Greeting! For all HO scale modelers, what would be a freight car, a locomotive or a caboose that you would like to see made that you, yourself would 100% buy. If one was made, would you be happiest with a completely finished car, painted, couplers/trucks, and all, or, just a shell to use as a blank canvas?
See related article for N sugestions!
JJF
Prototypically modeling the Great Northern in Minnesota with just a hint of freelancing.
Yesterday is History.
Tomorrow is a Mystery.
But today is a Gift, that is why it is called the Present.
Conrail C32-8.
My list is probably a bit geographic-centric but these are a few models that come to mind that I'd like to see on my layout:
Locomotive, steam:
A New York Central K-3 or K-11 or other class K Pacific. Running close second would be a Nickel Plate L-1a Hudson with the elephant ears:
Nickel Plate Hudson 175 by Edmund, on Flickr
Loco diesel:
The Pennsylvania BP20 "sharknose" Baldwin Passenger engines.
Loco Electric:
Pennsylvania GE E44 electric.
Freight car:
This is one I have been suggesting to a few manufacturers to produce. A U.S. Navy/DOD Helium car. These cars were pretty numerous and were seen on many roads all across the U.S. Past models from AHM just don't cut it. They were great in their time but I'd sure like to see a Tangent, Exactrail or Rapido model of it with good detail.
5033004 by John W. Barriger III National Railroad Library, on Flickr
Helium_tube by Edmund, on Flickr
Read more about the extensive and interesting history of the helium cars here:
https://www.amarillorailmuseum.com/helium-car-history
Also a nice PRR F22 flat car. I have a few 16" Naval guns I need to transport and the F22 was instrumental for this. Yes I have a few F&C resin kits on the shelf but I got as far as gluing the stake pockets on (straight) and gave up. I think I still have a stake pocked glued to the back of my neck somewhere.
Caboose:
Erie Dunmore caboose OR bay window caboose.
Erie Railroad caboose C254 by Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum, on Flickr
ERIE, Waldwick, New Jersey, 1951 by Center for Railroad Photography & Art, on Flickr
Especially with the ex-milk express trucks under it.
Erie-Lackawanna caboose by John Hepp, on Flickr
Passenger?
The Budd Lackawanna Tavern Lounge:
Lackawanna_Tavern by Edmund, on Flickr
The Budd New York Central Brook series 5 BR obsercation lounge:
The 20th Century Limited's Observation Car "Wingate Brook" by Marty Bernard, on Flickr
Just the top few that come to mind.
As much as I like to build a kit now and then I would much prefer a completed, painted and lettered model. I'd probably go for about ten of the helium cars and at the level of detail I'd like there's probably 8-10 hours, maybe more with paint and lettering, in each one. Time I really don't have to spare.
Regards, Ed
JDawgIf one was made, would you be happiest with a completely finished car, painted, couplers/trucks, and all, or, just a shell to use as a blank canvas?
As best I can recall, I have bought only one "finished" car...all of the current other 400-or-so have been re-painted/re-lettered, or modified in some manner, and some have also been scratchbuilt. Another 200-or-so locomotives and freight and passenger cars were sold-off when I decided to backdate my layout to the late '30s era.A few I regret selling, mainly because of the work I had put into them.
I have intentions to modify five locomotives that will match five specific prototypes, and intend to scratchbuild a dozen-or-so cabooses, and about the same amount of era-specific freight cars based on a variety of real ones.
My apologies for not supplying an answer more suitable to your request.
Wayne
I think it's about time BLI built an HO 2-8-8-4 (Sheldon is rolling his eyes, and probably more than a few others). I'm sorely tempted by the latest C&O 2-8-2 offering, but that price!! (Yes, Brent, I'm still holding my backside, three weeks later.)
But, I'd like to see more CPR steamers, say a 2-8-2 or a 4-6-2. Of course, if Rapido ever announces that they will go ahead with the Empress 4-6-4, I'll be very happy.
Hi JJF
I have all of the freight cars, cabooses and locomotives, and most of the passenger cars that I will ever need, so my answer isn't quite what you asked for but here goes:
I would like to see an extensive array of seated passengers for both passenger cars and vehicles that are well done and ready to drop into place without major surgery. I would make the same request for train crews.
