3rd Rail EMD E8/E9 Announced

At last!!!!!

 

Scott,

 

Please remember that the Burlington units can be offered two ways:

 

A) E8A as delivered with black nose stripes and PAINTED side panels.

 

B) E9A with the red nose stripes and polished stainless steel side panels.

 

I can provide you and Jonathan with specific road numbers, when you desire them. 

Great news.  While I contemplate which one(s) to order, can I throw out a couple of other candidates for future runs?  I'd order both of these in a heartbeat!

 

 

 

 

 

So will each Amtrak unit be detailed differently? Or are you going to pick a string of numbers bought from one RR so they're the same?
I have the roster list if you need it. Based on the road names listed, a number of them had units go to Amtrak. Differently detailed, correctly numbered units would be awesome.

Also be great to see them done in Phase II... 

The announcement is less than an hour old and it already looks like it will be a WINNER.

For Scott to say that it will be their "best effort yet" you know it will be a show stopper.

Scott's crew will use an extension ladder to raise this bar.

Guys, this is the Golden Age for O-Gauge.

Please do not forget CP1800, 1801 and 1802 E8As delivered in Dec. 1949 in Beaver Crest livery!

 

Not the multimark paint job of later years recently offered by MTH.

Okay Scott, lets make a deal.  I'll send you a list of what I want along with all my Social Security checks for the next 18 months.  If there is any change left you can send it to me.

Do we have a deal?

CP1800 is there!!! 

I'm in!

No RF&P? Darn

 

Sunrise

First class operation

Why dummy B units?  

 

Both the A and B units should be powered and with decoders.

 

Didn't we go through this with Scott when the F-7's were announced?

 

Scott, don't back track now.  Progress means not taking a step backward.

 

Ed

Scott

I am a little confused   The flyer on the left of the page has an Erie Lackawanna E8 pictured ( BTW nobody has done this scheme) but the listing on the right of the page shows an Erie and a sepererate Lackawanna ( Which both have been done )  Please clarify which one will be produced   Hopefully Erie Lackawanna

One more thing. How about pilots being available to 3 rail versions that are K-D ready? I hope the rears will be KD-friendly.

Huh?  You didn't reserve them when you had the chance.

I'm a bit confused, again. What do all the photos and discussion about ALCO PA units have to do with the announcement of EMD E8 and E9 models, by Scott Mann?

Scott! Please issue the MOPAC E8 in proper Eagle Colors please! NOT the ugly Jenk's Blue paint dip! I'm begging you! I will order every number 7018–7021 Mopac rostered which was four units!! The Jenks won't get many orders but the Eagle will!! 

 

The TP units ARE correct.I'm going to commit for at least two of those!

Scott, Individually, I am not interested in any of the engines.

 

However… if consideration was given to producing a complement of passenger cars to go with the listed (and some not listed) engines I would reserve a set.

 

E.G. If you listed an Illinois Central E8/9 City of New Orleans set (for which you already have most if not all of the plans) then I would reserve. You did list the Central of Georgia in IC colors so the jump to an IC engine is only deco. Below picture by Bob Krome as an example of the City of New Orleans.

 

 

The other two names that might draw more interest are the C&NW and Wabash units. If matching passenger cars were available (or even considered) there may be more movement for engine reservations.

 

 

The Wabash Blue Bird/Banner Blue trains were unique, rather short trains. The engine alone might not get the reservations you are looking for, but if the set was considered; there might be more interest in the engine. Kind of like the Train of Tomorrow project.

 

 

The C&NW is not as easy. I suspect that there is a small, but vocal group of people that would be willing to reserve an engine, but also like to have them pulling the double decker “gallery cars”. There have been some Gallery Car options made, but not RTR in the level you have or will product for the upcoming Santa Fe El Capitan. Below Photo by Mike Patrick:

 

Hope that helps.

 

Charlie

 

 

 

I think it would be really neat if Scott did the ex-UP E-9A #951 that pulled the Preamble Express in late 1974.  The problem is we would also need the 4 passenger cars it pulled.  Maybe another set like the Train of Tomorrow set?

 

Well... I am in favor of non-powered B-units for the following reasons:

 

1.  It will save me a couple hundred $$$ on an A-B-A set with a non-powered B.

 

2.  It will save even more $$$ on an A-B-B-A set with two non-powered B's.

 

3.  Why should anybody be forced to purchase more power than the want or need?

 

4.  The only reason I passed on 3rd Rails last run of F-units was because I wanted A-B-B-B-A but, there was no way I needed 5 powered units.  Therefore, I went with Atlas.

 

Now, if Scott wants to offer the option of both powered and non-powered B's that should make EVERYBODY HAPPY.

 

I know that he is reading this thread for ideas and suggestions.  Well, I just gave him one to ponder.

Well the road name announcements DON't Thrill me- maybe because they have been done- some multiple times over.

 

I would be interested in the EL- EMD Demo Scheme found in The Diesel Demonstrators book:

 

That certainly doesn't mean that those previously done models were correctly done, however.

I'm torn . . . between ordering three, or "only" two.

CP had three, numbers 1800, 1801 and 1802. All were E8As. They had no E8Bs at all.

 

I'm happy as a clam that a high quality CP E8 is going to be offered at all! But would be willing to open my wallet a little further for an unpowered A unit. Then I'd get the three numbers.

