Can't hardly believe it but...

[Sokramiketes]

Joe, my "hats off" to you guys for controling your own destiny, and not letting "Chinese production" control it.

Not many companies can say that, and some folks may not agree with me. No real, long term advantages going that route anymore IMO.

Track and locomotive mechanisms from MTL are made in China so not even MTL can "say that".  "Chinese production" is controlling the release of several MTL projects, including the SD40-2 in Z scale, which was also shown at the show this weekend, is a wide body, and has the strangest looking EMD turbo exhaust I've ever seen.  But, it's not Torches and Pitchforks Friday, so I'll leave it at that.

[Bob Bufkin]

Joe

Are those a new type of passenger truck on the heavyweights?

[oakcreekco]

Well Skib, this is the "N" scale thread, so I really could care less about "Z" and its' origins, and I did realize the Chinese connection with "Z" and MTL

What other "N" company has as many products available as MTL, and are still manufactured in the USA?????

"In house" manufacturing allows "total control" over the product ( be it good/bad, or to your liking/disliking)

The only other "N" manufacturer that is close is Kato. Yes, I know that Kato production is in Japan, but they sure as hell don't rely on the Chinese to produce all the western roads that they do. ;D

Bottom line, it may take longer to develope new products/improved products all "in house", but you're not at the mercy of another manufacturer and a brokers translating your companies needs.

That's what my post was about.........Joe's comment on new development and the time it takes.

[bbussey]

The N scale FT mechanisms also are non-USA-made.

There were two samples of the RPO at the show.  Excellent work.  The new 36" wheels have low-profile flamges; old original MT-4 couplers are body-mounted; new Peacock brakewheel; lots of roof vent detail; new well-detailed trucks.

[JoeD]

You'd think we would learn our lesson when we did the FT.  Generally projects go pretty smoothly with China, but over the past year and a half SDK had financial issues and merged with Kader...everything came to a grinding hault and we ended up being almost 2 years behind on the SD40-2.  I have ideas for some new N Engines but that's over the horizon right now...but if and when it happens I plan on doing bulk of the work here.  But, 99% of our tooling is done next to my office and that gives us the control and flexability we need...it just takes a little more time.

Hopefully we will have some plastic to show on the other three Heavyweights in a few months...the projects seem on schedule.  The long term plan for these is to do other body styles now that the core tooling is done...a business car tops my list at the moment.

Joe
 

[Bob Bufkin]

Joe

Can't wait for your heavyweights.  I do wish that a 12-1 with A/C was at the top of you list.  The old Atlas/Ricirossi are long in the tooth and non A/C.  The 12-1's are a must for us transition era guys.

[JoeD]

That's the next release after the RPO ;D 

Joe

[oakcreekco]

The N scale FT mechanisms also are non-USA-made.

There were two samples of the RPO at the show.  Excellent work.  The new 36" wheels have low-profile flamges; old original MT-4 couplers are body-mounted; new Peacock brakewheel; lots of roof vent detail; new well-detailed trucks.

Yep, forgot about those from way back when. Too early for me, so I didn't get too excited about the MTL's or the IM's.

Times are in change, and "import manufacturing" doesn't have all the benefits and higher margins than or times past.

This is going to be an interesting year or two for a lot of model manufacturers. I forsee a "shift" in where products are now produced. and or assembled (or glued for some).

[bbussey]

It's not the "margins" that is the priamry issue - it's what the cost threshold is so that product isn't priced out of the market in the States.  Just as production over the years has shifted from eastern Europe to Japan to China as economic conditions evolved, most likely that will be so.  But returning to the United States isn't likely.  To Korea or Vietnam perhaps are the next locales.

[Sokramiketes]

Well Skib, this is the "N" scale thread, so I really could care less about "Z" and its' origins, and I did realize the Chinese connection with "Z" and MTL

What other "N" company has as many products available as MTL, and are still manufactured in the USA?????

Well, Bowser is made in the USA.  Intermountain does much of their "manufacturing" (tooling and injection molding) in the states, but has shipped assembly and painting overseas.  Red Caboose same thing.  Centralia up until the recent revised pasenger cars has done most all their S/HO/N tooling and injection molding in the states.

[oakcreekco]

Well Skib, this is the "N" scale thread, so I really could care less about "Z" and its' origins, and I did realize the Chinese connection with "Z" and MTL

What other "N" company has as many products available as MTL, and are still manufactured in the USA?????

Well, Bowser is made in the USA.  Intermountain does much of their "manufacturing" (tooling and injection molding) in the states, but has shipped assembly and painting overseas.  Red Caboose same thing.  Centralia up until the recent revised pasenger cars has done most all their S/HO/N tooling and injection molding in the states.

Well, I wouldn't call "tooling" ......manufacturing of a product. I come from a "tool and die" family, and it IS the heart of many products, but shipping the "tooling" overseas, or even injected parts, doesn't really count as a big part of the word "made in USA", when all painting/graphics, glue assembly, mechanism installation (and mechanism build), and packaging happen out of the country.

My point and original comment were that there's not too many other companies with the manufacturing control that MTL has. Seems to be a true statement in "N" overall.

Now some may not like what they make, or how they make it, but it appears that's MTL can take the "blame" or the "credit" for the course that they take

[asarge]

RPO's and the most popular Pullman Sleeper!! Very Nice!! Hope you can get a bunch of schemes done early. We also need a baggage car. HW Head end cars go all the way to the end of passenger service.

Can't wait Joe.

[wcfn100]

On the A-board it was posted that the bolster pins of the MT heavyweight are off-set between the outer two axles.

Were the protoype's on center?  

Is there a reason to do this that doesn't involve a 9 3/4"  248mm radius?  

I hope it isn't some sort of proprietary move.  :-\


Jason

[bbussey]

On the A-board it was posted that the bolster pins of the MT heavyweight are off-set between the outer two axles.

Were the protoype's on center?  

Is there a reason to do this that doesn't involve a 9 3/4"  248mm radius?  

I hope it isn't some sort of proprietary move.  :-\


Jason

Yes, it is slightly offset.  It appears it was done to accommodate traversing an 11" (maybe) radius without compromising the body-mounted couplers and skirt ladders.  It's not noticeable on the turns and it's a small "sacrifice" in order for the car to run on most layouts.

One was running on one of the table-top sets with the circle of track.  If that's 9-3/4", the trucks didn't look incorrect under the car.  But even with the offset there is very little pivot area for the trucks before they hit either the coupler pocket or the ladders.  It looks fine, don't worry about it.

[Craig Martyn]

Why is it necessary to take a shot at MTL to defend your design?

Joe
MTL

Because it's the truth and was necessary to defend our design choice.  That wasn't intended as a "shot", just a statement of fact.