2025 Springfield Show News

[GaryHinshaw]

The Greenbriar and Trinity cars are indeed very similar.  Aside from the extra cuft  , the main difference is the end rib layout (maybe the roof pattern too?).

However, judging by their first release, the Aurora model is likely to be far better detailed than the ExactRail.  In particular, the door detail on the Aurora 60' cars is pretty spectacular for N scale:



Compare to the ExactRail 50' car (which has been a fine model):



These differences stand out when you just casually see them side by side.  And as Scott notes, the last run from EXR suffered from very slap-dash decoration (the slanted wording under the logo is not prototypical):



The Aurora cars will also have better end detail: etched cross walks, cut levers, air hoses.  It will be interesting to see what Scale Trains does with the EXR tooling.  I'm actually getting a bit overwhelmed with all the modern releases we're seeing these days...

[peteski]

N scale Krauss-Maffei ML4000

I spoke to the PIKO America rep. at the Amherst/Springfield show and while there are no immediate plans to make one in N scale, he mentioned how the N scale version of the H0 scale Whitcomb switcher was produced couple years after the H0 model, and there is a good chance same will happen with the Krauss-Maffei.  The more requests for this loco in N scale they get, the more of a chance of it being made in N scale.  So contact PIKO and request this model.

[basementcalling]

The Greenbriar and Trinity cars are indeed very similar.  Aside from the extra cuft  , the main difference is the end rib layout (maybe the roof pattern too?).

However, judging by their first release, the Aurora model is likely to be far better detailed than the ExactRail.  In particular, the door detail on the Aurora 60' cars is pretty spectacular for N scale:



Compare to the ExactRail 50' car (which has been a fine model):



These differences stand out when you just casually see them side by side.  And as Scott notes, the last run from EXR suffered from very slap-dash decoration (the slanted wording under the logo is not prototypical):



The Aurora cars will also have better end detail: etched cross walks, cut levers, air hoses.  It will be interesting to see what Scale Trains does with the EXR tooling.  I'm actually getting a bit overwhelmed with all the modern releases we're seeing these days...

IIRC, the EXR car had etched coupler platforms too. Cut levers and air hoses are nice, but seems prime candidates to catch on a rail or vanish from less than delicate handling. I definitely would think twice about putting my Aurora 60 footers in a foam lined car box to take to a show to run on an NTRAK or TTRAK layout. They would be prime candidates to get stuck in the foam and pull lose.

All this modern N is wonderful, but it seems to continue to overlook covered hoppers. So tired of everything being an ACF centerflow of some type or a 4750 or 5188.  We especially need more variety in our 2 bay cement hoppers. What I have in my hopper box doesn't match what I see trackside anymore.

[Jbub]

IIRC, the EXR car had etched coupler platforms too. Cut levers and air hoses are nice, but seems prime candidates to catch on a rail or vanish from less than delicate handling. I definitely would think twice about putting my Aurora 60 footers in a foam lined car box to take to a show to run on an NTRAK or TTRAK layout. They would be prime candidates to get stuck in the foam and pull lose.

All this modern N is wonderful, but it seems to continue to overlook covered hoppers. So tired of everything being an ACF centerflow of some type or a 4750 or 5188.  We especially need more variety in our 2 bay cement hoppers. What I have in my hopper box doesn't match what I see trackside anymore.

AND intermodal well and spine cars. There are few out there but they disappear off the shelf pretty quick when they come around.

[MetroRedLine]

IIRC, the EXR car had etched coupler platforms too. Cut levers and air hoses are nice, but seems prime candidates to catch on a rail or vanish from less than delicate handling.

I just got the Aurora 60' cars a couple weeks ago. Aside from the truck bolster issue, they're wonderful. The cut levers and air hoses are actually done nicely and don't seem to be operationally intrusive (I'm looking at YOU, Rapido Trains...those air hoses on the 73' centerbeam cars are ATROCIOUS). When coupled together, the air hoses appear to be linked when viewed from a distance. And the air hose isn't rendered visually redundant next to a coupler with a trip pin (My big pet peeve with new-school N scale manufacturers who include an air hose - looking at you again, Rapido Trains!). Also, the Aurora coupler is a contender for best non-magnetic coupler on the market. Unlike the much-maligned Scale Trains version, this one links up with other knuckle couplers easily, magnet or not, and the knuckle isn't nasty and oversized like the ST one (no outside spring either!).

[Scottl]

The air hoses are nice detail, and let's be honest, clipping the Rapido ones for wheel clearance is a very minor effort (the cars are fantastic otherwise).  I'm on the side of manufacturers that make the models more detailed and just take appropriate care in handling them.

I'm quite sure Intermountain has promised Trinity 2-bay covered hoppers for some time and I recall that some were 'apparently' going into production last year.  I agree, getting some variety would be great.

