSc1Jp4LFvBXA

Walthers Scenemaster

20', 40', and 53' container 3-packs

www.walthers.com/catalogsearch/advanced/result/?name=3-pack&sku=&manufacturer_name%5B%5D=18486&scale%5B%5D=20789

Dairy Cattle

www.walthers.com/cows-xl-set

Workmen

www.walthers.com/people-at-work

Seated People

www.walthers.com/sitting-people-xl-set

Cobblestone Street

www.walthers.com/structure-road-cobbleso

[NS4122]

For the life of me I can't figure out why Walthers continues to put the "Top Lift Only" lettering in italics on their '53 containers. Everyone else does it correctly.

[hudsonyard]

A pair of those undec NW2s are gonna be headed for the future project pile, one day will be northhampton and bath 1000 and 1001

Rather like those RDG and LV F-units actually, the goofy reflective numbers on the nose or not.

[ambluco]

Oct 8, 2024 13:36:26 GMT -8 hudsonyard said:

A pair of those undec NW2s are gonna be headed for the future project pile, one day will be northhampton and bath 1000 and 1001

Me too!

[Mr. Trainiac]

The Transformer Factory structure kit is a pretty good layout industry. It's also a creative use of existing tooling. I think the gantry crane existed as its own kit. The substation is 933-4175 Small Substation, and the brick office structure feels similar to some other kits they have done. Magic Pan Bakery comes to mind, but that one has different windows.

[edwardsutorik]

I think the crane is a new item. It is definitely not the bridge crane they've been making for awhile. This new one is much lighter.


Ed

[hudsonyard]

That transformer factory is pretty versatile, I see 3 structures that could be completely stand alone and a crane that could be used in a lot of different industries.

[trainguy99]

Rail code and section length would be useful info on the street track. They don't have details on several items.

[ambluco]

They have it in the PDF now.

Oct 9, 2024 7:41:21 GMT -8 trainguy99 said:

Rail code and section length would be useful info on the street track. They don't have details on several items.

[nstophat]

Oct 8, 2024 13:04:20 GMT -8 NS4122 said:

For the life of me I can't figure out why Walthers continues to put the "Top Lift Only" lettering in italics on their '53 containers. Everyone else does it correctly.

For the life of m, I can't figure out why Walther's continues to get the NS logo and lettering wrong on every freight car and locomotive, given that NS has been in existence for some 41 years now....

[jonklein611]

Oct 9, 2024 7:41:21 GMT -8 trainguy99 said:

Rail code and section length would be useful info on the street track. They don't have details on several items.

• Easily add street running to your urban and industrial scenes
• Compatible with all existing code 83 Walthers Track components
• Made with code 83 Nickel-Silver rail
• Designed to fit Walthers Cornerstone® HO Scale Street System
• Each paved section is 10-3/4 in. (273 mm) long
• Grooves on the underside indicate where Street Track can be cut into three pieces to match street system pavement moldings
• Concrete paving includes simulated expansion joints
• Asphalt paving includes simulated wood edging along the rails
• Brick paving includes outer bricks running lengthwise along the rails similar to prototype locations

[arandall70]

Oct 9, 2024 8:29:41 GMT -8 nstophat said:

Oct 8, 2024 13:04:20 GMT -8 NS4122 said:

For the life of me I can't figure out why Walthers continues to put the "Top Lift Only" lettering in italics on their '53 containers. Everyone else does it correctly.

For the life of m, I can't figure out why Walther's continues to get the NS logo and lettering wrong on every freight car and locomotive, given that NS has been in existence for some 41 years now....

THIS

I know the Walthers ballast hopper is a stand in the NS, but the lettering issues with almost every NS model is really frustrating. For Mainline cars I don't expect every warning decal and data stencil to be perfect, just get the logo and the initial/number combo correct and the car will blend in. This example is really interesting because the NS ballast hoppers previously had the "correct" logo and had improved initial/number graphics when last run under the Gold Line. Now we are regressing to a new low.

