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Post by roadkill on Jan 28, 2019 9:33:15 GMT -8
Guess I'm screwed on Trailer Train cars, may as well get a couple of CP or ATSF cars and strip and modify them.
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Post by GP40P-2 on Jan 28, 2019 10:32:37 GMT -8
Oh I have a rant about Walther's building up...
I see that my post number 666 is coming up soon, so I'll wait.
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Post by slowfreight on Jan 28, 2019 16:34:16 GMT -8
Select "include all results regardless of availability" Select "include discontinued products" (why are they different options???) Regardless of availability are items that are in stock, or haven't come in yet (just announced, being built, in transit, etc) Include discontinued products are items that are no longer made (think historical lookup) - this one works like Athearn's search. Point taken, but my question was more in a manner observing that it just becomes confusing to customers since I almost always have to start with selecting both options to make sure the results yield something useful. |
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Post by cp6027 on Jan 28, 2019 21:11:08 GMT -8
To be clear, I am looking for 60' VTTX cars in the 80s Trailer Train scheme, not the 85' flats and not the 90s TTX scheme. Does this model exist in released or announced form? I'm forty-grumble-something years old, so my eyes aren't what they used to be and I'm looking at this on my tiny phone, so maybe I'm missing it... If I have to decal these cars myself, so be it, but obviously RTR is easier. Advanced Search --> HO, freight cars, Walthers Mainline --> keyword = 60' Select "include all results regardless of availability" Select "include discontinued products" (why are they different options???) Results include 5 pages of box cars, but that gets you all the 60' P-S flats. 910-5309 VTTX Trailer Train, but photo shows TTX paint scheme 910-5310 VTTX Trailer Train, but link is broken so no clue what paint scheme is 910-5334, 910-5335, 910-5336 VTTX TTX, but artwork only, advanced reservation, sold out, due April 28 2019 The site gives you an option to reserve the sold-out cars. WTH? This is the most screwed-up new release I've ever seen, and I find the current Walthers.com search engine is even more crippled than the one they replaced. Walthers has not done the 60' P-S in VTTX and the yellow TT scheme. There are two runs of the 60' P-S flats. The first run was announced last summer and had two numbers of the 60' VTTX container car with the TTX logo (910-5309 and 910-5310). The yellow "TT" scheme was not offered on the VTTX cars (but they did TT yellow on the MTTX car) and I'm not sure if it is prototypical. Perhaps the VTTX cars matching the Walthers model were rebuilt from the PTTX series for container service after the TTX logo was introduced? The 60' P-S cars were featured on the cover of the November 2018 Walthers Monthly Flyer under the heading "Arriving Now!" (except the two I pre-ordered just shipped and arrived last week so perhaps the flyer was premature). The flyer also noted that the entire production run of VTTX cars (along with the HTTX and MTTX) were completely sold out already based on pre-orders. The same November 2018 flyer announced a second run of the 60' P-S cars scheduled to arrive in April 2019. Probably because the first run sold out prior to arrival, the second run includes three numbers of the 60' VTTX container car with the TTX logo (910-5334-6). These appear to be the same scheme as the first run expect with yellow underframes instead of black. I pre-ordered one of these and it is still on backorder with April arrival. Again there are no VTTX cars in the TT scheme but they do offer "TT" in both brown and yellow on the OTTX cars from the second run. Hope this helps! |
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Post by fr8kar on Jan 28, 2019 23:17:32 GMT -8
Thank you, that is helpful. I'll just get the TTX version and add my own TT decals to them.
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Post by Colin 't Hart on Jan 29, 2019 1:30:54 GMT -8
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Post by roadkill on Jan 29, 2019 9:05:57 GMT -8
Guess I'm screwed on Trailer Train cars, may as well get a couple of CP or ATSF cars and strip and modify them. And I did just that, bought two CP cars from Steve Skanes in Blissfield, MI, gonna dump 'em in the 91% and do one in TT Tuscan Red and the other in yellow. |
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Post by 12bridge on Jan 29, 2019 12:29:05 GMT -8
For what its worth, the HO Trailer Train Microscale set (87578), the logos and lettering are way too big for these cars, the N scale set might be a better alternative.
