What's in the wind about ....?

[OldEastRR]

MTL PRR mail train?
KATO's FEF?
Atlas FAs? (OK, heard they'll be here in March)

I thought we'd be seeing these things round about now. Anybody got news or rumors?

[thomasjmdavis]

According to the announcement on the Micro-trains homepage, the PRR mail train will be here mid-February.

[wes_sutton]

MTL PRR mail train?
KATO's FEF?
Atlas FAs? (OK, heard they'll be here in March)

I thought we'd be seeing these things round about now. Anybody got news or rumors?

Global shipping line disruptions
Container shortages
COVID does exist = staff absences throughout the materials, manufacturing and logistics chains
Chinese New Year

Delays are inevitable.

[ljudice]

Is the paired window coach with 2 axle trucks new?

[reinhardtjh]

Is the paired window coach with 2 axle trucks new?

Yes.  Previously it's been a 6-wheel.  Also new is the 4-wheel truck on the baggage car.

[southernman]

Yes.  Previously it's been a 6-wheel.  Also new is the 4-wheel truck on the baggage car.

I hope those baggage car trucks are available separately as I would like to convert my current PRR baggage car to a two axle truck.

[MetroRedLine]

Global shipping line disruptions
Container shortages
COVID does exist = staff absences throughout the materials, manufacturing and logistics chains
Chinese New Year

Delays are inevitable.

Chinese New Year isn't really a factor in terms of delays; ALL of the factories (not just the ones that make model trains) close down for 1-2 weeks during the holiday, and manufacturers always factor it into their release schedules anyway since it's expected. And none of the items currently in transit are affected by the holiday since they left the factory months ago anyway.

[bbussey]

The trucks may be available now. If they aren’t the single-window coach truck frames due to a new bolster hole location, they probably are available directly from MTL.

[thomasjmdavis]

I suspect that the bolster location shown is a "cut and paste" error, borrowing the 4 wheel truck from the single window coach.  But also of course possible that they have done some tooling sleight of hand to move the location.  In any case, what is shown in the graphic in my earlier post is different from the original baggage car offset bolster position. Perhaps a question for @MTLJoe , with apologies if it has been asked and answered on a previous thread. 

Using some parts on hand, here is what a 4 wheel MTL truck looks like on an original baggage car body and frame.  The trucks do (barely) clear the steps on the end of the car, at least on mine. (edit) But see the post below from nickleplate739 about couplers interfering.

[southernman]

Are those the trucks for the single window coach?

[nickelplate759]

Coincidentally, I tried this same experiment (4-wheel trucks on MT baggage car) as part of my East Wind project.  The trucks really are a little too close to the end this way, and the wheels hit the body-mounted coupler so that the minimum radius is now too large (sorry, didn't measure it).  In the current 4-wheel truck can't see an easy way to move the bolster hole in the truck far enough, so I think the solution will need to be  moving the bolster on the car floor.   If MT revises the truck I think the hole can be moved enough however.  Wonder if they'll modify the bolster or floor?

[thomasjmdavis]

Are those the trucks for the single window coach?

Yes, although the photo is showing a lot of reflection of the LED desk lamp I was using as a light source, which is obscuring the spring details.  Here is another poor attempt, but shows the details better.  Overall, the MTL is a pretty good model of a 4 wheel GSC/Commonwealth HW truck with 8' axle spacing.

[OldEastRR]

Chinese New Year isn't really a factor in terms of delays; ALL of the factories (not just the ones that make model trains) close down for 1-2 weeks during the holiday, and manufacturers always factor it into their release schedules anyway since it's expected. And none of the items currently in transit are affected by the holiday since they left the factory months ago anyway.

Maybe 1-2 weeks of no containers shipping out from China means the backlog of loaded ones on the West Coast will be reduced somewhat.

[skeeter1024]

The FEF's are here if you are talking about the 8444 Greyhound.

Mark

[wes_sutton]

Chinese New Year isn't really a factor in terms of delays; ALL of the factories (not just the ones that make model trains) close down for 1-2 weeks during the holiday, and manufacturers always factor it into their release schedules anyway since it's expected. And none of the items currently in transit are affected by the holiday since they left the factory months ago anyway.

And when a percentage of workers don't return to their factories, as happens after every Chinese New Year, more disruption to schedules.