Author Topic: Maybe I'm just lucky (or cursed)  (Read 1647 times)

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OldEastRR

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Maybe I'm just lucky (or cursed)
« on: June 12, 2015, 05:29:16 PM »
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I seem to get what I want in N scale products. I have no idea why. When a few years ago I decided to  model the NH in the transition-era, I found out nobody made NH freight decals. (Actually there were only a few NH specific products out there). So I made up a proposal to make some, sent it to MicroScale, and zip! Suddenly we had NH freight decals. And I was going to use PFE reefers on my trains but bbussey said (in effect) the NH didn't need no stinkin' PFE reefers, they used Fruit Growers Express. Except there were no decal sets for them, so again I asked MS for some and now they just released a set for FGE and WFE reefers pre-1960. Weird? Coincidence?  :o
But it's a whole bunch of NH stuff that I wanted (or thought I did) that has been rolling out recently: the Osgood-Bradley cars, the FL NINE(!!), USRA hoppers which are basically NH, Rapido 36' meat reefers, that huge craftsman kit of the New Haven station in Boston or Providence or wherever... And that bbussey guy now is promising streamline fluted side NH coaches! What next? An I-5 (w/ sound)??? What's going on?
The same thing happened with  the last layout -I started in '95 and there was damn few Pennsy prototype passenger cars out there. In fact I had to push MS to make a set of REA decals because I was kitbashing  the '50 REA express reefers (which MTL made after I was halfway through the project, of course )- then KATO brings out the BL? And GG1s! E8s w/o DB!!(That curse is still going on for me because now there's RB50s!!). :facepalm:
I'm not really complaining but wondering how few other modelers get the products they want and I just get swamped. Of course these aren't small railroads but even so they were hugely under-represented until recently. Did I just luck out in? But still ... whole bunches of stuff I want coming out soon after I pick that prototype? Happening twice?
It makes me wonder how many modelers actually pitch their suggestions to the manufacturers. I mean even for REA decals in HO ... they were a huge presence on all railroads for decades yet nobody made the decals until I asked them to? Same with the NH? And FGE?  :?
Either that or you guys can pay me $50 to wish for some model product you want and we'll see what happens.
P.S. I'm not a big wheel or influence in the N scale world, either.

up1950s

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Re: Maybe I'm just lucky (or cursed)
« Reply #1 on: June 12, 2015, 05:43:01 PM »
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I think you may just have jinxed yourself now .


Richie Dost

bbussey

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Re: Maybe I'm just lucky (or cursed)
« Reply #2 on: June 12, 2015, 06:00:27 PM »
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I think coincidence plays into it a lot.  For example, the Broadway Limited cars and GG1 (and modified PRR-specific E8) were on the Kato planning boards for a while, once the Cal Zephyr sales showed the product line was viable, but it took some time to gather all the necessary documentation in order to produce the cars and engine.  I can attest to that because I helped gather GG1 data at the time.  Regarding New Haven prototypes, there have been models out there that were either NH prototypes or close to it for years, and NH decals (and dry transfers) did exist in the past in the form of Northeast Decals and Clover House.  So it's not as if the landscape was totally barren.  Aside from that, other than the USRA twin and offset quad hoppers, New Haven has been featured on every model that is based on a prototype owned by New Haven, and all with multiple reporting marks.  Nearly all of the NH diesel/switcher motive power has been tooled in N and deco'd in NH, many in multiple schemes.  All models of USRA steam that New Haven owned have been deco'd in NH.  The passenger equipment and electrics always were a long-shot, because the prototypes are unique to NH.  On FGE, the long-available riveted mechanical reefer is an FGE prototype, and FGE was one of the first six-pack schemes done on the model.  The InterMountain wood reefer also is an FGE prototype, and numerous FGE schemes have appeared on it.

Yes, there is a lot of Pennsy N scale product that has been produced.  But New Haven has had it pretty good also, due to multiple railroad manufacturers having a soft spot for the railroad AND the fact that it featured so many variant paint schemes.

