if you were a manufacturer

[ndbprr]

What improvement (s) would you bring to current production of equipment. I would turn the motor upside down and put the decoder in the furl tank. A snap in cover would make access much easier And not require disassembly. No f unit comments please. They are off topic.

[Darth Santa Fe]

Well designed self-powered trucks maybe. That would create an immense amount of room in the rest of the body, which could be used for more weight, bigger speakers, and more capable electronics. The trucks from Tyco, Bachmann, and Life-Like were a good idea, but weren't well executed. European designed trucks from Marklin, Fleishmann, and Lima are worlds better, and show just how well models powered this way can really run! With the right gear cut and mesh, they're not even that noisy.

I might also use a wireless electrical system similar to what's used in a lot of N scale, and even Bachmann's HO split chassis diesels. If made properly, reliability could be just as good, and the lack of wires would make it so trucks and other parts could be popped in and out with little effort and eliminate tedious soldering.

[ggnlars]

Kato has done an excellent job with powered trucks on a few of their recent HO models.  I think they are doing this for the likely evolution of on board power systems.  

Decoder in the fuel tank would be ok if it can be kept cool.  Several sound units have the speaker in the fuel tank.  

Recent models are much better designed for repair.  Early models, particularly P2K were designed like they would never need to be repaired,  even lubricated.  That was clearly a bad idea.  

Larry

www.llxlocomotives.com

[IRONROOSTER]

All manufacturers would use the standard plug so you could drop in the DCC decoder of your choice.

Enjoy

Paul

[ATLANTIC CENTRAL]

ndbprr

No f unit comments please. They are off topic.

What does this mean?

[ndbprr]

It means f units have been beaten to death on the boards.

[farrellaa]

I would make a better, easier to connect/disconnect connection between loco and tender; something that might plug in from the underside even further back on the tender. The current ones are really borderline on most brands. I would also make replacement units available to the public (just in case the new designs don't work that well either?).

   -Bob

[hon30critter]

Darth Santa Fe:

The newer NWSL Stanton Drive power trucks work really nicely. I just bought one for my McKeen motor car project. Right out of the box it ran perfectly and very quietly. I haven't had the chance to put any mileage on it yet so time will tell re reliability.

Dave

[ATLANTIC CENTRAL]

ndbprr

It means f units have been beaten to death on the boards.

 

?????? If you say so? Since this is the only model train forum I even glance at, that is not a "situation" I have "observed".

All locos should be easily configured to the various control systems. Jumpers should be provided for decoder removal and straight DC operation, provisions for DCC and sound should allow reasonably easy installs.

Locos should be geared to provide proper scale top speeds with 12 volts at the motor.

Passenger cars should have multiple coupler position mountings for better appearance on broad curves with full working/touching diaphragms.

All trucks should be equalized by some method.

Packaging should be marked with at least basic info about era and prototype.

Sheldon

 

[ricktrains4824]

I would make the Power trucks (like Kato, NWSL, etc....) standard, with bigger speakers inside the model. Have both DCC and DC only versions, DC only would also have the availability of no sound, so as to mesh better with other DC units. I would also, with the inside space free'd up, have a "shield" inside the unit, hiding the electronics, while allowing some of the doors and access panels to open showing the "prime mover" inside. (Non-sound units would come with an actual modeled prime mover installed.) 

And, I would upgrade to all LED lighting, including cab lights, individually controlled (on DCC) number boards, headlights, ditch/marker lights (model specific) and have a detailed interior come standard, with all units having the detailed cab and under-the-hood interiors, ready for the "super-detailed" scenes and photo's. (Hence the lights being completely seperate from eachother.)

And, have loco's, railcars, and the like, available in "kit form", with "some assembly required", much like Athearn did, but with "sub-assemblies", with the modeler only building the major parts, all detailing is done already, so a "super-detailed, but made by you" model. (Much more value, even if sentimental, if you actually do something yourself.) This, of course, would fill a huge gap for some. (Slightly cheaper if you build from the "sub-assemblies" than pre-built, but both available.)

