3rd Rail GP9

Last I heard it is looking like a February delivery.  Scott has been sending me questions about last minute detail issues so the project should be wrapping up production soon.

@GG1 4877 posted:

Last I heard it is looking like a February delivery.  Scott has been sending me questions about last minute detail issues so the project should be wrapping up production soon.

Great news !!!  I’ll even give it an extra month as nothing Ever goes according to plan/schedule. I’ve three on order so this info allows me to plan/ budget my own pre-delivery payment schedule so as to have them “paid off” at delivery time !!!!
Cheers !!!

TrainBub

@GG1 4877 posted:

Last I heard it is looking like a February delivery.  Scott has been sending me questions about last minute detail issues so the project should be wrapping up production soon.

Can you share what the final count was for number of different roads?  Somewhere 40-50?  Lots of details to QC for sure !!!!!!!!!!

@TrainBub posted:

Great news !!!  I’ll even give it an extra month as nothing Ever goes according to plan/schedule. I’ve three on order so this info allows me to plan/ budget my own pre-delivery payment schedule so as to have them “paid off” at delivery time !!!!
Cheers !!!

TrainBub

You could be right as shipping take a month PLUS there is the China Holiday for the whole month of January. Bottom Line, Im looking forward to my Torpedo GP7

and GP9s. Its the Quality not the Quantity!

I emailed Scott Wednesday asking the same thing, hes claims February/March delivery.

The pandemic is slowing things down,

@TrainBub posted:

Can you share what the final count was for number of different roads?  Somewhere 40-50?  Lots of details to QC for sure !!!!!!!!!!

I don't remember the exact count but it there was a lot of overlap on GP7 vs. GP9.  It was at least 35 plus as I recall though.  The design matrix on this was a bit complex, but not any more so than the SD7/9.  Looking forward to my GP7Ps in CNJ. :-)

@GG1 4877 posted:

Looking forward to my GP7Ps in CNJ. :-)

You and me both.  I have a combine and two coaches that have been waiting a long time for an accurate diesel to pull them.

They are at Sunset Models.

They made very limited numbers.

There were only 3 Grand Trunk Western GP9 locos produced.

Three numbers.

That is an extremely limited edition.

Andrew

Good news. Thanks for posting this. The wait will soon be over.Looking forward to ACL and Seaboard.

Did any of you read the last page of "Hey Scott GP7/GP9" on this site?

@falconservice posted:

They are at Sunset Models.

They made very limited numbers.

There were only 3 Grand Trunk Western GP9 locos produced.

Three numbers.

That is an extremely limited edition.

Andrew

And I bet YOU GOT THEM ALL!

@superwarp1 posted:

Email Scott, unlike Lionel, he answers his email/phone

It's true. I emailed him yesterday on another matter and I got a response in a couple of hours. Wow!

I wish I would have had the money in the train fund for one of these. You guys are lucky!

Scott  
Can you share ?
What was the final count of Roads ?  Which roads/models didn’t make the production cut ?

Got an email over the weekend, they are coming to a town near you!

@Big Jim posted:

Got an email over the weekend, they are coming to a town near you!

For those that paid in advance for starters.

I got my formal shipping notice over the weekend.  MY CNJ GP7s are supposed to arrive before 7pm today.  UPS is stating out for delivery at the moment.  Pictures as soon I can get get them!

Jonathan, You are on the hook for pics

Mine are due Wednesday.    Looking for your Photos Jonathon.

@GG1 4877 posted:

I don't remember the exact count but it there was a lot of overlap on GP7 vs. GP9.  It was at least 35 plus as I recall though.  The design matrix on this was a bit complex, but not any more so than the SD7/9.  Looking forward to my GP7Ps in CNJ. :-)

Jonathan,

Did you guys do the GP9's as the phase 2 only?  I was actually going to send you an Email to ask if the phase 3's with the 48" pantop fans were made or if they would be possible as an option for a  2nd run?  For guys like me who like the NKP, they had 3 different versions of GP9's.  It would be fantastic to get the ph2,  ph2 Passenger / torpedo boat and later ph3 all from the same builder with the same decoder.

Regards

I asked Scott M. Re phaseIII GP9 and his answer was a staunch NO WAY! Even if we ask to throw in the GP9 "B"units for UP, PRR, PC, CR.

Hard to understand how decisions are made on what is and isn't made. Seems like some people have more pull than others. That's just my opinion.

@jonnyspeed posted:

Hard to understand how decisions are made on what is and isn't made. Seems like some people have more pull than others. That's just my opinion.

