Lee.....looks cool!!!Being a plastic builder/collector I need one now too!!!!
Thanks for sharing.......GOTTA LOVE THIS PLACE!
Lee - we sold four of these sets off of your thread. Thanks a lot! I have three FEC sets left plus one each of the NS and UP sets with the diesel. After reading your thread, I think I will keep one for me!
Steve,
Make that five sets sold due to this thread.
Make that five sets sold due to this thread.
Lol. Six Actually. I have one left. Very funny.
Originally Posted by MrMuffin'sTrains:
Lee - we sold four of these sets off of your thread. Thanks a lot! I have three FEC sets left plus one each of the NS and UP sets with the diesel. After reading your thread, I think I will keep one for me!
Well, thanks, but I won't take credit for it. As I said, this set is one of the great bargains of all time. I'm sure you would have sold them all on short order anyway.
Merry Christmas to you all!
Lee,
sorry it took me so long to respond to your awesome thread. I have been down with type a influenza for over a week. I bought the original rocket transport set in UP several years ago and did a fair amount of research on it. FYI the photo that shows the box cars in between the rocket segments is for a very real problem NASA was faced with: NASA used to construct rockets on site. When they began contracting it out and started shipping the segments for the shuttle from Utah the train had to cross the causeway. When stacked back to back those huge transport cars were too much weight for the causeway bridge so NASA had to stop the train and insert empty box cars in between the rocket cars to spread the load and hence allow the train to cross the causeway. Also, the picture of the derailed train that shows a box car with the piping installed on it: I too thought it was to prevent the train from hitting something, but not so. Those cars are the cars that the hinged rocket covers are placed on when they are being unloaded. A crane lifts the cover, places the cover on the modified box car, removes the rocket segment then replaces the cover. Pretty cool huh? I am also planning on building one of those cars to make mine more realistic. Hope this info is helpful.
sincerely,
Wyndham
Just took the plunge with a FEC set...
Well, we are sold out of the five cars sets - could've sold a few more. I still have the two five car sets with the diesel. One in NS and one in UP.
Rocket train found ... it's the 2004 version.
Much to my surprise, it's able to handle 031 curves!
I was just going to put it on the shelf but WOW 036 & 031 no issue 
I was going to sell it and get some tinplate but now ... not so sure.
http://www.mthtrains.com/content/20-90166
Attachments
Images (1)
Wanted one of these recent sets but by the time I had the money they were all gone according to my LHS.
Timing is the essence of life, mine is a bit slow these days.
I was back in the warehouse on Sunday and found one more set of these cars with the diesel in Union Pacific. Thought I'd bring this thread back up - it was and still is excellent.
If if you'd like the set, please let me know! It's 20-20392-1 and sale priced at $659.96.
Just wishing I could still say hello to the OP.
I wonder if he will read this today?
I wonder which others, including myself, would love "a rocket powered way-back machine"...
..Ok, even a new watch, that doubles as a Band-Aid would be nice.
Wishing, & wondering 
.... Dreaming?
..(
Hello, "OP"!)
nothing ventured, nothing gained 
.....
I started not to open this thread since the word review was in the title
But shazaam, a review with pictures AND words. Awesome description, evaluation and sequencing of the review. I learned a lot about a train I was disinterested in until now. This thread should be required reading with a test at the end for reviewers. Includes tricks, tips, and some hazards. Great job Lee, as well as the other contributors.
But shazaam, a review with pictures AND words. Awesome description, evaluation and sequencing of the review. I learned a lot about a train I was disinterested in until now. This thread should be required reading with a test at the end for reviewers. Includes tricks, tips, and some hazards. Great job Lee, as well as the other contributors.
Not sure if everyone that commented on this thread is interested still. When the Space Launch System goes up next year it will be using two of those boosters with one modification. Instead of 2 center sections it will contain 3 center sections. As an ex employee of the rocket building company, the passenger car is for the engineers from the company to ride in to check on the status of the segments along the route. The most important thing for that crew is to ensure that there are no uninvited guests traveling in the cases. This practice was started after the segment arrived at the cape with what looked like a small fire that someone had started during the trip. Talk about taking your own life in your hands!
I am currently working for the company that is building the core stage of the SLS rocket. I would love to see that all in a 1/48 scale but would probably be too big to fit in anyone's train room unless you have vaulted ceilings.
The rocket in this set consists of the Aft Segment (the one with all the rings around it), the center aft, the center forward (which are interchangeable somewhat) and the forward segments. It also contains the nozzle that attaches to the aft segment as well as the forward skirt and nose that attach to the forward segment. If MTH puts out a SLS version it will be 6 cars with the additional passenger car.
The picture shown is transporting the cars from the plant on the north end of the Salt Lake (near the Golden Spike monument) to the east about 20 miles. This is where everything is prepped for it's long journey to Kennedy Space Center.
I am currently building a layout and I want to include this set (if I can still find one). The hope of the layout is to include some sort of building that will look sort of like the Vertical Assembly Building at KSC.
Hope this helps everyone with some more interesting facts!