I've pretty much given up on new intermodal models.  Other than JTT NSC cars, most of the existing models are pretty old for modern intermodal trains. They are out there, but there are a lot of newer cars out there, and the 48' cars are getting infrequent.  This is basically why I have gone the 3D printing route so I can have a contemporary intermodal train.  There is a long list of intermodal models that they could sell a tonne of if they produced them. Interestingly, Aurora has a HO well car that perhaps could migrate to N scale if they continue to produce successful models. 

I'll echo Gary's point, there is a seeming flood of great new offerings that are suitable for modern trains.  It really is the golden age of N scale.

[vermonter_railfan]

Not sure if this is has been mentioned or not, but Motown Models has announced a 3d printed kit for a GTW GP9R. It'll work with an Atlas GP20

https://www.motownmodels.com/

[CR4100]

Not sure if this is has been mentioned or not, but Motown Models has announced a 3d printed kit for a GTW GP9R. It'll work with an Atlas GP20

https://www.motownmodels.com/

It's nice to see some of the smaller manufacturers were at the show. I ordered two, I hope they fit the old Life Like GP20 mechanism too.

[Lemosteam]

Not sure if this is has been mentioned or not, but Motown Models has announced a 3d printed kit for a GTW GP9R. It'll work with an Atlas GP20

https://www.motownmodels.com/

Sweet! This guy is local to me and his HO version that he commissions is gorgeous.  He has a great Facebook presence as well.  First I had seen of an N Scale version!

[C855B]

It's nice to see some of the smaller manufacturers were at the show. I ordered two, I hope they fit the old Life Like GP20 mechanism too.

Be careful there. I can't speak to the Atlas version, but know firsthand there are slight dimensional changes between the original LL chassis and the later one that was DCC-ready. The ends of the later frame are "pointier" and need to be trimmed to take an original body.

[daniel_leavitt2000]

Sweet! This guy is local to me and his HO version that he commissions is gorgeous.  He has a great Facebook presence as well.  First I had seen of an N Scale version!

I did a lot of experimenting with split frame early GP chassis years ago:
LL/Walthers GP20 V1- will take Atlas GP7/9 or LL GP18 shells. The frame under the fuel tank is full-sized so you would not be able to swap it with a small fuel tank/air tanks. You can adapt it to a torpedo tube full tank with minor modifications.
LL/Walthers GP18/20 V2 - Same as the V1 except the frame under the tank is smaller and allows use of the LL GP18 fuel tank. This is the perfect chassis for chop nose models.
LL/Walthers GP18/20 V3 - Same as V2 with a Kato style DCC board compatibility. Use this for chop nose DCC conversions
LL Canada GP9R - Chop nose chassis without DCC and is unique to this model. Atlas GP7/9 and LL GP18/20 shells need minor modifications to fit.
Atlas GP7/9 V1 the OG early geep chassis will take a LL GP18 with high nose only.
Atlas GP7/9 V2 adds DCC compatibility
Atlas GP7/9/18/20 V3 adds sound and unifies the portfolio under one chassis.

[CR4100]

I did a lot of experimenting with split frame early GP chassis years ago:
LL/Walthers GP20 V1- will take Atlas GP7/9 or LL GP18 shells. The frame under the fuel tank is full-sized so you would not be able to swap it with a small fuel tank/air tanks. You can adapt it to a torpedo tube full tank with minor modifications.
LL/Walthers GP18/20 V2 - Same as the V1 except the frame under the tank is smaller and allows use of the LL GP18 fuel tank. This is the perfect chassis for chop nose models.
LL/Walthers GP18/20 V3 - Same as V2 with a Kato style DCC board compatibility. Use this for chop nose DCC conversions
LL Canada GP9R - Chop nose chassis without DCC and is unique to this model. Atlas GP7/9 and LL GP18/20 shells need minor modifications to fit.
Atlas GP7/9 V1 the OG early geep chassis will take a LL GP18 with high nose only.
Atlas GP7/9 V2 adds DCC compatibility
Atlas GP7/9/18/20 V3 adds sound and unifies the portfolio under one chassis.

This is very useful information. It should be stickied somewhere. I didn't realize there were two different non-DCC chassis made.

[daniel_leavitt2000]

This is very useful information. It should be stickied somewhere. I didn't realize there were two different non-DCC chassis made.

Looking at the GP9 sound frame, I do not believe it can support chop noses. My mistake.

[peteski]

This is very useful information. It should be stickied somewhere. I didn't realize there were two different non-DCC chassis made.

I would hope that things like that would be documented on @spookshow website..

[spookshow]

I would hope that things like that would be documented on @spookshow website..

Of course it is. What do you think I've been doing for the last 25 years, staring off into space? 

-Mark