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Post by tmurray on Mar 20, 2018 14:28:10 GMT -5
Not sure if anyone has read the three part series recently featured in RMC, titled "Consider the Commmuter," but I found the idea to be a great potential starting point for a layout, small or large.
One huge obstacle: equipment. The article focuses on primarily using the new releases form Atlas, the ALP-45DP, and multi-level cars, and -yes- it's based in New Jersey.
This got me wondering, why are there no decent additional options with regards to equipment? If were sticking with multilevels and NJT, the only option is an ALP-45? Why can't we get an ALP-46 to go with them? Better still, it seems as if there's no interest in any of the Comet, or Shoreliner (for those of us who also like MetroNorth) cars. There are hundreds of these cars in use, and they have been around for decades. Why can we get a new multi-level, but not something with even greater exposure? It appears Atlas took a gamble, and offering a second run as well as a second scale, would show they've sold well enough, no? Walthers has dropped the ball; the cars command a huge amount of cash on the auction site, and they've all but said outright that they're not going to invest in the models.
Going through the few Walthers cars I have, over the weekend, they have room for improvement as they're over 15 years old. Atlas has made the cars in O-scale, so why not take a similar look at the same commuter market? With single-level cars, it allows the potential for more roads: MetroNorth, MBTA, NJT, AMT (Montreal, not Amtrak), CDOT, and yet the only way this layout can be represented is with only one currently available locomotive (did the ALP-44 ever pull the multilevels?) and type of rolling stock.
If we were to see an ALP-46, we'd be able to run them with certain Amfleet consists as Cockers (if only for a year or two), but that opens up more modeling possibilities. If we had Comet (or Horizon, as Amtrak calls them) cars, we would be able to far more accurately be able to represent a layout such as this in more eras or locales. An ALP-46 and a few comet cars, not shortage of either out there. Anyone else also willing to email Atlas and ask??
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Post by backshophoss on Mar 20, 2018 17:43:32 GMT -5
Why did RMC choise Atlas,part of it was the run of the AL45DP's and ML II cars,RMC was published in NJ untill Carstens Publishing's untimely collapse.
It was a nod to their combined history in NJ,and a prototype both have good knowage of.
Believe a bunch of the members on the board have done surveys pleading for a new run of the Comet/Shoreliner/Horizon cars with the
trucks used on the Walters Proto Amfleet cars.
Atlas has announced a run of MBTA schemed GP40-2(stand in for the GP40mc))and MLV II's.known to run mixed consists in daily service.
Atlas has done the AMT AL45DP and ML II's,now running under the RTM banner.
Remember this portable moduler layout is a Demonstration layout used at shows,and by nature VERY compact,selective compression taken to
an extreme. To me both White River Terminal and Bucklin Jct should have been done on 2-6 foot modules(12 feet)each scene to make look right.
Some of my thoughts on this series are in the operations thread.
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Post by tmurray on Mar 21, 2018 8:43:16 GMT -5
My only point was that it brought it to the masses, which I don't believe any other article has done. The former staff from Carstens is largely gone, and the new staff wrote this article. This shows that this is an option for people, and hopefully some will run with it. Since shelf oriented, it allows for those with less space to model - but not none(my apartment days...). The article also uses the replica of the BWI station, so a few miles from NJ Transit territory are addressed. A module set of Boston Landing would be an awesome venture, and certainly eye-catching, for instance.
The Pioneer truck that Walthers used on the Amfleet cars is not the same as the truck used under the Comets/Horizons. They look similar from afar, but are different. in both frame structure, and even wheel size (the commuter cars uses 33" wheels). Walthers has also done nothing for these cars in years. If drawn up, they've stalled.
The reps are still using the "Amtrak doesn't sell" line, because they're sitting on Metroliners. Yet, there are zero Horizon type cars in stock, and not an Amfleet I coach to be found.
