ScaleTrains Acquires ExactRail

[bigdawgks]

Well that's great for UP modelers. But for everyone else there doesn't seem to be any investment from ScaleTrains in that era.

[C855B]

I imagine that a UP Veranda Turbine is in the works, which ran from 1954 to 1964.

I dunno, Bob. Not an unreasonable assumption, but it's not going to be on the Standard chassis. ST boxed themselves into a corner by making the frame fill the full-width body. Only usable tooling they could port to a Veranda would be the truck assemblies.

The ST Standard turbines are by far the best runners on my railroad. All that weight and 16 independently-suspended wheels of power pickup make a huge difference.

[thomasjmdavis]

Well that's great for UP modelers. But for everyone else there doesn't seem to be any investment from ScaleTrains in that era.

I think they missed the real market for carbon black hoppers when they produced 1977 & 1992 versions, but left out all the cars in use from 1925 (or so) through 1977.

But that Scale Trains does not make much of anything (other than turbines) for any era before 1967 (freight cars) or 1984 (diesel locos) doesn't bother me. Modern equipment has been their niche since day 1. 

What bothers me is that the companies with tooling for USRA through 1956 don't produce much with their existing tooling. And when they do produce, more often than not run them in 1960s and 70s paint schemes- or fantasy paint schemes for souvenir cars.  Of course, anytime I want, I could raise $10 million  and invest in the tooling for my own company.  Anybody want to loan me $9,999,950 at 2019 interest rates?

[C855B]

But that Scale Trains does not make much of anything (other than turbines) for any era before 1967 (freight cars) or 1984 (diesel locos) doesn't bother me. Modern equipment has been their niche since day 1.

Welllllll... not exactly. But I guess you're talking about N scale. Their HO lineup includes the GP30 (1963) and SD45 (1966), and we already have a reliable report that the GP30 is being ported to N.

Can't argue on the freight cars, though. ST's HO has the issues you cite.

The overall problem here is transition era cars have been overdone... but in the early years of N scale production, with the quality and fidelity problems thereof. What I suspect you're looking for is truly new design and production. IMO that's going to be a tough nut to crack with the Johnny-come-lately manufacturers. I think appealing to MTL to retool previous designs to 21st Century model production standards is going to be our best bet.

[robert3985]

I dunno, Bob. Not an unreasonable assumption, but it's not going to be on the Standard chassis. ST boxed themselves into a corner by making the frame fill the full-width body. Only usable tooling they could port to a Veranda would be the truck assemblies.

The ST Standard turbines are by far the best runners on my railroad. All that weight and 16 independently-suspended wheels of power pickup make a huge difference.

Yeah, I love mine too!  Working right now on a few added details to flush out the ST missed details. Not sure if I'll need to get them etched or just print 'em here at home.

You're almost entirely correct about the only usable tooling being the trucks.  The tender would also be the same for the Verandas, which were never run without 'em.

I think they'll wait a couple of years before they do it, and have a few more runs of the Standard Turbine sell out, which is only good business.

Cheerio!
Bob Gilmore

[nickelplate759]

I dunno, Bob. Not an unreasonable assumption, but it's not going to be on the Standard chassis. ST boxed themselves into a corner by making the frame fill the full-width body. Only usable tooling they could port to a Veranda would be the truck assemblies.

The ST Standard turbines are by far the best runners on my railroad. All that weight and 16 independently-suspended wheels of power pickup make a huge difference.

Well, at the very least they could do GE 101 / UP 50 (the double-ended demonstrator).

[robert3985]

Well that's great for UP modelers. But for everyone else there doesn't seem to be any investment from ScaleTrains in that era.

Yup.  It IS really great for us! 

ST is a business, and as such picks and chooses what will sell the best.  I notice that all of their runs of all three models of UP turbines have sold out.  I haven't checked any stores or eBay because I bought half a dozen of their Standard Turbines and don't really "need" any more right now, but a couple of friends have said that they're nearly impossible to find.