I really don't like the current selections of seated passengers. The Chinese figures are hideous, especially the colour of the clothing, and when you order a large assortment, there are actually very few variations in the poses. The Europeans seem to have missed the point. You can buy hundreds of different figures but very few seated people that are sized to drop into a passenger seat or vehicle without the aforementioned surgery. WS makes 130 different sets of figures but none of them are designed as seated passengers.
I will confess that I haven't done a recent search for seated passengers and drivers so my complaining may not be based on the current situation.
Sorry that my answer was a bit off topic.
Cheers!!
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
Amtrak P30CH, by Athearn! On the wish list for a good number of early-Amtrak era modelers
"I like my Pullman Standards & Budds in Stainless Steel flavors, thank you!"
The NYCT R-9 of course!
The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.
Here there be cats. LIONS with CAMERAS
maxman Conrail C32-8.
#R500 - C32-8 Shell – PPW/A-Line/Arrow Hobby (ppw-aline.com)
uses a Athearn BB UC chassis
Dan
gmpullman A New York Central K-3 or K-11 or other class K Pacific. Running close second would be a Nickel Plate Hudson with the elephant ears
A New York Central K-3 or K-11 or other class K Pacific. Running close second would be a Nickel Plate Hudson with the elephant ears
My friend actually recently bought two NPP NKP 4-6-4s, he's trying to get rid of one. You can email me if you want to reach out.
As for me personally, I agree that the NYC K11 should be the next mass produced HO locomotive. Its such a famous hudon, being the only sucessful dual service hudson to my knowledge in the US. Only Bowser and Key has made it in HO, the bowser one leaves a lot to be desired even after super detail kit, and the Key models go for $1.5k.
All the other engines Im "missing" have been made at cheaper prices and are somewhat more available than the K11, including the NYC H10b by Overland and PFM, B&A A1 by NPP, etc.
Charles
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Modeling the PRR & NYC in HO
Youtube Channel: www.youtube.com/@trainman440
Instagram (where I share projects!): https://www.instagram.com/trainman440
Loco - A CNW Class L Pacific in plastic
Loco - A CB&Q Class S2 Pacific in plastic
Freight Car - CB&Q Beet Hoppers
Mark P.
Website: http://www.thecbandqinwyoming.comVideos: https://www.youtube.com/user/mabrunton
Lima switcher both the Wabash and NKP had these.
Alco RSD-12 NKP, SP and PRR had these.
Alco C-415 just because.
FGE 50' RBL with the way offset 12' door, the DTI had over a hundred and the WP had them also.
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!
A DM&IR phase IV SD9 or SD18
Yeah... Real Handy
All in HO:
34' trussrod boxcar, both right and left opening doors.
PRR class GD hopper bottom gon.
Camelback boiler superstructure to fit on Roundhouse 2-8-0, 4-4-0, 2-6-0 underframes.
Dave H. Painted side goes up. My website : wnbranch.com
I have just about everything on my roster that I want. If there's one thing I might buy if it was available, it would be the NYC E-7s in the post-WWII, pre-1948 light gray paint scheme which matched the 1938 20th Century livery. I've only seen a few pictures of those and haven't seen it offered as a model. If it did come out it would probably cost more than I'd be willing to pay for it.
I buy mostly RTR rolling stock but since almost none of it comes with KDs, I replace the couplers with #148s. If it doesn't have metal wheels I replace those too. About the only kits I buy are Accurail and I replace both couplers and wheels on those. I also lightly weather my freight cars.
JDawgWhat would be a freight car that you would like to see made that you, yourself would 100% buy?
A good model of the Helium Car.
JDawgWhat would be a locomotive that you would like to see made that you, yourself would 100% buy?
A decent DL-109.
JDawgWhat would be a caboose that you would like to see made that you, yourself would 100% buy?
None, sorry. The SGRR has all the cabooses it will ever need.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
I can't think of anything specific.
If I would get going and finish the many "builds" that I have already, my list would be pretty complete.
Mike.
My You Tube
Trainman440My friend actually recently bought two NPP NKP 4-6-4s, he's trying to get rid of one.
