Hi all,
Navigation on the Bowser Manufacturing website is frustratingingly unintuitive for me. It seems they have a lot of old pages lying around and the information about current activities is always buried. The last note I could find about loco production was from August (see below).
Does anyone have anything newer?
If the below is accurate, then it seems I will be waiting a very long time for my RS-3 and F-7.
-Matt
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Next Locomoitves in order MLW M630 in production now. First shipment due to leave factory at the end of the month. SD30c Eco PCC Trolley Baldwin AS16/616 U25B RS3 F units
Returning to model railroading after 40 years and taking unconscionable liberties with the SP&S, Northern Pacific and Great Northern roads in the '40s and '50s.
Did you try contacting them?
AEP528Did you try contacting them?
https://www.bowser-trains.com/
Click under picture.
Looks like dates haven't changed much.
maxmanhttps://www.bowser-trains.com/ Click under picture.
I guess the delays in shipping are just still wreaking havoc on production schedules and I should relax about it. :/
Below where it says products available for backorder there are pictures of the items. Below each item there is a place to check delivery information.
Doesn't seem to make any difference which item you want to look at...takes you to the same list. What I understand from the bottom of the list is that the M630 is in production now and the first shipment is due to leave factory at the end of the month. (Doesn't indicate which month)
Then the other locos are to be produced in the order shown.
So, yes, it looks like you'll be waiting for some time.
The C-630Ms are being delivered to stores now. My local shop has three enroute right now.
Mark.
¡ uʍop ǝpısdn sı ǝɹnʇɐuƃıs ʎɯ 'dlǝɥ
For' Matt's RS-3's and F7's:
On Bowser's website under "Delivery Information."
Delivery information 8-2-2022
Estimated Delivery info for Bowser ProjectsExpect delays. Everyday I get an email about the ship is delayed!The ship arrving in 10 days has been delayed 50 days over normal.
Farther down (under freight cars scheduled through 10/15/22) is the following:
So the M630's were in production and first shipment scheduled to leave the end of August, but with excessive delays on the prior ships...
The good news: It lists on that "delivery information" page a expected delivery date of 10/1/22 for the HO spine cars, those are indeed delivered, and are at dealers now. So the projected deliveries now seem to be correct.
With that said, Bowser's web site on RS-3 item page lists early 2023 as the expected delivery, the F7's are still open for pre-orders with no expected delivery dates yet. (M630 now shows expected Fall 2022 on it's item page. Early 2023 for SD30C-ECO)
So, unless things go wrong again, RS-3 is early part of next year. F7 unknown.
Ricky W.
HO scale Proto-freelancer.
My Railroad rules:
1: It's my railroad, my rules.
2: It's for having fun and enjoyment.
3: Any objections, consult above rules.
ricktrains4824With that said, Bowser's web site on RS-3 item page lists early 2023 as the expected delivery, the F7's are still open for pre-orders with no expected delivery dates yet. (M630 now shows expected Fall 2022 on it's item page. Early 2023 for SD30C-ECO) So, unless things go wrong again, RS-3 is early part of next year. F7 unknown.
Thanks guys. I'm not sure that I'm glad I asked. I think I ordered my F-7 every bit of a year ago, maybe longer. But it's a First World problem, and I won't find the F-7 or the RS-3 in SP&S' "as shortly after delivery" colors at any swap meet, because they haven't been made by manufacturers except in brass. So 1) they will be worth the wait and 2) I don't have a choice.
crossthedog But it's a First World problem, and I won't find the F-7 or the RS-3 in SP&S' "as shortly after delivery" colors at any swap meet, because they haven't been made by manufacturers except in brass.
I believe this is a recent Bowser RS-3 announcement following the "hammerhead" version:
https://www.bowser-trains.com/new/rs32022.html
Hope that helps. I was fortunate that two of the roads that I had wanted RS-3s from have been made and delivered, Nickel Plate and Erie Lackawanna:
NKP_540-RS3 by Edmund, on Flickr
EL_1057_3-4 by Edmund, on Flickr
I guess for some of the "latest" news you would have to sign up for that facebook thing, which I do not participate in.
https://www.facebook.com/bowserTrains/
Regards, Ed
gmpullmanI guess for some of the "latest" news you would have to sign up for that facebook thing, which I do not participate in.
OP--
Suggest you call Bowser directly and ask to speak with Lee English about the F-7's.
Anything else regarding their delivery dates that you are going to get on here is just conjecture, and he would be the one to ask to get the truth, if in fact there is any update to "after RS-3's".
The first run of RS-3's is in and basically sold out.
So perhaps the question is after which run of RS-3's?
John
PRR8259 OP-- Suggest you call Bowser directly and ask to speak with Lee English about the F-7's. Anything else regarding their delivery dates that you are going to get on here is just conjecture, and he would be the one to ask to get the truth, if in fact there is any update to "after RS-3's". The first run of RS-3's is in and basically sold out. So perhaps the question is after which run of RS-3's? John
Yes there is a next run of RS-3's which include SP&S, they are due early 2023.