Original release: Correct/good enough NS logo with not so good NS 994705 lettering
thumbs.worthpoint.com/zoom/images1/1/1018/21/ho-scale-walthers-norfolk-southern-ns_1_c730839d97e9f1fa2a3bbd15f57533dc.jpg

Gold Line: The same NS logo with improved initial/number lettering
www.walthers.com/gold-line-tm-41-ballast-hopper-ready-to-run-3-pack-norfolk-southern

New release: Terrible NS logo used on other equipment and initial/number lettering as bad or worse than the original
www.walthers.com/catalog/product/view/id/494399/s/41-ballast-hopper-ready-to-run-norfolk-southern-994711/category/2/

I've always preferred the look and feel of the Walthers car to the Athearn, but these are really bad. I've submitted comments to Walthers through their website about this in the past, and it continues to get worse!

Shame for Walthers, if they had done them "good enough" I probably would have picked up 30 or so. 

[nstophat]

Oct 9, 2024 18:12:08 GMT -8 arandall70 said:

Oct 9, 2024 8:29:41 GMT -8 nstophat said:

For the life of m, I can't figure out why Walther's continues to get the NS logo and lettering wrong on every freight car and locomotive, given that NS has been in existence for some 41 years now....

THIS

I know the Walthers ballast hopper is a stand in the NS, but the lettering issues with almost every NS model is really frustrating. For Mainline cars I don't expect every warning decal and data stencil to be perfect, just get the logo and the initial/number combo correct and the car will blend in. This example is really interesting because the NS ballast hoppers previously had the "correct" logo and had improved initial/number graphics when last run under the Gold Line. Now we are regressing to a new low.

Original release: Correct/good enough NS logo with not so good NS 994705 lettering
thumbs.worthpoint.com/zoom/images1/1/1018/21/ho-scale-walthers-norfolk-southern-ns_1_c730839d97e9f1fa2a3bbd15f57533dc.jpg

Gold Line: The same NS logo with improved initial/number lettering
www.walthers.com/gold-line-tm-41-ballast-hopper-ready-to-run-3-pack-norfolk-southern

New release: Terrible NS logo used on other equipment and initial/number lettering as bad or worse than the original
www.walthers.com/catalog/product/view/id/494399/s/41-ballast-hopper-ready-to-run-norfolk-southern-994711/category/2/

I've always preferred the look and feel of the Walthers car to the Athearn, but these are really bad. I've submitted comments to Walthers through their website about this in the past, and it continues to get worse!

Shame for Walthers, if they had done them "good enough" I probably would have picked up 30 or so. 

What is really disappointing is that NS once had on their website an official "This is our Logo and how to use it" primer, which included spacing on the stripes, the angle of the letters, curvatures on the S and height of the N vs. the S.

[cellis231]

The new NW-2 is pretty cool, especially the Nickel Plate Road version.
This is the first time the "safety cage", that was present in some fashion on all NKP diesel switchers, has been offered as a detail on a plastic model that I'm aware of.

[arandall70]

Good news on the NS artwork... I emailed Walthers through their website and received a response from a Product Marketing Manager. They acknowledged the incorrect inital/number lettering and said it would be corrected. This person believed that their NS logo was correct but was willing to take feedback for comparison and I sent over a bunch of photos of the H46 class ballast hoppers that are closest to the Walthers model. Hopefully that is something that can be corrected. I also mentioned that pretty much every freight car they have decorated for NS has the same issue, the only exception being the "60' High Cube Plate F" boxcar.

[lvrr325]

coffee shop looks like it could serve as an interurban or other small station

[kentuckysouthernrwy]

Oct 10, 2024 21:46:55 GMT -8 lvrr325 said:

coffee shop looks like it could serve as an interurban or other small station

Website of the real deal. choochoogrill.com/

It is next to some RR tracks in Grand Rapids.

www.yelp.com/biz_photos/choo-choo-grill-grand-rapids

While often in GR, I've not been there....yet

[cpr4200]

Can't be that hard to obtain correct NS artwork, can it? They might be happy to provide it.

companieslogo.com/norfolk-southern/logo/
brandfetch.com/nscorp.com
cdnlogo.com/logo/norfolk-southern_50182.html

seeklogo.com/vector-logo/100559/norfolk-southern

www.alamy.com/stock-photo-a-close-up-of-the-norfolk-southern-railway-logo-branding-on-a-gondola-32032164.html?imageid=EF1700AE-8D19-4FD8-82AA-63CCB1DBADAD&p=91543&pn=1&searchId=1ffb92f667842875e02a5dcf8228b81a&searchtype=0

www.alamy.com/stock-photo-close-up-view-of-a-norfolk-southern-coal-car-in-the-dickinson-rail-32165739.html?imageid=86A7FBA4-9B2E-4141-A123-AC5C695F3F36&p=91543&pn=2&searchId=f8e1aa9d33a55e6500b392670a0abdfa&searchtype=0

^^^ 15 minute internet search. Not to mention how many zillion freight car photos are on the web? Come on, Walthers ...