Is he happy with how they run?
I recently bought one (sans the ears), and it seemed like a good runner on the test track.
I have heard a lot of bad things about these models, but mine seems OK.
Hello All,
EMD GP20D!
I'd get two (2) and convert one to a calf or slug.
Hope this helps.
"Uhh...I didn’t know it was 'impossible' I just made it work...sorry"
Locomotive: New York Central H10 Mikado in good running affordable plastic (calling BLI). In several road numbers please.
Freight Car: Set of 6 (or four if it gets them made) numbered differently Sinclair 10,000 gallon tank cars.
Caboose: More of the Atlas Trainman Cupola Cabooses in NYC paint. I have seven of the eight they made. I want more.
Mike
I will second the DM&IR SD9, SDm and SD18 in HO and a SD9(hi and low nose) in G scale along with USA trains offering their GP9 as a low nose unit.
jjdamnitI'd get two (2) and convert one to a calf unit (slug).
A calf unit has a prime moverr like a B unit
A slug has no motor, taking its power completwely from the mother unit.
It has traction motors and weight in it to assist with the traction efffort/
ROAR
Put me in the crew that's not really looking for new releases, for my late 2010s Philly area modules (sadly none ready for Trackside Photos yet) pretty much all I could use has been released in one form or another (and I am not above using subtle fooblies, like the old MDC 50ft "City Of Everywhere" tank car model, lettered for GATX & weathered for 40 years of use). The problem is finding those <ebay listing heading>Rare! Vintage! Pristine!<\elh> models I need to fill in a few gaps (at affordable prices mind you) is seeing "Out of Stock" and "Item Discontinued" and "Check with dealer (who has none left)" all over the place. Around my small rural community (aka the New York Tri-State metropitan region) decent train shows are rather rare, and normally get combined with doll and toy shows. My main source of good NIB stock for the past few years has been the Amherst W. Springfield show, which I didn't make this year (and judging from the Virtual Railfan live feeds, a whole lot of other people didn't as well. Actually that live feed of the show got me a little concerned for next year - in the four buildings where in previous years there were many small vendors packed against the walls with plenty of items available to purchase (I did my part in buying), there was...lots of empty floor space. Yeah Covid Restrictions and major snowstorm but still...Ugh.What I do want is...parts & decals & other such detail items we'll need when we go full 3D printed locomotives and rolling stock (est. June 2029).Now, for some chop-busting:Ed, while the helium cylinder cars are, I gree, rather neat looking, in regards to "These cars were pretty numerous and were seen on many roads all across the U.S." , your own link says (in the Quick Roster of Helium Tank Cars) "Total Cars Built: 241" so I'm going to have to say less PRR H21 Hopper or PFE R-40-23 Reefer numerous, but instead rather rare outside of certain military installations and production plants.Dave, in terms of seated passengers I cheat shamelessly (and have previously admitted such on this forum) and just paint up cheap ~1:100 or so scale figures pruchased via Amazon, and repaint them from their initial blotchy bright primary colors into more subdued and dull-coated figures. Fit nicely into the constricted HO seats seats (no amputations needed usually) and look decent enough even with lit interiors, but then I don't take my passenger car interiors to the next level like several dedicated modelers on the forum. Reasonably good enough is fine with me.
jjdamnit, A GP20D B (calf/slug) unit? There were only 40 manufacturered (according to Wiki) and no B units. Clearly you are shooting for a top-teir foobie, and for that I salute you.Brother Elias, Clearly you were not a fan of the Red Green show's Handyman Corner, or else you would have covered that Octupus in the Handyman's Secret Weapon - Duct Tape.
chutton01Ed, while the helium cylinder cars are, I gree, rather neat looking, in regards to "These cars were pretty numerous and were seen on many roads all across the U.S."
In my mind while I was typing that "numerous" (relatively) was some of the cars that a few manufacturers have already produced that are not what would be considered a huge number but certainly more than a handful.
Broadway Limited did the DOT 113 cryogenic tank car. I can not locate the exact numbers but they were certainly fewer than, say, a PRR H21. It still seemed like it was a popular model.
Another example, perhaps, is the ACF PD 3500 of which, as I recall only 220 were made but Rapido produced a fine HO model of this.
