Goodbye, N scale

[Iain]

"I have a set of A1A trucks sitting on my desk in front of me. We have designed a set of trucks that are interchangeable to be either standard Commonwealth or A1A. Right now one is in each position."

The above comes from Lee English.  In a few months, Stewart will announce a pair of HO AS416s in Norfolk Southern.  Therefore, unless someone can come out with the same locomotive  in N (I'd be happy with just a shell) before that happens, then I'll be switching to HO, just because then I wouldn't have to scratchbuild every locomotive.

[Mark5]

Interesting, it would seem more likely that we'll see the AS-616 in N scale - a few hundred (best selling Baldwin road switcher?) of these were made for a bunch of roads including big names like:

UP
SP
PRR
C&O
C&NW
MILW

Full list here (I hope this wiki is correct!):

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baldwin_AS-616

Oh yeah, I'm leaving N scale too!





Mark

[up1950s]

I guess modeling more common types of locos is out of the question ? HO is twice as wide , long , high , and takes twice the radius . On the plus there are more models except the Shay , and you only need a half an eye to see it . Little challenge to do a decent HO model compared to N .

[Iain]

I guess modeling more common types of locos is out of the question ?

Norfolk Southern didn't own anything BUT Baldwins and a pair of GE 70 tonners until the 1960s, and even then I would still need AS416s.

Steam era's out in N because no one makes a ten wheeler.

[Mark5]

AS416 would be a challenge to kitbash.



The shell could probably most easily be done via some Chris33 type etching.

The axles on those trucks look more close together than on common six axle trucks in N scale - maybe the ones used on the Kato RSC3 would work.

Then you'd have the sideframes to make.

No easy task.

[Mark5]

Interesting that Bowser is Baldwining away!

Current lineup:

Baldwin AS-16
Baldwin AS-616
Baldwin DS-4-4-1000
Baldwin RS-12
Baldwin S-8
Baldwin S-12
Baldwin VO-660
Baldwin VO-1000

[DKS]

What happened to the Dismal Swap project? Do we need to order some take-out from IHOP?

[wazzou]

What happened to the Dismal Swap project? Do we need to order some take-out from IHOP?

Probably only partly finished it.

[Dave V]

Iain, you have to go where the heart leads you.  And if that means HO, then vaya con Dios.

N scale is a great many things, but it's not appropriate for every single requirement.  I think a small point-to-point NS layout in HO could be very hot!

[sirenwerks]

I am really surprised no one's done an AS616 in N yet. Might be a good fit for FVM, since the Milwaukee owned them. An AS16 and S12 would be nice too.

[lashedup]

AS416 would be a challenge to kitbash.



The shell could probably most easily be done via some Chris33 type etching.

The axles on those trucks look more close together than on common six axle trucks in N scale - maybe the ones used on the Kato RSC3 would work.

Then you'd have the sideframes to make.

No easy task.

That thing is squared-off enough that you could nearly etch the whole thing in brass if you can find a mechanism for it.

[asarge]

I've been wanting the AS616 for a long time. C&O may have had the most and they used them most out of Cincinnati and a few at Russell.

Unfortunately I don;t think we'll see and N scale AS616 anytime in the near future if at all.

[Bob Bufkin]

I've been begging companies for years to do some Baldwin roadswitchers.  Badly needed in N.  After Atlas did their Baldwin switcher I had high hopes they might do it.  Anyone listening.  WE NEED BALDWINS SWITCHERS!!!! >

[lock4244]

You think you've got problems? Look at the rooster tease Atlas is doing to me with this for the HO crowd:

http://www.atlasrr.com/HOLoco/hogp40-2w.htm

I hate Atlas for doing this to me, but I wouldn't even consider switching to HO because of it.

The only saving grace for the Baldwin locomotives is that eventually all other diesel models will have been done in N... eventually someone will have to do an AS616 

[Philip H]

You think you've got problems? Look at the rooster tease Atlas is doing to me with this for the HO crowd:

http://www.atlasrr.com/HOLoco/hogp40-2w.htm

I hate Atlas for doing this to me, but I wouldn't even consider switching to HO because of it.

The only saving grace for the Baldwin locomotives is that eventually all other diesel models will have been done in N... eventually someone will have to do an AS616 

I'd take two of those in n scale . . . . and one or two of their gensets . . . .