Found Collection

Groan. *Another* E unit. How many manufacturers is that now?
Will we never see a good SW at a price I can afford, if I could find one?
The market is drowning in Es and Fs.
Yes, I know about commercial reality: they wouldn't make the things if
they didn't think they'd sell. And SWs just ain't romantic.
Incidentally, I just recovered an old Atlas GP-9 (not the current
version) from the depths of my
s***box. It has been sent to the local rebuilder for a new motor (the
original died after a couple of hours running time many years ago, and the
loco has been in the box gathering dust since then). The body moulding
still looks pretty good by today's standards.

--
Chris Vernell
Nepean, Ontario

At the Portland NMRA "Great Train Show" I asked the LifeLike Representative
this exact question.  He said that their policy/plan was to introduce in N
the same model(s) that they had brought out in HO.  Therefore, the GP-18 and
now the E.  Maybe HO did/does not have the multiple manufacturers of Es that
we see in N.

He also said that the next HO model would be an SD-7, early 95, to be followed
in N later (midyear maybe).  IMHO, an inexpensive good running SD-7/9 would
be a good thing, so I'll put up with yet another E in order to get it.  I
did hope though that the E would be closer to the GP-18 price point than
the existing ConCor E price.  I also suggested that, given a 6 axle chassis,
that it would be a "good thing" for LifeLike to look at doing SD-24, SD-35
models. [not that I would really like SD-24s for myself :-)]

Russ Downing

On my wish list for antique locos, put at the top the Alco "Alligator"
DL-600B.  Several reasons for this.  Santa Fe owned them, I used to see
them daily and they're an interesting brute.  In addition, they were owned
by a number of the "big 7" roads of the time, including PRR, ATSF etc.

They are of historic interest, since they and the contemporary SD-24 were
the first locomotives to be offered with the low nose options after Santa
Fe bought them that way.  In addition, the DL 600B has never been offered
in HO plastic (Ignoring the old AC Gilbert "Dragon Lady") while there have
been plastic HO SD-24's  Plural.  Ditto SD-35.

 Besides, if the right maker does them, I should be able to get power
trucks as parts and finally make some of my very expensive brass dummy
engines running models.  I have a bunch of brass Alcos and other engines
that use that basic truck, and Athearn, alas, has never re-done the
Trainmaster truck in the current inboard bearing plastic sideframe design,
which would otherwise make a good start.  The Stewart Baldwin AS-616 truck
might do the job, but I haven't been able to get off dead center.  Since
the news is out that Stewart will be doing an Alco C-628, perhaps that
will be the place to go.

Fred D.

: Groan. *Another* E unit. How many manufacturers is that now?
: Will we never see a good SW at a price I can afford, if I could find one?

        Don't hold your breath, but Life-Like is supposed to be working
on an SW1200.  Before that, expect the release of SD7/9's.  A unit that I
have presonally been waiting for for a while.

: Incidentally, I just recovered an old Atlas GP-9 (not the current

        The old Front Range GP-9 molds are being reworked and the units will
be re-released in the future under the E&C label.  Supposedly there will be
a new frame, mechanism to go under the shell.

                        Chad Hewitt

: : Groan. *Another* E unit. How many manufacturers is that now?
: : Will we never see a good SW at a price I can afford, if I could find one?

:       The old Front Range GP-9 molds are being reworked and the units will
: be re-released in the future under the E&C label.  Supposedly there will be
: a new frame, mechanism to go under the shell.

And their dealer literature claims there will be chopped nose versions too.

BTW, Not to quibble, but wasn't the start of this thread about an "N" scale
model?  I've lost track.  (No pun inteded)

HOwever, on the subject of GP 7's and 9's, the firm Trains Unlimited is
also selling what look like the Front Range units, and they claim the at
least some of them is new tooling as well.  The firm is in Aurora,
Colorado I think, and Front Range came from that part of the world.  Very
interesting...

Fred D.

Funny, just two years ago when I was scrapping for some E units, I couldn't
find ANY.  So I made my own (article in Nov 1993 N-Scale).

Now, ironically, there is a glut...

...

--
Max Magliaro

Philipsburg, Pennsylvania

"It ain't over 'till it's over" --- Yogi Berra

Well, Yogi, as far as the Grand Game of Baseball is concerned, it's over.

So you're the cause of all this  :-).
Proves the old adage that if you want a manufacturer to bring out a model, you
just have to spend a year scratchbuilding one . . . sort of like washing
your car to bring on rain.
--
Chris Vernell
Nepean, Ontario