Rutland, Rutland.
I vote for the multiple classes of ATSF Mikados that haven't been made or the multiple classes of SP Mikados that haven't been made. ATSF 2-6-2s in 3 rail haven't been done either. Multiple SP Consolidation classes haven't been done. ATSF 3765 and 3776 class Northerns. ATSF 5001 class Texas.
None of this stuff will get made. Manufactures have to make money, so they make what will sell and turn a profit. A small, road specific, Mikado won't make the money of a big articulated, and cost almost the same to produce. Unless parts from other tooling can be used on something else it's not likely to get made. Granted some of the stuff I want has been made by 3rd Rail but, even on the used market, it's above what I like to/want to pay for a locomotive.
There are a whole time load that haven't ever been produced. Most likely because of cost versus sales. I know that some engines they may be frightened to make because they believe that the overall sellability is very low compared to other more popular engines that occur a bunch. Also too variations of types is one of the other factors. It has been said that K5's would be a great one to make, but I believe someone had said only 3RD rail ever made one(some time ago IIRC). See what they come up with.
rex desilets posted:Little steam locos: seems to be a matter of economics. For a few bucks more than the price of a new, small-ish steamer, I can buy a gigantosaurus 4-10-10-6.
Of course it's a matter of economics. But some people would prefer small locomotives that they can actually run on their "small-ish" layouts. For me, the huge locomotives are just shelf queens.
MELGAR
MELGAR posted:rex desilets posted:Little steam locos: seems to be a matter of economics. For a few bucks more than the price of a new, small-ish steamer, I can buy a gigantosaurus 4-10-10-6.
Of course it's a matter of economics. But some people would prefer small locomotives that they can actually run on their "small-ish" layouts. For me, the huge locomotives are just shelf queens.
MELGAR
I had suggested back in my first ever York October 2017 for Lionel to produce something like the American 4-4-0's and some of the other early type steam locomotives in scale. I expressed that this would be great if they could do the spark arrester like they did on the Heiseler. I said as well that that would be the main selling point for me to have the early type steamers with that exact feature. Unfortunately they couldn't get a smoke unit in the ones they produced. I am sure that my suggestion was late already and not what made them produce this year's offering of them.
I still would enjoy seeming smaller locomotives as well because if they find a good bunch of road names to put on them, these would sell. It is one thing to have large steam as the market is dominated by it, but think of all the short lines, smaller steam engines dominate. That would be something else.
Lou1985 posted:I vote for the multiple classes of ATSF Mikados that haven't been made or the multiple classes of SP Mikados that haven't been made. ATSF 2-6-2s in 3 rail haven't been done either. Multiple SP Consolidation classes haven't been done. ATSF 3765 and 3776 class Northerns. ATSF 5001 class Texas.
None of this stuff will get made. Manufactures have to make money, so they make what will sell and turn a profit. A small, road specific, Mikado won't make the money of a big articulated, and cost almost the same to produce. Unless parts from other tooling can be used on something else it's not likely to get made. Granted some of the stuff I want has been made by 3rd Rail but, even on the used market, it's above what I like to/want to pay for a locomotive.
Didn't Lionel have a Santa Fe 4-6-2 Pacific engine information displayed on the Cab-2 screen in an ad when they first came out?
Rock Island 4-8-4 (to accompany the recent TA diesel and Rocket), Central Vermont 2-10-4, Burlington 4-6-0 (either K2 or K4), Omaha Road 0-6-0 and Canadian Pacific D4g 4-6-0. Would prefer to see an outfit like Glacier Park Models or the Lee Marsh Model Co do these, as they would very close to perfect!
Any left to make? That's the beauty of steam - so many classes and custom designs for any of the 75 or so Class 1 railroads. Literally 100's, if not 1000's !
I would like to see MTH make a Boston and Maine Ten Wheeler, a Boston and Maine Atlantic, and the Maine Central 470. There's plenty of steam locomotives that have yet to be made in O gauge!