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Post by rails4dmv on Mar 21, 2018 16:53:42 GMT -5
Atlas would get all my money if they produced Horizon/Comet Cars (with & without center doors). Atlas did a fantastic job with the MLV II's & the ALP-45. I do have to question why Atlas would put out the ALP-44, since there are no new single level cars currently on the market. But maybe they know something we don't.
As more and more hobbyist start to age out of the 40's, 50's and early 60's era of railroading, model railroad companies will have no other choice but to look to produce more modern equipment to sell to the masses. I have to believe down the road, for every steam locomotive that is sold, 4 GEVO type locomotives are going to be running on someone's layout.
I have to admit, I've been very disappointed with Walthers the last couple of years.
I don't know who is running the marketing department at Walthers, but their production decisions lately have been questionable.
They just released a run of Proto F7's a few weeks ago. Why in the world would you do a another run of F7's, but in the Mainline series?
Walthers, a couple of years ago, announced the Fallen Flag series (EL, D&RGW, Nickel Plate, & D&H), which, if it was marketed the right way, I personally believed would have been a home run, especially for EL & D&H fans. And there are plenty. But they make the announcement during the summer and wondered why order numbers didn't come in. They eventually cancelled the series for low preorders.
Walthers does a run of Metroliner cars, but no cab cars???
Walthers produces the Hi-Level cars with the Lounges in Amtrak Phase 1 & 2 but no Phase 4b to run with Superliners? Or how about the Hi-Level transition car in Phase 1 & 2 but no Phase 3 to run with the Phase 3 Superliners.
Walthers releases Surfliner & California Car Superliners after what I hear was some heavy arm twisting. These cars now can't be found anywhere! Imagine if they actually produced the correct cars with the lower level double doors!
They do a run of Viewliners, Amfleet 1 & II's, & 1700 Baggage Cars in Phase 4b for the Amtrak Store to mark Amtrak's 40th Anniversary. These cars were expensive & were produced with old tooling. But just right after all these cars sold out online, Walthers makes a surprise announcement for a new run of Amfleets with new tooling in the Proto line with "PLATED" finish & interior lighting.
Walthers does another run of Budd cars with the plated finish, but no Amtrak Phase 1, 2 or 3? But Amtrak Phase 4 gets done, which except for the Budd Diner are foobies.
Again, who is making these decisions??
Maybe Walthers has some financial troubles or they can only produce items with some heavy financial backing. The company has been playing it safe with PRR, C&O, UP & ATSF items. It also seems to me Walthers is slowly following the Bachmann line of thinking and putting stuff on the market so they can keep the lights on, which is perfectly fine by me if it keeps people employed.
But I miss the Walthers of 15-20 years ago which was a forward thinking company with their announcements, which seemed to be a weekly thing. They appeared ahead of everyone else when they produced Budd, Pullman & AC&F Heavyweight & Streamline passenger cars (with interior seating no less), Viewliners, Amfleet II's, Horizon Cars, DC Metro, BART and NYCTA Subway Cars, Proto 2000 locomotives, METRA & C&NW Bi-Level Cars, Doodlebugs, RDC's & Sperry Cars.
I know that was a different time but I wish that company would eventually come back.
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Post by backshophoss on Mar 21, 2018 18:26:45 GMT -5
Right now,our current (US)President may or may not impose tariffs on goods from China,wants a wall on the Mexican border,and rewrite
the NAFTA agreement. Everybody is watching and waiting on what happens next from the White House!
Bachmann has brought back their Amfleet I's,the Food service car and the Biz class coach are new to the original coach,
to go along with the ACS-64's
As far as RMC at White River Production,a few of the RMC and Railfan & Railroad editors and staff made the "jump" to the new ownership,
and are working from their homes in NJ and NY(Otto V).
This can be seen as a "template",as long as the details are close to the ERA modeled,you can backdate the Equipment used or "mix and match"
between era's,ie: NJDOT marked equipment with early NJT equipment,E-8's and Stillwell coaches,with NJDOT U34CH's and Comet I's
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