Since MTH markets a line of European steam locomotives that seem to be doing well do you think that at some point there may be a market for Far East steam locomotives? A thread in the Tinplate Forums has a thread on a Sakai tinplate Japanese National Railways Class C55 streamlined Pacific and I was curious would something like this in a scale format do well?
Jerry
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I don't know about mainline locomotives, but Japan has/had a lot of interesting narrow-gauge lines. Some of those locomotives might look good in a North American setting.
It would be cool - some of them are pretty interesting.
I also wish I could get some models of Russian (Soviet era locos) including particularly the AA-20-1 4-14-4 steamer.
but I do not think MTH (or anyone else over here will produce them). First of all, MTH has a good market for European locos in . . . Europe. and over here they have a good deal of romance and appeal, to. Chinese, and Japanese locos don't have the same market domestically, nor do they have a appeal to Americans of Europeans.
There are more than a half a dozen Chinese locomotives here in this country. If MTH did a model of one or more of those, it would have appeal both to modelers in China as well as to U.S.A. guys that have seen these engines operate over here.
Paul Fischer
Bachmann has done some HO Chinese 2-8-2s, I wouldn't mind having one to put in a case or something.
I have Bachmann's HO model of the Susquehanna 142. As I've ridden behind it on several trips, I have a strong personal connection to the 142. The detailing of the model is superb. It might be the nicest steam locomotive I own in any scale.
Bob
That is a pretty steamer.
Anywho, not just Japanese steam, I'd like to see some Japanese commuter trains too in O gauge. Actually, just about any train on that site I'd love to see made in O gauge. My favorite will always be American, mainly steam, but I do love seeing some others too to spice things up on the track.
I was thinking of doing a QJ in 17/64, but could never capture even cursory elevation sketches. My scratchbuilding has slowed, so I may never get to it.
I contacted Mr. Qiang Gee, the US sales rep, and for years he sent me Christmas cards, but never even a photo of a broadside. Same deal with that neat Grand Canyon Mikado - I was building five or six brass locomotives a year, but could not get elevation sketches for either of these.
I like this one:
This runs at the Valley Railroad is Essex, CT. They cut this one up (as SJC mentions above) to look like an old New Haven engine.
When I went there last year, the build plate said it was made in 1989. That made me chuckle a bit. We tend to think of steam engines as being older motive power, but this one is newer than a lot of diesels out on the rails today.
I like this one:
This runs at the Valley Railroad is Essex, CT. They cut this one up to look like an old New Haven engine.
When I went there last year, the build plate said it was made in 1989. That made me chuckle a bit. We tend to think of steam engines as being older motive power, but this one is newer than a lot of diesels out on the rails today.
They didn't just "cut it up" to look like a New Haven locomotive. The original locomotive was involved in a fire and had to be totally rebuilt. As the specs were fairly close, they took advantage to "recreate" a New Haven 2-8-2.
Here's part of what they had to work with:
Rusty
A majority of Japan's Railway's are narrow gauge so only Bachmann could really produce an accurate model of them. I am shocked MTH has not tried to offer a Chinese Steam Locomotive yet since China's consumer market and middle and upper class has grown tremendously and even though it would be a niche market there might be some demand for it. Even in the US since there are few Chinese steam locomotives being used for excursion service it might sell decently in the US too.
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