MTL Sw 1500 delay

[JoeD]

Hey folks. I just wanted to let everyone know semi-officially that all our SW 1500 releases are going to be delayed due to technical issues with our off shore vendor. We will be posting when things get sorted out and we can start making deliveries. I hope we didn't spoil anyone's holiday gift giving but it was unavoidable. More as soon as I know it.

Joe

[peteski]

Ruh, ruh!  Let the floggings commence! 
Serisously though, thanks for the info.

[Joetrain59]

Joe,
 While you're at it, can light the cab end????
 Joe D

[sirenwerks]

And can you add a GN painted release too?

[milwsd45]

Any update on when these should be available? I pre-ordered a WP back when they were first announced. Thanks.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Will you guys just buy the tooling from Walthers already

[peteski]

Will you guys just buy the tooling from Walthers already

Would it be that easy?  Isn't' the tooling owned by the Chinese company which is making these parts for Walthers?  And even if they could get their hands on the tooling, would it be compatible with the injection-molding machines MTL uses?

[milw12]

Is the "technical issue" because of a last minute decision to place the cancelled MKT run on the same shipment? 

One can dream....

Wally's SW1200 have been pushed out to the end of February now, much to my chagrin. Given the same mechanism I wonder if it's related?

-Lucas

[nkalanaga]

Peteski:  Since our auto filter factory got into injection molding, I've learned a lot about the hardware side, to go with the technical stuff gleaned from model railroad magazines and forums over the years.  I think you hit the big snag with your second question.

The engineers at our plant told me once that, not only do the tools have to be matched to the capacity of the press, every manufacturer uses a different press design, so, in most cases, a tool will only work in a particular brand and model of press.  And there are a lot of brands and models.

[ridinshotgun]

Would it be that easy?  Isn't' the tooling owned by the Chinese company which is making these parts for Walthers?  And even if they could get their hands on the tooling, would it be compatible with the injection-molding machines MTL uses?

I was to understand that MTL makes their own shells and puts them on the chassis (which is from China) from Walthers.  So in reality if they can get walthers chassis then the injection molding would be done by MTL, whether here or China.  So I don't think compatibility with MTL machines would be any issue.

[peteski]

I was to understand that MTL makes their own shells and puts them on the chassis (which is from China) from Walthers.  So in reality if they can get walthers chassis then the injection molding would be done by MTL, whether here or China.  So I don't think compatibility with MTL machines would be any issue.

Um, the metal frames are also injection molded metal. That's what we are discussing, no?  Plastic is not the only thing that gets injection molded.I'm not an expert on this, but I know that the frames are molded in multi-part molds where the metal gets injected. Maybe that process is not called injection-molding?  Dunno. But the compatibility problem still exists.

[ridinshotgun]

Um, the metal frames are also injection molded metal. That's what we are discussing, no?  Plastic is not the only thing that gets injection molded.I'm not an expert on this, but I know that the frames are molded in multi-part molds where the metal gets injected. Maybe that process is not called injection-molding?  Dunno. But the compatibility problem still exists.

I was talking about the injection molding for the shells supplied by MTL.

There are only a handful of factories in China that do the molding of the frames for various brands. So IF MTL did buy the molds from Walthers then the frame is going to be produced in all likely hood at the very same factory that does the currently does the production.  I don't know the legalities of how the mold ownership works in China.  We know that Lowell Smith bought the molds for the passenger cars and I am pretty sure that those were made in China and are going back into production. Did those move to another factory?  I doubt it.   I don't see the issue you think exists.  They buy the molds and have them produced in China like they currently are (and probably at the same factory) and then put there shells on that they supply.  The only change is getting rid of the middle man, Walthers.

[peteski]

I was talking about the injection molding for the shells supplied by MTL.

There are only a handful of factories in China that do the molding of the frames for various brands. So IF MTL did buy the molds from Walthers then the frame is going to be produced in all likely hood at the very same factory that does the currently does the production.  I don't know the legalities of how the mold ownership works in China.  We know that Lowell Smith bought the molds for the passenger cars and I am pretty sure that those were made in China and are going back into production. Did those move to another factory?  I doubt it.   I don't see the issue you think exists.  They buy the molds and have them produced in China like they currently are (and probably at the same factory) and then put there shells on that they supply.  The only change is getting rid of the middle man, Walthers.

But the shells aren't a problem - like you said MTL molds their own, in-house. MTL designed and owns the SW-1500 molds for shells and truck side frames (and they are in USA). The delay in producing the metal chassis/mechanism  is the problem.  To be honest, I'm not quite sure what you are hinting at.

[Chris333]

I'm sure they could do the die cast frame halves. But there is a motor, gears, circuit boards. Lots of stuff the MTL would have to learn and spend a lot on new equipment.

[ridinshotgun]

But the shells aren't a problem - like you said MTL molds their own, in-house. MTL designed and owns the SW-1500 molds for shells and truck side frames (and they are in USA). The delay in producing the metal chassis/mechanism  is the problem.  To be honest, I'm not quite sure what you are hinting at.

I think I spoke in pretty plain English and didn't hint at anything.   

But to repeat myself    ..... I don't see the issue you think exists.