Finally, new and retooled Amfleet cars for a princely sum of $75 a piece. Does "Factory-Lubricated Inside Bearings" mean they will freely roll?
AMFLEET <=Link to Walthers page
HO scale, $74.98, not currently in stock at Walthers, Expected: 28-Jan-2013 (Limited Run)
You asked and WalthersProto delivers Amfleet I and Amfleet II Coaches and Food Service cars in HO Scale!
To upgrade its elderly fleet of cars, some in service since the late 1940s, Amtrak took delivery of its first all-new Amfleet I cars in 1975 for inter-city service in the close clearances of the eastern US. Based on the Budd-built Metroliner, nearly 500 coach and food service cars were delivered by 1978. Starting in 1981, new Amfleet II coaches and lounges were introduced especially for long-distance trains. Both types are still in service today! Like the prototypes, these models are totally new from the rooftops to the rails and come fully assembled, ready for service with: Like the prototypes, these models are totally new from the rooftops to the rails and come fully assembled, ready for service with:
PLEASE NOTE: As these cars are the correct prototype length and feature full underbody detail to match the prototypes, a minimum 24" radius is recommended for operation.
Hmm, I'd kind of rather Kato do them than Walthers. But at $75 a piece, I'm probably not going to get any for a while.
I wonder how many people will get rid of their older ones when these come out?
Vincent
Wants: 1. high-quality, sound equipped, SD40-2s, C636s, C30-7s, and F-units in BN. As for ones that don't cost an arm and a leg, that's out of the question....
2. An end to the limited-production and other crap that makes models harder to get and more expensive.
Walthers will do fine with the new Amfleets. If Kato were to do them, they'll likely cost even more as KATO stuff tends to cost a little more.
I for one will be completely replacing all of my current Walthers Amfleets keeping on the initial four that I had painted in phase IVb eight years ago (I'll be retiring those).
I've actually been saving for these for the last year or so in anticipation of retooled amfleets. Ever since the retirement of the original line, I knew they were working on revising the model. I know with confidence that these cars will be the most prototypically produced model of the prototype EVER.
As for rollability, I'm sure Walthers has listened to the complaints over the years despite the fact that there are things that can be done to the cars (without having to replace the wheels or turcks) to drastically improve the way they roll; a few small drops of conductalube goes a long way with the old cars.
Unfortunately, they're releasing older phases first. I'm patiently waiting for phase IVb. I have no plans to invest in older phases unless I have a little extra money to throw around.
This is great news and I'm happy to see Walthers followed through with the numerous requests from Amtrak modelers out there! I don't know how many or who participated in the email campaign but this is an example of the type of benefit that can arise when modelers of a particular niche unite and "work with" the manufacturers to see models they like get produced.
I just hope that everyone who requested the retooled Amfleets expected the price to be on par with their most recent products that have been given the same detail treatment. I sure did. I say this to say, that now it's on US to follow through and vindicate Walthers' investment in this product by purchasing these models.
I can't wait to see the pre-production sample!
Kyle
~Kyle
The Mary Lindsay Railroad - Featuring Amtrak Model Trains Your HO Rail Journey Starts Here.........
www.marylindsayrr.vze.com (Last Update: 5/31/12)
Im a little surprised that for $74.95 mrsp they arent even lighted. You have to pay another $15 for a lighting kit per car. I figured for that price point theyd come with all the bells and whistles. Sorry, but Ill stick with putting a couple drops of Graphite lube on my Bachmann IVbs for a couple years til these hit the used market.
TallCapt....
Glad that you mentioned the lighting kit.
Not trying to come off as a pain but..................... to the Walthers Reps that is reading this:
In case you haven't, please consider using COOL WHITE LEDs for the lighting kits, not WARM WHITE. All Amfleet cars (and most Heritage Budd coaches/diners/sleepers/lounges produced after WWII) use florescent lighting as the primary interior lighting source. Incandescent lights are used as secondary lights ( over seating, walkway corridors, lavatory, etc.). Cool White LEDs come close to resembling florscents.
Look at the Amfeet and Viewliners on this clip:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDLrWOml5fo
I hope that this would be considered as a reasonable request that's worth researching.
"I like my Pullman Standards & Budds in Stainless Steel flavors, thank you!"
tallcapt Im a little surprised that for $74.95 mrsp they arent even lighted. You have to pay another $15 for a lighting kit per car. I figured for that price point theyd come with all the bells and whistles. Sorry, but Ill stick with putting a couple drops of Graphite lube on my Bachmann IVbs for a couple years til these hit the used market.
You get what you pay for. Enjoy the Bachmann entry-level cars.
They never impressed me since they revised their tooling. Look at how they're not even considered "Spectrum".
These new cars from Walthes are going to look like the real thing indisputably. They're even making the effort to get the window gasket detail according to the features. Also don't forget that $75 won't be what they'll cost on the street but to each his/her own.
Tony,
email Walthers ASAP! Don't rely on the chance that they find your post (although there's no doubt in my mind that they do their due diligence anyway). That sounds like an excellent suggestion to me!
ksax73 Tony, email Walthers ASAP! Don't rely on the chance that they find your post (although there's no doubt in my mind that they do their due diligence anyway). That sounds like an excellent suggestion to me!
Ksax,
I took your suggestion and sent Walthers an email and made the suggestion that the Metroliners be included as well. It's likely that the lighting kits have not been produced yet so, hopefully, Walthers management may have a little time to ponder this.
Didnt mean to ruffle any feathers. Im sure theyll be nice cars. Even at 20% below mrsp, theyre still above my price point for this hobby. Ill wait for a run or two and see how they are received and maybe pick up some second hand. Amtrak is not a high priority in my modeling. Also, the group I show my trains to arent saying "wow, nice window gaskets..."
TallCapt,
Doesn't seem like you ruffled any feathers. We're just exchanging opinions here, civily. Nothing wrong with that.
Your points regarding the price are understandable and with this economy, it's likely that there are some modelers that want these new cars but are going to hold off for some time until they show up on ebay or hang in the hope that some web dealers will overstock them and wind up blowing them out at 25%-30% off. I've picked up several locomotives and passenger rolling stock second hand as well and came out ahead.
On the flip side, these will likely be the most accurate plastic "Amcans" that have ever been produced. I do understand the points about the window gaskets as those are features that stand out.
I'm imagining that some modelers on budgets that already have the Bachmann and/or older run Walthers Amfleet units that they detailed and spruced up, may purchase one or a few units and mix them in.
Funny thing for me is that my pet peeve on the older units is the shape and fluting:
A. The older Walthers Amcans have an odd shape as far as the tubular body (wider at the top), yet the fluting's rib spacing seems close to prototype.
B. The Bachmann Amcans have a very good contour for the tubular shape, yet the fluting's rib spacing is crammed tightly together. When I applied Alclad to a Bachmann shell, I kept wondering why the reflectivity wasn't like the prototype's. Then "Wala!" my eyes zoomed on on the fluting.