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Post by dstark on Jan 29, 2019 13:59:36 GMT -8
Colin, Per the TTX book volume 2, the first 210 P-S cars built (starting October 1964) had QTTX reporting marks. They were relettered OTTX sometime in 1965. So... somewhere between a couple of months and a year plus for those reporting marks on these cars and to put that in perspective ultimately 4218 P-S 60' cars of all types were acquired by Trailer Train - a brief drop in the bucket really. Reportedly car clerks and CCTV systems then in use in yards had trouble with the tail of the Q so they switched to O. Doug Stark |
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avel
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Post by avel on Feb 4, 2019 17:27:01 GMT -8
Check Trainworld. I couldn't get both numbers, but I'll have to renumber anyway. Thanks for the tip. I ordered two of the HTTX flats this Saturday. Order was shipped out today, Monday. |
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Post by Colin 't Hart on Feb 5, 2019 1:29:32 GMT -8
Colin, Per the TTX book volume 2, the first 210 P-S cars built (starting October 1964) had QTTX reporting marks. They were relettered OTTX sometime in 1965. So... somewhere between a couple of months and a year plus for those reporting marks on these cars and to put that in perspective ultimately 4218 P-S 60' cars of all types were acquired by Trailer Train - a brief drop in the bucket really. Reportedly car clerks and CCTV systems then in use in yards had trouble with the tail of the Q so they switched to O. Doug Stark Thanks, Doug. I need to get those TTX books... but at over $220 (including import duties at my end), I've been balking at the price. /Colin |
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Post by roadkill on Feb 5, 2019 9:51:20 GMT -8
Got my two cars, and 91% made quick work of Walthers paint  . Just a matter of plugging a few holes in the decks with some Evergreen styrene rod and carving off all of the molded on grabs. |
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gmd1
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Post by gmd1 on Feb 8, 2019 4:36:21 GMT -8
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wictl
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Post by wictl on Feb 8, 2019 5:58:29 GMT -8
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Post by riogrande on Feb 8, 2019 8:57:23 GMT -8
Thanks for the heads up. They did have the model I wanted but total USD with shipping was about $48 - gonna pass unfortunately. Hopefully Walthers will re-run them again one day and they many who missed out will get a chance at one. |
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Post by roadkill on Feb 8, 2019 10:49:43 GMT -8
They are the mounting holes molded in for both the hitch and whatever that bracing is that the trailer wheels fit over. .035 Evergreen rod made quick work of them. |
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Post by csx3305 on Feb 10, 2019 19:46:27 GMT -8
What is really strange is that these cars are barely a blip on Ebay's radar. Unless your preferred flavor is ATSF white (captive service?), there are just a couple of WC and CP available.
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wictl
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Post by wictl on Feb 11, 2019 5:25:16 GMT -8
They are the mounting holes molded in for both the hitch and whatever that bracing is that the trailer wheels fit over. .035 Evergreen rod made quick work of them. Ah, that makes sense as you are reworking one of the TOFC cars. Darin Umlauft A WC, SOO and GBW fan in Slinger, WI |
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Post by sp8299 on Feb 11, 2019 15:32:41 GMT -8
What is really strange is that these cars are barely a blip on Ebay's radar. Unless your preferred flavor is ATSF white (captive service?), there are just a couple of WC and CP available. The VTTX COFC and general-service TTX cars were there when they were first released. You had to move quick, since they were gone in less than a week. I snagged a pair of the VTTX cars, and aside from the molded-on grabs (easily removed with a grab iron chisel or xacto), are very nice. |
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Post by csx3305 on Feb 11, 2019 16:23:01 GMT -8
What is really strange is that these cars are barely a blip on Ebay's radar. Unless your preferred flavor is ATSF white (captive service?), there are just a couple of WC and CP available. The VTTX COFC and general-service TTX cars were there when they were first released. You had to move quick, since they were gone in less than a week. I snagged a pair of the VTTX cars, and aside from the molded-on grabs (easily removed with a grab iron chisel or xacto), are very nice. Hate I missed them, will keep a vigilant eye in the coming months. |
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Post by riogrande on Feb 11, 2019 16:57:36 GMT -8
The VTTX COFC and general-service TTX cars were there when they were first released. You had to move quick, since they were gone in less than a week. I snagged a pair of the VTTX cars, and aside from the molded-on grabs (easily removed with a grab iron chisel or xacto), are very nice. Hate I missed them, will keep a vigilant eye in the coming months. Me too. Seems they were gone in a day, not a week. At least the MTTX. Walthers made way too few of them. Sure, I could have got one from that Canadian shop but $48 for a single ? I don't want one that bad.😒 |
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Post by csx3305 on Feb 11, 2019 17:40:52 GMT -8
Just look at the Atlas SP 5503 boxcars. They could have made twice as many and probably still sold out. I got lucky on the 5503's and managed to snag two SP and an AMC car from a reputable ebay seller with no reservation or preorder. BUT, I knew a ballpark time they would be hitting the shelves and I waited and watched, checking frequently, with means of payment at the ready. They were gone from ebay in less than a day, before Atlas had even updated their website showing they had arrived, if I remember right. One car is missing stirrups on one side. Sending it back for exchange was obviously not an option. |
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Post by riogrande on Feb 11, 2019 17:53:42 GMT -8
