2014 Fall S fest

I'm enticed by the Texas and Pacific GP-9's that American Models is doing. The T&P freight cars look nice as well.

Here's photo's of some of AM's new GP9's. 

 

Texas & Pacific Blue and Gray:

Texas & Pacific Swamp Holly Orange:

Baltimore & Ohio:

Available Scale, DC HiRail, AC Hirail. 

 

Delivery for the T&P's are scheduled for November.  The GP's were delivered from EMD in Swamp Holly Orange, the Blue and Gray appeared after the Missouri Pacific took over active ownership of the T&P.

 

These models will have glazing, headlight lenses and printed numberboards.  Good to see some refreshing of the line.

 

And, I ordered the T&P set, I'll report on it when it arrives.

 

Rusty

Nice looking models...

 

Thanks for posting photos;more to come?

 

Mark in Oregon

Well, S Fest is over for 2014 except for the packing and banquet for those going.

I am home now. Spent most of what money I brought on tidbits to make my future layout unique. 

It was a low budget S Fest for me, but I am happy with my acquisitions. No regrets.

I will order those American Models B&O Geeps when funds make themselves available.

 

I hope everyone attending had a good time. 

I had a great time at S-Fest. The American Models B&O GP-9's look outstanding and also the T&P ones too. 

Still decompressing somewhat from the Fest, but had a pretty good time.  Sold off most of my surplus Flyonel and practically all of my surplus die-cast cars and trucks.

 

It was great meeting up and chatting with all the forum members attending.

 

We were consigned to the smallest of the three dealer rooms, which usually isn't a good sign.  But it wound up being the "fun room."  Traffic was high, practically a party atmosphere and time flew by.

 

I wasn't looking for anything in particular, but did pick up a few odds and ends.  The "Surprise of the Show" was of course, the new AM T&P and B&O GP's.  Ron B. also had a small sign mentioning that passenger GP's will be coming with "torpedo tubes" mounted on the roof, but didn't have any samples or mention roadnames.  Stay tuned...

 

Other than ordering the T&P set from AM, Heimburger got the biggest piece of change out of me for a small bag filled with Artista figures.  Still haven't counted exactly how many I bought, I just kept going through his large selection like a kid in a candy store...

 

There were a couple of other things I had my eye on, but they were gone on my next pass through the halls.  No regrets.  It is the way of the Fest.

 

Didn't take any over-all pictures of the dealer halls, because frankly, they tend to look the same year after year. 

 

But here's some of the more interesting things from the model contest.

 

A kitsmashed cab-forward:

 

Scratchbuilt Thomas and friends:

 

A chunky little 0-4-0 kitsmash:

 

And across from my table was this layout all the way up from Louisville:

 

 

I'll tell ya, while it may be a little worn around the edges, it's well done.  It captured the Flyer mystique.  I couldn't keep my eyes off of it.  It was a blast watching the old Flyer thunder around on the layout.

 

And of course, there's the Fest cars:

Rusty

As always Rusty, thanks for posting these and many other photos. What would we do without you?

 

Mark in Oregon

Hey Rusty,

 

I too had a great time meeting fellow S guys and picking up a few odds and ends.  I wanted to talk with you after all this time seeing your comments on line , but somehow we didn't cross paths.  But at least you took a photo of my Tomas....!   Maybe next time!

 

Jerry

 

 

There were a lot of dealers there but it seemed attendance was down some.  I saw a few good deals that no one seemed to jump on.  I picked up two SHS F3 units, both with powered A and B units.  I also got a SHS c&nw reefer at the end of the show as the dealer was packing it away for the drive home (seems to be the best time to make an offer).  

 

The highlight of the fest was when I walked through with my 3 year old boy.  One of the dealers in the ballroom asked my son if he liked tucks, my boy enthusiastically said yes and the gentleman gave my son a corgi gas truck.  It was a nice gesture and my son really enjoyed it.  

 

It it was a good show overall.  

 

Ben

Jerry,

That's a great looking Thomas!  Wish I could have been there to see it in person. 

Will you do an article on it?

 

Mike A.

Hi Mike,

 

Thanks!  I think it will be written up in the next Dispatch.  I sent a write-up and photos to the editor a while ago, and he informed me it will be in the Nov-Dec issue.  In short, the engine and cars were an exercise that got out of hand... 

 

I'd like to bring it to the attention of Lionel to show that it could (and should) be done in S like the Polar Express.  My grandson (3 years old) loves to see it run on my layout.  I would like to have run it on a layout at the Fest, but nobody had a straight DC set up. 

 

As far as buying things, I bought a bunch of small detail items for my layout, which unfortunately is now on hiatus due to an electrical problem in the train room.  That and the tons of leaves that insist on falling on my grass.  And since I like creating different things out of another's junk, I also brought home a few items that will keep me busy for a while along with some repair parts.  For my grandson, I picked up a nice operating 718 mail car that matches his New Haven train.  Works and looks great. 