 

Must be frustrating to try and accommdate everybodys' wishes. Ultimately not feasible to do so. We see a welter of conflicting desires here and now I want unpowered A units for heaven's sake!!! And in a Canadian road name as well, likely in vanishingly small demand compared to the huge US roads!

 

Somehow I feel I'm going to buckle . . . and end up with THREE powered CP E8A units.

That's if the three numbers are available.

 

The fact that something has been done before does not mean it is available to those who want it. To my knowledge, only Weaver has done CP E8s in their original paint scheme. The Weavers, issued in 1992, are hard to find, of antiquated technology (not even a horn or bell) and not comparable in detail to higher end models. MTH's CP1800, offered in 2010, is pretty nice . . . but the Multimark, "Pacman" paint scheme is not how CP1800 looked in her first years when I saw her and rode behind her! And those MTH CP E8B units are fictitious! CP never had any!

 

It's going to be hard waiting for these wonderous new toys from Sunset!

Scott! Please issue the MOPAC E8 in proper Eagle Colors please! NOT the ugly Jenk's Blue paint dip!

i concur.  It would also be an excellent opportunity to produce the Colorado Eagle passenger cars. 

  

 

Yes, I realize this picture has an E7.

It would be an interesting marketing idea if SS 3RD offers these and future locos with PS3 option, Pilot model option and the "B" non powered unit ready to be converted to power and DCS, DCC and of course TMCC. They already have 2R and 3R which is the hard part and it is done. These are not costly ideas, they just need to be designed "in" at the beginning of the program which is now. MTH had done similar strategy and they were/are very successful. If I can think of it, 3RD SS sure can and they have the ability to do it in a reasonable cost and a profitable manner.......

 

And I will for sure order DCS units, SF, UP, SP....etc

 

BTW, it is great that 3RD asks for customers help/opinion and listens.

I noticed that glitch also. i would be in for a pair of EL E8's 

Scott! Please issue the MOPAC E8 in proper Eagle Colors please! NOT the ugly Jenk's Blue paint dip!

i concur.  It would also be an excellent opportunity to produce the Colorado Eagle passenger cars. 

 

I am with you guys on Eagle colors & the Colorado eagle to go with it - Not interested in the Jenks Blue. However I am very excited about the T&P E8's and I will be buying a pair of those. Now I need a set of Texas Eagle Cars.

I am interested in the EL as well.

What about Southern?

WOW! Great suggestions, all of you. I am keeping a list. Like I said at the top, nothing is set in stone yet. I will consider powered B Units. Maybe a Kit so I don't overwhelm the factory with too many variations, 2R/3R, Roads, Dummy/Powered, it get's daunting. I think the few 2 Railers out there that want dummies would appreciate that.

 

It's always a big learning curve for me to find out what you want, so keep your suggestions coming, and don't trodden on other's wishes, they are all valid.

 

We have some time, about 8 months to put this project together. I am confident we can accommodate most of you. After all, we make them for you.

 

Scott - China

Southern is listed on the website as available for reservation.

Will you be providing information on the road numbers? Will efforts be made to offer equipped with both mainline service as well as how they may be today?

 

I'd be interested in Erie 833 as she is today, as well as possibly Bennett's PRR units and their predecessors - the Conrail OCS train.

I would be interested in the MoPac E8 in the eagle paint scheme. A matching set of Colorado Eagle passenger cars would be incredible!!!

I am a big fan off Powered B units. It never hurts to have extra power and more sound in a lashup.

Also this announcement makes the Sunset Limited much more tempting... A set of SP E8's would look great pulling it.

Always a good time to do the Wabash Blue Bird.  Like the MoPac engine, please don't do the Wabash in the later blue paint scheme (same as the N&W used after merger).  The earlier (and original) paint scheme is the best.

  

Great news Scott.

Big John, et al,

The B units will be powered, according to what I heard.

Ed

 

 

Maybe yours will be... but mine will NOT. 

I realize I'm a HighRailer on the 3RS forum, but when talking about a powered B unit are you also talking about sound in them?  I prefer power and sound in my B units (all diesel units on my late 40s operating layout now have both), however several manufacturers have produced B units with power only. This has resulted in some interesting configurations to add sound.

 

So my question is: If 3rd Rail were to make powered B units, would they also have sound?

       
       

I'm sorry...I swear I didn't see Southern!

 

Hello Scot;

 

These are my suggestion with all due respect:

 

Think Future, think modular, think long term investment, think amortizing on molds and fixtures, Think DCC, DCS and even Legacy. I know for a fact that you can design all these features in at this stage. Give customers all the options, charge them accordingly, you will get 2R and 3R and DCS guys buying. I have worked with Chinese factories before, set them up well and keep your eyes on them and they will do good quality work.  Keep assembly/modifications simple and easy for the workers and the customers, Think "outside the typical RR fan" box, this is a major one and one can easily think "inside" the box.... I am sure you know all of this, but sometimes it is good to repeat it.

 

Make room for two speakers if you have not already, choose speaker space for common quality speakers on the market. Leave room for smoke units in the B unit.

 

I think everything I mentioned here you already know, but I want you your successful so I can get my ABBA SF, UP, SP (Black widow too) units in 2R and 3R

 

Good luck...