And, most importantly, I would have, as an option, custom schemes, paint, and road names available on every model. (Small up charge fee, but little known road name? Sure. One-off fantasy or home road unit? Sure. Everyday paint scheme, but factory weathered? Sure. The Santa-FE Warbonnet with your-choice-of-road name? Sure. No problem.) This, for me, would be a really, really nice thing. (Hint, hint, manufacturer's.....)

Oh, and, if you missed the run, so long as this model (say, SD60-70) is available, for that same small fee, you can get that special painted, detailed, even weathered, so that one-time offered paint scheme, (say, NS 9-1-1) that you missed? Not anymore..... Now, you can get it, even if it "sold-out" the first time, before you could get it. No more price-gouging, no more impossible to find. (I know, never, ever, ever happen.... Too many parts, too big of inventory.... Too expensive. But, then again, I am not a manufacturer, so this whole thing is me dreaming anyways.... So, be nice and let me dream.)

[hon30critter]

Sheldon:

I totally agree with you about having things marked with basic prototype info.

Dave

[dknelson]

I also second Sheldon's comment about marking the packaging with era and prototype - including era for that particular paint scheme (meaning, one generic statement about era won't do).  I won't buy unless I know it is right and I suspect others feel the same. 

I would also say that there is a vast array of tank cars that have NOT been offered in HO or N, both modern era and older.  In general I think it is in tank cars more so than other car types where the manufacturers have dropped the ball.

Dave Nelson

 

[Kyle]

I would really like to see manufactures put information about the prototype on the box.  For example, with tank cars, say what they were used for, where they operated and what era.  It would also be cool to have history on the prototype. More undecorated models would be nice too.

Norfolk Southern has had some special paint schemes on their SD60E (the veterans unit, 911, etc).  I would like to see someone make models of these.

Finally, I would make low cost kits like Accurail only for the modern era.  Low priced intermodal equipment would be cool, as well as low cost passenger cars.

["JaBear"]

If I was a manufacturer amongst the products I’d produce would be an HO Big Boy decorated for the PRR and I’d charge, for all my products, as much as a the market can bear plus 10%, to separate the men from the boys.

On a more serious note I’d go along with those who have requested more on the box regarding prototype, era, and paint scheme.

Cheers, the Bear.

[mlehman]

farrellaa

I would make a better, easier to connect/disconnect connection between loco and tender; something that might plug in from the underside even further back on the tender. The current ones are really borderline on most brands. I would also make replacement units available to the public (just in case the new designs don't work that well either?).

   -Bob

 

Bob,

Blackstone has a darn good connector on the K-27. When they were first brought in, they were available as a separate part . This may have changed and it's been awhile since the last run of K-27s were brought in, so don't know about current availablity.

[Burlington Northern #24]

I'd do what Rapido does but for the SP&S/GN/NP/Q/BN.

[OT Dean]

farellaa (and others), I don't know how I'd do it on a DCC equipped steam loco, but when I bought my first HO steam loco, an Aristo-Craft model of the Ma & Pa light Consol (a Japanese import made mostly of brass) it had a good, inexpensive quick disconnect for the tender-engine motor lead.  I got the loco cheap because somewhere in shipping, the solder joint between the engine frame and the cab support had broken.

By this time, I had a fairly good education in soldering, so i turned it over and voila, the makers had soldered the male half of a tiny dress snap to the bottom of the tender bed and had soldered the end of the motor lead to the female half!  I've gone even simpler on every connection I've made to my locos: I locate, drill, and tap a #60 hole for the male half where I want it, then, carefully holding the male half of the snap with needle-nosed pliers, I drill and tap the hole and run a screw down from the top of the tender bed and tighten the snap piece down until the screw barely shows.  I solder the end of the motor lead onto the female piece in the hole between the curled ends of the little wire spring that "snaps" the two pieces together, for obvious reasons.  I learned early to spread the individual strands of the wire and use a quick swipe with my trusty Weller soldering gun I bought 50 years ago.

