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

I would definitely buy a tinplate PE, a Tropicana reefer, a scale, modern diesel switcher and a highly detailed Atlantic (I have one Atlantic from Lionel).

But what about the commuter trains that run everyday in our communities?

I would be a sucker for a scale set of SEPTA silver liners (literally, my backyard growing up) or a set of the light rail cars that run throughout the Denver metro area (just outside my office window as I write).  I am personally too young to wax nostalgic over yet another covered wagon (no offense intended).

Tooling costs are probably prohibitive, but then again, this thread assumes new tooling.

I'd like to think there are a lot of people like me that yearn for replicas of the very trains they take to work today.

Being a Corvair owner, I'd like to see that load.

Unlike you, Evans didn't seem to have a bias towards any one manufacturer.  Hudson, Dodge, Packard, Chevrolet, Kaiser and Mercury, all represented in the pic.

Prototype or not, I'd enjoy having more than one of those in scale on my layout.

Bruce

All the new light rail lines popping up in cities around the country.  These are the only trains some kids are going to relate today as the country increasingly becomes more urbanized.

And monorails, gondola/cable cars.  Many people in this hobby are only active around Christmas time and are looking for fun things to make their Christmas layouts even more animated.  Lionel has done a great job so far with things like the Candy Cane commuter train and some of the trolleys, but so many people who put up a Christmas village are looking for gondola systems.  And they could model it on a real system that people identify with that exists so even the more serious modellers would want to use it on their layout.

Also, if it hasn't been done before, a cog railway system like the one going up to Pike's Peak.

I don't want anybody to take this wrong but I would love to have an O-scale version of Hitlers WWII armored train engine/tender and consist of armored cars.  I saw a glimpse of it in the American Heroes Channel.  No, I am not a Nazi.  I just dig cool trains and that Armored train was a really interesting piece of equipment.  I don't collect European trains but would like to own this one European train, if MTH would make it in PS3.  

P.S., I do collect and operate O-scale military trains of WWII and modern vintage and have a couple of different US Army consists.

I would definitely be interested in something like this.  But, I have 2 concerns:

1. How big would it have to be?

2. How much would it cost?

I think this would be a great candidate. A 2-6-6-2 Mallet. A bunch of roads used them so I believe there's some money to be made on this version. Milwaukee Road for me of course. One of each please.

A variety of scale circus cars including passenger cars. 

As I look at all these suggestions, it's obvious how everyone enjoys the hobby and what they'd like to have on their model railroad.

But who is to say that some of the suggestions would not sell?  It may not be true for some items "that everyone would buy one".  But just because someone doesn't like a suggestion doesn't mean "that no one will buy it" because "it does not appeal to me".

We'd probably have a better chance of getting items we like in the future, not only discussing it here but by contacting your favorite or all manufacturers of your preferences. If they notice  enough requests for an item they make want to make them.

Good Evening Vince,

I don't have any idea on the cost of this type and size of structure. I do think the building could be offered in a one stall as well as a two stall engine facility.

Regards,

Frank 

I have some Lionel/Kline Scale and Kline Circus Cars.  All Ringling Bros.  But most of my circus train consist is semi-scale ringling bros.  Some new stuff from MTH and Lionel would be greatly appreciated in O Scale.

New York Central......I'm in for one of these......

Peter

I'd take one of these!

I think there might be a market for a Reading N1.  MTH could make a pretty good with one by re-arranging the detail parts on the some the other articulates in the two most recent catalogs.

As a Corvair owner I applaud the choice of a Corvair-only auto carrier load

Jeff C

A lot of great, cheap, simple technology has yet to reach the O scale world. How about: 

- A universal Bluetooth wireless system with two components: A thing you connect to the track and a thing you hold in your hand. The Liontech remotes/MTH Remote Commanders are the right idea, but how about one for conventional operators that works with any transformer and any engine?

- Wireless remote cranes and loaders. These already exist in not-quite-the-right-sizes. I think treating the train as part of an RC stuff-handling system would really attract attention from new potential customers. Play value is still the name of the game IMO.

- Undecorated USRA steamers - cheap ones - with free software for printing your own lettering, logos and numbers.

My $.02,

Alan P

How about a scale San Fran trolley!  

Who ran a 2-6-6-2 with a Coffin feedwater heater...Milwaukee?  I would buy a Denver and Salt Lake Midado with a Coffin feedwater heater, but probably nobody else would. Reading back through this I see why none of what we want gets made....everybody wants something different.

