Why hasnt Atlas or Kato or.......... made a N scale NRE Genset

[Roger Holmes]

If this was the days of the old Con-Cor we'd probably have one by now.  They made some "very interesting" product choices in the '70's such as the UP Turbine w/ tender, UP U50 and not one but two variations of Chicago Bi-level commuter cars.   Items that the HO guys didn't see until decades later and all choices with fairly narrow market appeal although choices in the market were pretty slim by today's standards. BTW, I bought them all and still run my commuter cars!

[TiVoPrince]

Realistically 
they just don't want my money.  No other explanation is possible....

[jmlaboda]

Why haven't they made one?  Maybe its because there is so much more demand for many more locomotive models.

[SkipGear]

I think it is a combination of a couple things mentioned in this topic so far.

#1 - Small size, more appropriately - low profile hood.
#2 - No two are the same, and we are not just talking rivet counting, major design elements are different as almost every one is a rebuild of an older unit.
#3 - Not real popular except in the yards and switchers just don't sell that well period.

Jerry G (FCNRwy from Atlas froum) has built quite a few kitbashes that look amazing but the one thing he found was by the time you cut the frame down there was no room left for a decoder. This may be a big stumbling block for the manufactures because everything must be DCC convertable now it seems.

[fcnrwy]

Ya, I have taken a whack at these things..



Skipgear has pretty much summed up the present situation.

But as of the last year or so.   There have been new developements on the Genset front.
The newer units are getting larger powerplants and that means larger longhoods. (which modeling wise means = NO Chopping!!)
Also, by using RS-based units (RS1/ 3 etc....) one could now do the "Four-axle" versions.  But, they would be the smaller units.

The NRE 3GS21Bs are based on EMD GP-XX and GE  BXX-7 units.

So, the possiblity is much better now, to do some kind of Genset.  Then it was two- three years ago.
I just dont have space in my production schedule to dive back into this at this time.....

Jerry G.  (FCNrwy)

[wes_sutton]

Nothing to stop anyone else having a go if they think it's going to be such a hot seller.

[bc6]

Ya, I have taken a whack at these things..



Skipgear has pretty much summed up the present situation.

But as of the last year or so.   There have been new developements on the Genset front.
The newer units are getting larger powerplants and that means larger longhoods. (which modeling wise means = NO Chopping!!)
Also, by using RS-based units (RS1/ 3 etc....) one could now do the "Four-axle" versions.  But, they would be the smaller units.

The NRE 3GS21Bs are based on EMD GP-XX and GE  BXX-7 units.

So, the possiblity is much better now, to do some kind of Genset.  Then it was two- three years ago.
I just dont have space in my production schedule to dive back into this at this time.....

Jerry G.  (FCNrwy)

Tell me that those are HO scale, pleassssssssssse.

[Rossford Yard]

A potential problem with basing GenSets on the newer, bigger models just hitting the rails is that it may limit sales.  I would think they would prefer to come out with the earliest possible gensets on the rails, that are still operating on major roads, so those era specific modelers would have a bigger time window to consider them for their pikes.

Another problem is that we can never be satisfied!  I recall the old one caboose or boxcar fit all prototype days.  Don't want to go back to that, but at the same time, am amazed that Kato and others can do prototype specific passenger trains and make a profit.  Once you get past the ubiquitous prototypes, how many do you think can be sold?

[mcjaco]

And the Atlas HO versions are kind of generic, non dynamic versions. 

The proto CFNR unit, for example, has dynamics.  Atlas did a run with them on the non dynamic model.  Kind of like the GP15 Trainman run.

[flight2000]

Tell me that those are HO scale, pleassssssssssse.

Sure, but that would be a lie...   

Overland announced them back in late 2009, but at $600+ a copy, they didn't go over very well and the project was scrapped. 

Brian

[TiVoPrince]

Atlas
has the trucks (GP38-2) and motor (MP15DC) already in catalog.  Body has already been designed in HO so that shortcut may be helpful.  A newly designed frame and universals seem a non-trivial but worthwhile design excercise.  Effective lighting with working ditch lights while hard would really help sell the model.  I know that I spent a lot of time and effort installing working ditch lights in the HO version.  Ditch lights without animation really did not sell the HO version for me and reported problems with the MRC sound/animation decoder caused me to go soundless for now.  Someday I'm hoping for a genuine sound scheme for a sound only decoder that I can shoehorn in..

[sirenwerks]

Hopefully because they're working on some Baldwin models first.

[Kev1340]

Personally I'd rather see the 6 axle units:



Cheers,

Kev

[delamaize]

Personally I can think of quite a few other locos, both within and outside my era, that I would much rather see done first.  :RUEffinKiddingMe:When push comes to shove, their is huge holes in the avibility of common locomotives that will be better sellers than gen sets

[fcnrwy]

BC6  --  Sorrryyyy!

They ARE N-scale....

The UP and FC units are made from Atlas B23/30-7 locomotives.
The BNSF is from a Atlas GP38 loco.


Jerry G.