Jim S posted:I would like to see MTH make a Boston and Maine Ten Wheeler, a Boston and Maine Atlantic, and the Maine Central 470. There's plenty of steam locomotives that have yet to be made in O gauge!
I would like to see those too. Also some small Boston & Albany engines.
MELGAR
Too many to mention. Thee are books and websites, you know.....
"Are there any American engines of any consequence...." is a matter of opinion anyway. They are all of consequence, in fact.
BobbyD posted:Lou1985 posted:I vote for the multiple classes of ATSF Mikados that haven't been made or the multiple classes of SP Mikados that haven't been made. ATSF 2-6-2s in 3 rail haven't been done either. Multiple SP Consolidation classes haven't been done. ATSF 3765 and 3776 class Northerns. ATSF 5001 class Texas.
None of this stuff will get made. Manufactures have to make money, so they make what will sell and turn a profit. A small, road specific, Mikado won't make the money of a big articulated, and cost almost the same to produce. Unless parts from other tooling can be used on something else it's not likely to get made. Granted some of the stuff I want has been made by 3rd Rail but, even on the used market, it's above what I like to/want to pay for a locomotive.
Didn't Lionel have a Santa Fe 4-6-2 Pacific engine information displayed on the Cab-2 screen in an ad when they first came out?
Not an accurate, scale one. They made a semi scale one based off old Postwar molds a couple times.
I’m surprised no one mentioned a 4-8-0 Mastodon, like Strasburg’s #475. Another smallish engine for many roads.
Sadly most of our desired steamers wont be produced....years ago I asked brass importer about one of my desired locos...he said there just isn't enough demand for even a small run of them, after the 3 fans of the loco bought theirs,who would buy the rest of the run? It has to sell and PRR NYC UP stuff does.
I'd love to see more small locos like generic 2-8-0's and 4-6-0's that could be lettered into any RR
Trainmstr posted:I’m surprised no one mentioned a 4-8-0 Mastodon, like Strasburg’s #475. Another smallish engine for many roads.
3RD Rail did this a few years back. Expensive, limited run.
The Central pacific 4-8-0 and 4-10-0
CAPPilot posted:How about some PRR engines that made it into the 50s: B8a Tank, K2a, K5, and N2sa (rebuilt).
Add to that list [Although may not have made it into the 1950's]
PRR E1 4-4-2 Camelback
PRR K3 Pacific [Also 5 were Sold to the N&W]
PRR HC1 2-8-8-0
PRR CC1
I’m surprised that the Lionel or MTH ranges haven’t ALWAYS contained a generic 2-8-0, which has always seemed to me to be a quintessential American type
I think a big vacancy for our hobby is a semi-scale Niagara. Seems like every other iconic 4-8-4 has been done in semi-scale by MTH, but no Niagara!? Maybe Lionel will do a Lionmaster version.
Trainmstr posted:I’m surprised no one mentioned a 4-8-0 Mastodon, like Strasburg’s #475. Another smallish engine for many roads.
Other than the N&W and Central Pacific, I can't think of any other roads that had 4-8-0's.
Rusty
There are plenty of examples in full scale from Lionel, MTH, Williams, and 3rd Rail. Evidently the problem maybe that the Niagara doesn't lend itself well to the reductions necessary to operate on 0-31/36 track.
Rusty Traque posted:Trainmstr posted:I’m surprised no one mentioned a 4-8-0 Mastodon, like Strasburg’s #475. Another smallish engine for many roads.
Other than the N&W and Central Pacific, I can't think of any other roads that had 4-8-0's.
Rusty
The old St. Louis, Iron Mountain, & southern had a class of Mastadons, which the MoPac inherited. They were built to carry heavy ore/granite trains up the old Iron Mountain grades to St. Louis.
