What hasn't been made yet....that would actually sell?

This...

 

 

Scale New York Central K5 Pacific.

 

Scale C&O K3/K3a 2-8-2s

 

Scale USRA heavy 4-6-2, 2-8-2, and 2-10-2s.

I believe Williams made scale heavy 4-6-2s. 

In thinking about items that have never been made in O gauge, different folks have different areas of interest.  I will limit my comments to motive power. 

 

I think there is a large group who have a clear preference for steam.  So, they will want those steam engines that have not been made before.  I'm sure there are many, many that haven't been made.  I'm not a steam guy  so I don't know if there are a few that most steam guys could agree on.

 

There is another group who prefer diesels.  I count myself in this group, and I am sure it is much smaller than the steam fans.  I think there are many diesel fans who would like to see some of the older diesels that haven't yet been made.  Personally, I would like to see Lionel and MTH try to keep up with modern diesel engines.

 

I'm sure there is another group who are primarily interested in electric engines.  I suspect this is an even smaller group.  I have no idea what their preferences would be.

 

And, slicing the hobby a different way, there are many folks who are interested in particular railroads.  Whether it is steam, diesel, or electric, they want to see every piece of motive power that that railroad has ever run made in O gauge.

 

Of course with the small size of O gauge railroading and concerns about it continuing to get smaller, unfortunately, I don't think we will many, if any, new O gauge engines of any type that would involve the investment in new dies.

 

I'll shut up now.

A re-issue'd Lionel 375 turntable with modern controls....

How about SP 4-6-2 Pacific like 32472 at Niles Canyon,these were the backbone of the Penninsula Comute Runs.

Mikey

My top choice for a steam locomotive that is not currently made and would sell well enough to make a profit is a high-quality scale Baldwin 4-6-0 from the turn of the century era (1890-1910). These engines were ubiquitous on branch lines right up to the end of steam, functioning as dual-purpose power for way freights and commuter locals. There is nothing available in this category now. The current Ten-Wheelers are either too modern (Lionel), made from a PRR prototype with a Belpaire firebox and therefore unsuitable to be decorated for other railroads (MTH Premier), toylike and lacking in detail (MTH Rail King), or a low-priced item that is good value but not satisfactory if you want a nice scale engine (Williams). 

 

Here's a photo of what I'm talking about. The tall stack, high domes, uneven wheel spacing, skinny boiler and sharply tapered firebox are typical of the era. This picture happens to be a Milwaukee Road engine, but Baldwin and others cranked out hundreds like it. I'd buy one and I think a lot of other steam fans with small layouts would too. 

 

 

Oh, boy...I could get tired of typing a long list.....but the only way that can

be proven is to actually offer them in the market place.

I will second the C&O K series...BUT didn't somebody (Lionel or MTH) offer the Pacific

equivalent and very few were sold?  You want a deposit?

The cancelled MTH McKeen car...several people have claimed they wished they had

signed up for one and got it produced.  I did. It wasn't.  Deposit?

Seen that G scale Mack railbus in the Orange Hall?  I'll sign up for a three rail O scale

model (hey, make it in two rail, also). Deposit?

Edwards small gas electrics were once all over the place....I want one.  Deposit?

These may not be much in demand elsewhere, but I want separate sale Vanderbilt

tenders in three lengths.  I'll take mine with coal, SP fans may want oil.  I'll take

at least two of each length, the longest on three axle trucks, but I'd live with it if

the mfr. of the C&O K had sense enough to offer separate sale extras of its tender.

I think that three rail O should get one, at least, scale model of a side door caboose..

how about an ATSF version like was sitting on the ground at Rhyolite ghost town in

Death Valley?  Lotsa people like the Santa Fe.

In the tourist-trap gift shops in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge down in Smoky Mtn.

National Park, you could probably sell out a run of the Little River Logging 2-4-4-2

loco.  Just tell the tourists they are driving on roads that once carried the rails that

loco ran on.

On and on...etc., etc.

I think there is a possibility that new dies will be made even in this economy.  People will get tired of the same old molds all the time and just stop buying.

 

I do believe that whatever model the manufacturers make in at least the near future will have to be usable for many different roads.  For steam, a new model of a USRA design that was popular with several roads might get traction.  I don't think we will see my most wanted engine, a Lionel Legacy PRR T1, anytime soon because it just has too small a fan base.

