Walthers announces new PRR tower, problem is...

[SkipGear]

Thinking of using this tower too. Can you tell me what scale this drawing is, or possibly how much I should reduce it .....Thanx....Mike

That drawing is not really to any particular scale. I have it scaled properly in Corel. Once I get around to it, I can offer it as a kit. The sticking point right now is the windows. There isn't a commercial window that matches the upstairs windows. I am considering modifying an existing tichy window by sectioning a tall window to create the smaller upper pane.

The tower in it's hey day..... http://northamericaninterlockings.com/images/lovelandOHb&w.jpg?268

[ai5629]

My belief that these towers did not sell well was based on two observations.  First, they seemed to be available on the etailers web sites for a very long time, several years.  And second, my LHS has an Alto tower sitting on his shelf that has been in the same place for four years now, and he is in Pittsburgh.  This led me to beleive they did not sell well.  None of this is based on any real sales data or industry insider information, just my observations.  If they were a sucess for NSA, then that is great to hear.  Being a Conrail/Pennsylvania RR Pittsburgh area modeler, anything Pennsy in N scale is welcome and will most likely be purchased by me.

Jeff

[rtroop]

There is a reason the Alto Tower didn’t sell.  The model is not an accurate N Scale model. It’s about 25% oversized.  I purchased the kit when it was first released.  I didn’t immediately realize the size discrepancy as I began to assemble the kit. It’s a beautiful laser cut kit that’s highly detailed but unfortunately it’s oversized and useless on the layout. Mine ended up as a decorative piece on a shelf above my computer desk.

[towl1996]

Once I get around to it, I can offer it as a kit. 

The tower in it's hey day..... http://northamericaninterlockings.com/images/lovelandOHb&w.jpg?268

I would be interested in purchasing the kit if offered, it would look good on any Pennsy layout.

I too don't think the walthers kit will ever make it to N.

I bought Alto and MG because it was the PRR and to support the cause, but I don't model those areas so they are still in the box. The problem with the Pennsy is most things are so iconic or so specific its hard to re purpose them elsewhere. So it goes with the Standard Railroad of the World.

[Ian MacMillan]

There is a reason the Alto Tower didn’t sell.  The model is not an accurate N Scale model. It’s about 25% oversized.  I purchased the kit when it was first released.  I didn’t immediately realize the size discrepancy as I began to assemble the kit. It’s a beautiful laser cut kit that’s highly detailed but unfortunately it’s oversized and useless on the layout. Mine ended up as a decorative piece on a shelf above my computer desk.

Again the statement that it did not sell well is false. Yes it was slightly large as we had to go off of several photos as NS would not allow access to the property for proper measurements and at the time calls for blueprints turned nil. It turns out to be more like 1/140 unfortuntely It was something that I did not know about until release. The HO version is more like S scale. Maybe in the future I could do a rerun at the proper measurements if $$$$ allows.

The kits tht ended up at the "stores" were over runs from the pre-orders. Preorders were 100 units. I believe only 20 were made for retail.

Like I said earlier, both were custom limited runs, so they were pretty much only made to cover preorders, with a few over runs. Same with Brian/Chucks Johnsonville tower,its a very limited run that you will hear about very shortly. I believe maybe at NSC.

[Mike C]

That drawing is not really to any particular scale. I have it scaled properly in Corel. Once I get around to it, I can offer it as a kit. The sticking point right now is the windows. There isn't a commercial window that matches the upstairs windows. I am considering modifying an existing tichy window by sectioning a tall window to create the smaller upper pane.

The tower in it's hey day..... http://northamericaninterlockings.com/images/lovelandOHb&w.jpg?268

 I was thinking of doing it as a paper model ( using the paper pics on some foamcore) probably as a background model.  I might just mess with the copier percentages till I get something that looks good....Thanks man !! ....Mike