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On 11/09/2020 at 21:49, mdvle said:

 

The name (SD70ACU) is misleading as they aren't originally SD70*s - they are rebuilt SD90's.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EMD_SD70ACU

 

Thus Walthers/Bachmann would need to tool up from new.

 

Athearn does have the SD90 platform now (as does Kato but they are unlikely) but the rebuilds do require new tooling - new cabs at the very least and there is likely other visual changes as well.

They are SD70 prime movers on an SD90mac frame with much of the body shell adopted from the SD70Ace. 

From an "off the record" conversation, the initial posting on PWRS's website was to gauge levels of interest to use as leverage in getting an existing manufacturer to look seriously at producing a CP specific run for PWRS perhaps under the NARC house brand.

 

NS have 110 of these so it would make sense for someone like Athearn to produce them with the minimal retooling needed for the CP Q-Cab which is slightly different than the NS Ultracab-2. 

 

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8 hours ago, AndrewC said:

From an "off the record" conversation, the initial posting on PWRS's website was to gauge levels of interest to use as leverage in getting an existing manufacturer to look seriously at producing a CP specific run for PWRS perhaps under the NARC house brand.

 

Regardless of what their intention was/is, they are taking orders for a non-existent product which is just yet another reason to avoid them.

 

And hopefully any manufacturer will tell PWRS to go fly a kite given their questionable behaviour.

 

8 hours ago, AndrewC said:

NS have 110 of these so it would make sense for someone like Athearn to produce them with the minimal retooling needed for the CP Q-Cab which is slightly different than the NS Ultracab-2.

 

Things are more complicated than that.

 

After 6 months of 3 companies (Athearn, Rapido, ScaleTrains) doing online Q&A's one quickly learns that with some exceptions that standard response to any request to tool up A is a variation of maybe - they aren't going to give away their secrets.  Yes, sometimes there will be a request for any research help to see if it is worth taking a project to a maybe, and even more rare you get a set of carefully chosen words that can make it clear to those paying attention that something might well be announced in 3 to 6 months (the Athearn P42 upgrade to Genesis for example).

 

So it was notable last month when ScaleTrains actually came out and said No to a suggestion - the SD70ACe-T4.

 

Now it turns out the SD70ACe-T4 is a dud - only 120 units sold in 5+ years (100 to UP, 20 to CSX) - and a model would need entirely new tooling given the real thing is longer than other SD70's and has different body features.  With ScaleTrains indicating tooling a new loco is in the $200k range they flat out stated that there is insufficient demand for a model of the T4 to justify those costs.

 

So to our SD90 platform.  Given the existing Kato model Athearn would not have been able to justify that sort of expenditure simply for the SD90/SD80 units - not enough paint schemes/interest to overcome all the existing Kato units plus the Kato units currently in stock at Kato.  A reasonable guess then is that the Athearn SD90 "platform" was given the green light on the basis that it would not only do the SD90/SD80 units but also the SD70ACU units - and while NS is a reasonably good seller so is CP and so there is no way Athearn was going to overlook the CP market anyway (I mean they just tooled/fixed a nose part on the CP GP38? to fix the headlight position based on feedback so the CP market is important to them and the additional cab tooling would be more than covered by sales of CP units now and in the future).

 

CP creating the collectible paint schemes would simply be icing on the cake, meaning CP will likely outsell NS, unless PWRS somehow screw things up with the game they are playing.

 

 

 

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10 hours ago, mdvle said:

 

Regardless of what their intention was/is, they are taking orders for a non-existent product which is just yet another reason to avoid them.

 

I don't know what your beef with PWRS is but how is this different than any other pre-order? How many items have Rapido taken pre-orders for and later cancelled due to lack of interest in a particular livery? No money has changed hands with PWRS. One click and the pre-order can be cancelled at any time.

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16 hours ago, AndrewC said:

I don't know what your beef with PWRS is but how is this different than any other pre-order? How many items have Rapido taken pre-orders for and later cancelled due to lack of interest in a particular livery? No money has changed hands with PWRS. One click and the pre-order can be cancelled at any time.

 

Not sure what Rapido has to do with this?

 

But there is a difference between announcing a model, and having to cancel certain paint schemes because they don't meet minimum amounts (yes, Rapido have done this, but so have others) while still delivery the rest of the models and a retailer taking orders for a product that doesn't exist regardless of paint scheme.

