Intermountain November 2022 - NEW Tri-Level Autoracks

[James Costello]

November 2022 announcement from Intermountain has "NEW TOOLING" Tri-Level autoracks - artwork shows them having the characteristic notches in the side sills for the lower deck flats.

Southern, MP/TT, CSX/TTX, SSW, BN/TT, UP/TTX, Conrail/TTX, CNW/TT.

Full Memo:
https://files.constantcontact.com/6a6d4255701/ba7db75b-e6d2-4b85-a002-d611c60f7338.pdf

Start saving.

[mu26aeh]

Interesting there is no preliminary delivery date.  So what are we wagering ?  Sometime in 2030 ?

[oakcreekco]

I'm glad that I bought too many racks and love running them. Mostly MTL, but have some IM's too. Recently been getting the low flange MTL wheels on both.

Today's pricing is going to be a tough one for many IMO.

[samusi01]

Sometime in 2030 ?

I salute your optimism, but I do not share it.

[Englewood]

2030 may be a bit optimistic. Almost 8 years after reserving a couple of SD40T-2s, they're still showing as "taking reservations." I'm hoping that when they do finally arrive, that my descendants will do me the courtesy of picking them up and placing them on my gravestone so that I may finally rest in peace.

[lock4244]

I salute your optimism, but I do not share it.

 

[lock4244]

I went overboard with the RC bi-levels and glad I did as I'll never need another multilevel in this life or the next. MSRP of $70 is well past where I draw the line for a single car, and I fear this is unsustainable for the hobby.

[mu26aeh]

I went overboard with the RC bi-levels and glad I did as I'll never need another multilevel in this life or the next. MSRP of $70 is well past where I draw the line for a single car, and I fear this is unsustainable for the hobby.

I think we are getting very close to the tipping point myself.  There are going to be those that will dump the ConCor and MT among others to get these, those that don't pay for the new ones will drive up the cost of the others to compensate.  I'm seeing this happen in FB auctions with hi-cube boxcars.  People don't want to pay $50 for the MT or mid $30s for the ExactRail, so loose LBF cars/no box are going for $25-30 and add another $10 sometimes with a box. 

[thomasjmdavis]

According to the flyer, reservations will close Feb 28, 2023.  So, take a look sometime in early March.  If it still says "taking reservations", then it's like everything else they make- they'll wait as many years as needed until the reservations hit some magic number, then run an actuarial report to approximate how many of the people who reserved are still alive, and then proceed if the numbers of living modelers are still high enough.

[southernman]

Okay I’m sixty years old and in good health. Still unsure if I’d ever see these if I preorder them lol

[EspeeGoldenState]

Oh man. Those Cotton Belt racks look tasty and tempting! Specially these two.

SSW 80530 still out kickin in 2018:
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=5303848

SSW 80695 in 2022 with SP Speed Lettering:
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=5653742

[Ed Kapuscinski]

lol

[MetroRedLine]

Besides the improved detailing, how will these be different than the MTL tri-level autorack? Will they have the newer hinged doors instead of the clamshell doors? The .PDF only shows the sides of the cars. I'm sure I'll get at least one just to compare and contrast. But I've plopped down a lot of dough on the MTL tri-levels and body-mounted them.

[jagged ben]

Oh man. Those Cotton Belt racks look tasty and tempting! Specially these two.

SSW 80530 still out kickin in 2018:
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=5303848

SSW 80695 in 2022 with SP Speed Lettering:
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=5653742

That's cool, I see speed lettered racks frequently IRL these days but I don't think I've ever seen a Cotton Belt logo on one.

I don't know what to think about IM.   When they say new tooling have they actually made it yet?

[James Costello]

Besides the improved detailing, how will these be different than the MTL tri-level autorack?

Besides the low deck flat with the notched sides typical of the tri-levels? A glaring omission on the MTL model.