Just look at the Atlas SP 5503 boxcars. They could have made twice as many and probably still sold out. I got lucky on the 5503's and managed to snag two SP and an AMC car from a reputable ebay seller with no reservation or preorder. BUT, I knew a ballpark time they would be hitting the shelves and I waited and watched, checking frequently I was watching and waiting and usually I am able to get what I need from MBK if I watch like a hawk. In the case of Atlas 5503 box cars, due to a snafu, they never got them in so I managed to find 2 SP at another dealer who often has items I need and got an AMC and LPN off eBay. SP was already gone from eBay by the time it became apparent MBK missed the boat on the 5503s. Some greedy b on eBay has all 4 numbers asking $299.99 + 17.99 ship, so far no takers. Now Walthers I find hard to track and these snuck up and I didn't know for sure which were good for 70s, saw them one evening and next morning gone. Thanks a bunch Walthers for nothing, is all I can say. Hopefully Walthers will wake up and smell the coffee and undiscontinue the MTTX many would still like to have. |
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Post by csx3305 on Feb 11, 2019 19:37:37 GMT -8
Now Walthers I find hard to track and these snuck up and I didn't know for sure which were good for 70s, saw them one evening and next morning gone. Thanks a bunch Walthers for nothing, is all I can say. Hopefully Walthers will wake up and smell the coffee and undiscontinue the MTTX many would still like to have. I fully agree. Unfortunately, in my opinion there are the fingerprints of poor planning and mismanagement all over this particular project, not only with the missed delivery times and the wrong images attached to the wrong SKU's on the next run due in April, but I just checked Credit Valley and Trainworld, and several of those cars still in stock have their images aliased to the Walthers website pic of the Undec TOFC car. It just feels like a thrown-together, rushed mess. Check out the link text on this one compared to what its description actually is: www.walthers.com/60-general-purpose-flatcar-ready-to-run-bnsf-railway-2Still one HTTX number in stock as of this writing at Trainworld, BTW. 910-5305. Wrong photo again so it doesn't jump out at you as a decorated car. It is a TTX car so I believe I will sit this one out, my cutoff is two years after the TTX logo introduction so I tend to go sparingly with them. EDIT: Hold the phone, there's a F60-BMH class code on that HTTX car, is that accurate for a Pullman build? Doesn't that imply a Bethlehem car? |
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Post by edwardsutorik on Feb 11, 2019 20:19:19 GMT -8
When I pre-ordered my cars, many moons ago, the photos were mostly of undecs for everything. Lucky for me, my quick intellect reasoned that those were not actually photos of what I would be getting.
I received everything I preordered, in the very roadnames and numbers I specified.
If you all had done this, I am sure you would have gotten your cars, too. But maybe I'm wrong.
When I see something new announced, I do a buncha research to see if it might be useful for me. Something else I recommend doing. Snooze=lose.
Ed
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Post by csx3305 on Feb 11, 2019 20:26:37 GMT -8
When I pre-ordered my cars, many moons ago, the photos were mostly of undecs for everything. Lucky for me, my quick intellect reasoned that those were not actually photos of what I would be getting. I received everything I preordered, in the very roadnames and numbers I specified. If you all had done this, I am sure you would have gotten your cars, too. But maybe I'm wrong. When I see something new announced, I do a buncha research to see if it might be useful for me. Something else I recommend doing. Snooze=lose. Ed |
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Post by riogrande on Feb 12, 2019 5:24:16 GMT -8
csx3305 makes a good point. It seems this project has been poorly managed and the result is probably less profit and unsatisfied customers. Maybe I'm wrong but most companies exist to make a profit and to maximize it as much as possible. If things are bungled so much that only some with "quick intellect" or blind luck can get models they need, then something is wrong with that picture, cause I doubt a company can do well if only that segment of hobbyists can buy product and the rest walk away empty handed. Examples like this and others in the past is why Walthers is pretty low on my favorite list of model train companies.
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Post by edwardsutorik on Feb 12, 2019 8:03:47 GMT -8
...Walthers is pretty low on my favorite list of model train companies. Mine, too. They're a bunch of screw-ups (I have a little list, Comrade). And you and CSX3305 are both right--Walthers should do things your way. And mine. But they don't. I pointed out a possibility of how to get (if possible) what you want from the company, anyway. But I suppose you're both right. The way to go is to complain about it here, because that will surely be more effective than my approach. I used the same approach to get my full set of SP 5503's, incidentally. From Atlas, not Walthers. Come to think of it, I get everything I want that way, by pre-order. Ed |
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Post by riogrande on Feb 12, 2019 8:48:41 GMT -8
Well, there is your way and mine, and then there is the highway. Walther's gets the highway.
Meh, as for complaining, I try not to do it much but once in a while I forget ...
I guess my downfall is that I hate to pre-order cause I'm a cheep-azz, but sometimes I am finding it's a good idea - which is why I have 3 SD40T-2's on pre-order from ScaleTrains. Yep, I gave into the Schwartz. As for the Atlas 5503, I wasn't planning on all numbers and I ended up pretty much with what I needed (2 SP and 1 each of the other)
But as often, it depends. Mick Jagger said it here:
"You can't always get what you want
But if you try sometimes you might find
You get what you need"
I've learned that with some patience, I eventually get what I need. Maybe I'll find one between now and when the layout is semi functional.
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Post by edwardsutorik on Feb 12, 2019 10:00:59 GMT -8
Yes, pre-ordering does not get me the bargains. But, since I pre-order through my local hobby shop, those excess profits help keep his doors open. And my closets, shelves, basement, (not attic--too hot!) filled with rolling stock.
Ed
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. Just a matter of plugging a few holes in the decks with some Evergreen styrene rod and carving off all of the molded on grabs.