In that same run I am waiting for C&O and WESTERN MARYLAND Fireball scheme locos.
There is no further update on them, only the info on the original page for those locos.
https://www.bowser-trains.com/new/rs32ndbatch.html
The type written delivery page simply says the locos will made in that order, so we can assume right now RS-3's, then F units, then RS-3 hammerheads - after those other locos listed?
They want to make money, they will do their part and hope their overseas partners do theirs.
The whole thing is less than ideal, but we seem stuck with it.
Now, if we were all willing to pay prices higher than current retails, you might see some return to manufacturers and retailers actually creating product before it is sold, and holding inventory fo future sales.....
Sheldon
PRR8259 OP-- Suggest you call Bowser directly and ask to speak with Lee English about the F-7's. Anything else regarding their delivery dates that you are going to get on here is just conjecture, and he would be the one to ask to get the truth, if in fact there is any update to "after RS-3's".
Not "conjecture" when linking and quoting from Bowser's official website.
Here is the new run RS-3 page. Lists "October 2023" for delivery.
F7's (F Units) still are only pre-orders, no posted delivery date.
https://www.bowser-trains.com/new/funits2017.html
RS-3's in SP&S 'as Delivered" from the SP&S historical society, along with other schemes from prior announcement (Preorders ended back in March 2022) listed as "Delivery early 2023". (To answer OP's question on them.)
"Conjecture" would mean us guessing or offering our own opinions. No one has said "well, I think...." on any of the answers presented here, and calling them will get the same answer that they have posted already on their official website online.
Guys, thanks for all this. I guess I was a little confused and a lot dismayed, because the run that includes the "red-top" SP&S RS-3 was only announced earlier this year -- I preordered my SP&S special RS-3 from the SPSRHS just a few months ago -- and it seems that they will be arriving well before the F-unit, which I preordered at least a year ago. I find it odd that that RS-3 run will happen before the F-units. Does it depend on when Bowser gets enough preorders to do the run? Otherwise I don't understand why the F-units have fallen to the bottom of the list.
EDIT: okay, checking the links I see that that "red-top" RS-3 was probably announced late last year, but my point is still the same. The announcement for the F-7 was WAAAAY earlier.
crossthedog Guys, thanks for all this. I guess I was a little confused and a lot dismayed, because the run that includes the "red-top" SP&S RS-3 was only announced earlier this year -- I preordered my SP&S special RS-3 from the SPSRHS just a few months ago -- and it seems that they will be arriving well before the F-unit, which I preordered at least a year ago. I find it odd that that RS-3 run will happen before the F-units. Does it depend on when Bowser gets enough preorders to do the run? Otherwise I don't understand why the F-units have fallen to the bottom of the list. EDIT: okay, checking the links I see that that "red-top" RS-3 was probably announced late last year, but my point is still the same. The announcement for the F-7 was WAAAAY earlier. -Matt
Here's where I will add in conjecture.
The RS-3's the tooling is probably the same that was already at the factory from the last run already out. (Both runs all the features appear the same.)
The F Units have new features not previously released, so it involves new tooling. That always takes more time than already on-hand tooling.
Quote from https://www.bowser-trains.com/new/funits2017.html says this:
So new designed tooling, even partial, is involved with this, when comparing the RS-3's to already released versions, I don't see anything changed or new, other than paint schemes.
In a word, maybe, regarding pre-orders.
What follows is my own conjecture, thank you to those above who quoted definitions and claimed we were not already there when I read or perceived a bit differently, at least reading between the lines.
Disclaimer: Although I once worked for Bowser, while working my way through college and ending in May of 1992, I am most definitely NOT authorized to say anything whatsoever on their behalf.
So what follows is purely 100% my own conjecture, also as a customer who has placed pre-orders with them in the past:
At least some of those Bowser F units were originally announced several years ago. Conveniently, Athearn and some other manufacturers also released some of the same paint schemes on their own less expensive line(s), ie non-Genesis-detail level units, at about the same time (specifically Santa Fe blue and yellow warbonnet, and possibly some others like Bachmann's Western Maryland F units.)
Perhaps as a result (of Athearn and others offering some of the same schemes) Bowser did not get enough reservations to produce those units at that time, and the Santa Fe blue and yellow warbonnet F-9's were specifically cancelled (there may have been other F units cancelled as well). I think I did complain to my long time friend, Rich Cox, the Bowser retail store sales manager and a member of their R&D team.
At some point since some F units were announced and subsequently cancelled, Bowser made a re-announcement, and we are where we are now.
I'm sure they will get to the F units, but I do not know when that will be.
That is why I politely suggested above, if one is seriously interested in whatever roadname it is that one wants, the best thing to do is to give Lee English a call (or email, the contact email address is on their website and Lee himself is very responsive to those emails). He is normally very gracious with customers, and anything that I or anybody else says on here is nothing more than conjecture at best. I do not know any current Bowser employees that take the time to post on these forums, except only Lee himself, and then I think it is rarely.
Respectfully submitted--