 

Same for diesels.  An engine not yet made in O gauge that was used by many roads could get built.  Something used by the PRR in the late 40s would be nice

 

For me, I could live without new models for now while the hobby sorts itself out.  I would like to see the re-release of currently produced models in additional road names not yet used.  As a Pennsy fan, how about Lionel producing its Legacy E6 steamer in PRR post war paint, or any manufacturer releasing its latest F3 iteration in the correct PRR freight scheme.   I don't think I ask for too much

The rest of the freight cars that match the diesel-electric locomotives models for the era between 1960-1980. Like the Pullman-Standard 85' intermodal flat cars and the modern Gondolas from Greenville Steel Car, Gunderson, Thrall Car.  

 

Andrew

 

 

 

Higher definition semi-scale Rail King and Lionmaster steam locomotives.  Smooth side Rail Kimg passenger cars with Budd domes.

With regards Intermodal cars.........................Gunderson Maxi Stack IV.

 

Regards,

Swafford

OMG. How many times do I have to say it...

 

This is turning into another wish list of what do you want Lionel (or other manufacturer) to make.  If you really look at the original post, the question is being asked about what would actually sell.  Heck, if anyone knew what the correct, exact answer really was, they would be soon at the top of the manufacturing pyramid.  

I would buy one, seen them at the Reading terminal in Philly a few times

Would love some Rutland Steam but I know that will never happen.  I've been very luck with all the Boston & Albany products over the years but I'm sure the well is dry now.

Less expensive stuff.

Maybe a little obscure for most, but I'd like to see some engines from smaller railroads like NC&StL Railway.

 

It's nice to see GM&O locos.

How about Central of Georgia RR locos?

So let's answer the question....what has not been made yet....that would actually sell??

EMD Gp40-2 phase II

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E...40-2#Original_buyers

GE B23-7

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GE_B23-7

GE u25c

http://www.thedieselshop.us/GE%20U25C.HTML

GE B36-7

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GE_B36-7

ALCo C636- The Last Big Century [PRR]PC, CR, IC, UP, Demo, CN, Cartier, NYSW, DL&W

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A..._636#Original_owners

Ace 3000!

http://locomotive.wikia.com/wi...ype_Steam_Locomotive

 

 

I agree, I'm in for one if made.

Though not a costly engine or an even less expensive building or some form of rolling stock, but what about Lionel making elves to accompany their Polar Express line of accessories? I'm certain Lionel would find a pent up desire there and elves would be an immediate hit with P.E. fans.

 I would recommend turn of the century scale locomotives of 4-4-0 American,4-6-0, and 2-6-2 Prairie. Hundreds of each of these locomotives were made and some continued operating until the end of the steam era.

 These locomotives could run on small (tight turn) layouts and large layouts. They could run on more layouts so the customer base would be larger. Because they are smaller comparatively(to a big boy) they would have a lower price point. The small size could be used on ready to run sets too.  Baldwin used the same boiler on different types of engines so a 4-4-0 and a 4-6-0 model could use the same mold in the manufacturing process.

  A small locomotive on a small layout appears to make the layout larger. A large locomotive on a small layout appears to make the layout smaller.

  Most of the small steam locomotives came in a flat black with engine numbers on the loco and road name on the tender. In the MTO (Made to Order) business model and modern graphics about any road name could be produced instead of the popular five names. This would be a great selling point for MTO.

 

Douglas 

I believe Southwest Hiawatha's idea of a TOC Baldwin 4-6-0 is a good one. I'm afraid that the cost would appear too high for most people. The appeal of the WBB 4-6-0, with its faults, is that it is inexpensive.

Maybe the best idea for a good seller would be a nice, modest-sized, dual purpose loco.
3rd Rail has stated that they would do limited runs of more obscure locos, but they don't come cheap.
A loco that might really be a winner is a USRA Heavy Mike. According to the MR Cyclopedia, 23 roads used either original or copies of this, from East to West. An enterprising manufacturer could milk a model for years with different details, tenders, road names.
Not so thrilled with a Heavy Mountain-a pretty rare beast. Ditto with the 2-10-2 in both weights.
There was a comment about the lack of sales for the Lionel C&O F-19. Here's my take: Except for PRR, I stay away from passenger power because it requires appropriate passenger stock, costly and hard to find accurate models. (I am in for a 3rd Rail/GGD Columbian, however, and I have the Weaver Reading Crusader). For me, repaints of the same-old, same-old cars don't cut it.
I would not be surprised if others feel the same way. But I'd bet a C&O K-class would sell. It could absorb all those MTH 2-bay hoppers.