From the two pages of comments above, obviously there are a lot of steam locos left to be made. However, diecast tooling is expensive and the market for a lot of these engines is limited so they will probably never be made. Some of the HO manufacturers have gone into brass/diecast hybrids to cover these limited appeal engines and done so successfully. Use existing tooling for running gear and tenders and make boilers out of brass. Lionel has dipped their toes into brass hybrids but seem to be afraid to do anything more than a very occasional offering. MTH has offered nothing. I believe if Lionel and MTH ever plan to market new scale steam brass hybrids are the way to go. The constant reruns of existing tooling is getting old.
Also they need to exploit their existing tooling better by mix and matching parts to make new engines. For example, I've been wanting a C&O K2 or K3 heavy Mikado for some time. Lionel could make these with a lot of existing tooling. They already have tooling for a heavy Mikado and running gear. Add a cab from their C&O F17, pilot from their C&O H7, and boiler front from the F17 or H7. Add a Vanderbilt tender from the H7 or F19 or also add a second version using the rectangular tender from the UP H7. There would probably be some details to clean up but they pretty much have 90% of the tooling in house to do one of these.
Ken
kanawha posted:From the two pages of comments above, obviously there are a lot of steam locos left to be made. However, diecast tooling is expensive and the market for a lot of these engines is limited so they will probably never be made.
Ken
In my opinion, you have summarized the situation correctly.
As you suggest, brass hybrids may be the way to go but I'm not sure it would work for "mass-produced" models.
MELGAR
Hot Water posted:
3) Western Maryland 4-8-4.
This is top on my list. I would love to see one of these made and would buy it in a second. They were very handsome locos, and who doesn't love the fireball paint scheme.
Another thing that would be neat to see would be some of the outside-frame locos that the Rio Grande used on their narrow-gauge lines. Some of these are still in use at the Durango and Siverton NGRR and also the Cubres and Toltec Scenic RR in New Mexico/Colorado, e.g. classes K-28, K-36, and K-37.
Edit: One thing that would be cool is if the NG engines adopted the On31/2 standard which uses S gauge track. I think this would fit nicely with high-rail / 3RS layouts.
Rusty Traque posted:Illinois Central: 2-8-2, 4-8-2, 2-10-2.
Frisco: 4-8-2 (1522,) 2-10-0 (1630.)
Sierra Railroad: 4-6-0 (#3)
Rusty
Yes, undoing the mystery of why no one, other than Tyco in the mid 1960s, has ever produced Sierra No. 3 would be wonderful.
The darn locomotive has appeared in more TV shows and movies than most Hollywood actors. Petticoat Junction, Back to the Future 3, Wild Wild West and Bound for Glory, to name just a sampling.
More info: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sierra_No._3
Scale version of the General, as it is currently configured since its rebuild in 1959 and how it now appears in Kennesaw, Georgia, Civil War museum.
The MTH version is way too large (around 1:38 scale) and has a poor body/chassis design that destroyed the appearance near the front of the boiler.
The Lionel version isn’t truly modeled after the General and has always been a cheap, lightweight, train set locomotive, and is also too large for a 1860s 4-4-0.
I would probably start a riot and get booted off the blog if l were to post a thread entitled, "Repetitive Redundancies You Will NOT Buy". Recent repros have been putting hydraulic brakes on a Model T, and l could make a long list; however, the easy solution is to do nothing, buy nothing. I see at least two locos l would jump on cited above, so l am not alone ..#90 and the C&0 Mikado. Everybody who has been to Strasburg and seen, if not ridden behind #90, hold your hand up. Yes, l, too favor small engines, but not start er- set generics. What was the "Lionel Mogul fiasco"?
rplst8 postedAnother thing that would be neat to see would be some of the outside-frame locos that the Rio Grande used on their narrow-gauge lines. Some of these are still in use at the Durango and Siverton NGRR and also the Cubres and Toltec Scenic RR in New Mexico/Colorado, e.g. classes K-28, K-36, and K-37.
Edit: One thing that would be cool is if the NG engines adopted the On31/2 standard which uses S gauge track. I think this would fit nicely with high-rail / 3RS layouts.
The K's would sell better if produced in the more widely adopted On30.
