BLMA bx-166 boxcars are up

[Ed Kapuscinski]

My question was more about paint schemes, but it's good to know they weren't only used in beer service.

[Philip H]

Food for thought — there is a reason you are seeing fewer and fewer photos of pre-production models on Railwire, from all of the manufacturers.

Bryan,
On the one hand, given the recent K-4 Kerfuffle, I can sort  of understand this.  On the other hand, I can't recall any pre-production photo labeled as such that generated that much heated debate.  Requests for changes and appropriate details and paint schemes - sure.  Many of us like to be useful resources for manufacturers willing to actually produce accurate models. But to claim tha posting a preproduction photo here generates NEGATIVE publicity . . . uh uh, not buying it.

What it appears folks here ARE frustrated with is two things - first, preproduction photos being passed off as production photos when items ship (which is where MBK is getting dinged at the moment), and stuff being shipped with no pre-production notice that people feel they still have to judge  against the prior performanc eof the manufacturer (see K4 - Bachmann and SD40-2, Intermountain).  I have no patience for the later: my one wade into the K4 battle was to tell people to knock off the Bachmann bashing over vaporware - but I do understand the consternation at the former.  Even here, when Craig has done an admirable job of both research and pre-production engagement with us, the first retail photo we saw was off.  Not his fault or BLMA's at all, but it did correctly raise eyebrows BECAUSE of his reputation for attention to detail.  I'm glad he was able to quickly clarify.

But if manufacturers DON'T want this sort of thing to happen, then they need to make sure that production photos are just that.  In this case BLMA could have photoed one of the products received and sent that photo to distributors and retailers to post.  They didn't and we had an incorrect photo until the cars arrived at MBK.

Now, lets back to real modeling . . . .

[davefoxx]

My question was more about paint schemes, but it's good to know they weren't only used in beer service.

@Ed Kapuscinski, I didn't address your paint scheme issue specifically, because I could only provide the obvious answer: that being the original paint scheme from 1974 should still have been out there in decent numbers only eleven years later.  Not being an ATSF guy, I don't know when the other paint schemes were done.

DFF

[Denver Road Doug]

OK Andy, here ya go...something positive...

Just an FYI in case anyone is interested, here are some links I posted about the originally announced "spartan scheme" cars that are mostly good for 90's/2000's/2010's.
https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=30087.msg328661#msg328661

I really love these cars, the real ones and the models.  Can't wait to pick mine up.  (the models, the real one's might strain the back...)   

[lajmdlr]

How many of you so called color experts have even seen the real freight cars? Doubt many at all have seen a real one - just pix & models! My experience w/ real RRs began as a railfan in 1970, Santa Fe Ry becoming a client (1974-1988) & being a conductor for 7 years.

[Scottl]

Good grief.  This is a thread full of First World problems.   

[unittrain]

Oh no a dark one http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/atsf/atsf621199asb.jpg  seriously getting a few their great models. thanks Craig.

[nscaler711]

Haters stop drinking Haterade, buy one then complain about it... Or enjoy it and shut up.

@Craig Martyn don't worry, I'll be buying a bunch... Or at least as far as my budget can handle  I love your products, I have a few of you 89' flats and i have literally no complaints. So these BX-166 will fit my mid '90s ATSF theme Perfectly, so thank you!

[reinhardtjh]

I'm glad I don't have to worry about this. It's hard enough being an SPF this year between coal hoppers (GLa, H21, H2a), covered hoppers (H30, H32), the "close enough" MTL Heavyweights and the alphabet soup of steam released (K4s) or about to be released (M1a/b) or released but needing fixed (L1s).

[nkalanaga]

Fortunately I don't have to worry about the shade of brown, as they're all too new for me...

I do have one of the as-delivered bright red ones reserved with Chuck, though, and am sure it will look just fine.  Every red ATSF car I have seems to be a slightly different shade, so this one should fit right in!

Incidentally, that order also had 7 IM cars, all of which have since been cancelled by IM.  Oh well, at least I'm getting one good car.

[tom mann]

This topic is no opened, but please refrain from overly aggressive criticism of either the model or other criticizers. 

[GonzoCRFan]

I like that photo too.  Looks like @GonzoCRFan and @rswinnerton are in it.

And which one of us is the black guy?

[Ike the BN Freak]

For someone who models the early 90s, would all 4 schemes be appropriate, or all but the spartan?

[nscaler711]

I believe all the red ones were repainted in the 80's... But I could be wrong...

[ednadolski]

Are these appropriate for BN and/or BNSF?    Any relevant patches or repaints?

Ed