color help on future release at MTL

[up1950s]

Frankly I like MTL posting here and not just there , but the more we sound like the other there , he will be nowhere near here to be found . 

[asarge]

I almost have to wonder if the photographer edited the tint on it a little. Have taken pics of some of the cars but it looks like somebody added a purple to the Oxide Red.

[John]

They make a box with a door... you know that's a match man.

be nice 

[Robbman]

be nice 

That was being nice... given that Joe has more peers here than anywhere else (i.e, people that actually design, research, and do artwork for model trains), he should know he's going to get some jibes here and there. 

[sirenwerks]

Companies pay good money for this type of market research, whether they right it off because it's free and has attitude is MTL's business, but you can't deny that it's meaningful and insightful feedback all the same.

And Joe, I appreciate the need for MTL to get as much as it can from its tooling, but if tooling exists at another company that's closer (meaning, a model match) I'd say back to the drawing board for schemes that match the car you have. Maybe new tooling is what is needed, not just new paint.

[Mark5]

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=712847

I think what we have here is a photo where ambient light is giving false clues about the coloration.

[3DTrains]

Without knowing what the photographer's camera settings were, I would try and match the photo to a range of Pantone colors, and then make an attempt to take those colors and match them to the prototype. Don't use printouts - use the real McCoy Pantone swatches.

Using an HP LP2475w color-corrected monitor, the closest match (IMHO) is Pantone 1797, but depending on the time of day, camera settings and angle, not to mention that the metal has a ripple that affects the 2D image and also being in direct sunlight, it could also be Pantone 186, 192, or 1935. A small sample clip is below for reference (I would try for a broader range of 10 or 15 colors, however):



FWIW.

Cheers!
Marc - 3DTrains.com

[JoeD]

We've done the State of Maine cars before but that didn't stop Bryan from doing them (abit the correct car)  So I think it's unrealistic to say we shouldn't do a car just because folks don't like the rib count or the position of the brake hardware.   The concept here is to get folks into the hobby.  It kinda works like we hook em' with fancy paint schemes and Bryan and others who have the the kind of business that can survive making cars with a handfull of paint schemes take care of them when they really get into the prototype.    I have to work with what I have and I have to make product that the wider market wants, and in the middle of all that try and figure out ways to move towards a better car.  We also have bills to pay and employees who really like the idea of getting a check that they can cash every other week.  Poping out new body styles to make legit a unique paint scheme is a tall order these days. We could never do what Craig did with the Tri Cool.  He is in a better position to do unique cars like that. 

Besides, all I wanted was a color reference... :'(


Off to slumberland where everyone likes me and all my paint schemes are correct!   ;D

Cheers

Joe

Companies pay good money for this type of market research, whether they right it off because it's free and has attitude is MTL's business, but you can't deny that it's meaningful and insightful feedback all the same.

And Joe, I appreciate the need for MTL to get as much as it can from its tooling, but if tooling exists at another company that's closer (meaning, a model match) I'd say back to the drawing board for schemes that match the car you have. Maybe new tooling is what is needed, not just new paint.

[GaryHinshaw]

Poping out new body styles...

I know this is a typo; but I'm not sure which letter is missing.   ;D

[DKS]

Poping out new body styles to make legit a unique paint scheme is a tall order these days.

I know this is a typo; but I'm not sure which letter is missing.   ;D

I really needed a good laugh. Thank you for this.

[JoeD]

My mom would say "Your either handsome or a good speller, but never both!" ;D



   ;D

I know this is a typo; but I'm not sure which letter is missing.   ;D


I really needed a good laugh. Thank you for this.

[DKS]

My mom would say "Your either handsome or a good speller, but never both!" ;D

Well then, anyone who looks at my avatar will know I'm a great speller.

[sirenwerks]

We've done the State of Maine cars before but that didn't stop Bryan from doing them (abit the correct car)  So I think it's unrealistic to say we shouldn't do a car just because folks don't like the rib count or the position of the brake hardware.   The concept here is to get folks into the hobby.  It kinda works like we hook em' with fancy paint schemes and Bryan and others who have the the kind of business that can survive making cars with a handfull of paint schemes take care of them when they really get into the prototype.    I have to work with what I have and I have to make product that the wider market wants, and in the middle of all that try and figure out ways to move towards a better car.  We also have bills to pay and employees who really like the idea of getting a check that they can cash every other week.  Poping out new body styles to make legit a unique paint scheme is a tall order these days. We could never do what Craig did with the Tri Cool.  He is in a better position to do unique cars like that. 

Besides, all I wanted was a color reference... :'(

So Bussey's (last names are the only way to deal with the all the Bryans flying around here) business model is successful enough to produce the right car with the right scheme at a price point not far from MTL's. The only thing left to do is increase his distribution channel to MTL's level and, BAM!, new-comers being attracted to the hobby WITH prototypicalness! What a novel concept. Increase his volume via broader distribution and, wow, realistic modeling suddenly has sales tooth.

The rest is kind of a bulverism. As an example, it's like when a nonprofit becomes obsolete because it's mission is reached or becomes obsolete, and it decides to do something else just so everyone there has a job.

Perhaps MTL needs to consider a change in business model, more like Bussey's and Craig's, or as a distributor, capitalizing on its distribution powers. Companies do change business models, and it's easier for smaller companies to do so than larger ones.

As for 'poping', maybe it wasn't a misspelling. Maybe MTL has a god complex.  ;D

[DKS]

As for 'poping', maybe it wasn't a misspelling. Maybe MTL has a god complex.  ;D

[mcjaco]

and, BAM!, new-comers being attracted to the hobby WITH prototypicalness! What a novel concept. 

Some of you need to spend serious time in a hobby shop watching noobs come in and shop.  They don't care what they're buying, as long as it appeals to them. 

Joe's right.  Get them in the door.  Let the a$$hat-edness come later.