 

 

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Accurail

 

September

  • Pullman Standard Covered Hopper - CP
  • 36' Fowler Wood Boxcar - Central Vermont
  • 36' Double Sheath Wood Boxcar - C&NW (2-car set)
  • USRA Twin Hopper - C&O
  • 40' PS-1 Steel Boxcar - Maine Central
  • 40' Steel Combination Door Boxcar - Rock Island

http://www.accurail.com/accurail/CATALOG/2020/2020_September.pdf

 

October

  • Pullman Standard Covered Hopper - Agri-Grain Processors
  • NEW - 40' Rib-Side Double Door Automobile Boxcar - Milwaukee Road
  • 36' Double Sheath Wood Boxcar w/Wood Ends & Straight Underframe - Boston & Maine
  • 40' Steel Boxcars - B&O
  • 50' Steel Welded Single Door Boxcar - Vermont Railway
  • 50' Exterior Post Steel Boxcar - CP

http://www.accurail.com/accurail/CATALOG/2020/2020_October.pdf

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Athearn October - preorders due October 30th, eta October 2021

  • the 30' NACC tank car may interest some with small layouts - the discussion on the Athearn video session on Friday (September 24) talked about them and they are short not because of weight but because they were specifically designed for smaller customers who had limited sidings or didn't need a full normal tank car load of product.
  • Roundhouse F units - they are currently hoping to do some internal upgrades (DCC ready board, LED lights) and there will be further information on these units to come. 

 

Genesis - GP39-2 - Reading, D&H, UP, BNSF, CSX

http://www.athearn.com/newsletter/092520/01_GEN_GP39-2_092520.pdf

 

Genesis - PC&F Box Car - BN, Conrail, Rio Grande, Golden West Service, MP, Frisco, Helm Leasing, SP, Cotton Belt, Evergreen

http://www.athearn.com/newsletter/092520/02_GEN_PC&F_Boxcar_092520.pdf

 

Genesis - Trinity 3-Bay Covered Hopper - CSX, Archer-Daniels-Midland, GATX, Agrium Wholesale, Cargill, CP Rail (Soo), David J. Joseph, Borax, BNSF

Also NEW Body Style - a second BNSF option with stiffener brackets welded to the body corners

http://www.athearn.com/newsletter/092520/03_GEN_Trinity_Hopper_092520.pdf

 

RTR - SD60 - Oakway (EMD Demo Scheme), NS (1 ex -UP, another ex-leaser, these were patched until they could be used for a rebuild program), UP, EMD Demo, C&NW, Soo Line

http://www.athearn.com/newsletter/092520/04_RTR_SD60_092520.pdf

 

RTR - 45' Trailer - Rio Grande, C&NW, Fredrickson, Penner, SP, FEC

http://www.athearn.com/newsletter/092520/05_RTR_45'_Trailer_092520.pdf

 

RTR - 20' Reefer Container - CMA CGM, Tropical, ONE, CGM, Beacon, Hapag-Lloyd

http://www.athearn.com/newsletter/092520/06_RTR_20'_Reefer_Container_092520.pdf

 

RTR - 20' Reefer Container with Chassis - CMA CGM w/ Trac Leasing Chassis, Tropical w/ Hyndai Chassis, ONE w/ Flexi-Van Chassis, CGM w/ Trac Leasing Chassis, Beacon w/ Hyundai Chassis, Hapag-Lloyd w/ Flexi-Van Chassis

http://www.athearn.com/newsletter/092520/07_RTR_20'_Reefer_Container_and_Chassis_092520.pdf

 

RTR - 30' NACC 8K Tank Car - RAIX, GATX, AESX, American Maize Products, Union Tank Car, Amazio

http://www.athearn.com/newsletter/092520/08_RTR_30'_NACC_8K_Tank_092520.pdf

 

Roundhouse - F7A, F7A/F7B - SF, SP, C&NW, CP, Southern (see note at top)

http://www.athearn.com/newsletter/092520/09_RND_F_Unit_092520.pdf

 

Roundhouse - Chemical Tank Car - New Jersey Zinc, Gulf, Warren, Procor, Ethyl, Hooker, Staley

http://www.athearn.com/newsletter/092520/10_RND_Chemical_Tank_092520.pdf

 

Roundhouse - 40' Grain Box Car - SF, CB&Q, CP, GN, Soo, UP

http://www.athearn.com/newsletter/092520/11_RND_40'_Grain_Box_092520.pdf

 

Roundhouse - Cupola Caboose - SF, SP, C&NW, CP, Southern

http://www.athearn.com/newsletter/092520/12_RND_Cupola_Caboose_092520.pdf

 

