Good Day,
Who will be the first to produce the 21st Century Commuter Trains? The MPI MP36PH-3C would be fantastic in O Scale. Offering these engines and their matching passenger cars would be great.
Regards,
Swafford
Original Post
Replies sorted oldest to newest
Ive been pushing Scott Mann to mke this loco for a few years now. I also wnat him to make modern light rail equipment
You forgot the new Milwaukee Road scheme from Metra
I'd take the Rail Runner if it was made by MTH or Lionel, Scott makes beautiful models but I think they are too pricey.
Rail Runner............
I doubt either Lionel or MTH will invest in a new tool for this model asctheyd need s couple thousand to get it done. Scott needs 500. Your price differential is only $150
Matt Makens posted:You forgot the new Milwaukee Road scheme from Metra
Yep. Here’s the photo:
And here’s the link to Metra’s Facebook announcement on Jan. 4:
Attachments
Images (1)
I'll throw my name in the mix as interested in this - I'd love an MBTA and Metra (traditional scheme) model. I've never purchased a 3rd Rail locomotive, but I'd consider doing so if they made one of these!
Matt Makens posted:I doubt either Lionel or MTH will invest in a new tool for this model asctheyd need s couple thousand to get it done. Scott needs 500. Your price differential is only $150
Why would they need more (so many more) units?
West Coast Express is also an option.
Minimim production run on a new tool is 1000 units to justify the new tool.
IMO, I think MTH is in the best position to make an MP36, since they already have the Bombardier car tooling.
VRE, Sounder, West Coast Express, Northstar, RailRunner, Metra, Metra Rock Island, Metra Milwaukee Road, Utah FrontRunner, MBTA, MARC, Metrolink, Caltrain, Tri-Rail (Brookville BL36PH is similar, and if MTH is willing to do a Northstar F59PHI they'll do a Tri-rail MP36PH), GO Transit dark green, GO Transit light green...
That's at least 16 different paint variations for MTH to play with, plus I wouldn't put it past them to do close matches like SunRail (MP32PH-3Q), Trinity Rail Express (F59PH) and fantasy schemes like PRR (as Kato has done in N). Even with the 16-variation minimum, that means that MTH has to produce 63 units in each paint scheme to justify the mold. Over an arbitrary minimum of 3 production runs with at least two cab numbers per road name, this sounds manageable to me (as an outsider to the manufacturing process).
That said, I would order an F59PH before I would order an MP36PH, just based on personal preference.
Put me down for the MBTA unit. Nothing against Scott’s product but I would rather see MTH do one with correct station announcements.
pittsburghrailfan posted:IMO, I think MTH is in the best position to make an MP36, since they already have the Bombardier car tooling.
VRE, Sounder, West Coast Express, Northstar, RailRunner, Metra, Metra Rock Island, Metra Milwaukee Road, Utah FrontRunner, MBTA, MARC, Metrolink, Caltrain, Tri-Rail (Brookville BL36PH is similar, and if MTH is willing to do a Northstar F59PHI they'll do a Tri-rail MP36PH), GO Transit dark green, GO Transit light green...
That's at least 16 different paint variations for MTH to play with, plus I wouldn't put it past them to do close matches like SunRail (MP32PH-3Q), Trinity Rail Express (F59PH) and fantasy schemes like PRR (as Kato has done in N). Even with the 16-variation minimum, that means that MTH has to produce 63 units in each paint scheme to justify the mold. Over an arbitrary minimum of 3 production runs with at least two cab numbers per road name, this sounds manageable to me (as an outsider to the manufacturing process).
That said, I would order an F59PH before I would order an MP36PH, just based on personal preference.
You misunderstood. MTH would want sales if 1,000 units for each paint scheme, not 1,000 total models from the tooling, which should last for many runs.
Creating the paint masks is also a major cost. With so many variations, it would be a tremendous cost upfront.
No manufacturer, not even 3rd Rail, produces runs of 63 units in one paint scheme. Even custom runs of freight cars for clubs and hobby shops has minimum runs of several hundred pieces.
I'd be interested in this as well for the MARC version and the Metra Rock Island and Milwaukee Road versions.
Awesome Idea! Count me in for the Northstar scheme!! If mth makes them I could double head with my existing Northstar "what if" F59.
We Might see a Siemens Charger unit before these MPI units. I hope that I am wrong though.
As soon as 3rd Rail announces this, MTH will follow in their next catalog.
jay jay posted:Basic METRA scheme would be nice.
Absolutely!! Sign me up.