DD35B Powered or Non powered.  Either in Demonstrator Union Pacific or Southern Pacific Paint schemes

Would not bet the house that it would sell enough.....but I'd have to have one!!!!

While I love my Big Boy and other BIG locos.....I find it harder to find nice smaller steam. I did just get a Lionel 2-8-0 that I will rework soon....but smaller steam would be good.

The Spiderman F40ph

rat

I bet this would sell. Would love to see it made by MTH.

That would definitely make it to my roster!

Although very striking styling, I don't see ANY manufacturer offering THAT, since it is a "home built" locomotive model exclusive to Norfolk Southern. The model isn't an SD50/60, nor is it an SD70M, nor an SD70ACe, so I wouldn't expect anybody to make a model of it since it could not be used for any other railroad.

Not being the correct locomotive has never stopped Lionel or MTH from doing a paint scheme.

Although a great paint scheme I really don't like that home made locomotive so if somebody makes it and I prefer lionel do it on the ES44ac or the SD70ace.

If they make one of these, it better operate on O36 track or smaller

It should though.  

LOL, TM Terry!  In 1:43 scale (as MTH Euro is) this would barely go around o-72!  

What a beast!

LGB made a 2-6-2 _ 2-6-2 Garratt that would negotiate 4 ft diameter track

I would like to see Lionel or MTH do a Detroit & Mackinac Railway engine.

Any engine will do.

This topic looks to be turning into another wish list.  While many of the engines recommended above are really nice, I do not think the fan base for these models is big enough for one of the manufacturers to invest in new tooling.

In my earlier post I stated my thought that any new engine tooling made in this economy would have to be usable for a lot of different roads (fantasy ones too) before anyone would make it.  I thought I would explore this subject a little more for an engine that I would buy.

As a PRR fan, I know the unique Pennsy steamers do not meet the criteria.  Besides, most Pennsy steamers for my era have already been made in O gauge

Most diesels from the 40's purchased by the Pennsy have also been made in O gauge, but there are a few that haven't.  Some like the Baldwin DRS 4-4-10 were too few in number and used by too few roads to be considered here, but I think there is a good case for a couple of diesels not yet made in O that were used not only by the Pennsy but many other roads.

One is the Baldwin DS 4-4-10. The successor to the VO1000, 502 (in two slightly different models) were made and they went to 48 different roads.  Seems to me it would be an easy decision to produce these.

Another engine was the FM H20-44.  96 were made and they went to 6 roads.  While not a slam dunk like the Baldwin, three of the six roads that bought these engines have large following in O:  PRR, NYC, and UP.  This engine might be worth the investment.

Other than that, I'm pretty happy with what is available for my preferred road.  Being a Pennsy fan has its advantages

I would love to see MTH make the Western Maryland 4-8-4 Potomac in their Premier line.  

I tend to dream big. I'd love to see one of the giant South African Garratts produced. If MTH could make a go with the Pennsy L5 a monster Garratt should be no hill for a stepper.

GP35's torpedo boats!

Regards,

Swafford

Coal Fired Electric Plant building front!.....................all those coal hoppers need to go somewhere!

Regards,

Swafford

Not being the correct locomotive has never stopped Lionel or MTH from doing a paint scheme.

 

 

 

It should though.  

Oh No IT SHOULDN'T!  

At least not if you are a scale modeler who ever wants to see correct scale models get made.

As a real life case in point consider the MTH Z-6 Challenger.  This was an NP design.  The SP&S was 50% owned by the NP and added on to the NPs second order from ALCO.  Two of the SP&S engines were used by the GN on the Oregon Trunk before being returned to the SP&S.  No evidence exists that the GN engines ever received the light olive green boiler jackets of the Glacier Park paint scheme yet MTH offered the Z-6 in a green GN version.

MTH also offered three prototypical numbers and paint schemes.

Guess which one sold the best?  The GN in green!  In fact, were it not for the strong orders for the green GN version the product would have been canceled and the tooling and historically correct locomotives would never have been produced. 

The Lionel PS-1 40 foot boxcar model is the best of its type in O Scale.  Many of the paint schemes are not correct for a PS-1 but without them Lionel would not offer as many correct cars or have invested so much into making the tooling for a highly detailed model with durable components.  Atlas is similar.  All of their Master line models are great but some wear paint schemes that belong on other cars.

I'm all for prototypically correct modeling.  But those of us who are into it would be back to building folk art looking models from wooden kits for most of our cars without a broader market to support higher volume and higher quality manufacturing.