I've used this trick on all HO and O locos and I'm still using the card of ddress snaps my mom gave me back then.  The motor lead, if you place it under the tender on the right side of the drawbar, looks like the air line from the cab brake stand to the train line.  Enjoy.

Deano

[bagal]

I think I would first look for some market gaps. A Big Boy and SD70Ace in HO should generate some healthy profits. A quick follow up with a SD40-2 would allow me to launch full product lines in TT and S.

I do like the idea of better labelling in terms of era. My first loco when I got back into the hobby was a MP GP50 in blue. I found out later this paint scheme placed the loco in a fairly narrow time range. Better labelling though might highlight how many paint schemes are really fantasy!

Bill

 

[cv_acr]

bagal

I think I would first look for some market gaps. A Big Boy and SD70Ace in HO should generate some healthy profits.  

Considering both Athearn and MTH make an SD70ACe in HO, I don't think you can call that a "market gap". Pretty sure both Big Boys and Challengers have been done multiple times as well in various scales.

[BroadwayLion]

LION would build more subway cars. Some Arnines would be really sharp. R-32s are a must, R-142 / R-143 would be great. To bad the MTA never did build the R-39

 

ROARING

[Texas Zepher]

ndbprr

What improvement (s) would you bring to current production of equipment.

If I were a manufacturer and I had current production line running, I wouldn't make any improvements.  It would costs too much money in both terms of the modification of the line and lost profits because the line was down for modifications instead of producing models.   

I would run the current production to the end and think about making improvements for the next production tooling. 

[ndbprr]

That's what I meant maybe not stated well. The point is we seem to have a lot of commonality in manufacturing techniques. Putting era info on the box would be an improvement but not be an engineering break through the way dcc was for example. Surely there are ideas that need daylight. Tortise switch motors were another break through. There has to be an easier way to do signal systems and modular interlocking. Think outside the box.

[BroadwayLion]

ndbprr

Think outside the box.

Not meant for the cat.

[DAVID FORTNEY]

On steam engines I would like to see smoke come from the whistle and maybe even blow down? 

Mfgs have have done it in larger scales so why not in HO. 

 

 

[superbe]

What improvement (s) would you bring to current production of equipment.

Does track qualify as equipment? Regardless, making track preweathered would be a real help getting rid of a time consuming job that would leave more time for creative work.

Bob

[ATLANTIC CENTRAL]

DAVID FORTNEY

On steam engines I would like to see smoke come from the whistle and maybe even blow down? 

Mfgs have have done it in larger scales so why not in HO.  

As long as we can still get the version without sound/smoke/DCC/station anouncements/working class lights/remote couplers/etc for half the price.....

Still glad I bought most all the non chugging, non chuffing, non talking, non DCC locos I wanted back when they were only $100 to $200 each.

And, Dave, I'm not just responding to you with this - some of the stuff that has been suggested in this thread would have price tags that would sent me looking for a new hobby - like antique Chris-Craft runabouts or something.....

Sheldon 

[csxns]

Bearing caps on locomotives just like Genesis freight car trucks.

[angelob6660]

I would make the Amtrak SDP40F and P30CH in HO/N Scale. Also redo modern locomotives with ditch lights installed like the GP38.

I thought of more examples but can't remember them right now.

[Bayfield Transfer Railway]

cv_acr

 

 

bagal

I think I would first look for some market gaps. A Big Boy and SD70Ace in HO should generate some healthy profits.  

 

 

 

Considering both Athearn and MTH make an SD70ACe in HO, I don't think you can call that a "market gap". Pretty sure both Big Boys and Challengers have been done multiple times as well in various scales.

 

 

I'll take "Not Recognizing Sarcasm" for $500, Alex.

[gmpullman]

csxns

Bearing caps on locomotives just like Genesis freight car trucks.

 

The recent Rivarossi/Hornby U-25-C has rotating bearing end caps! Pretty neat detail!

http://www.hornby.com/us-en/rivarossi/rivarossi-diesel-locomotives/ge-u25c-pennsylvania-6514-dcc-sound.html

Happy Modeling~~ Ed