Rusty
To MY limited knowledge, the DM&IR 0-10-2 heavy switch engine has yet to be modeled on 'O' scale. I am sure if it WAS produced, sales would be minimal. Especially THESE days. ~Salty Rails~
Southern Pacific (T&NO) MK-5 Class #794 as well as the other three T&NO Mikes that survive. Would buy in a heartbeat, even if it is scale.
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I would buy O scale threefoot trains if they were Bachmamm affordable vs. brass, and 0n3!, with On3 sectional track and switches available. I don't think any of these conditions exist. (of course, expensive On3 brass could be bought and run with these and on this track)
The Western Maryland 4-8-4 was done magnificently by Car & Locomotive Shop. Asking price initially was about $2900. One could pick one up for $2000, or less. Outstanding steam locomotive, one of the last built by Baldwin. C&LS also did the WM 4-6-6-4; again, superb model and locomotive.
Has anyone come out with a scale Forney? I’d love to get one of these for my elevated lines - https://www.midcontinent.org/r...senger/nyelrail1.htm
and here, just scroll to the bottom of this link - https://www.midcontinent.org/r...senger/nyelrail2.htm
O gauge. A smaller segment of the market than other gauges such as HO.
Then segmented by: Tinplate, Traditional, Scale
Further complicated by: 2 rail vs 3 rail
Then there's: Conventional, TMCC, Legacy, DCS, DCC (did I miss anything?)
And Lord knows how many road names.
It's nothing short of a miracle that we get anything to run on our layouts. I will keep asking for N&W while other fans do the same for their favorites.
If and when they are offered, I'll buy them. Unless there are details that are totally FUBAR-ed. Just because the wheel arrangement matches the Whyte system, that doesn't make it prototypical. If you want me to spend $1000+ for a locomotive it had better darn well be right across the board. And that means color, valve gear, et al.
For standard gauge models, until all roads of all USRA steam locomotives are made, there is work to be done.
MELGAR posted:kanawha posted:From the two pages of comments above, obviously there are a lot of steam locos left to be made. However, diecast tooling is expensive and the market for a lot of these engines is limited so they will probably never be made.
Ken
In my opinion, you have summarized the situation correctly.
As you suggest, brass hybrids may be the way to go but I'm not sure it would work for "mass-produced" models.
MELGAR
One way to reproduce these might be 3D printing. But not the sort of set-up that's sold for home use, but rather the high-end 3D printing that's used to create new parts for engines, or medical use.
Those machines now cost likely many thousands, but the price will inevitably come down!
Just Googled, and here's a link to a manufacturer of high-end metal 3D printers:
Strap Hanger: An Illinois Central 2-4-4T was done by Max Gray (I think Max Gray). They show up occasionally. The IC used those locomotives on their non-electrified commuter line - to Lombard, IL.
Rusty Traque: Monon, Great Northern, and Southern Pacific had 4-8-0's, too. Monon's were retired in the '40's and the GN's and SP's in the 1950's. The Central RR of New Jersey (Jersey Central) had camelback 4-8-0's, which lasted into the early '50's, I believe. The Nacionoles de Mexico had some quite modern 4-8-0's, built in the 1930's, that worked until the mid-1960's.
Regarding the D&RGW 2-8-2 types, a Korean manufacturer (PSC) made a series of these in the 90s and early 2000s in brass/ die cast combination. They were available in On3 and On16.5 gauges, and very nice they were. I have a couple, converted to DCC and sound. They still circulate on the niche market, and you can find one with a little patience if you want one. Of course, they aren’t made any more, for reasons which are easy enough to work out.
Bachmann have made the On16.5 market their own. They make, from time to time, a very nice little 2-8-0 with detailed outside frames and full running gear, at an attractive price. DCC if you want it.
San Juan Car Co make very nice, scale size On3 and On16.5 D&RGW rolling stock. Not cheap but good value. AMS make good quality, scale size boxcars, flats and tank cars. Buy ‘em online, easy enough.
Lionel, MTH etc won’t make these, because the market is covered.
