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Post by mdvle on Feb 13, 2020 7:33:59 GMT -8
Rapido have a video showing the upcoming Horizon fleet cars in their sample stage.
Amtrak fans may want to pay attention to the comment made almost at the end of the video.
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Post by kentuckysouthernrwy on Feb 14, 2020 15:32:30 GMT -8
More Amtrak?! If...
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Post by migalyto on Feb 14, 2020 15:51:28 GMT -8
Rapido have a video showing the upcoming Horizon fleet cars in their sample stage.
Amtrak fans may want to pay attention to the comment made almost at the end of the video.
Can you just tell us what it is, so we don’t have to scroll through all the comments, and guess? |
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Post by sd80mac on Feb 14, 2020 16:41:46 GMT -8
It's a part of the video, not a written comment. They say that if these cars do well, there will be a lot more unique Amtrak models offered in the future.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Feb 15, 2020 11:07:48 GMT -8
I hope not. I have too much on back order right now, and be torn on ordering a bit of NEC equipment if it was released or taking my chances on the secondary market.
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cklx
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Post by cklx on Feb 15, 2020 13:58:38 GMT -8
Well, the Turboliner has been announced already. It'll come if there are enough reservations...
And how about an Amtrak E60?
Cornelius
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Post by rails4dmv on Feb 16, 2020 10:42:34 GMT -8
I'm hoping that the Horizon cars do well enough that Rapido will consider doing the Metro North Shoreliner, NJ Transit Comet and SEPTA Bombardier Cars with center doors.
I also hope Rapido, or for that matter all the manufacturers, have something up their sleeve for Amtrak's 50th Anniversary next year. We've come a long way with updated, upgraded and new Amtrak models over the last 10-12 years but there is definitely more to be done.
Amtrak California & Surfliner Cars, Viewliner Baggage, Sleepers & Diners, Talgo cars, Metroliner Cab Cars, Auto Train Autoracks, P30CH, E60CP, Phase 1 & 2 E8/9 with no port holes, P32-ACDM, GP38H-3 are all models that either haven't been done or need to be given the "updated" treatment.
Heck, if Rapido decides to do upgraded rollable Amfleets in the future, could we possibly see the SPV-2000?
Fingers crossed...
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Post by cera2254 on Feb 16, 2020 16:23:41 GMT -8
Im just hoping for Amfleets that roll...
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Post by The Ferro Kid on Feb 16, 2020 18:45:03 GMT -8
I'm just hoping for enough orders for the Turboliners to be made.
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Post by pboilermaker on Feb 16, 2020 20:03:20 GMT -8
I'm just hoping someone shows MARC fans some love.
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Post by rails4dmv on Feb 17, 2020 2:59:16 GMT -8
I'm just hoping someone shows MARC fans some love. Amen to that!....Aside from a nearly 20 year old Atlas AEM-7 model, the last MARC model I think produced was a MP36PH model from True Line Trains a few years back.
The only MARC passenger cars "available" are resin kits from Island Modelworks which have to be special ordered & they need a lot of work.
MARC uses the same Bombardier Multilevel cars that Atlas produces for NJ Transit. A couple of weeks ago, Atlas just announced a 3rd release of the Multilevel passenger cars for NJ Transit and still no MARC.
MARC and for that matter VRE & NCDOT must have sky high licensing fees for no one to do models of those roads. Rapido is doing a new VRE F40PH model, but they haven't announced matching VRE passenger cars.
And good luck locating nearly 20 year old Walthers VRE Horizon and Walthers VRE Bi-Level cars. |
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Post by jonklein611 on Feb 17, 2020 4:10:06 GMT -8
I'd be in trouble if Rapido came out with some anti amsleds.
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Post by mdvle on Feb 17, 2020 6:44:49 GMT -8
I'm just hoping someone shows MARC fans some love. MARC and for that matter VRE & NCDOT must have sky high licensing fees for no one to do models of those roads. Rapido is doing a new VRE F40PH model, but they haven't announced matching VRE passenger cars.
Or maybe there aren't enough MARC/VRE/NCDOT modelers, and hence sales, to make a run of those models viable?
Even if the model is already tooled the factory will still have a minimum production quantity for any given paint scheme, and if a manufacturer feels they can't sell enough models to meet that minimum they won't produce it.
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Post by riogrande on Feb 17, 2020 6:57:05 GMT -8
Jason seems to focus on Notheast Amtrak, but if he gets a wild hair, I am interested in 70' heritage passenger cars used on the San Francisco Zephyr.