[trainguy99]

Oct 10, 2024 19:15:16 GMT -8 arandall70 said:

Good news on the NS artwork... I emailed Walthers through their website and received a response from a Product Marketing Manager. They acknowledged the incorrect inital/number lettering and said it would be corrected. This person believed that their NS logo was correct but was willing to take feedback for comparison and I sent over a bunch of photos of the H46 class ballast hoppers that are closest to the Walthers model. Hopefully that is something that can be corrected. I also mentioned that pretty much every freight car they have decorated for NS has the same issue, the only exception being the "60' High Cube Plate F" boxcar.

I may feel silly for asking this, but what specifically don't you like about the Walthers NS logo, and is it all of them or just some? I'm looking at photos of a Walthers Mainline SD70ACe and an NS locomotive and the logos look very similar to me. I also looked at 50' boxcars, and maybe the N is a bit lighter on the Walthers car, but with the posts it's hard to be sure, other than NS has more overspray than Walthers.

[arandall70]

Oct 11, 2024 9:39:03 GMT -8 trainguy99 said:

Oct 10, 2024 19:15:16 GMT -8 arandall70 said:

Good news on the NS artwork... I emailed Walthers through their website and received a response from a Product Marketing Manager. They acknowledged the incorrect inital/number lettering and said it would be corrected. This person believed that their NS logo was correct but was willing to take feedback for comparison and I sent over a bunch of photos of the H46 class ballast hoppers that are closest to the Walthers model. Hopefully that is something that can be corrected. I also mentioned that pretty much every freight car they have decorated for NS has the same issue, the only exception being the "60' High Cube Plate F" boxcar.

I may feel silly for asking this, but what specifically don't you like about the Walthers NS logo, and is it all of them or just some? I'm looking at photos of a Walthers Mainline SD70ACe and an NS locomotive and the logos look very similar to me. I also looked at 50' boxcars, and maybe the N is a bit lighter on the Walthers car, but with the posts it's hard to be sure, other than NS has more overspray than Walthers.

The way I described it to them is that it appears that they used an italicized N and S from some off the shelf font instead of the correct artwork for the NS logo. In the NS website that was mentioned in another post above, I recall that it described the letters in the Norfolk Southern logo as being drawn specifically for that use and that they were not part of a complete lettering set.

I for one have not noticed this issue with Walthers locomotives, just freight cars. It also appears to have become more common over time.

I believe the difference is apparent when comparing the current artwork below. I wish I could get my hands on a good picture of the prior run of Walthers cars to show that their artwork was better. 

To me, the Walthers freight car letters are too narrow, the angle of the "N" appears too steep(possibly an illusion caused by the letters being too narrow), the "S" is not supposed to be of uniform width in all areas , the middle part of the "S" should almost be horizontal, and the insides of the "S" are more rounded. 



Below the Atlas artwork for their N-scale car, which looks fine to me. 



I don't know when this NS logo first started to show up on Walthers models, but the oldest model I can find it on is the 60' gunderson boxcar. 



As for the 50' boxcar, Bachmann executed the logo better than Walthers, even if the logo is the only thing they did better. Atlas also has it right.

Walthers



Bachmann



Atlas




I have numerous Walthers models with the "bad" logo, including a few dozen each of the RD-4 hoppers, Greenville 2-bay hoppers, Woodchip hoppers, and the 86' boxcars. I've dealt with it because they sort of blend in, but if this can be corrected it would be nice. 

[milgentrains]

Oct 10, 2024 21:46:55 GMT -8 lvrr325 said:

coffee shop looks like it could serve as an interurban or other small station

It looks like a bank that I see every day.