Delaware Lackawanna & Western Camelback 4-4-0 #952

The list for intermodal equipment is a mile long. What good are all your ES44s w/o some intermodal stuff. And Im not talking about any more $35 containers or trailers.

Laidoffsick is right on.  A container ship and more importantly a dockside crane even if the ship has'n arrived in port.  

 

Jack

I think there is more of a big market for detailed, feature-laden scale models of smaller steam locos.  Maybe its just me, but the Legacy Atlantics and 0-8-0s and Premier 2-8-0s and 4-4-0s are some of my favorites - just fantastic locos.  done right, they are little jewels of models and they will fit and run on a lot of layouts where the big boys, so too speak, never will: there is a big market.  In particularly, there were a lot of interesting locos in that size range made in the three decades around the turn of the 19th-20th century, leading up to WW1.  A manufacturer would probably have to put them out on the market and let word-of-mouth gradually spread about how appealing they were, but I think once that happened they would sell well and consistently for a long time. 

 

Then again, I would love to see a Soviet AA20-1 4-14-4 steamer - you can never have to many drivers -- but then that probably is just me . . . 

Spine Cars.........................and equipment

 

 

1960's era open-side auto racks.

Track thats abolutely quite

I also see a bunch of previous "wish-lish" items without any explanation of why the poster thinks it will sell in sufficient volumes for the manufacturer to make.

 

I think the consensus of all Atlas/MTH/Lionel is that articulated sets of 3 or 5 cars won't sell.  After all, MTH never re-ran that 5-car spine set from a long time ago.  They'll probably never make back the money invested in the tooling of the 5-car twin stacks.

Small early 20th century steam as TP Fan and Lee have mentioned. Many of us just don't have the room, or interest, in a Big Boy great as it is. These smaller engines would be just what many of us could use.

Scotie

As a redundant follow-on to Lee and Scotie above, would not a small 2-4-4-2 run on

smaller layouts?  Third Rail offered two different logging, and I think larger, 2-6-6-2's,

but both were obscure to me and did not have the appeal.  Were there not other

2-4-4-2's than the Little River version now on the west coast?

Disneyland Monorail.

Does it have to be a locomotive or rolling stock?

 

I would really like to see a TMCC talking station that interfaced the LCS track sensors. It could Identify the passenger consist, called out the name train and make station anouncements. Also one that would interface the older station sound diners would be nice.

The station could have night ambient lighting, interior lighting with arival boards that change. 

large or small station size designs would have the same electronics in it.

You could even have an operational semaphore or block signal system that monitor trains arriving or leaving.

backgound motor traffic noise, smoke out the chimney, boarding calls, the whole nine yards.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Santa Fe Scale Hudson by Lionel.

 

California Zephyr with Domes, and Domed Observation by Lionel

 

As said above by joeya, scale open-side 60's auto racks (And CARS!)

 

One remote to rule them all.

No wait, that was a story about a ring... Sorry.

I would love to see more scale diesel locomotives from the Southeast - ACL, SAL, SCL and Southern Railway. While these have been made by Atlas, Lionel and MTH, it seems to me they have sold very well or out. Manufacturers in general have shied away from the southeast in all scales, and are quick to cancel orders (HO Genesis SCL Fs are a good example). 

 

With the MTH F-7, Lionel F-3 PH 2 and F-7, it is possible to make good affordable correct models of ACL, SAL and Southern using current molds. Lionel has offered some nice southeast roads in their current catalog, but with BTO they might not get enough orders.

 

My two models that I really want to see would be Lionel SAL F-3 PH 2 and MTH green Southern F-7. 

 

As for new molds, a correct scale ACL R-1 4-8-4 (also used on RF&P) and the ACL K15s 4-6-0 (like the 250 or 1031). I would even like to see a good standard consolidation 2-8-0 that could easily be kitbashed for Southern and other southeastern roads.