MT July Weathered Releases are Out

[peteski]

I would not necessarily go only by what Eric says. Just sayin'...

Yeah.

I've been buying MTL monthly releases (not all of course) for quite a few years, and I examine them all closely. For the last few years, most car decorations (sans the end numbers on some cars) are pretty much all ink jet printed. Even the small dimensional data in the sides is ink jet printed.  I doubt they will go back to using more Tampo printing. It is much more time-consuming and labor-intensive process.

[JoeD]

just an FYI None of our weathered and graffiti cars are from left over stock, these are purpose run just for the scheme we are doing.  Initially I started hand weathering excess stock but shortly there after they took off and we do a second production run just for the mid month releases.   Thanks for the kind remarks, makes all the work worth it.


Joe

Agree these are great.  And what marketing, and just a nice way to repackage the leftovers at higher value, I suspect.  Of course, I have been predicting pre-weathers rolling stock and structures for a decade now, continuing the RTR trend to the next level.  These are hand weathered, (I think ) and better than anyone could do with a conventional printing process.

It's about all the rolling stock I buy anymore, at least until the IM 3247(?) covered hoppers arrive.  Trying to weather my collection one store bought piece at a time.

I can use the FEC hoppers for my Hart-Madov Stone Co., and the weathered covered hoppers (NS and MKT) for my Hardiss Cement company...….

Leaving for Salt Lake in morning.  Are these out or just announced?  Need to buy something to justify the trip!

[tom mann]

Thanks for the kind remarks, makes all the work worth it.

Seriously, they are really good.  I just don't buy as much as I would like because that 50' "squished" car doesn't look great to my eye.  If you used the 60' non-ribbed car (correct proportions), that would be another story.

[Rossford Yard]

just an FYI None of our weathered and graffiti cars are from left over stock, these are purpose run just for the scheme we are doing.  Initially I started hand weathering excess stock but shortly there after they took off and we do a second production run just for the mid month releases.   Thanks for the kind remarks, makes all the work worth it.


Joe

I think you may have mentioned that before here....and I just have to do a better job of keeping up.  When I went by the MT booth in Salt Lake, it wasn't manned, so I still have some unanswered questions, I guess.

But, again, thanks for all you do in N.  Only wish some of the July releases would have been there at the show!

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Seriously, they are really good.  I just don't buy as much as I would like because that 50' "squished" car doesn't look great to my eye.  If you used the 60' non-ribbed car (correct proportions), that would be another story.

I want to say the same thing. I've sat on the sideline for a BUNCH of really cool cars because of that 50' boxcar's issues. I'd LOVE to get some more so... go fix that car! lol. I know it's just that simple...

[thomasjmdavis]

Yea. Though too modern for me, love that Grande car weathering. Got to try my hand on a spill like that...
The graffiti cars, not so much, but that’s just me.
So my wallet is safe again.
Sigh,
Otto K.

For all the talk about "transition era", there is surprisingly little out there for the transition era.  I am beginning to think they are no longer talking about the "steam to diesel" transition, but instead are talking about the transition from Railbox boxcars to double-stack containers.

[MetroRedLine]

While I model he mid 90’s, still too new for me as well with the conspicuous stripes. I really wish MTL would include those as decals and not print them on the cars. I’d have a few more weathered releases if that were the case.

Doug

As a modern-era modeler (The challenge of modeling what I see when I railfan is what drives my love of the hobby), conspicuity stripes are the very thing that let me know whether a model is in my era or not. I do wish more manufacturers were upfront about when their model prototypes were in service as that also serves as an educational resource for the modeler.

[Jbub]

As a modern-era modeler (The challenge of modeling what I see when I railfan is what drives my love of the hobby), conspicuity stripes are the very thing that let me know whether a model is in my era or not. I do wish more manufacturers were upfront about when their model prototypes were in service as that also serves as an educational resource for the modeler.

+1 on the stripes. There's a lot of equipment that started life without them and then get misled for the earlier era. Does anyone make add on decals for conspicuity stripes?

[nkalanaga]

Tom D:  I agree about the "transition era", as I model 1974.  Many 1950s cars were still in  their original paint then.

On the other hand, the 1980s were almost as big a transition as the 1950s.  Overnight, it seemed, the older freight cars were gone, many of the second generation diesels were demoted to locals, or even yard work, and containers were everywhere.

Of course, in the Northwest, BN F units lasted until at least 1980, and 40 ft boxcars were in grain service into the early 80s, so the change was even more abrupt there.  We moved to Kentucky in the summer of 1978, and 40 ft boxcars pulled by solid sets of F units were still every day sights in Pasco.

[ednadolski]

+1 on the stripes. There's a lot of equipment that started life without them and then get misled for the earlier era. Does anyone make add on decals for conspicuity stripes?

Yes Microscale has a set of the yellow stripes.

[JoeD]

Just to note, we do at times use excess Z scale cars to add to our mid month line up.  Wanted to clear that up in advance.   Again thanks for supporting our work!

Joe

[Rivet Miscounter]

Just to note, we do at times use excess Z scale cars to add to our mid month line up.  Wanted to clear that up in advance.   Again thanks for supporting our work!

Joe

Well, I've waited almost 3 years for you to "go to town" on the EACH boxcars...but finally placed an order for a clean one.  So you now have the green light to go ahead and release that one next month.   

Seriously, I do love the work you guys are doing.  I cannot wait for the weathered/graf TTX Husky 8-pack in Z.

I still wish the "volume level" on the graffiti was down a notch or two, or even that you would offer more of the pre-2000 "line art/minimal amount of the over-the-top stuff" era, but I understand the balancing act that is and I concede it has gotten much much better.   And little things like...how many weathered/graffitied Valdosta Southern boxcars would one have on a typical model railroad...both were very well done but I just couldn't justify the second one that--in any other roadname on the planet--would likely have been a purchase.  But please understand, these are all very minor gripes and I eagerly look forward to any Z weathered releases in hopes they work for my 2000-ish timeframe.