Can't hardly believe it but...

[Chris333]

I was thinking it would be nice to sand blast the dies of all trucks, wheel faces, couplers, and coupler boxes so that they had a blasted look when removed from the molds, but it sounds like that wouldn't work because the parts wouldn't eject correctly.

I think changing the black color of all trucks, wheel faces, couplers, and coupler boxes to a grimey black/rust (go light) color would be a good permanent change. Get rid of pure black. Some of us would maybe paint them anyways, but for the regular person who opens the box and applies the car to the rail, they would have a more realistic car.

But I can not see this happening because of the "collectors".

PS I really don't like the brown wheelsets offered. To me they just look way too shiney under a car.

[ednadolski]

I think changing the black color of all trucks, wheel faces, couplers, and coupler boxes to a grimey black/rust (go light) color would be a good permanent change. Get rid of pure black. Some of us would maybe paint them anyways, but for the regular person who opens the box and applies the car to the rail, they would have a more realistic car.

But I can not see this happening because of the "collectors".

I guess I just don't understand -- why would collectors consider the pure black as a requirement?   I would think the value would be mainly a matter of them wanting to keep the cars in a pristine, as-manufactured condition, no?

Thanks,
Ed

[Chris333]

I dunno why did collectors complain when MT started using lo-pro wheels? MT changed back to pizza cutters.

[JoeD]

It's difficult figure out what is collectable...never quite got that...but..

I doubt the change would cause too much trouble since that part of the market is not what it was in the glory days  ;D...there would be a short period of unrest I figure, but if we made it policy and it helped, not hurt sales then it makes sense.

Joe

[sirenwerks]

I went to marketing and will process the paperwork to have them provided that way.  We had planned on doing so awhile back but other stuff got in the way.  I'll post the status of this soon.

Thanks for the suggestion!

Joe

No problem. And thanks. But you guys got some serious gatekeepers going on there, because I regularly suggest that via email every month or so and all I ever got was either 'No, we don't do that.' or a polite 'We'll give that to someone and think about it.'

Maybe you can get more of your coworkers on the list so they can identify with the other half of the end-users. The half that doesn't use green trucks.

Now all that's left is to convince ALL the manufacturers to get rid of molded on details like grab irons, brake rigging, and tack boards and build their cars modularly, so we have easy kitbashing fodder when our favorite one-of-a-kind boxcar doesn't get manufactured.

[Sokramiketes]

I was thinking it would be nice to sand blast the dies of all trucks, wheel faces, couplers, and coupler boxes so that they had a blasted look when removed from the molds, but it sounds like that wouldn't work because the parts wouldn't eject correctly.

That only works in China. 

[JoeD]

that's pretty much the case...especially when you can throw a huge a work-force at the project or have access to machines that are more advanced.  MTL toured Sanda Kan a few years ago and despite some of the hickups, have an impressive set up. 

[wm3798]

Are you kidding?  If they find out that Joe's getting chummy with those sharks over at the 'wire, he'll be put in the cooler for 30 days...

Col. Klink

[tom mann]

Are you kidding?  If they find out that Joe's getting chummy with those sharks over at the 'wire, he'll be put in the cooler for 30 days...

Col. Klink

Joe, don't waste your time with those rounding errors!  Read this Franklin Mint catalog instead!