Also - Microscale is always looking for new ideas.  So when presenting them with a viable option, they are more likely than not to pursue it.
« Last Edit: June 12, 2015, 06:04:25 PM by bbussey »
Bryan Busséy
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OldEastRR

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Re: Maybe I'm just lucky (or cursed)
« Reply #3 on: June 12, 2015, 06:18:02 PM »
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I agree there always seem to have been NH locos of all types, but hard to make a passenger train of locos and some cabeese (they can't all be RDC trains). For freight equipment it's nice  to have options for various cars NH had but since so many freight cars on the line were from other roads that was not really a problem. I wanted that specific NH script of their gons and hoppers pre-made instead of trying to piece together almost-close copies. Those decals are useful for the modified cars (two-bay covered hopper, Pullman 60T hopper, gon, depressed center flat) I had to make.
I plan on having mostly passenger operation on the layout so the mass of Pennsy pass stuff I have will be helpful; however, a single window heavyweight coach in NH would be much appreciated (and that's supposedly coming someday).

Iain

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Re: Maybe I'm just lucky (or cursed)
« Reply #4 on: June 12, 2015, 07:14:56 PM »
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You want to switch over to modeling the original NS?   :ashat: :ashat: :ashat:
I like ducks

u18b

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Re: Maybe I'm just lucky (or cursed)
« Reply #5 on: June 12, 2015, 09:00:03 PM »
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I would like you to call and email Kato and tell them you really wish you had an accurate CSX executive passenger train to run behind those wonderful F40PHs.

Oh!.  And say that your favorite scheme is the bright future scheme.

Ron Bearden
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"All get what they want-- not all like what they get."  Aslan the Lion in the Chronicles of Narnia by C.S.Lewis.

nkalanaga

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Re: Maybe I'm just lucky (or cursed)
« Reply #6 on: June 13, 2015, 02:32:09 AM »
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New Haven EP-2.  It would also provide a starting point for a Milwaukee EP-3.
N Kalanaga
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bbussey

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Re: Maybe I'm just lucky (or cursed)
« Reply #7 on: June 13, 2015, 09:16:41 AM »
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... For freight equipment it's nice  to have options for various cars NH had but since so many freight cars on the line were from other roads that was not really a problem...

Not really. In the '50s ... roughly 25% of the freight rolling stock on the line would be NH, another 13% would be PRR, another large percentage (the number escapes me at the moment) would be other New England roads and direct exchange railroads. Throw in the local private and subsidiary companies such as Swift and FGE, and cars from regions that frequently delivered commodities in large quantities such as B&O coal hoppers, a larger-than-expected New York bound CN/GTW presence due to B&M and CV interchange, and that leaves very few slots open for equipment from "big" non-regional roads such as ATSF, SP, C&O, UP, etcetera.

So nearly 40% of the freight fleet would be comprised of two roads. And that's not even breaking it down by car type. Since southern New England was mostly industrial, NH was "exporting" machinery rather than "importing" it. So overwhelmingly, any special duty flat cars on the line would be NH.  As an example, a General Electric transformer plant was on the line and all of that equipment would be shipped out on NH depressed center flats. The potatoes and fine paper were shipped in BAR/NH XIH boxcars, always.
« Last Edit: June 13, 2015, 09:31:18 AM by bbussey »
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Missaberoad

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Re: Maybe I'm just lucky (or cursed)
« Reply #8 on: June 13, 2015, 11:15:52 AM »
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I'm not sure that this is simply a NH or PRR phenomenon. The has been exponentially more accurate equipment avalible for nearly any road you can think off in most eras. (with a few exceptions)
When I wanted to model Western Pacific in the 1970s about 11 years ago there was two locomotives avalible, now I could nearly complete a roster of locomotives and freight cars with minimal effort. Canadian pacific has seen the same flood as has Santa fe
SP and UP... Even small roads like Soo line, BC Rail and misaabe have seen more offerings.
I believe your only curse is living in a golden age for model railroading!
The Railwire is not your personal army.  :trollface:

randgust

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Re: Maybe I'm just lucky (or cursed)
« Reply #9 on: June 13, 2015, 02:11:34 PM »
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Seems to me like if I scratchbuild it and cast it, I can get it mass produced:

GE 44-tonner
GE 70-tonner
SW-1
Now the 26-ton Shay...

 

peteski

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Re: Maybe I'm just lucky (or cursed)
« Reply #10 on: June 13, 2015, 02:47:51 PM »
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Seems to me like if I scratchbuild it and cast it, I can get it mass produced:

GE 44-tonner
GE 70-tonner
SW-1
Now the 26-ton Shay...

You just happen to pick good subjects for modeling!  :D
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