I've always dreamed of a model of the Empire Builder and when Walthers offered the complete train years ago I was in heaven. However, relocation to italy and several other factorss delayed that purchase, and now I find that almost everything is on backorder. My limited credit card collection -- AMEX only, precludes a lot of shops and mail order places, and a whole bunch only ship in the US, so my choices are limited.
I've had extremely poor service ffrom Walthers and my only other contact is Caboose Hobbies in Denver, but both places are out of most of the cars. Does anyone have any idea when the Builder will be re-run?
I got an e-mail from Trainworld in Brooklyn over the weekend about a closeout on Walthers passenger "sets" and the Empire Builder was among them. They had 10 cars available. I checked their website and they do take American Express and ship internationally. Hope this helps.
Werner
A really BIG thanks to Woodenwonders!! I made the jump to light speed and ordered 6 cars. Thanks again.
GN_FanI've had extremely poor service ffrom Walthers and my only other contact is Caboose Hobbies in Denver, but both places are out of most of the cars. Does anyone have any idea when the Builder will be re-run?
Don't forget that one car of each type is NOT a set. For a full normal Empire Builder you need three dome coaches, three "river" sleepers (7-4-3-1) and two "pass" sleepers (6-5-2).
I just talked with Trainworld a few minutes ago and my order was filled in it's entirety -- six cars. I undertand the makeup of the prototype, however space precludes me from running an entire train. I'm modeling a ficticious subsidiary of the Gn -- the Montana and Idaho and will run a pocket Builder with a baggage, 2 coaches, the Ranch car, a 6-5-2 sleeper, a 7-4-3-1 sleeper, and the 6-4-1 obs. Thanks a LOT guys!!
I have not heard that the GN Builder had poor sales. I think Walthers has openly announced each name train as a limited edition, so the person who absolutely has to have each and every car has a good reason for ordering early and paying full list price. And in each case they close out with nice sale prices on the leftovers -- and you take your chances if you wait for that.
Those of us who live in Milwaukee have the additional benefit of being able to shop at the Walthers showroom where damaged packaging models are often available at very attractive prices. I have seen some GN, Milwaukee Road, and NYC cars there. But I am pleased our friend GN Fan was able to get cars he wanted.
Dave Nelson
Walthers has announced they will run a new and improved Empire Builder:
http://www.walthers.com/exec/page/videos
Will my old version be a cast off or a collector item?
I hope Walthers will consider making a Northern Pacific North Coast Limited. Many cars on the NCL had cars very much like the EB cars if not the same. I think the EB observation car would make a good "close enough" model of the NCL observation car, and Walthers should offer it in NCL colors.
The NCL sleeper dome car was unique, and would have to be made just for the NCL. However, the sleeper dome cars could be painted for Illinois Central which used these cars during the winter season on the City of Miami. The cars were repainted back and forth, NP and IC, during change of season.
The PRR used these cars on its Chicago-Florida Southwind in the winter season, too, but did not repaint them.
Also, Walthers offers its Budd cars lettered for CB&Q, and I wish they would include full skirts following CB&Q prototype. I would like to see a Walthers Denver Zephyr of Twin Cities Zephyr.
Dream on. Right?
GARRY
HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR
EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU
willy6 dknelson...how big is the Walthers showroom in comparison to a Best Buy store?
dknelson...how big is the Walthers showroom in comparison to a Best Buy store?
Not big, at least not the part the public can go to. Nothing like a big box store of any kind.
There are a few shelves with a selected and partial collection of structures and rolling stock, and a few of their Trainline locomotives. There are large shelves with damaged or discontinued stuff on sale. There is a bathroom. There are rooms off to the side where in the past they could do clinics.
A large magazine rack, a nice HO layout, and s small but nice N scale layout; a wooden layout for kids to play with, Lifelike slot cars, glass cases with some historical Walthers stuff, a Maerklin display. There are desks with computers, catalogs, order forms and pens -- that is the real heart of the room because the huge warehouse is behind a wall and the guys take your order, wander back into the warehouse and then return with your stuff -- and they know before they go back there whether it is in stock or not.
The building itself is much larger than any Best Buy but it is mostly warehouse, with a repair room and shipping facility. If they are not super busy they'll show you the warehouse.
Texas Zepher It won't be. Walther's has had them on the clearance flyers for months - no years for as low as $29 per car.
It won't be. Walther's has had them on the clearance flyers for months - no years for as low as $29 per car.
The thing is, Walthers always has piles of passenger cars on the closeout rack. Yet they keep running new passenger trains every single year. I can only figure that they make their money on the pre-orders, and anything else is just gravy.
Depends on if they get the colors right this time.
https://www.walthers.com/exec/page/great_northern
The first run's orange was too reddish, and the stripes a garish yellow. What's the point of touting "prototypically accurate window tinting", skirting, and various other railroad-specific details if you can't nail the basics?
