|
Post by carrman on Jul 2, 2020 22:00:00 GMT -8
Caboose.
|
|
|
Post by riogrande on Jul 3, 2020 4:47:30 GMT -8
|
|
|
Post by mdvle on Jul 3, 2020 5:43:37 GMT -8
The same caboose who was having a go fund me type event? Wouldn’t think that’s a stable business to go in to. Who did? Chris went to Caboose, they announced it today.
That can be part of the attraction - the challenge of turning a business around.
It also depends on why the business is struggling - it may be a case that Chris (and the employees involved given how the business has changed ownership) think someone with perhaps a better understanding of the industry can do better.
|
|
|
Post by riogrande on Jul 3, 2020 8:17:12 GMT -8
It's going to be a challenge to turn it around.
From what I read, the purchase and placement of the cool Rio Grande caboose set them back about $36 grand right from the start. Add that to the start-up costs of a new building, staff, inventory etc. It's difficult enough to start up a business but adding 36k to those start up costs in a business that does not rake in a lot of profits seems frontloading with unneeded debt, as cool as that caboose is.
Here is a recent statistic from the Beaureau of Labor:
Overall, about two out of every three businesses with employees will last two years, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. About half will last five years.
Here Caboose was opened in March 2017 and only a little more than 2 years later was showing signs of difficulty with visitors reporting a significant amount of empty shelves. Things were in trouble before COVID19 hit a few months into 2020 and in April the Go-Fund-Me was started.
Here is what Chris Palmerez, er Gimli says:
One person on another forum made a general comment about small businesses: "often the owner is the "magic" in a small business. There didn't seem to be the necessary magic since opening in 2017. Most are familiar with the saying: the way to make a small fortune in the model train business is to start out with a large fortune. It's difficult enough to be successful, sustainable, and make a profit in the model train world. If Chris P is going to take the reigns, hopefully he has the magic. Time will tell.
|
|
|
Post by mdvle on Jul 7, 2020 13:39:32 GMT -8
Athearn Train Tuesday - July 7th - recollections, possible errors. - VIA & GO licensing - still waiting to hear back. - NMRA NTS announcements - will now happen in August, likely with the August new announcements (so last Friday in July) - C44ACM - could start out in Roundhouse, possible Genesis later (standard more GE coming response) - rerun of snowblower & B unit possible - preproduction samples of P42 hopefully by end of month - SD24 - like the idea - propane tank cars with walkway along one side - good to look into - SD40 - later this year - 5161's - in 2020 - CN GMDD GP38-2 - need to see if they have the right parts - NW5 - cool - yard tractors - later this year
- caboose samples in, will try and get photos up.
|
|
|
Post by jonklein611 on Jul 7, 2020 15:10:11 GMT -8
Come on VIA, let's GO...
Hopefully the approval is simply slowed by COVID related delays (work from home, etc.). I wonder if Jason would assist, he's been a big advocate of modeling Canadian roads and seems to have no major issues getting VIA approval.
|
|
|
Post by cemr5396 on Jul 7, 2020 15:19:22 GMT -8
- CN GMDD GP38-2 - need to see if they have the right parts
Pretty sure they do, just need to put them all together.
|
|
|
Post by edwardsutorik on Jul 7, 2020 15:44:29 GMT -8
The SDP40's will catch my attention. As will these! Ed
|
|
|
Post by fr8kar on Jul 7, 2020 16:08:45 GMT -8
caboose samples in, will try and get photos up. I'm ready!
|
|
|
Post by mdvle on Jul 7, 2020 16:17:33 GMT -8
caboose samples in, will try and get photos up. I'm ready!
If you're in a hurry while the images weren't great they did hold the samples up to the camera during the show today, happened between their discussion of some of the July announcements and the Q&A session.
|
|
|
Post by cp6027 on Jul 7, 2020 17:46:25 GMT -8
- CN GMDD GP38-2 - need to see if they have the right parts
Pretty sure they do, just need to put them all together. Do they have the center-fill fuel tank and split air tanks that CN used on their standard cab GP38-2s? This design is different from the CP GP38-2 and CN GP38-2W, and I'm not sure if other railroads had that configuration on their EMD units. I believe they have the correct cab and nose from the CP units, but there might some subtle CN differences? The end of the long hood should match the CP and/or -2W units but the rest of the long hood would be different. The sill and steps would not match either of the CP and -2W parts, and the ditch lights are a bit different too (for the later in-service configurations).
|
|
|
Post by fr8kar on Jul 7, 2020 18:34:45 GMT -8
Hopefully I can catch one of these videos live. I'd love to ask them to run the Barber-Scheffel trucks separately. They put these unique trucks on some of the tank train models but they were also used on a handful of the Southern Ortner hoppers.
