Latest Athearn announcement

[3rdrail]

I'm putting this in N scale even though it deals with an HO announcement because I am hoping it bodes well for those of us in N scale.

So far, Athearn has imported HO and N scale models of UP Challengers and Big Boys. An HO version of the UP FEF3 Northern is out and is anticipated in N scale as well. All of these have come only equipped with sound, although they will operate on DC or DCC.

Well, I got an email from Athearn announcing among other things, a Southern Pacific MT4 Mountain in HO. But the most important part of the announcement is that these will come equipped with sound and DCC, OR with a socket to permit the modeler to add decoder and sound system of his choice or not add one at all. Hope they will do this in N scale as well.

[TiVoPrince]

Choices are good
Athearn may indeed be responding to the market and posts on various forums.  Building a DC 'economy' version along with DCC 'intermediate' and a DCC+sound 'luxury' model will be better overall.  Although this is likely to depend on reservations.  Athearn has proven that they can sell out an 'all the bells and whistles' model alredy.  Getting some of the non DCC buyers or those who would prefer a different brand decoder or sound system.  Hard to say how this will work out based on the posts here and on other forums regarding apprehension related to pre-orders or reservaions...