Hoping for a new N scale Niagara

[1943Mike]

I began this hobby a little less than two years ago and it's given and continues to give me a lot of pleasure. I have a small (3' x 5') layout in my dining area of my condo but am buiding a larger layout in my garage. My layouts are just "fantasy" modeling .. that is to say the two RR lines I run would never have run on the same track - New York Central and Union Pacific. I've lived on the west coast since 1972 but spent my formative and college years in New York City where I was born. Ergo NYC and UP.

I try to model the late '40's to the early '70's ... kind of a stretch but it's what I chose to do when I started and it's working out just fine for me. I have mostly diesel locomotives but I do have a few steamers. As far as the UP goes the only steam engine I own is the Kato FEF3 Greyhound. Most of my locomotives - at least for passenger service - are EMD F7's and F8/9's - both for my UP and NYC passenger cars (City of Los Angeles and 20th Century Limited respectively). I'd love to have the one steamer equivalent to the FEF3 for my NYC trains. That would be the Niagara.

I've asked Broadway Limited Imports (via email a few months ago) whether or not they are considering building an N scale NYC Husdson, Mohawk, or Niagara. Here's the response I received:

"I am confident we will build a Hudson project in the future (probably J1d/e, Dreyfus, and Vanderbuilt). We don't have plans for the Niagara or Mohawk in N scale at this time.

Best Regards,

Matt Williamson
Broadway Limited Imports"

So, with BLI not considering it at least for the time being, do any of you know or have heard rumors of any other manufacturer having plans to build either the Mohawk or the Niagara in N scale?

I'm not holding my breath

Mike

 

[tstage]

Mike,

No Niagara but I recently saw a painted N-scale Key Imports L-4b Mohawk on eBay and it's still available:

While not inexpensive, it is detailed and looks very nice.  A BLI version would probably cost only slightly less.

Tom

[Overmod]

Gone by 2:00 Central... possibly as a result of mention here!

[tstage]

Hopefully it found a good home...

[1943Mike]

Thanks for the information on the Mohawk. I probably would not have bought it anyway ... I'll wait for a manufacturer to build one (preferably a Niagara) with DCC and sound. I know there are people who will install DCC and sound into that brass analogue model but I think my installation skills and budget demand one with a factory installed sound decoder. As I say, my preference now is for a Niagara. I just bought a Bachmann N scale Hudson and am anxious to see if it's one that works well. I have some Bull Frog Snot in my cart on Amazon just in case it doesn't make it up the grade I have on my new layout.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Mike

[Engi1487]

• I have to ask, with this news, have you considered kitmashing your own? You could use the classis of a N scale northern type, and centipede tender from an Athearn big boy or challanger in N scale to make one.
• There would be inaccuracies, and you would need to make a boiler body via 3D printing maybe. But it would be worth the shot.

[1943Mike]

Sorry for this very late reply but I'd not looked at this thread for some time.

I don't have the talent or patience to kitbash/kitmash? a Northern type of locomotive and I don't have access to nor do I wish to aquire a 3D printer. I do, however, appreciate your reply and, were I desperate to do so and had the facilities and dexterity, I might attempt what you suggest.

I'm just hopeful that before my time on Earth is up some company [Bachmann, Kato, BLI, Atlas, Intermountain (if they remain in business)] will produce a NYC Niagara. I am really not after a Mohawk ... I have the new(ish) Bachmann J3a Hudson in N scale and am very pleased with it. The Mohawk might be of interest if a new one is produced with DCC  or at least DCC friendly/ready but my preference would be for a Niagara.

Thanks again for the suggestion,

Mike