ScaleTrains to announce all-new N Scale locomotive at NSE Nashville

[mplsjct]

….probably gonna be some modern sh!t. 

Another wide cab something or other

Yawn.

[robert3985]

According to the ad in the NSC Magazine, they will be re-running the GTEL Big Blows.  I believe that all their UP turbine  locos have been sellouts. They will probably re-run the standard turbines too.

I was doing a search for a friend of mine today who wants a ConCor Veranda Tender and I suggested to him that a ScaleTrains Standard Turbine Tender would be a much better model.  I searched for quite a while and found NOTHING for any ScaleTrains Standard Turbines, nor their tenders...Glad I picked up four of 'em and one extra tender on the first run! 

Although I love their GTEL Superturbines, they don't fit my era.  I'm sure they'll be making one or two more runs of Standard Turbines pretty soon, and I'll pick up a couple or three more.

Cheerio!
Bob Gilmore

[Ed Kapuscinski]

If it's a ride at TVRM I bet it's a GP30.

[robert3985]

About time we get some good steam... 

Although that may be a joke, I'd go for an SP unskirted GS-Anything, or an MT-Anything...Or a UP TTT...

Cheerio!
Bob Gilmore

[garethashenden]

While its not something Scale Trains will do, the talk of needed steam models brings me back to something that most steam era modelers could use: a good modern 0-6-0. The Bachmann one finally runs ok, but its still crude. 0-6-0s, whether USRA or not, were everywhere for ages doing switching and, depending on the railroad, local freight trains. Something well detailed that runs well would be fantastic to have.

But I'd totally be up for a modern GP7/9/18/20 family of locomotives...

[Ike the BN Freak]

When I spoke to Shane at the Denver show in early April, he mentioned to me that as an early-mid 90s modeler, the loco announcement would be something I'd be interested in. So hoping its a 40-2, but if it is, I'll have to dump a bunch of Kato units I guess.

[EspeeGoldenState]

When I spoke to Shane at the Denver show in early April, he mentioned to me that as an early-mid 90s modeler, the loco announcement would be something I'd be interested in. So hoping its a 40-2, but if it is, I'll have to dump a bunch of Kato units I guess.

Early to mid 90s. With the SD70MAC as a header, that seems plausible. Though it could be an AC4400CW just the same. SD70MACs and AC400CWs both came out in 1993. AC6000CWs were 1995, so wouldn't quite be early-mid 90s.

Guess I could be wrong with the ES44AC/DC guess earlier, though they say that is in the pipeline since they hold the rights to the BNSF 25th Anniversary units. I couldn't imagine them holding on to the N scale and not utilizing that license.

[squirrelhunter]

Based in the success of their modern GE locomotives, I'd guess it will be an AC GE locomotive of some type.

On top of their staff's personal modeling needs, I also suspect they see the N market as much smaller than HO and the only stuff they can safely sell is modern (post 1990) or N trak runner items (turbines). I'd be really shocked if they ever do a 2nd gen diesel in N after the underwhelming response to the Carbon Black hoppers and C39-8's.

[MetroRedLine]

I'd be really shocked if they ever do a 2nd gen diesel in N after the underwhelming response to the Carbon Black hoppers and C39-8's.

I seriously doubt those models are an accurate representation of sales in the N scale '60s-'80s era market, since those offerings are relatively niche and specific to certain roads and geographies. If they released something in that era that's used by many Class Is then I wouldn't doubt they would sell well.

[wazzou]

I'd be really shocked if they ever do a 2nd gen diesel in N after the underwhelming response to the Carbon Black hoppers and C39-8's.

I don’t know if that’s a fair comparison really.
Two railroads purchased 161 C39-8’s and there’s what, one left but not still operating while if we are using the GP30 as the 2nd Gen option, almost 950 were built for nearly every major road with many examples still operating today, some in original as built configuration and many others having been used in rebuild programs.
And then, for me anyway I’d only heard of Carbon Black Hoppers.

[C855B]

I don’t know if that’s a fair comparison really. ...

I agree. The carbon black cars' lack of N popularity remains a mystery, as they were successful in HO. They are nice cars.

However, IMO the C39-8 was a total misfire. Hard to search the site for the conversation, but I recall a whole bunch of "what were they thinking?" response to the announcement.

Also, in @squirrelhunter 's response I'm hearing the old trope that N scalers only do "modern". Nuh uh. There's a survey thread from three years ago - https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=46332 - where I tabulated the responses to discover that, at least on TRW, the dominant (70%) modeling period(s) coincide with first- and second-generation diesels. Only 29% were modeling >1980, and of that a scant 17% interested in >2000. The response was large enough for the results to be statistically significant.

So, IMO:

GP30, in multiple configurations: winner.
SD45: winner.
SD40 or early SD40-2: winner (Intermountain seems to have the hots for mid- and late-production versions.)
SD40T-2: well, maybe. The proto sure has the longevity gene. Was shocked to see a couple through town last year.

Like I said up-thread, I'll be gorging myself on GP30s if they do them like they did in HO, with beaucoup numbers in UP. Almost enough to underwrite their tooling. At least my wallet will think so. 

[squirrelhunter]

Look, I'm not saying that there is no market for pre modern equipment, I'm just looking at the reality that Shane (and I assume the rest of the ST leadership) is an HO guy, their two main non modern offerings didn't sell well, and their modern stuff has basically flown off the shelves, it seems unlikely they will announce any of their 2nd generation HO diesels in N.

I spent over 30 minutes at the Plano Train Show back in 2018 trying to convince Shane there is a huge untapped market in N for a SD40 with new tooling and basic road specific details, but I don't think I got anywhere.

For whatever reason, its hard to convince manufacturers to make new tooling to replace the Atlas/Kato wide bodies (GP30, GP35, SD40, SD45). But given the number of people who still seem to run Kato SD40-2's after IM and BLI have come out with new ones, they may not be wrong.

[James Costello]

They had SD70MAC’s in the background of the recent coil car announcement.

Can you still see/find this image @High Hood??? I don't recall it being an 70MAC

FWIW, I still think it'll be SD40T-2 or an AC4400CW.

[mu26aeh]

Can you still see/find this image @High Hood??? I don't recall it being an 70MAC

FWIW, I still think it'll be SD40T-2 or an AC4400CW.

https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=54009.msg740961#msg740961

[TravelingCarpenter]

I wonder when the announcement is made will we hear a combination of sighs and groans? Some may jump for joy,while some may fist pump for the safety of their wallet!

I would venture to guess it is going to be a GEEMD7/9/30/35sd45ACE-2mt. In other words,, who knows. I just know I am safe, unless it is a RS27.

TC