 

Jerry

My father had a terrible time as approximately 17 towers were stolen from his vehicle.  Left early.

I agree, Jerry's Thomas and friends look great, and a "how to" article would be terrific. Unfortunately, I doubt there would be enough of a market in "S" for Lionel to justify the licensing agreement.

 

Bill in FtL

Who'd a-thunk with all the O27 and Scale O Polar Expresses running around out there, there's be a market for it in S?  While Thomas ain't my thing, there might be a market for one in S.  But, it's Lionel's decision whether or not to pursue it.

 

 

 

The Nov-Dec Dispatch just arrived, Jerry.  Your Thomas is in there.

 

Rusty

Hi Bill,

 

Lionel has been making their Polar Express in O and now in S.  I based my Thomas on the O gauge Lionel illustration which I scaled down to S.  Their agreement with the PE may include the S as well as O, and their agreement with the Thomas people may be the same.  But we don't know the details.

 

In any case, the major difficulty may be trying to squeeze all that "sparky stuff" into the very much smaller shell of Thomas.

 

Jerry

I think there would be a great market for Thomas in "S" if it is done right.  Bachmann sells a lot of HO Thomas engines.  What you need to do is offer the level of detail that is in their "HO" product and just make it slightly better.  By that I mean it should smoke and be capable of a Peep, Peep sound that Thomas makes.  This alone would make kids move from two rail "HO" to two rail "S".  Lionel needs to look at this as not taking market away from their "O" scale Thomas but instead taking it away from Bachmann's "HO" scale business.

 

 

I doubt if Lionel will see any interest in Thomas.  Others tried it in S and it never made a hit.  As a collector/operator I don't think many of us would be takers.  At least the Polar Express has some appeal because it is not as toy like as Thomas.

I would disagree.  (First who made a Thomas Engine for sale in "S" as I would buy it today).  Actually I think Thomas has a wider appeal and has the potential to bring in new younger members into "S" gauge.  Kids know Thomas runs on 2 rails not 3.  "S"  is bigger than"HO" and could have move fun opperating accessories.  The Polar Express appeals more to an older universe.  Thomas skews younger.  Parents buy items like this for their kids.  A 2 rail "S" gauge Thomas starter set with sound and Steam would be a big seller if it was marketed properly.  Having two boys who loved Thomas (and still do) I know this for a fact.

 

Hi Bill,

 

I too respectfully disagree.  Lionel makes a Thomas in O and I've seen it at train shows where kids are present.  Namely, the Glancy Trains in Detroit brings their portable layout to the Greenfield Village in Dearborn during the time when the 1:1 Thomas makes an appearance.  You cannot get near the layout (set at a kids eye level) with all the kids present, and they run not only Thomas, but many other trains.  But Thomas is the star.  But the only folks who can actually say if Thomas will sell is Lionel.

 

Jerry

As far as s gauge Thomas goes, I think the real question is not if it is desirable, but is it marketable.   Moms and Dads buy Thomas in all sizes, but that's because they see it in person then get it. To get a Thomas in such an obscure scale as S to sell enough to be a profitable and worthwhile endveore for Lionel, it would have to be put infront of potential customers the way Thomas is in other scales and sizes now.  Target, Walmart, Menards...retail chains.  Secondary would be your brick and morter hobby shops, but even then, I think most non enthusiasts are not venturing into a hobby shop, at least without being directed there after seeing a product. 

S gauge Thomas would have to be displayed a lot at shows geared towards the hobby newbe, (like WGH) and not the York type meets. 

And yes, my three year old very much wants a Thomas in S. 

Ben

I recall seeing Thomas in S advertised in the S Gaugian years ago but cannot recall who was selling it off the top of my head.

I think it was Putt Trains (no longer in business) and it was an Ertel Thomas body on the Putt power truck.

 

Rusty

Yes I believe you are correct.  It was an Ertle die cast Thomas stuck over another train mechanism and it looked terrible.  This was not even close to Thomas as the wheel colors were wrong as well as other details.  My boys looked at one and rejected it as not being Thomas.

 

--Rocco--

In our S-gauge modular club we had a Thomas that a company (not sure who) had modified from a set originally made by Tomy.  The chassis used highrail wheels intended for a diesel.  Though it ran on S track it wasn't close to S scale.

I took a Thomas whistle, gutted it, set it on a Casey Jones chassis remotored with a S n S can motor, and wound up with something much more convincing.

I think a Thomas set done right in S would sell.  One would suspect the brand managers at Lionel are going to wait and see how the Polar Express set sells before venturing into more licensed product lines for our scale.

Nick C.

Hey Jerry,

 

I just saw your Thomas article in the NASG Dispatch, and it really looked great! I'm curious though, since the face you used for your model came from a cheap floor toy, why didn't you use more of the body of that toy, was it poorly proportioned? In any event, your finished models are really terrific, thanks for sharing them with us through the article!

 

Bill in FtL