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HO Scale Manufacturer Videos / Product Updates


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Athearn Live from Development - September 15th 2021

 

0:01 - AC4400 - still in progress, on schedule for it's official announcement (it's not delayed)
- one of the hardest things to develop is rebuilds, variety of them and uniqueness
- 125 variations on the AC4400 (28 body styles, 16 handrail variations, etc)
- shows some CAD
- the existing tooling AC4400 will continue to be offered in addition to the new G2.0 version
- show side CAD for QNS&L version
- CAD is still work in progress
- official announcement maybe end of this year, maybe early next year
0:20 - SD32ECO/SD59MX
- likely before the AC4400
- doing the UP version
- CAD
- FRA considers them a new loco
- will not be tooling #9900 - too unique
- built on the SD60M frame (fixed version)
0:25 - SD60M 2nd run
- CAD - BNSF SD60-3 rebuild - electronic parking brake
- CAD - UP rebuild (cab variation)
- should be announced soon
0:32 - RTR SW1500
- as close to Genesis as you can get without being Genesis
- led lights (in some cases - think SP - lots of LEDs (12?))
- new motor designed for the small switchers
- full cab interior
- sound
- light effects (ground lights)
- some roadname specific details (2 types of trucks)

- more coming in RTR line of boxcars

 

 

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Rapido have announced on Facebook that both the FPA-2u/FPB-2u and the H16-44 have met the minimum order numbers required to proceed.

 

Once samples are available in the future a final order deadline will be announced so production can begin.

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Some important info from today's Rapido News.

  1. just arrived F40PH models - factory mistake means wrong sideframes used, new sideframes are being made and will be provided free to anyone with a model with the wrong sideframes.
  2. E8 order deadline suspended - factory mistake means some corrections need to be done (note new order deadline will only get a couple of days advance notice so don't delay making an order)
  3. The CPR D10 has a new order deadline of November 15th.

 

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Earlier this week Rapido announced the VIA Tempo Snack Coaches - they sold out to hobby shops in 2 hours.

 

Anyone wanting them only hobby shops in Canada got them so you will need to contact them to try and find any.

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Rapido Live - October 7th

  • next tentatively scheduled November 12
  • EP-5, PA, F59 - all should ship out before Chinese New Year (CNY)
  • maroon VIA toques - anyone with one in excellent condition Jason would be interested in buying
  • requests for more Ski Train Tempo cars, including from dealers, so possible
  • a not-so-subtle hint that they are working on a new model of the CN Turbotrain in HO
  • any other scales? - not likely, did offer a guy who requested the CN/VIA coaches in O if he could come up with 3,000 orders, never heard back
  • Proto-Paint? - trying to do it, but supplier has been sold twice so they are currently attempting to work with the 3rd owner
  • N scale - about 1/6 the sales of HO
  • FPA-2u - sales met expectations
  • H16-44 - sailed past expectations
  • H16-44 - Dan Darnell project, currently busy on another loco project (unannounced), when done that will go back to H16-44
  • H16-44 - earliest tooling January, maybe after CNY, production next summer
  • NH County Cars - sales enough to make, but not strong enough to be a priority, Bill needs to find time.  Also caught up in the inability  to travel to China, difficult working with factory to combine parts from other NH models to minimize new tooling when videoconferencing/emailing
  • don't know when they can visit factories again, things difficult without the visits (thinks like the F40PH sideframes would have been caught with China visits where they could check out assembly processes)
  • Procor tank cars - shipped last of June from China, last 3 weeks somewhere unknown in Canada
  • F30 - somewhere in Canada for the last 3 weeks
  • Comet cars - somewhere in Canada Customs for the last week and a half
  • X31 - shipping to dealers now
  • Jason hates Bill - Bill started his layout in June 2020 and just had his first operating session, Jason started the Kingston sub in April 2013 and is still years away...
  • Autoflood III sales very successful

 

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Exactrail has posted a blog post explaining why they have appeared to be dead, that they aren't dead, and listing a bunch of production runs that should be announced in the next 6 months (including some next month), plus a sample photo of a newly tooled PC&F 7633 Boxcar to be announced next year.

