I am doing research for a business class, My project is a model railroad manufacturing company that focuses on the stuff that other companies don’t make. I figured many of you have locomotives you wish had models like the obscure early articulated locomotives or the high-pressure experiments. The KM diesel-hydraulics or maybe just some chain link fences or details? Give me some ideas!
A classic 1870s 4-4-0 in excellent detail and quality!
Happy times!
Ulrich (aka The Tin Man)
"You´re never too old for a happy childhood!"
As someone who models the Granger roads of Central Texas I am stunned that no one makes a model of the most common agricultural industry of this region, a Cotton gin. These were and still are in every town and many rural wide spots in the road all over the south and southwest.
There are plenty of grainery models available, but I have only seen one model in the past of a Cotton Gin and it looked nothing like the gins I see all over the cotton growing south and southwest.
Steve B
A good plastic ALCo C415! I mean Rapido did the GMD1, so...
Similar is the NW5, but with only 12 made that one makes more sense.
Also GE P30CHs, we have the comparably EMD SDP40F which was in Amtrak service for less time!
I want a Talgo set in Amtrak Cascades paint! We’ve seen the P59PHI and Cabbage in Cascades, but no matching cars!
And there are plenty more, I’m sure plenty will come up
Regards, Isaac
I model my railroad and you model yours! I model my way and you model yours!
Lima Switchers
Alco T-6
Baldwin RT-624
Rick Jesionowski
Rule 1: This is my railroad.
Rule 2: I make the rules.
Rule 3: Illuminating discussion of prototype history, equipment and operating practices is always welcome, but in the event of visitor-perceived anacronisms, detail descrepancies or operating errors, consult RULE 1!
I would like to see a New Haven EP-5 electric locomotive. They were first built in 1955. These have been made, but I don't think anyone makes them now.
No, I wouldn't buy one. It doesn't fit my Milwaukee prototype at all. But, if I were starting again from scratch, some plausible excuse for that and GG-1s would be a nice thing to model.
I would still like to have an "electrified" line.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
A Fairbanks-Morse H20-44 switcher.
This was an uncommenly powerful switcher locomotive built in the late 1940s. It was actually more like a road switcher of that era, but in a switcher-type carbody. It was a boxy, powerful looking diesel.
Brass models have been manufactured in Japan (1970s), but none in have been produced in plastic.
Rapido has announced a EP-5 in a number of paint schemes.
Couple companies make chainlink fence. Bowser is still in the planning stage of c415.
Alco t6 i could go for aswell.
A pessimist sees a dark tunnel
An optimist sees the light at the end of the tunnel
A realist sees a frieght train
An engineer sees three idiots standing on the tracks stairing blankly in space
I'll go for anything, including scenery details, vehicles, figures and industrial items, that are NOT part of the transition era, or older.
Mike.
My You Tube
RR_MelAn affordable HO scale AC-9...
Not a model on my "must have" list, Mel, but it was certainly the best-looking of the Cab-Forwards, simply because it didn't have its cab forward.
I can't think of anything I'd want that's either not already made or that I couldn't build myself. In fact, I think that I'd prefer to build it myself.
Wayne
RTR lithium battery powered blue tooth control chassie for HO. Would have to have an ajustable wheel base to fit different configurations. You can get one but not a mass produced one so the cost right now are very high.
The engines not available today is because we are reaching the point that there were so few on real railroads as to make it impossible to be financially doable. Whatever you make it has to be profitable.
My favorite little switcher, the FM H12-44.
Not a specific prototype, but in general I'd like to see more steam engines with Stephenson valve gear from the 1880-1910 era. Bachmann's 4-6-0, 2-6-0, and 2-8-0 engines are all similar to actual engines that had Stephenson valve gear, as did many early 2-8-2 and 4-6-2 engines.
I would also like to see modernized heavyweight passenger cars, something quite common in the prototype but rare in model form. In some cases, like the Walthers heavyweight cars decorated in postwar streamliner schemes, even just offering a separate semi-streamlined roof for the cars would work.
S scale steam locomotives other than brass and the 4-8-4 and 4-6-2 currently made. In particular the Ma&Pa 4-4-0, 4-6-0.
Paul
-Peter. Mantua collector, 3D printing enthusiast, Korail modeler.
Looking at the "wish lists" so far, you can begin to see the manufacturer/importer's dilemma: there is a certain number of something you need to be able to sell, and rather quickly, to avoid being wiped out by costs and expenses. Are the numbers there or not? If 50 guys write you promising to buy a certain locomotive, is that a representative sample of a much larger number of modelers, or is there a chance those are the ONLY 50 who'd buy it? Or that they promise but don't mean it? That is more or less the origin of the now-almost universal advance registration system. You have to put your money where your mouth is.
And the hobby has had a history of various "campaigns" to create this or that locomotive, only to generate two competing firms doing the same engine when only one can make money at it. Some of us remember when it seemed incredible that there was no ready to run plastic model in HO of the SD40-2, and then within two months, GSB and Athearn both had theirs on the market. GSB, partly due to some quality control issues of their own, never had a chance. Yet their model had some clever design features and who knows how well they'd have done if they had the only SD40-2, or if they'd gone with a different prototype.
Dave Nelson
dknelson GSB
Russell
Personally I would like to hear more about your assignment!
Da StumerEMD SW1001. Seems like there weren't any commercial models made of these locomotives despite a lot of them being made for many lines. Foreign rail that doesn't have a large modeling market would be another one, but it's understandable why there aren't models of those. Shapeways. A guy made two versions. One with grill detail and one without for those that want to add eched metal grills. Fits over an Athearn Genisis SW 1500 chasis
Shapeways. A guy made two versions. One with grill detail and one without for those that want to add eched metal grills. Fits over an Athearn Genisis SW 1500 chasis
Whitcomb 65T to 100T series centercabs they were produced in good numbers from the early 30's on. Rock Island being one of the owners I recall off the top of my head.
Billwiz Personally I would like to hear more about your assignment!
So would I.
If I want 'X' and tooling costs $75,000 how many people like me do one need to make it work? I get the impression this happens with the people Brasstrains.com deal with. The owner of a very small company wants to produce a certain rail car. He asks for preorders and either he gets enough or he doesn't.
So far there is no agreement on what X is, that we all want.
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
dti406 Lima Switchers Alco T-6 Baldwin RT-624 Rick Jesionowski
I hear there was only one Rick Jesionowski ever made so it is unlikely a manufacturer will make a model of that.
I would like to see rolling stock and locos pre 1910. I think if there was more of that available I would really narrow the range of years I would model.
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
Double Fairlies have been my recent kick, I am sure a few have made it to brass but nothing modern in plastic with DCC/Sound. I guess Bachmann Europe will eventually do some for the OO9 market in the UK, just idly speculating though since Bachmann Europe is going into the OO9 market pretty rapidly right now. I know they were a lot rarer in the USA, but Mexico had its own fleet of Double Fairlies that were used in the mining districts for a time.
Fairbanks Morse H16-66.
Disclaimer: This post may contain humor, sarcasm, and/or flatulence.
Michael Mornard
Bringing the North Woods to South Dakota!
WP Lives
My assignment is for an entrepreneurship class in which I have to write a business summary and plan everything for an elevator pitch where I will have 5 minutes to explain my idea to win seed capital. I have always wanted to start a business on something I enjoy but I needed some extra input. I have the know how in mechanics, electronics design and some manufacturing. I have lots of experience in CAD and have been 3D printing a Nuclear locomotive running off NWSL Stanton drives. I would like to eventually find like minded people in my age group and build a team for starting a company!