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Post by gevohogger on Feb 17, 2020 7:16:08 GMT -8
Jason seems to focus on Northeast Amtrak... That's if you don't count the Ph. 1 F40s which were common for many years on the San Diegans, and the Horizons which are common all over the Midwest and on the San Joaquins... |
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Post by migalyto on Feb 17, 2020 7:29:08 GMT -8
Jason seems to focus on Notheast Amtrak, but if he gets a wild hair, I am interested in 70' heritage passenger cars used on the San Francisco Zephyr. I would guess Jason is willing to focus on what sells. These would sell ! |
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Post by migalyto on Feb 17, 2020 7:29:54 GMT -8
Jason seems to focus on Notheast Amtrak, but if he gets a wild hair, I am interested in 70' heritage passenger cars used on the San Francisco Zephyr. I would guess Jason is willing to focus on what sells. These would sell ! |
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Post by riogrande on Feb 17, 2020 7:32:36 GMT -8
Jason seems to focus on Northeast Amtrak... That's if you don't count the Ph. 1 F40s which were common for many years on the San Diegans, and the Horizons which are common all over the Midwest and on the San Joaquins... The early phase F40PHs were Western yes, but we're not regulars on the Amtrak CZ. I've been waiting ages for the mid-phase version due, finally, this fall. |
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Post by rails4dmv on Feb 17, 2020 7:51:15 GMT -8
MARC and for that matter VRE & NCDOT must have sky high licensing fees for no one to do models of those roads. Rapido is doing a new VRE F40PH model, but they haven't announced matching VRE passenger cars.
Or maybe there aren't enough MARC/VRE/NCDOT modelers, and hence sales, to make a run of those models viable?
Even if the model is already tooled the factory will still have a minimum production quantity for any given paint scheme, and if a manufacturer feels they can't sell enough models to meet that minimum they won't produce it.
Unfortunately, you might be right. But only way a company might know there is interest in a product or product line is to send them tons of e-mail & requests to hound them into submission and let them know there is an interest in a particular model or railroad. I've let it be known at the latest WGH tour that more Athearn Bombardier cars are needed and I've heard some promising news that more are coming eventually and that they will also might be upgraded with interior lighting.
It might take years (or decades) for a requested model to get produced (or remade) but at least manufacturers are now listening to suggestions. Metroliners, upgraded Horizon Cars & the Turboliner are proof of that, and I'm sure New Haven & Penn Central modelers can attest to all the new models that have been coming out.
Now only if we can get Erie Lackawanna MU's & Delaware Hudson passenger cars.
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Post by slowfreight on Feb 17, 2020 8:57:23 GMT -8
Im just hoping for Amfleets that roll... Lots of powdered graphite with molybdenum helped turn my Amsleds into useable cars. But I'm right there with ya. |
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Post by slowfreight on Feb 17, 2020 8:59:35 GMT -8
MARC and for that matter VRE & NCDOT must have sky high licensing fees for no one to do models of those roads. Rapido is doing a new VRE F40PH model, but they haven't announced matching VRE passenger cars. Or maybe there aren't enough MARC/VRE/NCDOT modelers, and hence sales, to make a run of those models viable? Even if the model is already tooled the factory will still have a minimum production quantity for any given paint scheme, and if a manufacturer feels they can't sell enough models to meet that minimum they won't produce it.
That's hard to know with VRE, since Walthers failed to put the correct paint schemes on the VRE bilevels it produced, and Kato failed to provide any VRE paint schemes when it could deliver the correct bilevels. |
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Post by jonklein611 on Feb 17, 2020 9:22:24 GMT -8
Or maybe there aren't enough MARC/VRE/NCDOT modelers, and hence sales, to make a run of those models viable? Even if the model is already tooled the factory will still have a minimum production quantity for any given paint scheme, and if a manufacturer feels they can't sell enough models to meet that minimum they won't produce it.
That's hard to know with VRE, since Walthers failed to put the correct paint schemes on the VRE bilevels it produced, and Kato failed to provide any VRE paint schemes when it could deliver the correct bilevels. They did, just in N scale:  |
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Post by gevohogger on Feb 17, 2020 9:46:14 GMT -8
That's if you don't count the Ph. 1 F40s which were common for many years on the San Diegans, and the Horizons which are common all over the Midwest and on the San Joaquins... The early phase F40PHs were Western yes, but we're not regulars on the Amtrak CZ. I've been waiting ages for the mid-phase version due, finally, this fall. "Non-CZ" equals "Northeast".... Not quite seeing that myself, but whatever. |
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Post by riogrande on Feb 17, 2020 10:11:31 GMT -8
"Non-CZ" equals "Northeast".... Not quite seeing that myself, but whatever. I don't disagree. |
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Post by slowfreight on Feb 17, 2020 12:34:56 GMT -8
"Non-CZ" equals "Northeast".... Not quite seeing that myself, but whatever. I don't disagree. Booo! |
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Post by rails4dmv on Feb 17, 2020 13:09:54 GMT -8
I suspect VRE, MARC & NCDOT won't be ignored for too much longer by the hobby companies. All 3 railroads have major expansion plans on the books within the next 10 years, which will expand the Northeast Corridor as far south as North Carolina. The VA governor and the legislature just bought 350 miles of CSX rail for $3.7B this year with plans for VRE to run further south from Fredricksburg to Richmond VA with some limited service going even further south to form a transfer connection to NCDOT. East-west VRE service is now being planned from West VA to VA Beach. MARC is in the process of expanding service north from its terminal in Perryville MD to Newark or Wilmington DE with a transfer connection to SEPTA. And also MARC is planning service expansion further south into Alexandria VA with connections to VRE. This service will begin when the new commuter rail bridge over the Potomac gets completed within the next couple of years. NCDOT has high speed rail expansion plans on the books after they just bought little used CSX tracks last year that will expand current rail service north into Richmond VA with transfer connections to VRE. So I suspect the model companies will take notice and contemplate doing some models of these roads once these railroads become more known with the riding public. Or some future railfans deciding to travel from Boston, Mass. to Raleigh, North Carolina by just riding regional commuter rail from Point A to Point B.