|
|
|
Post by thebessemerkid on Jul 7, 2020 19:26:29 GMT -8
|
|
|
Post by cemr5396 on Jul 7, 2020 20:03:52 GMT -8
Pretty sure they do, just need to put them all together. Do they have the center-fill fuel tank and split air tanks that CN used on their standard cab GP38-2s? This design is different from the CP GP38-2 and CN GP38-2W, and I'm not sure if other railroads had that configuration on their EMD units. I believe they have the correct cab and nose from the CP units, but there might some subtle CN differences? The end of the long hood should match the CP and/or -2W units but the rest of the long hood would be different. The sill and steps would not match either of the CP and -2W parts, and the ditch lights are a bit different too (for the later in-service configurations). They have the air tank setup from when they did the SD40s a few years ago, but they may need tweaking to be useable. I'm not sure if the air tanks are the same size on a SD40 and GP38. They would need to make the fuel tank but that is probably relatively easy. The long hood would be essentially the same as the GP38-2W, just with a different style of snow shields. (Or none at all). Steps should be the same as the CP version, since they both had 3 steps in the stepwell. I don't know if the sills are the same because the CP ones were built 12 years after the CN ones. The CN ones had different pilots, I know that. Cab and nose can be re-used as you mentioned. The only difference I can spot is that the CN ones have sunshades and the air line for the horn on the roof.
|
|
|
Post by fr8kar on Jul 7, 2020 21:36:21 GMT -8
Wow, I didn't realize those cars had them. Very cool. Here they are on one of the Southern hoppers: www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=522927I almost bought a three-pack of the TankTrain cars to harvest the trucks but figured that would ruin the resale value of them since I don't have any use for the tank cars. I'm just hoping Athearn will sell them separately at some point.
|
|
|
Post by thebessemerkid on Jul 7, 2020 22:14:49 GMT -8
Barber Sheffel talk lead to this: A long and occasionally technical thread on radial truck design at EMD. Some interesting sidelights on what GE did to get around EMD patents and surprisingly, what drove EMD out of the passenger locomotive business! cs.trains.com/trn/f/741/t/281717.aspxLotsa mechanical forces goin on underneath that people don't think about. There's so much institutional memory that gets lost when these companies get sold or merged. Short term gains, long term losses.
|
|
|
Post by fr8kar on Jul 8, 2020 1:01:01 GMT -8
Barber Sheffel talk lead to this: A long and occasionally technical thread on radial truck design at EMD. Some interesting sidelights on what GE did to get around EMD patents and surprisingly, what drove EMD out of the passenger locomotive business! cs.trains.com/trn/f/741/t/281717.aspxLotsa mechanical forces goin on underneath that people don't think about. There's so much institutional memory that gets lost when these companies get sold or merged. Short term gains, long term losses. That is absolutely fascinating to read. Thanks for posting this!
|
|
sp3205
Junior Member
Posts: 92
|
Post by sp3205 on Jul 8, 2020 6:37:52 GMT -8
Pretty sure they do, just need to put them all together. Do they have the center-fill fuel tank and split air tanks that CN used on their standard cab GP38-2s? This design is different from the CP GP38-2 and CN GP38-2W, and I'm not sure if other railroads had that configuration on their EMD units. I believe they have the correct cab and nose from the CP units, but there might some subtle CN differences? The end of the long hood should match the CP and/or -2W units but the rest of the long hood would be different. The sill and steps would not match either of the CP and -2W parts, and the ditch lights are a bit different too (for the later in-service configurations). The CN GP38-2W has an odd, half-height traction motor blower cover.
Elizabeth
|
|
|
Post by cp6027 on Jul 8, 2020 9:25:58 GMT -8
Do they have the center-fill fuel tank and split air tanks that CN used on their standard cab GP38-2s? This design is different from the CP GP38-2 and CN GP38-2W, and I'm not sure if other railroads had that configuration on their EMD units. I believe they have the correct cab and nose from the CP units, but there might some subtle CN differences? The end of the long hood should match the CP and/or -2W units but the rest of the long hood would be different. The sill and steps would not match either of the CP and -2W parts, and the ditch lights are a bit different too (for the later in-service configurations). They have the air tank setup from when they did the SD40s a few years ago, but they may need tweaking to be useable. I'm not sure if the air tanks are the same size on a SD40 and GP38. They would need to make the fuel tank but that is probably relatively easy. The long hood would be essentially the same as the GP38-2W, just with a different style of snow shields. (Or none at all). Steps should be the same as the CP version, since they both had 3 steps in the stepwell. I don't know if the sills are the same because the CP ones were built 12 years after the CN ones. The CN ones had different pilots, I know that. Cab and nose can be re-used as you mentioned. The only difference I can spot is that the CN ones have sunshades and the air line for the horn on the roof. There are several differences on the long hood between the CN GP38-2 and GP38-2W, including the traction motor blower duct and box behind the cab on the left side, and the inset brake wheel on the right side of the -2W that is on the standard cab nose. There are also some small louvers at the bottom rear of each side of the -2W. The CN units have the original sill that is thicker at either end while the CP units have the later thin straight sill. They might have this sill from other units but not sure if/how it would mate with the GMD steps from the CP version.
|
|
|
Post by jonklein611 on Jul 8, 2020 9:52:52 GMT -8
Barber Sheffel talk lead to this: A long and occasionally technical thread on radial truck design at EMD. Some interesting sidelights on what GE did to get around EMD patents and surprisingly, what drove EMD out of the passenger locomotive business! cs.trains.com/trn/f/741/t/281717.aspxLotsa mechanical forces goin on underneath that people don't think about. There's so much institutional memory that gets lost when these companies get sold or merged. Short term gains, long term losses. That is absolutely fascinating to read. Thanks for posting this! Agreed, as a Mech Eng with a previous life as a test engineer, this was a fantastic read.
