@TrainBub posted:Well the listing is posted. Time to step up.
I like too many of the options. This will be fun narrowing them down. =)
Well, I have 3 on my list to replace a few “problem child” engines on my roster.
I get a rest on this one. It’s out of my collecting eras. 🤗😬😜
Some great offerings, I sent an email to Scott to see if he would add Norfolk Southern since they have the second largest fleet of Dash-9s (with BNSF having the largest). If that gets included, my wallet is in deep deep trouble. SF, BNSF, UP, SP, and maybe NS. 
Just FYI. There is a picture of a GE Demonstrator but that option is not on the drop down list on the reservation page.
I hate to be "that guy", but what makes these ~$200 more than other 3rd Rail diesels?
Will, my guess is the amount of lost wax parts. The bodies of these diesels are way more "busy" than early diesels. Besides, many parts (horns, steps, trucks) on early diesels are interchangeable. These will be from the ground up. Just my thoughts.
Whatever the reason, it makes the F-3, FA, SD40-2 pricing look much more attractive.
I ordered my Santa Fes. I have a question on the BNSF offering I'll post here because others might want to know too:
Will the BNSF models just be repainted Santa Fes or will they have the four side window cab that appeared on all BNSF's newly-purchased Heritage II models (4000-4199 and 4300-5532)? If the latter, I'll order some of those too.
Yes, it's different tooling, but then you can also accurately make the 700 series BNSF war bonnet model too.
Thanks for offering these.
RM
Great info. This is what's called a core change, not a big deal for plastic tooling. But is this what other's want?
The price difference is due to the number of orders we expect. Since this model has been done many times in 3R and some in 2R, we don't expect 500 units, more like 200 - 250 total. So when you amortize the tooling costs over a smaller quantity of models, they are more expensive to produce. Same situation as the EA and E1s, VGN EL2B, Krauss Maffei, all smaller production runs, making the unit cost higher. Wish it wasn't so, but that's how we are able to make all these unique productions possible with smaller quantities.
Scott Mann
@sdmann posted:Great info. This is what's called a core change, not a big deal for plastic tooling. But is this what other's want?
The price difference is due to the number of orders we expect. Since this model has been done many times in 3R and some in 2R, we don't expect 500 units, more like 200 - 250 total. So when you amortize the tooling costs over a smaller quantity of models, they are more expensive to produce. Same situation as the EA and E1s, VGN EL2B, Krauss Maffei, all smaller production runs, making the unit cost higher. Wish it wasn't so, but that's how we are able to make all these unique productions possible with smaller quantities.
Scott Mann
Your reservation numbers will soon tell the tale on how well received this offering is. Well here’s hoping the numbers are a Pleasant surprise for you.
Pricing based on reservation expectations makes sense and mentioning above locos like the KM Really shows how few of them will be produced.
This offering goes into a different “era” so to speak - and probably some different buyers. More power to you to try to expand your market. It’s not my market so my pocketbook gets a rest this time. 🤗 With different buyers/ market, it shouldn’t impede projects in which I have interests. 🙂
Good Luck on this one.
Cheers
TrainBub
@Rich Montague posted:I ordered my Santa Fes. I have a question on the BNSF offering I'll post here because others might want to know too:
Will the BNSF models just be repainted Santa Fes or will they have the four side window cab that appeared on all BNSF's newly-purchased Heritage II models (4000-4199 and 4300-5532)? If the latter, I'll order some of those too.
Yes, it's different tooling, but then you can also accurately make the 700 series BNSF war bonnet model too.
Thanks for offering these.
RM
5 step pilots on the BNSF units also.
I placed my order. I see the Demo model is not listed but an undecorated model only. I hope Scott M gets the licensing of painting the demo model. I don't know where I could get decals for the demo model.
Demo is up, CXS is off, NS is up.
I placed my order a few minutes ago, hope many others also order so the product gets made.
At that price it would be better if these were 2 locomotive sets.
Andrew
Will the BNSF H3 or H4 “Swoosh” scheme be offered?
@falconservice posted:At that price it would be better if these were 2 locomotive sets.
Andrew
It would be nice for everything to be cheaper, but these will be the best replicated models of Dash 9s in O scale you can buy.
Lionel or MTH can’t touch these.
