USA Trains new locomotive releases

[Rene Schweitzer]

Hi guys (and I use the term lightly, since ladies post here too!),

I've just posted an article on USA Trains 2005-2006 locomotive releases. This includes information on their upcoming Big Boy locomotive. Check it out!

http://www.trains.com/Content/Dynamic/Articles/000/000/005/676wbxwd.asp

[vsmith]

Nice... but at probably close to $2000.00 plus, yet another engine I'll pass on.

[Marty Cozad]

Rene
This is old news, we knew about back with this last issue. heheh
Plus the word "guys" is generic. My wify uses it all the time to the ladies.
Personally i think everyone should e-mail USAT and ask if they would make the BigBoy RC/Battery ready just to keep up with Aristo. Theres so much room in that tender you could put what ever RC/ sound units and battery you wanted.
I may have to buy one in a close out sale.

[van buren s l]

Rene
My railway is too small to handle any of those locos except the Alco switcher. Although I prefer early gas-electric ,early diesel and traction locos to steam, I was briefly tempted by the USA 0-6-0 switcher.Unfortunately, it had two major strikes against it. The first one was the Belpaire firebox, which pretty well locks it in to a Pennsy-inspired layout. The other strike was the price. Fifteen hundred is an outrageous amount for any switcher. Aristocraft (and USA too) could produce a plastic bodied 0-6-0 at a fraction of that price. Whether they will or not is another matter.
Bob

P. S. It's always nice to see the new stuff trotted out whether I can use it or not. Please keep it up.

[ondrek]

I have to agree with Bob, I really like the B6 0-6-0 switcher, but $1500 for it is very difficult to swallow. especially when its running on track power and not R/C ready. I have no problem with it being a penski, I dont fret too much over the small details such as Bob's "...the Belpaire firebox, which pretty well locks it in to a Pennsy-inspired layout" To me, i would just let it be, paint over the tender and put my own logo on it. But, as i said, its a lot to pay for a very nice engine. very nice it is, but I cant justify that much $ for it. I decided to to spend less and try a Ruby. It hasnt come yet, but thats the route i went.

Now, Accucraft has a 0-6-0 switcher coming out, a southern though, i dont care for the vanderbuilt tender, (just looks based only), it wouldnt stop me from making it my own with my own logo though, just like the USA B6. the Accucraft 0-6-0 is more, $500 more, but it is live steam too.

I am going to the Amhers Railway society Railroad hobby show at the big E at the end of this month. its in Springfield, MA. USA trains is in MA as well...i hope they have a booth and i hope the B6 is there. I cant justify it, but maybe after seeing it upclose and if they (USA trains) can provide me with enough to justify it, it might end up in the car on the way home. well see. the idea of live steam is really starting to appeal to me, so the USA switcher has its work cut out for it up against the accucraft one.[;)]
course what am i saying, i dont have $2k to blow on an engine anyhow.....plus the wife would kill me. [xx(]

Kevin

[Anonymous]

They are nice - but oh the price!!

[smcgill]

TO MUCH MONEY!

[vsmith]

I've been griping about that USA 0-6-0 since I first saw the price tag. I've seen this engine, its Accucraft level quality. It really really nice, but....I'm convinced that USA wants a piece of Accucrafts business and thats why were seeing the huge jump to the museum level product ( and the prices). I have also noticed that these have NOT been flying off the shelves so USA might have layed an egg with this switcher.

How many of these would they have sold to date if it was a plastic version at under $500?

[ondrek]

Has there been any review of the engine? How long have they been on the shelf? I thought they were not even being shipped until this month.

Kevin

[bman36]

Hey Rene,
Always great to see what is coming out. No place for that Big Boy here...except maybe for a shelf! But alas...I won't buy anything I can't run. My hotrods will never be "Trailer Queens" and my trains will never be "Ornaments". That Alco S4 looks enticing in CP dress. Gonna' check the website to see which colours it will be wearing. Later eh...Brian.

[Anonymous]

Brian
you will need to own a coal mine to buy one of them , or an oil well ,no place in my budget for one . Ben

[vsmith]

QUOTE: Originally posted by ondrek

Has there been any review of the engine? How long have they been on the shelf? I thought they were not even being shipped until this month.

Kevin

I saw one at the BTS last year, It must have been an early version, very nice, very expensive. I havent heard of anyone whos planning on buying one, must be aimed at collectors only and not the guys who would dare to run it around their layouts. We'll likely see it again this June at the Rusty Bucket show once more, I still have a issue with this ever higher price ranges of these desirable new products.