 

https://exactrail.com/blogs/news/whats-happening-at-exactrail

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Aurora Miniatures updated their Facebook page yesterday with a tease of a CAD image of 3 GE locos as their next project after the SD60F.  Others have ID's them as C36-7.

 

They have also indicated that a sample of their upcoming SD60F will be demonstrated at a Canadian hobby shop in early December

 

The SD60F has an order deadline announced of December 13th, with delivery eta of Q2 2022

 

 

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Rapido UK just did a Facebook Live session with Jason and Bill, and some North American stuff came out in the discussion that may be of interest

 

  • railcrew products - switch machine in stock in Canada, uncouplers ordered - will look into shipping some stock to the Rapido UK warehouse for anyone in the UK wanting them (if you do, perhaps contact Rapido in a week or so to remind them)
  • the requests for doing the "Silver Streak" - rights holder wanted $50k up front, made product financially unviable
  • general problem with license fees is they are frequently paid up front and don't necessarily reflect the number of units sold
  • current working on a license agreement with Ford North America - license fees are such that the will need to sell at least 20k models
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After some questions elsewhere online about the ability of the D10 to pull a train on a hill Rapido have put up a video of the D10 pulling 15 cars plus caboose up a 1.75% grade on a 26" radius curve (as well as starting on the grade) - they used Bill's under construction O&W layout.

 

 

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Rapido Live - December 13th 2021

 

Jordan, Jason, Matt, Bill

 

- Jason wearing a Mr. Dressup shirt, stream starts with a discussion about Mr. Rogers and Mr. Dressup

- another locomotive surprise run coming next year

- Skyline/mid-train domes

- ATSF Reefers

- Matt is working on 3 loco projects (inc. U25B), 4 freight cars

- USRA single sheath boxcars / CP clones

- stirrup steps to be done in metal, not plastic as the samples show

- modifying tooling to make wood effect more subtle

- joke about doing the Krauss-Maffei locos

- Pennsy E44? Bill likes it, Jason says get EP-5 done first

- EP-5 has left factory (as has steam generator, Barrel Ore cars, X72, GLa )

- Caprice leave end of this month

- F59 leave next month

- PA ready except for DCC chips by end of January

- APT-E done except for chips for 2 weeks, chips expected in another 2 weeks

- automobile #2 in the works

- looking to start doing 2 to 4 new automobiles each year

- looking for a project manager (on a freelance basis) for automobiles

- want to make automobiles from the 1940s to present, with a focus on December 1980

- Jason's thoughts on new Siemens VIA trains?  look cool, looking forward to riding them

- RS18u/RSC-14 - order deadline likely February 15th

- multi-person discussion about question regarding inventory

- after tonight's livestream Matt having meeting with China about one of his loco projects, for weeks it has been stuck at 98% done

- freight cars - need to have a sales potential of at least 5,000 units

- new unannounced freight car sample due, several other in the pipeline

- gave mold shop 12 projects to tool in 6 week span

- X-3 tank car, NE caboose samples expected by end of year

- Matt shows U25B first sample (has been visible in his background since beginning of stream) - some parts missing, etc.

- U25B order deadline likely Feb or March



 

YouTube video to follow


 

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A Modelers Life Podcast - ep 183a

 

Shane Wilson of ScaleTrains


 

- Watco Wisconsin Southern SD40-2 anniversary unit - wanted to do it in Rivet Counter, but changes to unit over the years make it impossible (like unique ditch lights)

- sales - Rivet Counter 90%, Operator 10%

- 10% not enough to sustain Operator brand

- discussions held on attempting to save Operator, brand will likely morph in some way

- (this applies to locos only, freight cars are doing okay)

 

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