|
|
|
Post by cemr5396 on Jul 8, 2020 11:38:04 GMT -8
There are several differences on the long hood between the CN GP38-2 and GP38-2W, including the traction motor blower duct and box behind the cab on the left side, and the inset brake wheel on the right side of the -2W that is on the standard cab nose. There are also some small louvers at the bottom rear of each side of the -2W. D'oh! I knew that. Just had slipped my mind. I wonder how modular their hood tooling is. Maybe they could take the CP GP38 hood, delete the dynamics, add snow shields, and change the rads to chicken wire grills. Assuming they can swap parts in and out, it shouldn't be that hard to do.. But maybe I'm totally wrong.
|
|
|
Post by Donnell Wells on Jul 8, 2020 14:48:04 GMT -8
Barber Sheffel talk lead to this: A long and occasionally technical thread on radial truck design at EMD. Some interesting sidelights on what GE did to get around EMD patents and surprisingly, what drove EMD out of the passenger locomotive business! cs.trains.com/trn/f/741/t/281717.aspxLotsa mechanical forces goin on underneath that people don't think about. There's so much institutional memory that gets lost when these companies get sold or merged. Short term gains, long term losses. That is absolutely fascinating to read. Thanks for posting this! I second that motion! I always wondered what the story was behind EMD #3's "new" blue trucks. When Athearn released this model, I purchased it right away, and it quickly became a favorite!
Donnell
|
|
|
Post by mdvle on Jul 14, 2020 13:44:31 GMT -8
Athearn - July 14th (possible errors in recollections, times approx) - VIA/GO - still in limbo waiting to hear back - Sample photos (decorated samples) - 0:18 - SP GP9 with torpedo tubes - 0:24 - GTW GP9 - 0:27 - Amtrak F59PHI - 0:29 - Conrail Genesis GP38-2 - 0:31 - ATSF caboose CE-11 - 0:36 - UP caboose - 0:39 - Seaboard caboose - 0:40 - CB&Q caboose - 0:41 - B&O caboose - 0:45 - early UP caboose - 0:48 Q&A starts - been looking at steam locos a bit more, nothing in the immediate future but maybe in a couple of years - pondered about a request for modern Amtrak AutoTrain auto racks, wondered about possible additional roadnames - MK5000C - interesting request, maybe a possibility if they redo the SD50/SD60 if enough shared parts - August new item - will be of interest to much of US and Canada. - Janek was making notes on paper of requests, even those they didn't reply about
|
|
|
Post by migalyto on Jul 14, 2020 13:48:47 GMT -8
Modern Amtrak auto racks would be nice!
|
|
|
Post by jonklein611 on Jul 15, 2020 7:14:43 GMT -8
Modern Amtrak auto racks would be nice! Agreed. I'd run those cars for sure. Come on VIA, do your thing. I'd love to have a P42 for my new LRC cars.
|
|
|
Post by spsf on Jul 15, 2020 7:25:20 GMT -8
Modern Amtrak auto racks would be nice! Are there any other owners for that prototype besides Amtrak, CN, and CP?
|
|
|
Post by amtrakfl9 on Jul 15, 2020 7:51:38 GMT -8
Modern Amtrak auto racks would be nice! Are there any other owners for that prototype besides Amtrak, CN, and CP? I don't think so. The only other paint scheme I have seen is on the prototype AVC cars: www.northeast.railfan.net/images/nokl790002.jpg (image won't show up in my post) I think another option would be the original Auto Train tri-level cars. Walthers did the ex-CN bi-levels a while back, so these would complete a 1970s-2005 era Auto Train. You could do original AT, Phase 3, or Phase 4.
|
|
|
Post by riogrande on Jul 15, 2020 7:54:35 GMT -8
Supposedly they are going to do a Rio Grande ICC EV caboose but the months keep rolling by ...
|
|
|
Post by spsf on Jul 15, 2020 8:14:38 GMT -8
Supposedly they are going to do a Rio Grande ICC EV caboose but the months keep rolling by ... Yes, it is being considered along with additional caboose road names. However the research-tooling-delivery time for these projects is probably better measured in years, not months. There's a lot going on at once.
|
|
|
Post by riogrande on Jul 15, 2020 8:35:20 GMT -8
Thanks Janek, glad to know Rio Grande is on the long-term play plan, which I pretty much knew. Sounds like I should expect it to be in one of the monthly announcement for some time yet. bummer Rio Grande being such a big seller, I would have thought it would have been bumped up in the queue! The GP40-2's sure sold out fast, again!
Of course I am aware there is an approx 12 month lag from announce to delivery, so realistically I realize best case scenario is I have a 15-20 month wait at least. In the mean time have a brass Overland unpainted 01500 series cabooses that may hold me over (assuming y'all are doing that bunch, or there is the last order with the lower EV cupoloa).
|
|