NYC_PD_Flexiflo-2 by Edmund, on Flickr
For modelers at least, the helium car was occasionally seen at different sites around the U.S. including the NASA research center here in the Cleveland area so it was at least carried in some New York Central trains that would be found on my layout. I understand they visited Cape Canaveral pretty often, too.
Another point for modelers is the date-range the cars were in operation roughly 1930 to 1998. Of course there were several variants in the lots over the years but I imagine a manufacturer could produce an "early" model and with slight modifications, a post 1970 "late" (rebuilt) design.
Speaking of "relatively" rare cars, I'd like to add an FD2 Queen Mary flat car to my list. On the rare occasions a brass one shows up it can run into the $500 range.
PRR_QueenMary by Edmund, on Flickr
With 3-D printing getting better all the time, I would like to see more replacement body shells for steam engines. Not entirely new engines, but shells to fit existing models from BLI, Bachmann, etc.
For example, Great Northern is hard to model in the steam era because their engines mostly used Belpaire fireboxes. However, many of their engines were otherwise fairly generic as to boiler size, drive wheels etc. So it should be possible to make GN body shells that would fit on the chassis of USRA Mikados and Pacifics and make a reasonably accurate model, and maybe a switcher body to fit the Proto 0-6-0.
chutton01jjdamnit, A GP20D B (calf/slug) unit? There were only 40 manufacturered (according to Wiki) and no B units. Clearly you are shooting for a top-teir foobie, and for that I salute you.
Thank you for your words of encouragement!
I've contacted a custom shell manufacturer about the possibility of making a run of these prototypical limited productions "oddities."
Despite these units not being well received, I am a sucker for consists, B-units, cow & calf sets, and slugs.
On my freelance pike, I run a GP30 A-B-A consist in the Denver & Rio Grande Western livery- -knowing full well that the D&RGW never rostered a GP30-B unit.
Ah, the satisfaction of freelance!
I also have a cow & calf set; TR & TR2, in the Santa Fe livery.
Thank you for your kind words of encouragement.
And, as always...
jjdamnit chutton01 jjdamnit, A GP20D B (calf/slug) unit? There were only 40 manufacturered (according to Wiki) and no B units. Clearly you are shooting for a top-teir foobie, and for that I salute you. Thank you for your words of encouragement! I've contacted a custom shell manufacturer about the possibility of making a run of these prototypical limited productions "oddities."
chutton01 jjdamnit, A GP20D B (calf/slug) unit? There were only 40 manufacturered (according to Wiki) and no B units. Clearly you are shooting for a top-teir foobie, and for that I salute you.
As for that ACF PD3500, as well as the Evans clam-shell covered gondola and the rail-whale tank cars and PS roll-up all door boxcars and lots of other neat stuff the prototype railroads were trying in the 1950s and espeically the 1960s to varied success, the model makers of the time (AHM, Tyco, Lifelike, Bachmann and so on) cranked them out because they were different, somewhat neat, and could be fun (what 7 year old boy didn't want to hide things in that Clam-Shell gondola - I had a P&LE one). Its what I call the "Little Joe Dockside™" effect - 4 locomotive protoypes = tens of thousands of models on layouts...
chutton01...what scale were you thinking of?
It is indeed HO...
I am aware that the "B-unit" and/or "Slug" would require some "kit-bashing"- -modification.
From the link you provided- -at just north of $130.00- -it is far from reasonable for just a single shell; considering my budget.
I have had great success with the custom shell manufacturer I have previously worked with, and the cost is approximately half of what the link you provided is asking.
Again, thank you for your kind suggestion.
The locomotive that I would certainly buy but has not yet been manufactured in nonbrass HO is the Aloc RS-1 in the shortly-after-delivered Spokane, Portland & Seattle "oxide-red top" scheme. This is what Bowser's RS-3 looks like with the same livery:
I believe I once saw that Atlas made one in N scale, but that may have been a hallucination.
If such a model became available, I would be happiest if it came painted and decaled with the holes for the grabs already drilled. I'll put the trucks and couplers on and apply the grabs and railings. If there's an engineer sitting inside waving, that would be even better.
-Matt
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.