mdvle

I'm not disagreeing, but rather even the Engineer is at the end of the day constrained by budgets. Is it better to try and get some small improvements out of a loco, or do you as the person in charge use your resources to improve say the coaches (as mentioned earlier in this thread) which at the time presented the company with a better return on investment of company resources? I am sure they kept thinking about and perhaps even doing some experiments in the shops, but at the end of the day the company had other things to fund that provided a far better return.

The thing to consider with Bachmann is that they essentially took last year off from the new tooling announcements to allow themselves to work on the backlog of items that their China problems introduced, and more importantly I seem to recall a report that the new production capacity was finally producing results and that items were getting through the various stages in a reasonable time frame. If I have recalled the above correctly this means that any announcements from Bachmann shouldn't have the long delivery times, and that it may be possible that they could surprise people with something new that is already at a sample stage. Another consideration for attempting to beat Bachmann to market is that so far at least Bachmann haven't shown any interest in backing down, hence the 121/122/24 and possibly other duplication so you may get an advantage of releasing first but you possibly lose a lot of the benefits of being the only source of second, third, etc. runs.

I think you have things reversed. This is a Rails project, and Heljan is the chosen producer (just like Dapol has been for the Terrier and D). They didn't exactly say limited production, the first post says low production run. I take that simply to mean given the likely limited interest in this item they won't be producing a lot of extra models for inventory purposes given the risk of them sitting on shelves for years. But the point is that by reducing/eliminating the standard cost of doing a normal retail distribution these direct commissions / selling direct producers can produce models that otherwise wouldn't work for a standard Dapol/Hornby/Bachmann release.

Frequently lost to the casual observer or fan, but the people running things really don't necessarily go for change for the sake of change. If the goal is to run the business efficiently (whether that is to make a profit, or to minimize subsidies) you have to consider not only if the potential improvements improve the balance sheet, but whether the resources spent could have achieved better results being spent on improving other parts of the business. Not being familiar with the steam operations in question, the above would possibly seem to explain it quite well. The GWR had a fleet of locos that were performing quite well for the GWR needs, and so the costs of any improvements wouldn't give the same return as it would for the LMS who apparently had issues.

LNER is advising delays to service, apparently an 80x and HST collided while both empty. Twitter message by LNER - https://twitter.com/LNER/status/1194790239312711681 Picture on Twitter - https://twitter.com/stuartthomas/status/1194763023224918016

Might have more success in the Layout & Track Design section of RMweb https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/forum/66-layout-track-design/

But he is also already served well with most of the relevant stuff already available in RTR. The gaps in the non-steam market really tend towards either really new stuff (the Class 230 would be a risky choice at the moment without giving it a couple of years for the real things to settle in and know what tooling is needed), or multiple units in the 4 or more carriages that have pricing issues in being brought to market. Or are so regional that both price and lack of interest cause problems. Might also reflect the available choices, might reflect how colourful they are. Many options. Partially a reflection that much of the diesel loco (and even electric) classes have been done and are available thanks to the standardization of 1 operator. The steam era, with 5 different "mainstream" buyers (BR plus the big 4), and then an abundance of pre-grouping sources, has a diversity of prototypes the diesel era doesn't. Having said that, what RMweb reflects more than anything else is the part of the market is more serious about trying to recreate the real railway(*), which means getting the exact model needed in the exact correct livery, and attempting to recreate prototypically correct track layouts as much as our limited space allows. To that end, the steam and British Rail eras, with the reliance on engines and loose rolling stock, offer far more options from an operations perspective than the current railway with its multiple units going back and forth ever will. So those eras are unlikely to ever fully go away. And yet look at all the froth around Accurascale and their Mk5 announcements. So there are still "modern" modellers on RMweb, and like any public forum where the users provide the content that it is likely if they left because of a lack of content that interests them then it is because they weren't generating said content. Far more likely is the reality that they have gone to YouTube or Facebook, places that are in some ways easier to participate in (they have smartphone apps for a start) but also places that thanks to their size can turn a blind eye to the frequent copyright violations that many people on those platforms persist in doing. I suspect there will be a lot of industry examination of how successful (or not) Accurascale is with their Mk5 offerings from a financial perspective. The prevailing wisdom in much of the industry (and in fairness reinforced by the frequent moaning about prices seen on RMweb and other social media) is that customers won't pay the additional costs of longer multiple unit trains. If Accurascale proves this assumption to be incorrect then it could open up the possibilities of a lot more stuff in the DMU/EMU ranges that don't have the same above average appeal of the 80x units.

TT could be very interesting, you could with a fresh start get away from many of the compromises that cause at least some people so much angst in OO. The question though is how much new tooled product would be required to kickstart a market large enough to justify the tooling cost of new items and track?

Interesting idea, and given the market there is a lot that could possibly be done, particularly in steam. The question is (which I have no idea) is the O market big enough for 3 RTR companies?

In terms of what Hornby might do: GWR Manor - high polling for a long while, lots still around, possibly good splash for a 100 year thing. Class 37 - also much wanted, many liveries possible, again still around. another "small & cute" little loco, a part of the market that seems to have been very hot for the last number of years outside chance - Class 89 - again much in demand, would make a splash, though the economics likely favour a direct sale/retailer doing this expansion of their line of Mk2 coaches something Southern given Hornby's like of Southern a more modern DMU of some sort, perhaps the 165 now that they may spread around a bit more. Advantage the new GWR livery seems to be popular on models, and can tie in with the popular 80x models on layouts. outside chance - Class 50 - to hold on to this prototype as it is likely to be redone by someone in the next 5 years and polled middle in its first year in the poll

The danger is the assumption that "todays generation" all model the modern scene, which isn't true. Yes, there is a bias towards more modern stuff, but a lot of new modellers are looking to the past for the greater operational possibilities. The interesting question will be if there is ever really a market for all these DMUs and EMUs to be made, or whether if the 80% of the market are happy enough to just have a "modern DMU" for their little railway without a care if is an exact match to a given manufacturers real product.

