New X58 hotness from ESMC

[nkalanaga]

A few of the CB&Q cars were also repainted in the pre-merger green scheme, so there's another one for Western modelers to hope for.  Since each model is based on a specific car and date there should be runs for as long as N scalers model the latter half of the 20th century.

[bbussey]

The start of interesting patch stuff? Your definition of interesting and mine seem to differ. Ahem.

Oh, yes my friend.  Definitely the beginning.  Start saving your pennies now. 

[bbussey]

A few of the CB&Q cars were also repainted in the pre-merger green scheme, so there's another one for Western modelers to hope for.  Since each model is based on a specific car and date there should be runs for as long as N scalers model the latter half of the 20th century.

Yes, the XML-15 class.  They are on the sched, but it will be a little while before we see them.

[Dave V]

Oh, yes my friend.  Definitely the beginning.  Start saving your pennies now. 

Sh*t just got real, yo.   

[Mark5]

Oops!  Don't know how that got overlooked, particularly when the photos we have clearly show that.

The two pilot models used for approval are painted/printed already and utilize the as-built body, so the first pics of the product will show the incorrect body with roofwalk.  However, the change order has been made for the production run — the CB&Q cars will be the first appearance of the modernized body, with no roofwalk and low brakewheel.  This will not affect the final price of the cars in this run, as it occurred before the bodies were molded.

This may push me over the edge on the Burlington - I always loved that scheme anyway!

Mark

[Puddington]

A few of the CB&Q cars were also repainted in the pre-merger green scheme, so there's another one for Western modelers to hope for.  Since each model is based on a specific car and date there should be runs for as long as N scalers model the latter half of the 20th century.

"GREEN !!!!!! GREEN !!!!!!! GREEN !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

[Ike the BN Freak]

And with the corrected CB&Q cars...looks like I'll need to pick them up for myself now.

[nkalanaga]

The premerger green wasn't just for the XML-15.  At least one of the XML-14s got green paint.  Here's 23357 in September, 1979, but it had to have been painted before the merger:

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1409240

And, probably the most common paint scheme on these cars, the one with "Hydraulic Cushioning":

http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/cbq/cbq.html
Of the online pictures I looked at, on two sites, 8 cars, 6 233xx and 2 234xx, 6 red, 1 green, 1 BN, all red had slogan.  I'll admit that six cars out of 200 aren't a representative sample, but either photographers/posters prefer the slogan, or they were more common than the sloganless ones.  This would be an easy one for the next run, as the lettering is identical to the current announcement except for the slogan.

[lock4244]

Oh, yes my friend.  Definitely the beginning.  Start saving your pennies now. 

Hoping an LV patch is on the drawing board...

[bbussey]

The premerger green wasn't just for the XML-15.  At least one of the XML-14s got green paint.

And, probably the most common paint scheme on these cars, the one with "Hydraulic Cushioning" ...
I'll admit that six cars out of 200 aren't a representative sample, but either photographers/posters prefer the slogan, or they were more common than the sloganless ones.  This would be an easy one for the next run, as the lettering is identical to the current announcement except for the slogan.

It is my understanding that the XML-15 were delivered in Cascade Green, so that is the class that will be represented when we release the model in that scheme.

Six cars represent a mere 3% of the class.  We have a number of XML-14 pics on file.  I'm confident that modelers will be pleased with all of the CB&Q deco schemes that eventually will appear.

Keep in mind that the ESM model is based on the Pennsylvania X58 prototype.  The roads that actually had the prototype will still be the ones prominently featured in each release.  In addition to the XML-14/15, there are a number of other prototypes that are close enough to consider replicating on the model.  The CB&Q cars in the upcoming release are the first of that group to be represented.

[lock4244]

So Bryan, too much of a foobie?
http://freight.railfan.ca/cgi-bin/image.pl?i=cp166172&o=cprail
http://freight.railfan.ca/cgi-bin/image.pl?i=cp167009&o=cprail

This one has been modified for more height, but the paint scheme is what they were delivered in:
http://freight.railfan.ca/cgi-bin/image.pl?i=cp167509&o=cprail

Their final sheme:
http://freight.railfan.ca/cgi-bin/image.pl?i=cp166086&o=cprail

Many more shots:
http://freight.railfan.ca/cgi-bin/search.pl?display=short&keywords=CP+166000-166199


I can see many differences, but some of us Canuks may look the other way...

[bbussey]

Yeah, nice looking cars but they go beyond my comfort zone.  The number of side panels is right but they are varying widths, and the presence of the side vents is a big issue.

The CP schemes barely squeak by on the XIH car, only because both prototypes share the same detail components while having slightly different arrangements.  I would have loved to have done the CN schemes also, but the lack of roof hatches on the model is a deal-breaker.

[lock4244]

I had to ask.

[nkalanaga]

"It is my understanding that the XML-15 were delivered in Cascade Green, so that is the class that will be represented when we release the model in that scheme."

That's fine with me.  I was just a little concerned that some readers might think that the XML-14s never received the green paint.  And, yes, the pictures I found are a very small sample, which is why I found it odd that apparently no one has posted a picture without the slogan.  I assumed you had such a picture, or you wouldn't have made the cars that way.  I don't remember paying attention to Burlington cars in Pasco in the 70s, so couldn't offer an opinion on relative numbers. 

I'm looking forward to all of the variations, or at least those that fit my era, bit spreading them out will help the wallet!  If you did release them all at once I couldn't afford to buy them...

Question:  Is there any body difference between the XML-14 and the XML-15?  My "Color Guide" doesn't show the XML-15, just the 14s and 16s, which are not identical.  And I'm not familiar with CB&Q cars...

"In addition to the XML-14/15, there are a number of other prototypes that are close enough to consider replicating on the model."

I was wondering if anyone besides the CB&Q had "cloned" the design.

[nkalanaga]

I see  that ESM has updated their page and now shows the CB&Q car without roofwalks, and WITH the "Hydraulic Cushioning" slogan.  Hopefully online retailers will be updating their websites as well. 

Serviced dates are 8-67 on both cars.  I wish more companies included that information when making accurate models.  If the model is a generic version, one can go by the paint scheme, as the car probably isn't "correct" for a particular date anyway.  But when they've gone to the trouble to get it right the date is a big help in deciding whether or not to buy that particular car.