However, I would LOVE to see what ST would do with a run of GP7's, GP9's and GP9 Booster Units!  I don't think that would be too expensive to produce, and "museum quality" units with DCC Sound would be fabulous!

And, while they're at it, since they like UP and it sells well, how about some quality "museum quality" UP riveted/welded cabooses with correct trucks, fine separate details and cupola interiors???  Yeah!  I'm selling my old Intermountain/Centralia Car Shops UP CA3/CA4 cabooses for over $100 a pop right now, so there's definitely a need.

You might write to them and makes some 50's motive power suggestions...I think I will!

Cheerio!
Bob Gilmore

[peteski]

So, all three models were a considerable investment for ScaleTrains, and they definitely ran before the 1960's...and they're all sold out.

About a month ago (when I bought another set) quite a few were still  available (but many *WERE* sold out).  I like the fact that when you go to a specific item, it  shows when it was  produced.

[sp org div]

Oh boy could it be…
a better chance to finally see the N scale version of Exactrail’s Southern Pacific Gunderson 7466 woodchip gondolas!?!
Come on guys… say it is so! 
We are talking numerous cars to serve lumber mills and paper plants
Every western modeler needs a cut of these rollin on down the main
Im in for at least a dozen right out of the gate here…

[ridinshotgun]

Oh boy could it be…
a better chance to finally see the N scale version of Exactrail’s Southern Pacific Gunderson 7466 woodchip gondolas!?!
Come on guys… say it is so! 
We are talking numerous cars to serve lumber mills and paper plants
Every western modeler needs a cut of these rollin on down the main
Im in for at least a dozen right out of the gate here…

Now that is what I am talking about when I say I want to see the HO stuff brought over to N.   

[OldEastRR]

Let us hope this will not be another case of the new company concentrating on just the HO products they can now produce, while the N stuff production dwindles away   ... oh yes of course they have to make money, so if cutting N production helps there, why not? Right?

[nkalanaga]

"Southern Pacific Gunderson 7466 woodchip gondolas"

Are these the plywood-sided ones?  If so, GN and SP&S bought almost identical ones.  And, as you said, they could be seen almost anywhere in the Northwest, well into the BN era.  A few might have made it to BNSF, although I doubt that they were relettered.

[ridinshotgun]

"Southern Pacific Gunderson 7466 woodchip gondolas"

Are these the plywood-sided ones?  If so, GN and SP&S bought almost identical ones.  And, as you said, they could be seen almost anywhere in the Northwest, well into the BN era.  A few might have made it to BNSF, although I doubt that they were relettered.

Yes they were the composite gondolas with wood sides.

http://www.railgoat.railfan.net/spcars/byclass/gon/g100-12.htm

[nkalanaga]

Thank you!  I did note the comment "They did not have bottom discharge gates and were intended to be unloaded by roatary dumpers exclusively."

The GN/SP&S cars had one end door, and could be end-dumped, by lifting the other end of the car.  We saw this regularly at the paper mill in Wallula, Washington.  Also, they were stenciled for between 6000 and 6200 cf, depending on the series.

[ridinshotgun]

Thank you!  I did note the comment "They did not have bottom discharge gates and were intended to be unloaded by roatary dumpers exclusively."

The GN/SP&S cars had one end door, and could be end-dumped, by lifting the other end of the car.  We saw this regularly at the paper mill in Wallula, Washington.  Also, they were stenciled for between 6000 and 6200 cf, depending on the series.

The earlier 70 ton class did have bottom gates and was a composite construction so maybe a tooling of that car would sell more and be useable by more modelers but at least the early versions of the 100 ton cars exists in HO so the design work on that model is already mostly complete just requires rescaling.

At least one customer on the SP had a vacuum system instead of a rotary dump. I am pretty sure it is still in use but by a wood products manufacturer and not a paper mill. I saw pictures from a few years ago and it was still in operation.