And who knows what might be planned already with these model companies. I know I'll be mad as hell if I see a California High Speed train model before I see a MARC, VRE, or NCDOT model. I'll know the fix is in. |
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Post by mdvle on Feb 17, 2020 16:40:25 GMT -8
I know I'll be mad as hell if I see a California High Speed train model before I see a MARC, VRE, or NCDOT model. I'll know the fix is in. The only way (today at least, who knows once there actually is a California HST) I see a model of it currently would be if Bachmann did it as a train set model for under the Christmas tree, though that might require a made up paint scheme if the real thing ends up with California painted all over it. Just guesswork, but it doesn't seem there is much in the way of passenger modeling in California - if there was I would have thought we would have already seen the California Cars/Surfliners. The California High Speed Train would be even more niche that the Amtrak California stuff, so...
I also hope Rapido, or for that matter all the manufacturers, have something up their sleeve for Amtrak's 50th Anniversary next year. We've come a long way with updated, upgraded and new Amtrak models over the last 10-12 years but there is definitely more to be done. Amtrak California & Surfliner Cars, Viewliner Baggage, Sleepers & Diners, Talgo cars, Metroliner Cab Cars, Auto Train Autoracks, P30CH, E60CP, Phase 1 & 2 E8/9 with no port holes, P32-ACDM, GP38H-3 are all models that either haven't been done or need to be given the "updated" treatment.
I would like to see all of them for the sake of passenger modelers, but I suspect there isn't enough of a market (at least currently) for some of them. Could be entirely wrong, but my guesses are:
The Viewliner Sleepers have been done in the past by Walthers, given they haven't been rerun might indicate no market for them (or at least that is what Walthers thinks)
As above, if the California Cars / Surfliners haven't been done yet that calls into question market size - might be best to be done as part of a new Superliner to share tooling (if possible, not familiar enough to know), but with 2 superliner models already available is there a market for a third?
Suspect Talgo cars are to region specific to generate enough sales.
E8/9 would seem to be crying out for a modern model, lots of paint schemes available, I wonder if either of VIA's 2 units made it to Toronto in 79/80...
GP38H-3 would consider highly unlikely. Don't know enough, but with only 8 GP40TC built, and hence only 8 GP38H-3, suspect they are too unique with too few to be viable as RTR.
E60CP - wonder if Walthers still has their tooling? If Walthers could spoil a new model with a re-run of old tooling might make what is a risky venture even riskier. If Walthers do still have the tooling a re-run might be the best option given the price a newly tooled model would likely have.
P32AC-DM - could see this one happening given the frequent requests for the VIA P42DC, a new tooled family of the Genesis units would seem to be viable.
As for next year, might need to wait and see how things play out in China - if the factories don't reopen soon (has anyone heard anything?) some of our model companies might start to rethink plans as cash flow slows down without new product arriving in another month or so.
A bunch of these things might be viable as crowd funded items if someone can be successful with anything crowd funded first to demonstrate what is possible.
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Post by mdvle on Feb 17, 2020 16:52:19 GMT -8
Jason seems to focus on Notheast Amtrak, but if he gets a wild hair, I am interested in 70' heritage passenger cars used on the San Francisco Zephyr.
Like many things, it is a question of what will sell. My initial thought though was that some of the heritage fleet might make a good choice if there was enough demand to also sell in the original railroad schemes. But suspect it could be quite a minefield to try and find suitable choices, not to mention the annoyed customers when only parts of trains gets made (Rapido for quite a while had a regular moaner on Facebook because they hadn't yet made the CN dining car). But the ability to model the unique consists of that era would be more visually interesting that a consistent train of all Amfleets, and the switching that still went on during that era could help make passenger operations more attractive to modelers (note Jason mentioned this in the latest edition of the Platforum video podcast on YouTube where he talked about all the switching that will be required for his VIA operations on his Kingston Sub layout).
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Post by riogrande on Feb 17, 2020 16:55:35 GMT -8
Like many things, it is a question of what will sell. I get that, ya. No worries. |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 17, 2020 17:07:45 GMT -8
Things that will sell:
P42 - the Athearn one sells for top dollar, and it's a midrange model at best.
Amfleets - as long as they roll...
Viewliners - haven't been done in over a decade and fetch 2x their asking price on eBay.
A typical train is a diesel + 5 coaches and a lounge, or 2 diesels, 3-4 coaches, lounge, diner, sleepers, and baggage... 8 cars minimum. Rapido can make money off of them. I suspect licensing is the holdup, not the money.
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