That appears to be the norm,in this country,,,,You can't please everybody and no three answers,are the same,,,,no matter what the subject discussed...
Cheers,
Frank
Isn't it rather coincidental that this message thread which began in February 2012 reappears just as the Walthers September 2013 flyer comes out announcing release of a new and improved Great Northern Empire Builder set. Is someone psychic, or what?
cacole Isn't it rather coincidental that this message thread which began in February 2012 reappears just as the Walthers September 2013 flyer comes out announcing release of a new and improved Great Northern Empire Builder set. Is someone psychic, or what?
Not really, look at when the posting was resurrected. Let us not jump to conclusions
I restarted the thread and the reason is I got an email from Walthers pre-announcing the release. I went searching for more info and found the old thread and passed the info along.
Sorry no conspiracy theories for model railroading. Walthers is not that smart. If they were they would not paint the EB train that ridiculous much too red Orange the second time around.
There must have been a few painting batches last time around with the Empire Builder,
I bought a set with sound and I can report that the engines and the coaches paint is very close to the hades of green and orange that I obtained for the correct paint chips for the Empire Builder.
I certainly have no complaints, I do have a complaint though on the absence of the NP Mainlander, or rather that it is missing. At this rate Rapido could start to paint some of its EMD series in the NP colours, they have some of the coaches allready.
don7 There must have been a few painting batches last time around with the Empire Builder, I bought a set with sound and I can report that the engines and the coaches paint is very close to the hades of green and orange that I obtained for the correct paint chips for the Empire Builder. .
.
The Walthers "yellow" stripes are definitely wrong (unless they've corrected them), That would leave only the simplified F's with a possibility of being correct. I look forward to Walthers' demonstrating that fact.
Ed
7j43k don7 There must have been a few painting batches last time around with the Empire Builder, I bought a set with sound and I can report that the engines and the coaches paint is very close to the hades of green and orange that I obtained for the correct paint chips for the Empire Builder. . The Walthers "yellow" stripes are definitely wrong (unless they've corrected them), That would leave only the simplified F's with a possibility of being correct. I look forward to Walthers' demonstrating that fact. Ed
I have Great Northern EMD F7 units in the Empire Builder livery from a number of manufacturers and the ones that I have acquired are all very similar in the various GN colours.
I am sure you have seen some one's product with a colour that you find to be a shade off. However, given the number of locomotives that Walthers has had produced in the GN colours I would go with their shade of colours I would go with their offerings.
When you produce some EMD units in GN Empire Builder colours post a picture so we can see if your colours are accurate or not.
The latest October issue of Model Railroader has a full page add for the G.N. Empire Builder. It appears everyone's wishes are being met, except the guy wanting the N.P. NCL train. Maybe sometime in the future, Walthers? I think the Lowey design Northern Pacific North Coast Limited is the prettiest passenger train ever designed! I think many others feel the same way!
NP 2626 "Northern Pacific, really terrific"
Northern Pacific Railway Historical Association: http://www.nprha.org/
NP2626 The latest October issue of Model Railroader has a full page add for the G.N. Empire Builder. It appears everyone's wishes are being met, except the guy wanting the N.P. NCL train. Maybe sometime in the future, Walthers? I think the Lowey design Northern Pacific North Coast Limited is the prettiest passenger train ever designed! I think many others feel the same way!
SP&S modeler, 1960's give or take a decade or two for some equipment.
http://www.youtube.com/user/SGTDUPREY?feature=guide
Gary DuPrey
N scale model railroader
NP2626I think the Lowey design Northern Pacific North Coast Limited is the prettiest passenger train ever designed! I think many others feel the same way!
Yes, me too! Although I´m the southwest SP, SF, T&P and very recently also NdeM type of guy, I must admit that the two tone green Loewy Design NCL from 1954 is by far the most beautiful and elegant paint scheme ever applied to a passenger train! Absolutely marvelous! It´s worth having this train just because of it´s beauty! But maybe I´m just getting too sentimental about this because green (in all shades) is my favorite color!
If Walthers ever does do a North Coast Limited, I hope the paint colors match the NP passenger cars they've already put out!! I was a bit surprised when I picked up some EB cars (that by the late sixties had been demoted to lesser service) only to find they don't match the previous Walthers "Great Northern" lettered cars - the green is OK but the EB car's orange is much darker.
wjstix If Walthers ever does do a North Coast Limited, I hope the paint colors match the NP passenger cars they've already put out!!
If Walthers ever does do a North Coast Limited, I hope the paint colors match the NP passenger cars they've already put out!!
They've only done one correct NP car, so far (the Budd dome coach). I suspect the colors are incorrect on that one. I think they'd do better matching the brilliantly researched NPRHA drift cards for the NCL.
And, as a treat, the flat top coaches can be painted for the SP&S. Well, a treat for me, anyway.