MTL SW1500 test shots.

[Puddington]

So why does Rapido bother trying to get details right?

Totaly different business model - we produce to order and no more. We bring a model out once and if you miss it, you miss it. We might re-run it many years later. We focus on odd, mostly Canadian prototypes not mass produced and well known multi road units and we are usually not the lowest priced product in the market .

 MTL business model is very different   Both models tend to serve a different base but clearly cross over on some levels. You can't compare the two approaches. Both come with pluese and minuses.

[DKS]

It does seem that with every single new locomotive release, irrespective of manufacturer, this forum plays out the same narrative with the same voices playing the same roles.

QFT.

A fundamental truth is that there's a point of diminishing returns, and this can be applied to many aspects of this discussion. MTL could beat their collective heads against the wall in order to satisfy a tiny minority of fussy modelers, and after a point they will start to lose money--those last few sales will come at a price they (and potentially their customers) can ill afford. The same can also be said about this discussion: you can present your personal perspective on the matter just so many times before it starts becoming counterproductive--the harder you pound your fist on the table, the less likely people will listen.

Or, in the words of Ian MacMillan, I like turtles.

[Scottl]

These last few comments could be distilled and pinned to the top of every new announcement.  Otherwise, it is like Groundhog Day.

[johnh35]

If you were to look at the first page of this thread, you would find:

I saw that, you missed the point. In development does not mean it is available, and no guarantee that it will be. I have seen other releases that were "DCC ready" that no one ever released a decoder for. At $120 a pop, how many will MTL sell and if the decoder is a new one off that only works for that model, then what?

[johnh35]

Without getting into a discussion that may tread on proprietary information I can say that high quality n scale style motors are right now very hard to source.

Maybe so. But if Bman and Dapol can do it, they must be somewhere.

[Puddington]

There are a limited number of high quality motor suppliers; some have exclusive relationships with some  companies; others have capacity limitations that are causing excessive wait times. There are new factories coming on stream but hitching your wagon to a new start up comes with some inherent risks.

Do you know what modeller hate almost as much as an average running unit? They hate waiting for it to hit the market because you are trying to get a high quality motor.... Its not as simple as it might appear.

[Chris333]

Plus doesn't Bachmann now control the weather.

[basementcalling]

What's next, asshats asking, "Does this paintscheme make my SW1500 look fatter?"
 

[peteski]

Or, in the words of Ian MacMillan, I like turtles.

I'm pretty sure that I introduced the "I like turtles" video into TRW fold. Ian took serious liking to it. 


I'm a squid!

[peteski]

I saw that, you missed the point. In development does not mean it is available, and no guarantee that it will be. I have seen other releases that were "DCC ready" that no one ever released a decoder for. At $120 a pop, how many will MTL sell and if the decoder is a new one off that only works for that model, then what?

You're right - I missed the point and I still do.

There is a whole slew of plug-n-play decoders manufactured for some specific model.  Nobody is complaining that there is a decoder specifically designed for IM FT, or MT FT. Or for a Kato RDC. Where is the problem?

[DKS]

I'm pretty sure that I introduced the "I like turtles" video into TRW fold. Ian took serious liking to it.

Sorry to deflate your little balloon, Peteski, but Ian's been using that phrase since before you were a member.

[johnh35]

You're right - I missed the point and I still do.

There is a whole slew of plug-n-play decoders manufactured for some specific model.  Nobody is complaining that there is a decoder specifically designed for IM FT, or MT FT. Or for a Kato RDC. Where is the problem?

Peteski, if I were a decoder manufacturer I would hesitate to make a decoder for an item of such potentially low volume (unless I had one that only required minimal modifications. Again, you missed the point which is the decoder may or may not materialize. The LL SW9 was produced in volume and yet no decoder was ever made. Call me a cynic.

[JoeD]

  To the comment about the decoder...Digitrax is making one...the reason no one made it for the Life Like Chassis in the past is that there was no way to isloate the motor from the chassis without some trick hand work. Given the drive for everything to be RTR and Drop in, the cost to do it was probably prohibitive.  Now that we have made the components to make the change, if we offer those seperate, the conversion becomes a bit easier.

Joe

[learmoia]

To the comment about the decoder...Digitrax is making one...the reason no one made it for the Life Like Chassis in the past is that there was no way to isloate the motor from the chassis without some trick hand work. Given the drive for everything to be RTR and Drop in, the cost to do it was probably prohibitive.  Now that we have made the components to make the change, if we offer those seperate, the conversion becomes a bit easier.

Joe

Cool looks like Digitrax is going the same route as the TCS "CN" Decoder series. 

This decoder could have HUGE application potential for older Atlas and Kato units.

Do you know if Digitrax plans to include solder pads for installing Cab headlight LED's?

Sounds like this is how Walthers claimed the SW1200 was "DCC Ready".. when (we all thought) they were full of cr*p.

I'm not familiar with the Life Like SW8/9/1200 frame history to know how 'backwards compatible' this decoder will be for those who can easily isolate the motor from the frame..

Cool!. ~Ian

[peteski]

You know, this photo of the mechanism shows something so obvious, I'm surprised nobody has mentioned.  The motor itself is thin enough for a scale-width hood. But it sits in a plastic cradle which probably adds about 0.060" to the overall width of the frame.  Lose that cradle and the loco can have scale-width hood!  There are plenty of locos out there which utilize this type of a design. 











And many more....