How so?  Curious on your thoughts there.  Truth is the factory has the most pull on variations to hold price point and this project is second to the SD7-9 in terms of variations.

My CNJs arrived today.  Some quick cell phone selfies.  Outstanding model all around.

Looks phenomenal!

Thanks for posting the photos, Jonathan.  They look great!  My two CNJs have to travel all the way across the country so they’re due to arrive on Monday.  Really looking forward to receiving these...my first purchase from Sunset/3rd Rail.

We really need videos!!!  Thanks for the pics

@GG1 4877 posted:

How so?  Curious on your thoughts there.  Truth is the factory has the most pull on variations to hold price point and this project is second to the SD7-9 in terms of variations.

Since you asked, here is what confuses me:

             1.)  Falconservice is up above in this thread talking about how there were only 3 engines made for                           GTW in total:

                              They made very limited numbers.  There were only 3 Grand Trunk Western GP9 locos                                           produced. Three numbers. That is an extremely limited edition.

                    I know for a fact that there were at least that many requests for the B&O GP9's in the blue freight                      scheme.  I had 2 on order when it was cancelled and then offered to put an additional 2 units on                        order right before the closing deadline just to help get them made and was simply told "NO".

             2.)   Based on Prrhorseshoecurve's response to my post on ph3 GP9's:

                              I asked Scott M. Re phaseIII GP9 and his answer was a staunch NO WAY! Even if we ask to                                    throw in the GP9 "B"units for UP, PRR, PC, CR.

                    I know of at least 5 guys (myslef included) who reached out about the ph3 version and all got a                          firm no.  I understand this run was apparently ph2 only, but I simply do not understand why                              ph3's cannot even be advertised to see the potential interest.   In addition, I actually held off on                        purchasing the NKP GP7's and ph2 GP9's due to not knowing if the the ph2 torpedo boats and                            ph3 versions for NKP would ever be made.   

All I am saying is it is hard to understand why certain models get advertised, then go into production, while some will not even be considered. I truly cannot understand the deciding factors, but to be 100% honest with you, it seems to me that it comes down to who is the most outspoken on this forum.

Hey, business is business, you guys are free to do what you think is best,  but I'm just telling you:  I went from a potential of having 8 different GP's to order to only getting 2 GP7's and no GP9's at all just as a result of how these decisions get made.   I'll leave you with this:  I still have quite a bit on preorder with Scott and I truly appreciate what you guys do for us in O scale - literally everything I have in B&O is from Sunset.  But I think you guys are missing out on alot of potential sales because of how the decision process gets implemented.

PS.  Those CNJ units are show stoppers BTW!

Start a second run campaign.  It works.

- Crank

@Former Member posted:

Since you asked, here is what confuses me:

             1.)  Falconservice is up above in this thread talking about how there were only 3 engines made for GTW in total:

                              They made very limited numbers.  There were only 3 Grand Trunk Western GP9 locos produced. Three numbers. That is an extremely limited                                  edition.

                    I know for a fact that there were at least that many requests for the B&O GP9's in the blue freight scheme.  I had 2 on order when it was cancelled                        and then offered to put an additional 2 units on order right before the closing deadline just to help get them made and was simply told "NO".

             2.)   Based on Prrhorseshoecurve's response to my post on ph3 GP9's:

                              I asked Scott M. Re phaseIII GP9 and his answer was a staunch NO WAY! Even if we ask to throw in the GP9 "B"units for UP, PRR, PC, CR.

                    I know of at least 5 guys (myslef included) who reached out about the ph3 version and all got a firm no.  I understand this run was apparently                              ph2 only, but I simply do not understand why ph3's cannot even be advertised to see the potential interest.   In addition, I actually held off on                              purchasing the NKP GP7's and ph2 GP9's due to not knowing if the the ph2 torpedo boats and ph3 versions for NKP would ever be made.   

All I am saying is it is hard to understand why certain models get advertised, then go into production, while some will not even be considered. I truly cannot understand the deciding factors, but to be 100% honest with you, it seems to me that it comes down to who is the most outspoken on this forum.

Hey, business is business, you guys are free to do what you think is best,  but I'm just telling you:  I went from a potential of having 8 different GP's to order to only getting 2 GP7's and no GP9's at all just as a result of how these decisions get made.   I'll leave you with this:  I still have quite a bit on preorder with Scott and I truly appreciate what you guys do for us in O scale - literally everything I have in B&O is from Sunset.  But I think you guys are missing out on alot of potential sales because of how the decision process gets implemented.

