MTL PS High Side update

[Denver Road Doug]

...multipule road names and numbers each month.  I hope to fast track these to runner's packs as well, but that will require a bit of salesmanship. ;D

Whoa, slow down there killer.   We would be happy with multiple road names and numbers each YEAR.  Let's not get crazy here.   

Put your thinking caps on, in a few weeks I'd like to get some feed back on new plastic to add to the design schedule.

Well, my list is still pretty much the same.   Stuff I'd see MTL doing would be various 70's+ gons, 70's+ tank cars, and carbon black cars.  A detailed ballast car would be nice...something similar to the Walthers car but just updated a little.

Do a prototype-looking staggered freight-car wheel load for your 50ft flat (or a new flat) and you could make bajillions.      OK, maybe just millions.

If body mounting and etched details and lower ride height are gonna become the norm, then the sky's the limit.  Upgrading some of your own tooling could even be worthwhile in that case.

[bbussey]

Put your thinking caps on, in a few weeks I'd like to get some feed back on new plastic to add to the design schedule. 

I'd go another route, to keep most of the current models viable for another 20 years:

• New underframes/centersills for most of the existing equipment that allow for body-mounts and lower ride height.  The 1015 coupler pocket can be incorporated as part of the plastic centersill.
• New underframes/centersills as a stand-alone product to retro-fit all of those MTL cars produced in the last 40 years so they can ride at the proper height.
• Different door widths for the existing PS-1 fleet.  Adding 7 and 8 foot Youngstown and Superior doors to the venerable 20000-series model would allow for almost every prototype to be done accurately.
• As the molds for the various bodystyles require retooling due to age, modify the model to remove the non-prototypical vertical selective compression, such as in the 25000, 30000, 103000, 1040000, etcetera.
• Switch the "steel" roofwalks from plastic to etched metal.  There probably is a way to design the model so an etched roofwalk can be attached easily to the plastic body, but they could be cemented on easily if there are "keys" on the roof to aid in alignment without being obvious.
• Switch the brake platforms on the boxcars from plastic to etched metal.
• tool up true 52-foot gondolas to replace the existing 35-year-old 50-foot gondola tooling, which must be fully amortized by now.

[Chris333]

Listen to Bryan  ;D

[wcfn100]

I'd go another route, to keep most of the current models viable for another 20 years:

• New underframes/centersills for most of the existing equipment that allow for body-mounts and lower ride height. 
• Different door widths for the existing PS-1 fleet.  Adding 7 and 8 foot Youngstown and Superior doors to the venerable 20000-series model would allow for almost every prototype to be done accurately.

Well since this is the closest to what I would have posted, I'd like to add the following.

1. Fix the 50' and 40' standard boxcar roofs to include the 'bow tie' on the last panel.

2. Fix the door track on every boxcar that has the lower track on the body instead of the sil where it's supposed to be.  This will eliminate the need for the door to be squashed out of proportion.

3. Non-model related - take out the part about keeping the artwork on special runs and I'll have some stuff to send. 


Jason

[christoph]

I like Bryan's points, my vote for them.

A personal wish would be Pennsylvania X31 40' box cars, I just like these.  Actually I don't need them as I have accumulated a dozen FNS kits and the first tries to build, paint and letter them were quite promising.  But I would buy more....

[Sokramiketes]

I'd just like to add that I'm proud of Bryan, Chris, and Jason for taking a minute to think about what Micro-Trains needs to do, not just blasting out every possible prototype car that hasn't been done yet without thinking about what Micro-Trains' niche in the market place is.  Micro-Trains can succeed in a lot of ways if they play to their strengths.  But suggesting unit train cars and asking for 12 numbers and multiple schemes and such off the bat... what part of Micro-Trains past history leds one to think they would be the company to go that direction?

The troop sleeper tooling is under utilized in that the whole car is there, tool some new sides to cover a couple different conversions to head end equipment (plated windows, inset door, outside door, etc.) There are multiple roadnames on a couple variations.  

Micro-Trains is still the sharpest tooling and best pad printing in the industry.  

[skytop35]

The troop sleeper tooling is under utilized in that the whole car is there, tool some new sides to cover a couple different conversions to head end equipment (plated windows, inset door, outside door, etc.) There are multiple roadnames on a couple variations.  

Micro-Trains is still the sharpest tooling and best pad printing in the industry.  

I'll second that.

I also like Bryan's suggestions.

[tom mann]

I agree with Bryan.

[Robbman]

North American/Thrall/Trinity PD5000 covered hoppers.

Pick one, they're all different.

[wazzou]

Listen to Bryan  ;D

I agree with Bryan.

Thanks guys... ;D

[Pete Steinmetz]

Heavy Weight Baggage cars and a couple variety of coaches.  Multiple road names.  Plus what Bryan said.

[Catt]

'nuther vote for what Bryan said,plus some modern commutter cars in both N and Z.

[GaryHinshaw]

... what part of Micro-Trains past history leds one to think they would be the company to go that direction?
...

Micro-Trains is still the sharpest tooling and best pad printing in the industry.  

Nothing about their history; it's the content of the original post that 'leds' one: there is change in the air and Joe is soliciting suggestions.  I totally agree with Doug/Bryan's retooling suggestions, but most of the MT line is out of my era. Since they do have the sharpest tooling in the industry, I'd like them to make something I'd really want - even in one number.  I'm not holding my breath though.

-gfh

[sirenwerks]

Thanks guys... ;D

Actually, I think they were talking to me...  ;D   Not.

[Mark5]

Put your thinking caps on, in a few weeks I'd like to get some feed back on new plastic to add to the design schedule.  

Cheers  


Joe
MTL

Joe,

I've been reviewing my rolling stock needs and this hit me like a brick: I hope this new car (the 4427) also means you are tooling up a 100 ton truck*.

It would suck to see this or any other new MTL tooling ride on 70T trucks when it's supposed to be 100t.

*(at a minimum, with and without couplers)

Mark