Pre-announcement announcement: N scale school bus kit

[DKS]

Look for an official announcement in the very near future for a new kit from NZT: an N scale school bus. If it seems as though NZT has been very quiet lately, it's because I've been working with Stonebridge Models developing new 3D laser cutting and parts mastering techniques. After literally months of research and development (trial and error), we've finally achieved success with the school bus--a model I've been planning to introduce since before I formed NZT. I may pull the trigger on some etched stainless mirror details, but that remains to be seen. Also undetermined is the casting color: clear, white or yellow.

Fresh from the mold, the first test casting:











Price to be determined.

Also on the way, to be introduced at the same time, is a Caterpillar D2 crawler.

[Scottl]

That looks excellent.  A great product to put on the market, lots of people can use this.

[Kisatchie]

That looks great. I'd vote for yellow castings. Since I'm modeling 1971, I'd like to know what year schoolbus is it?



Hmm... kindergarten...?

[VonRyan]

DKS, Love the Bus! Perhaps for the future you might consider the "Flat front" type school buses as well, and perhaps even a "short-bus".

I certainly will be in for one or even two of these.

-Cody F.

[DKS]

Since I'm modeling 1971, I'd like to know what year schoolbus is it?

This is a "genericized" version of an International chassis with a Bluebird-ish body. The chassis covers a range of dates from the early 70s through the early 80s. One reason I chose International as opposed to GMC or Ford is that their chassis didn't change as much over the years. (Plus it's a lot easier to model...)

A good reference: http://www.schoolbusdriver.org/oldshots2.html

Perhaps for the future you might consider the "Flat front" type school buses as well, and perhaps even a "short-bus".

Definitely.

[Dave V]

...perhaps even a "short-bus".

At the risk of the banhammer, you could mark the Short Bus with "The Railwire School."

[VonRyan]

At the risk of the banhammer, you could mark the Short Bus with "The Railwire School."

+1

Why am i not surprised that your the one who brought that up...   

-Cody F.

[C855B]

Good call on the chassis/body choices. Robyn thanks you. She's a Bluebird* fan. We'll be good for four or five even though it is a reach in era/geography for our layout.

That school bus site is fun. I loved the Crowns, especially the dual-axle he shows on the site, about 2/3 down the page. They were heavy and had a really cushy, quiet ride, much better than the Gilligs our district also had. The bus in the pic was from a school district near where I grew up. Made in L.A., you mostly found Crowns on the West Coast.

* - Note that Bluebird also made an RV in the flat-face style. If you go with that body, converting it to an RV version would take no more than a little bit of filler.

[GaryHinshaw]

This looks really slick.  I have precious few roads planned for my pike, but I think I can find a home for some of these.

Seeing the wheels in the disassembled shot tells me that you might be just the guy to produce a line of truck tires with separate (and separately paintable) hubs of different styles.  This would be great for all those TOFC trailers I have with glossy black tires and hubs...

[bc6]

Very cool, Id love to see a few of those in BN Green & Black with decals.

[jmlaboda]

Looks really nice but it is way too new for my era...

[packers#1]

This is a "genericized" version of an International chassis with a Bluebird-ish body. The chassis covers a range of dates from the early 70s through the early 80s. One reason I chose International as opposed to GMC or Ford is that their chassis didn't change as much over the years. (Plus it's a lot easier to model...)

A good reference: http://www.schoolbusdriver.org/oldshots2.html

Aiken County still runs several of those today... Ed's Law for anyone to run them up to present day 

[Mark5]

This is a "genericized" version of an International chassis with a Bluebird-ish body. The chassis covers a range of dates from the early 70s through the early 80s. One reason I chose International as opposed to GMC or Ford is that their chassis didn't change as much over the years. (Plus it's a lot easier to model...)

Good choice. I could use one for sure. Will be curious to see how this looks painted.

If you decide to offer the swing out stop sign, please make it optional as they were not on school buses when I went to school (mid 70s).

I do recall that other states had these before we did (MD), so I guess the implementation dates vary by state and/or county.
 

Mark

[RockGp40]

My question is, how long have school buses had both amber and red warning lights? Did the amber warning lights come with the flip out stop signs, swing arms, and all other warning equipment?

When I was in school, school buses were just starting to transition from red to red and amber lights late 1980s-1990s.

[/end geek comments]

[tehachapifan]

Could they be made in clear resin? I usually shy away from vehicles where the windows need to be painted (as it is hard to do it where the effect is convincing), but I may need to make an exception with this one.