PS.  Those CNJ units are show stoppers BTW!

I don't get involved in the business side of things often on what roads stay or go.    However, the phase III variation was a no go from the start for the first run because the factory gave so much push back on the the number of variations on this particular model at the price point they were sold at.  When factoring the road specific details alone between GP7s and 9s there were 8 tooling variations on the body.  8 variations on the skirting, 21 horn variations, and 5 light variations all  across 52 different paint schemes.  This doesn't factor in the variations between GP7s and 9s when considering the variations on the same paint schemes between models. 

As more photos come out, I'd say there will be enough interest for a 2nd run.  While nothing can ever be promised there are possibilities to add roads and even perhaps the Phase III variation of the GP9.  I can also say that there were more than 3 GTW units produced.

It is never the goal to slight anyone.  Scott tries the best he can to get as many models out as possible.  Sometimes though it does get overwhelming and this project was one of those projects.   

For the CNJ GP7P I am ecstatic.  This is the only accurate one I have seen in O scale and the flat long hood is a huge difference.  I ordered four.  My CNJ roster is starting to finally round out on power side as these were a mainstay of passenger and freight operations well past CNJ's existence.   

CXS Troy: I owe you an explanation: At some point in time I had to trim the production down from over 70  to 50 GP7 and GP9 Road Names / Paint Schemes. When I did that I used the criteria anything less than 7 was suspect (expecting them to be 10 or more at the time of freezing reservations) and anything that was the same road for GP7s and 9s, the lesser order should be combined with the greater, only with customers permission.  In the time between then and final production quantities some orders changed due to cancellations, substitutions and that left me with very few GTW orders.  But I had already made my deal with the factory, created the painting and lettering drawings for those 50 and they accepted the smaller quantity for some of these roads in order to keep things moving forward.

This is not how I want to do business, but I am forced to make decisions to rein in a wildly diverse project. As it is, this project exceeded the tipping point that I often refer to. Where the pain of the previous project affects the cost and prices of all future projects. The factory (2 Guys that own it), made it clear that they will not do this again for the same price. Every paint color costs $100 in samples and more to order. Every decal color has to be proven and then sometimes re-ordered 2 or 3 times until they exactly match the paint color. There is no one stop shop for these guys to get this done. There are a variety of ever changing sub contractors and vendors for each project which they need to manage. This one took too long, cost too much and thus we have to pay more going forward, FOREVER.

There are no other builders than these guys that would go though so much trouble to make trains. If I pressure them too hard, they will fold and that will be that.

I have agreed to their reasonable demands and want to make sure they don't have financial difficulties in the process of making these projects. It's very much a two way street.

I do hope you all enjoy these models.

Furthermore: THANK YOU JONATHAN, RICHARD and ALL THE FOLKS THE REACH OUT WITH DATA AND INFORMATION DURING THE DESIGN PROCESS.

Many thanks for an in detail explanation on how these things are done!!!

one only hopes all the variations on the mopac cars will not jeopardize the whole project.

Thanks Jonathan. Ready for some boxes. They look great but need some N and W red and black.

Scott,

Thanks for the detailed explanation of what you did to make this project a success. Everyone involved should appreciate your effort to produce something terrific.

MELGAR

Just for some fun: Here's a picture of our warehouse with the 3R models matched up with invoices. We then go to each one, check again, put the UPS tags on them and slip the invoice in the box. Monday they went out.  When someone calls to say they will be away and to hold their shipment, we have to walk up and down the isles of boxes to find their order. It's very tedious.

@sdmann posted:

Just for some fun: Here's a picture of our warehouse with the 3R models matched up with invoices. We then go to each one, check again, put the UPS tags on them and slip the invoice in the box. Monday they went out.  When someone calls to say they will be away and to hold their shipment, we have to walk up and down the isles of boxes to find their order. It's very tedious.

Well, I hope not that many “holds”.  But On the good side are a few extra “heart healthy” steps for the day. 👍👍👍

Cheers !!!

@sdmann posted:

Reminds me of the final scene in "Raiders of the Lost Ark"

All I know is I got my UPS notice! I cant wait to see that PRR GP7 "torpedo tube"! Thanks again Scott M.for making such a unique unit!

Jonathan,

Nice units , Thanks for posting - Was the CNJ Red/White (Liberty) scheme produced

With all the build-up and excitement , it feels like Christmas eve.  I am looking forward to seeing the big brown truck pulling in to my driveway.