 

 

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Tangent Scale Models - October

 

A new run of the General American 8,000 Gallon 1917-Design Course Tank Car

 

CGTX "1955+ Lease", GATX "1936+ Lease", GATX "Wadhams OIl East Chicago IN 1936+", TROX "Marathon 1926+", Spokane Portland and Seattle "Water Service 1964+" (these used for lineside fires, lasted into BN era)

 

https://www.tangentscalemodels.com/general-american-8000-gallon-1917-design-radial-course-tank-car/

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So, no official announcement yet (likely to be the November new tooling product to be announced at the end of this month) but there is on Facebook images of an Athearn ad (supposedly from Model Railroad News) announcing the SD70ACU in both CP and NS - no paint scheme or road numbers listed.

 

There are apparently at least 2 retailers behaving questionably trying to claim it as an exclusive prior to today so people interested might want to be careful.

 

[edit]
 

Link to the Facebook post

www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=2679769785604896&set=gm.3546543802064702

Edited by mdvle
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Accurail - November

  • 36' Double Sheath Wood Box Car w/metal ends & fishbelly - Cotton Belt
  • 40' Insulated Steel Boxcar - CNJ
  • 36' Fowler Wood Boxcar - C&NW
  • 3-Bay ACF Covered Hopper - N&W
  • 40' Wood Reefers - PFE (3-packs and single)
  • 40' Single Door Steel Boxcar - Nashville Chattanooga & St. Louis
  • 40' Rib-Side Double Door Steel Automobile Boxcar - Milwaukee Road "Route of the Olympians"

http://www.accurail.com/accurail/CATALOG/2020/2020_November.pdf

 

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Athearn SD70ACU - still no official announcement but the units are now searchable on the Athearn product pages.

 

CPR

  • 7000 / 7006 - standard current livery with beaver
  • 7010 / 7013 - heritage tuscan red with script lettering
  • 7021 - Desert Sand Army
  • 7022 - Navy

NS units are 7293, 7257, 7230, 7312

 

DC - $249.98  DCC/sound $339.98

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21 minutes ago, pH said:

I’m a bit surprised they’ve not done CPR 6644.

 

Been confirmed on another forum that my guess was correct - they are spreading out the units over several releases to help the budget of the hobbyist/collector.

 

At 5 military units and 2 heritage styles (tuscan red / script and tuscan red / block) that would mean 7 units to buy to have one of each, a big cost all at once.

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35 minutes ago, mdvle said:

 

Been confirmed on another forum that my guess was correct - they are spreading out the units over several releases to help the budget of the hobbyist/collector.

 

At 5 military units and 2 heritage styles (tuscan red / script and tuscan red / block) that would mean 7 units to buy to have one of each, a big cost all at once.


Plus the ‘regular’ one. Yes, I understand that, and fully expected that would happen. I should have added “in the first batch” to my comment - significant  number, some US significance to the decoration ...

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Accurail does special run cars each year for Trainfest in Milwaukee in November.

 

This year it is cancelled due to Covid, but the cars are still being done.  They can only be purchased direct from Accurail.

 

  • 40' Double Door Rib Side Automobile Boxcar - Milwaukee Road "Route of the Hiawathas" (different than the regular stock line version).
  • 36' Wood Box Car - Menasha Wooden Ware Company (Menasha Wisconsin).
  • 36' Wood Box Car - La Crosse & Southeastern " Valley Route"

http://www.accurail.com/accurail/trainfest.htm

Edited by mdvle
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Posting this for information reasons, nobody seems to know anything about this company so anyone wanting to proceed may wish to use some caution.

 

There appears to be a new company called Aurora Miniatures who have announced the CN SD60F, with samples and delivery estimated as next year and CAD images currently on website.

 

https://auroraminiatures.com/product/ho-gmd-sd60f-diesel-locomotive/

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Athearn November items - preorders due November 27th, eta November 2021

 

NEW Tooling - Genesis 2.0 SD70ACU - CP (System Red with monochrome beaver / Heritage with script lettering / military - Army Arid Regions / military - Navy) [the other military and heritage units will follow in subsequent releases]

http://www.athearn.com/newsletter/103020/01_GEN_SD70ACu_103020.pdf

 

Genesis ICC Caboose - BN, BN patched ex CB&Q, Colorado & Southern, Fort Worth & Denver

http://www.athearn.com/newsletter/103020/02_GEN_ICC_Caboose_103020.pdf

 