Ordered the GE Demo. Thanks Scott!!!!
I kicked off with 3 Union Pacific units. I appreciate Scott and the team offering the Armour Yellow Dash-9s.
@hibar posted:5 step pilots on the BNSF units also.
Agreed. Other than ATSF, I think five steps became standard on these and other new GEs.
Hoping it helps Scott, here’s quick rundown on Santa Fe and BNSF Dash 9 variations. Counting the models delivered pre-merger to ATSF and the two main variations delivered post-merger, I count essentially three versions. I encourage others to chime in with additions or corrections:
- Santa Fe (ATSF): Santa Fe took delivery of 100 Dash 9s before the BNSF merger (numbers 600-699). These had the unique-to-Santa Fe “gull wing” cab roofline that had been introduced with Santa Fe’s Dash 8 purchases. These cabs featured three side windows, nose-mounted headlights, and high number boards. Ditch lights were mounted on the front pilots. Santa Fe’s Dash 9s featured front and rear handrails with widely spaced stanchions, the same as on Santa Fe’s Dash 8s. Unlike other roads, the Santa Fe models had four steps in the front and rear step wells. The sheet metal work in the dynamic brake equipment area just forward of the screens featured single rectangular “x” panels on each side. Santa Fe's early models had an early variant of the "Hi-ad" truck with a large bulge. (That can be seen on CNW models too). That was eliminated as the order progressed and I'm not sure but some early models might have been retrofitted with the later Hi-ad variant. You can see many of these features, especially the single large "x" panel and the stepwell variation here.
- BNSF Heritage I: In 1996, after the merger, BNSF took delivery of more Dash 9s, these numbered in the 960-1123 series in the “Heritage I” paint job. (That is the orange and green with green BNSF lettering and the “target” herald on the ends). The cab remained unchanged from the Santa Fe order, though the ditch lights were now mounted on the front platform. These models featured five steps in the step wells. The single large X panels on the car body were replaced on each side by two smaller more square-shaped ones. The front and rear handrails remained unchanged (widely spaced stanchions).
- BNSF Heritage II and BNSF warbonnet: Starting in 1997 and through 2005 when GE replaced the Dash 9 with the ES44s, all BNSF Dash 9 deliveries looked like these. This includes the 700 series delivered in modified BNSF warbonnet paint and the Heritage II models that came to represent the bulk of the BNSF Dash 9 fleet. It's the version I'm asking about. The main variations from the Heritage I models are the introduction of the four rectangular side windows in the cab (still gullwing roofline) and the more minimalist front and rear handrails, each with two pairs of closely grouped stanchions. Otherwise these models continued with the high-mounted ditch lights, five-step step wells, and double “x” panels. The Third Rail page shows the BNSF model in the orange and green Heritage II paint. While a few of the original Santa Fe units were repainted in this scheme and kept their 600 series numbers, the vast majority of BNSF’s Dash 9 fleet involved this third, as-delivered variation with the four side window cab and other details just mentioned. It was far and away the most common example of the Dash 9 one would see on the BNSF system between 1997 and even today. This version was the backbone of the fleet. If you saw a BNSF intermodal, manifest, or grain train, you often saw the warbonnets and Heritage I paint jobs. You always saw one and usually several of these post-97 Heritage II models. You can see the five steps and smaller double "x" panels among other features here. You can see the Santa Fe end rails here and compare the different BNSF Heritage II version's handrails here.
Hopefully that helps Scott and anyone thinking of placing an order. Anyone who models BNSF (I admit I'm a Santa Fe guy who had to make peace with merger and so I dabble) really needs the Heritage II Dash 9.
RM
@sdmann posted:Demo is up, CXS is off, NS is up.
Thanks Scott! I made my correction! I'm looking forward to this model and other Demonstrator models from you as well!
@Bruk posted:It would be nice for everything to be cheaper, but these will be the best replicated models of Dash 9s in O scale you can buy.
Lionel or MTH can’t touch these.
You got that right!
Any word on adding the BNSF Heritage II+ Dash 9’s???
Doing my part to support this project, I added some BNSFs to my order. I'm assuming we'll know before production begins if the model represents the most common post-1997 BNSF version with four window cabs and so on.
RM