Depending on what changes are made to the body, and the cost / viability of modifying the tooling, Hornby may have an advantage in a couple of years on the Class 69. Regarding the death of the steam market, only Hornby & others will know the real story. Is the "fire sale" listings a result of overproduction, because of a bad model (perhaps the Heljan 47xx), to quick on a subsequent run, or a genuine decline in the market? The flip side is, allowing for it's issues, the just released 2019 wishlist poll had the top 8 wanted models all being steam, and even going further down the list steam is well represented. Some of that can perhaps be explained away as the diesels have all been done, but they are still beating out the assorted multiple units and other modern stuff that hasn't been done.

Rapido first injection samples of the various versions of the SW1200 https://twitter.com/RapidoTrains/status/1194313643581681666

Depending on how they tooled it, they had new tooling for the slide-door Mk3s so perhaps a new tooled set of Mk3s for the HST power cars?

Rapido unboxing the B36-7 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NJ_DUtIbcg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NJ_DUtIbcg

Walthers Trainfest 2019 booth. Towards the beginning the show a layout under a kids bed, and a couple of minutes in a shelf "drawer" layout. Features various new items including a sneak look at an early sample of an NW2 (2021 release). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arsEOHKqpLE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arsEOHKqpLE

It was pretty much leaked as being in favour a week ago when the press reported that Lord Berkeley, the deputy chair of the panel and vocal critic of HS2, was upset that he had been given no opportunity to influence the final report.

Some more pictures (note except for 6644 all have Canadian flag on one side, US flag on opposite side): CP 6644 - camouflage colours applied to Royal Canadian Air Force Spitfires flown during the Normandy invasion June 6 1944 http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=39407 CP 7020 - NATO green, used by Canadian and American armies in temperate climates http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=39408 CP 7021 - sand colour used by Canadian and American armies in arid climates http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=39404 CP 7022 - grey, red and black colour pattern of modern Canadian and American warships http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=39405 CP 7023 - two-tone grey paint scheme based on the livery applied to Canadian and American fighter jets http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=39406

CBC article on how they concealed the paint schemes until the unveiling: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/canadian-pacific-rail-locomotives-commemorate-1.5355867 And the CP pages about them, including hi-res images: https://www.cpr.ca/en/media/canadian-pacific-honours-canadian-us-military-with-special-locomotives https://www.cpr.ca/en/media/photos It is possible with the SD90 that Athearn announced in the spring that they could also continue on to do the SD70ACU, and with collectible paint schemes like these I would suspect that has become even more likely.

Looking at the "suggestion" results, why was the Class 142 included given that it is in development with Realtrack? [edit] I realize that the category is for remakes, but given that the model is still in development I just wonder if the votes were based on the existing Hornby model and that the voters weren't aware that Realtrack is working on the Class 142? While it didn't make the cut off for inclusion next year, listing it in this years results without perhaps a note could be misleading to some people. [/edit]

Also from Trainfest Classic Metal Works - new items in their line of vehicles Broadway Limited - Northern Pacific A-3 and SP&S E-1 hybrid brass 4-8-4 Accurail - ACF 2980cf 2-Bay hopper - arriving late 2020 (pre-production sample shown at show) - C&NW, D&RGW, GN, EL, BN, NP, UP, CB&Q, data-only-gray * - Accurail are kits and thus the expected retail is $20 Atlas - Trinity 3,230-cubic-foot-capacity pressure differential covered hopper

Announced at Trainfest. Kato - Suburban Station Kit, based on Schaumburg Illinois Kato - C&NW commuter train - E8A and set of bi-level commuter coaches. Broadway Limited - EMD SW7 and NW2 Jacksonville Terminal - NSC TTX NWF13A 9-post well car Fox Valley Models - 57' PC&F mechanical reefers, new intermodal containers Classic Metal Works - new vehicles

Two new videos from ScaleTrains, the SD45 and the Multi-Max autorack.

Other Trainfest announcements. Tangent - All-new - GATC 1957-Design 8000 Gallon Tank Car - GATX Clinton Corn, GATX Black Lease, https://www.tangentscalemodels.com/general-american-1957-design-8000-gallon-welded-general-service-tank-car/ Atlas - New Tooling - Master line GE U28 and U28CG - details in a January 2020 announcement. Bachmann - new run - 2-10-0 Russian Decapod - Erie, ATSF, Frisco, WP, Black (unlettered). Broadway Limited - GG1 - Penn Central, Pennsy - arriving this month https://www.broadway-limited.com/paragon3prrgg1.aspx Walthers - Mainline GP9 - ATSF, B&M, NH, Precision National, Rock Island Walthers - Mainline GE ES44AC - UP (Breast Cancer), BNSF, CN, CP, CSX, Ferromex And not really HO, but Atlas has a TrainKids passenger train set for the younger ones https://atlastrainkids.com/

ScaleTrains Operator Tier 4 Gevos - GNSF (Heritage III), CN, CN (100th Anniversary/Aboriginal Affairs) CSX, NS, UP (Building America) https://www.scaletrains.com/product-category/operator-n-scale-ge-tier-4-gevo-et44/ River Counter - 4785cf Covered Hoppers - Conrail, Golden West, Milwaukee Road, NS, NYC, Penn Central https://www.scaletrains.com/product-category/rivet-counter-n-scale-ps-2cd-4785cf-covered-hopper/