April Micro-Trains

[H Lee]

April MT's listed on N Scale Supply web site - iffin ya care.

http://www.nscalesupply.com/MTL/MTL-New1004.html

[Ed Kapuscinski]

That PRR 40' Box is kinda hot.

[wm3798]

The same thought crossed my mind...  Then I'm looking at things like the clipped ladders and no roofwalk, and wondering if the 1967 service date would have yielded these changes...  Time to go hunting with Mr. Google again!

And here's the closest I've found thus far, thanks to Mr. Ellwood et al...
http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/prr/prr85641aga.jpg

Lee

[Dave V]

I'm liking that PRR car for CR 1980.

[Bob Bufkin]

They took a page right out of PRR Color Guide, Vol 3.  Has a photo of the same car and the roofwalks have been removed and it has a broken and torn cardboard door insert.  They did manage to get the wrong door though.  Suppose to be PRR class X43B.

[wcfn100]

 They did manage to get the wrong door though.

and sides, and roof, and ends...


Jason

[Sokramiketes]

The Koppers tankcar looks just as neat in N as it did in Flyer S gauge!  Guess I'll have to buy something this month.   

[Bob Bufkin]

 They did manage to get the wrong door though.

and sides, and roof, and ends...


Jason

Yep, you right but it'll have to do for a stand-in.  Same thing for anyone who wants an X58.   Will have to do until someone does the right one.

[Dave V]

There will always be flaws if these are generic body styles applied to specific car classes; just a part of the game.  The PRR car is close enough for me based on my Color Guide.  I plan to pre-order.

Here's the prototype class for the EBT Nn3 box:

http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/ebt/ebt-x170agd.jpg

This one is definitely different.  Only the body length is correct; even the trucks are wrong.  But again, I can't fault MTL for doing this.  Nn3 is a niche, and there's probably no financial incentive in the Nn3 market for them to differentiate between a D&RGW 3000-series 30' boxcar (the prototype) and an EBT boxcar.  I'm OK with this.  At least it's not a Santa Fe standard caboose with a keystone on it!

[wcfn100]

There will always be flaws if these are generic body styles applied to specific car classes; just a part of the game.  The PRR car is close enough for me based on my Color Guide.  I plan to pre-order.

The MT car isn't a generic body type. 

I don't care anymore about MTs monthly slaughter but if someone's just going to question the 'shopping' description or the door, I have to poke it with a stick.

Just remember, every foobie you buy is one less reason for someone to make the proper car.    :-*

Jason

[Mark5]

A swing and a miss

[JoeD]

I'd love to do the X58 and it's subclasses and it has always been on a short list of mine.  But, with only a few roads using them...PRR,NS,PN and LV notably, I doubt we could make a respectable ROI.  LV and PN are two of the worst performers with regards to road names...NS is good with only PRR strong.  Still, it's the kinda car maybe best left to the special interest guys who can deal with lower sales volumes.  I suspect there would be a lot of "near" prototypes it could stand in for, but it would be a hard sell none the less. Still, there's always a chance and I think it warrents another look.  ;D

Joe
MTL

[wm3798]

If FVM can make a go of an oddball like the MILW cars that are ribbed for pleasure, surely MT can figure a way to do an X58.  Despite the minimal road names, you could make up the volume on multi number runner packs of the proto schemes, and still use the shell for "close enough" cars, as has been the practice of MT over the years.  Did the X58 survive into PC or Conrail paint?  If so, you also have a variety of paint out options to bolster the sales.

Lee

[JoeD]

Agreed, but FVM doesn't have the overhead we do so while the investment is huge in tooling, the profit goes a bit further.  Like I said, it's been on the radar and may make the cut soon.  I love the look of the car and started looking at fudges I could included on a Matrix...need to pick it up again and see if I can breath some life into it.  PC and LV are such poor performers for us I need to be able to show near prototypes with stronger names to support the tooling cost.

Multi numbered packs have a short life as well, fleet buyers are out there, but you can never bank on how long their attention will be.  I have a few projects in the works to test the theory and from that I can see how much we need to do to make a ROI I can sell here.  Still, cool car and as you said, ribbed for pleasure ;D

Joe
MTL

[Sokramiketes]

If FVM can make a go of an oddball like the MILW cars that are ribbed for pleasure, surely MT can figure a way to do an X58.

Lee

Apples and Oranges Lee.  Not the prototypes in question, but the business models of the two companies.  One man show with Chinese manufacturing versus a couple dozen employees and USA manufacturing and regulatory costs.  

Sure MTL could go to China and do the car and make money, but that's not their niche.