Genesis - 60' PS Auto Box Car - CB&Q, L&N, Frisco, Milwaukee, N&W, SP

http://www.athearn.com/newsletter/103020/03_GEN_60'_PS_Auto_Box_103020.pdf

 

Genesis - F89F Flat Car - Trailer Train, Trailer Train w/ 40' Z-Van Reefer Trailer (4 different liveries)

http://www.athearn.com/newsletter/103020/04_Gen_F89_Flat_103020.pdf

 

RTR - IMPACK Spine Car - BN, ITEL, SF, TTX, Cotton Belt

http://www.athearn.com/newsletter/103020/05_RTR_Impack_Spine_Car_103020.pdf

 

RTR - 40' Z-Van Reefer Trailer - Intermodal Systems, Leaseway Transportation, Martrac, Rock Island, Digby, Owner Operator

http://www.athearn.com/newsletter/103020/06_RTR_40'_Reefer_Trailer_103020.pdf

 

RTR - 60' Flat Car - TTX (Red / Brown / Black), CN, CP, BC Rail, BNSF, Southern, SP

http://www.athearn.com/newsletter/103020/07_RTR_60'_Flat_103020.pdf

 

Roundhouse - 34' Ribbed Hopper - Pennsy, NYC, N&W, B&O, Lehigh Valley, BNSF, C&O

http://www.athearn.com/newsletter/103020/08_RND_34'_Ribbed_Hopper_103020.pdf

 

Edited by mdvle
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Tangent Scale Models - NEW Tooling - Pullman Standard 3526/3600 "Eastern"/4000 "Western" Triple (3-bay) Coal Hoppers

 

Mid-70s design

 

BN Ph1 Black Delivery 1975+ PS4000, BN Ph3 Black Double Rotary Delivery 1976+ PS4000, C&NW Ph2 Black Delivery 1975+ PS4000, B&O Chessie Black Delivery 195+ PS3526

 

Also available Undecorated RTR (black painted) in 5 versions

  • PS4000 HT Phase 1 Body Rotary Draft Gear 195+
  • PS4000 HT Phase 1 Body Standard Draft Gear 1975+
  • PS4000 HT Phase 2 Body 1975+
  • PS4000 HT Phase 3 Body 1976+
  • PS3526 HT B&O/WM Version 1975+

https://www.tangentscalemodels.com/pullman-standard-3526-3600-4000-ht-3-bay-coal-hopper-system/

 

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Atlas - November/December 2020 - preorders due January 13th 2021, estimated arrival 3Q2021

 

New Tooling (at least partial) - Master S-4 - B&O, CP, GTW, Pennsy, SF, SP, B&M

 

New Tooling - Master ACF 5250 Covered Hopper - Chemplex Plastics (CHEX), Arco Polymers (NDYX), Honeymead (ACFX), ADM "Molecule" (ADMX), Hercules Pro-Fax (HPCX), General American (GACX) - note price $72.95, EP sample photos in PDF

 

Master 10-1-2 Pullman Sleeper - Pennsy, Southern, Pullman, UP, Mexico, Lehigh Valley, SP

 

Trainman - Bulkhead Flat Car - TTX, BNSF, General American, Boise Cascade, Colorado & Wyoming, UP (MOW), Department of Defense

 

http://download.atlasrr.com/1120MCPDF/2020NOVDECMSRPOnly1.pdf

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2 Rapido announcements, no order deadlines yet for either.

 

First, PRR F30A/D/G flat car ($50) - PRR (as delivered / 1950s / 1960s), PC, Conrail (MOW), Lehigh Valley, TTX (early red / later red / yellow), undecorated.

https://rapidotrains.com/products/ho-scale/freight-cars/ho-scale-prr-f30-flatcar

 

Second, Bombardier Bi-levels.

 

6 different bodies tooled (3 coaches / 3 cab cars - Series I, II, and IV), rivets or welded as appropriate, 4 or 5 lower windows as appropriate, single or double front windows on cab car, free rolling wheels, constant interior lighting (DC or DCC), controllable cab car lighting (DC or DCC)

 

First run paint schemes - Montreal, GO (original), Metrolink, TRE, Tri-Rail (Miami), and West Coast Express plus undecorated.  Sounder hinted at for future run.

$320 for 3 pack (2 coaches/1 cab car), $100 for additional coaches, $120 for undecorated cab cars

https://rapidotrains.com/products/ho-scale/passenger-cars/ho-scale-bilevel-commuter-car

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