I didn't want to post here but.....
the reason many 2 railers are alarmed is that they have been cancelling a lot of product. This is just the latest batch of additional cancellations.
So the math is skewed unless you look at all the two rail announced and then cancelled. I too am becoming alarmed and paying closer attention.
You make a good point. I actually had noticed there were a lot of 2 rail models cancelled, and not that many were offered to begin with. I think cancellations from the previous catalog were almost all 2 rail also, if I remember correctly.
I don't know enough about the differences between the 2 and 3 rail models, but I wouldn't think installing scale wheels in place of hi-rail wheels would be that hard at the factory? Is it the fixed pilots that make the big difference? I'm only 3 rail, so I really don't know anything about the 2 rail versions. Then there is the 3/2 versions which I don't know much about either, like how to convert them besides flipping the switches? I guess it's time to go look at the catalogs for further study.
The differences seem minor between the 3 rail and 2 rail models, but I bet they put a crimp in production scheduling.
Frankly, I think the 3 Rail Scale movement has take some of the wind out of the 2 rail market (and possibly the S Scale market.) The 3RS guys are showing some pretty fine work these days and the presence of a third rail tends to be one of the last things one notices.
Rusty
