OFFICIAL 2016 THOMAS & FRIENDS ANNOUNCEMENT

[Jacob Wilson]

^^ Above 2 Replies - @Reply #58 By Chaz: Where did that person get the Catalogue from?! At least is shows what it will look like.

I am disappointed that the Sodor Salt Wagon is brown. I wanted it to be white like the orginial. Maybe the advantage is of Troublesome Truck #5 which is the same as the old Salt Wagon, which has a face. I wished that Troublesome Truck #5 is a Closed Van or Tanker though.

I do not like the livery of the GWR Cattle Wagon it looks odd.

It also appears that the Refrigerator Car - Live Lobsters is a Utility Wagon in white. It looks nice, but it still not a Thomas product, however, I will still bet one or two of them.

No, images of the products of Rosie, Rheneas or the Slate Wagon's, but I am still looking forward to getting them. I hope these will be good!

[mully]

I am over the moon with these. I knew that the refrigerator wagon would look that way. What a surprise tt5 was. That's amazing. I can not wait. Sadly i see Oliver being released later in the year now that there's no photo. But brilliant

[Jacob Wilson]

^ Above 1 Reply - @Reply #61 By mully: Yes, they are brilliant. I have seen the Sodor Salt Wagon, and it say's 'Sodor Salt' on it, so I under that this Wagon, actually carries salt, and not fish, like the 77034 Salt Wagon would carry, or the new Troublesome Truck #5.

[BassTbone]

Interesting!  Kudos to Bachmann for TT#5!

Also I see Rheneas has a retail price!  Thats good news!  Seems they already know how much he'll cost to make and produce!

Interested in seeing what loads the slate wagons will have. 

[railtwister]

So, the lobster refrigerator car looks like a repainted version of the mail car (a reefer with Windows in the sides?), the troublesome truck #5 and the Sodor salt wagons look like repaints of the old plain salt wagon, and the cattle wagon appears to be a repaint of the previous cattle car. Not that there's anything wrong with having more variety in paint schemes, but I had hoped the refrigerator car would have included some new tooling to be more plausible as a reefer. As it is, with it's windows, it seems more believable to believe it really represents a box car fitted out with tanks inside for the transport of live lobsters and fish, rather than an actual reefer. Such cars did exist in the USA for restocking fish in this countries lakes and streams. Ah well, no foul, since the Thomas line is really all fantasy anyway, and it's great for introducing kids (both young and old) to the hobby of model trains.

Bill in FtL

[Jacob Wilson]

^ Above 1 Reply - @Reply #64 By railtwister: The new Refrigerated Car - Live Lobsters is the same as the Red and Green Mail Car's, which are Utility Wagon's. 

[DinoNTrains]

I know if I pick up a Refrigerated Car, I'm definitely going to use it as a Flying Kipper van.

[Titanic5972]

Definitely like the look of TT#5. Another face to swap around my others with.

[Cheeky_ULP]

Now that everything is out, here's my thoughts:

Rosie was inevitable in the range eventually, I figured they were going to make Paxton first though as he'd be easier to make. Maybe they're saving him for down the road when they need a cheaper engine. Anyway, like Arry and Bert, I won't have much of an interest in Rosie, but good for the people that will. I already have one of the upcoming Bachmann USA tanks on pre-order.

Curious to see how Rosie will turn out financially, since in the past, marketing model trains towards little girls doesn't seem to go over so well.

Rheneas isn't a surprise, but nonetheless, glad to know the narrow gauge range is going to be continued. Fingers crossed that Sir Handel and Peter Sam will follow next year (and considering Skarloeys sales, is a no-brainer). Gonna guess Peco or Bachmann is going to announce Talyllyn and Dolgoch models soon.

Pretty indifferent to the Salt Vans since I already have four, but I really like the decal on the "Sodor Salt" van, and it's good to see a classic face (although not a laughing face sadly) on Troublesome Truck 5. Surprised it's not a different color though. GWR Cattle Wagon is a curious item, since it appears to be a re-paint of the mainline LMS cattle van. Surprised it took this long for Bachmann to make the refridgerator van, I can see it selling better than the Green Mail Car.

Slate wagons were expected, but I'm curious what loads they'll have.

Really digging the decals on the large scale vent vans, wouldn't mind having those in OO scale.

[Jacob Wilson]

^^^ Above 3 Replies - @Reply #66 By DinoNTrains: But Live Lobsters Utility Wagon is for carrying lobsters. I do believe that The Flying Kipper is a train of fish. Have lobsters ever been part of The Flying Kipper?

^^ Above 2 Replies - @Reply #67 By Titanic5972: I like the look of Troublesome Truck #5 as well. I wish Bachmann would have re-released the Salt Wagon with out the face though. It would suit The Flying Kipper better.

^ Above 1 Reply - @Reply #68 By Sparks: Which USA Tank Engine have you pre-ordered?

I would like Paxton, but I am happy with Bachmann's choice of releasing Rosie instead. I can't wait for her!  

I am really curious about the GWR Cattle Wagon. It looks really odd. I haven't seen anything like it at all. I don't think it will be a good seller. After seeing the prototype, I am not sure if I want to be honest with you. I guess I have to though, as I am a Collector!

I am also interested in what the Load's will be in the Slate Wagon's. I am glad there are 3 different Wagon's, as once I get my 3 of each, I will have 9 Slate Wagon's! I have always wanted more than three of these, but only three of each. I am glad I can still only get three of the Slate Wagon's, to have a train of 9 Wagon's all together, which will be a decent sized train.

For everybody to answer:

Also, have this Live Lobsters Utility Wagon's ever been seen in the TV Series?

What is the Sodor Salt Wagon for, exactly? To carry fish or salt?

[JD417]

I'll be completely honest, from what we're seeing now-a-days, with Toad being a recolour from the Bachmann Branchline tooling, and what the Sodor Salt truck, and GW Cattle Van appears to be, I wouldn't be surprised if they started using Branchline toolings for all the new releases, which, I would actually prefer because of the smaller, metal couplings. Plus, there's the extra detailing in them.

As much as I don't like recolours because it seems lazy, these don't feel like that. I know they're all recolours from an existing tooling and all, but maybe they released the Green Mail Car last year to lower our expectations, and then they make much better recolours the following year to make them seem better. Idk, these just have me excited 

[Titanic5972]

Jacob it is easy to remove the face. Just like I did with my other trucks. They just pop off.

[Cheeky_ULP]

I'm fine with recolors regularly as long as the designs are interesting. Nothing too colorful or gaudy, but stuff that would look normal on Sodor. Do far the OO and Large scale repaints are doing a good job of that.

[Jacob Wilson]

^^^ Above 3 Replies - @Reply #70 By JD417: Good point! Toad looks just a Bachmann Branch-Line GWR Brake Van from the UK. Plus, the coupilings look metal, which I prefer. I do hope Bachmann use more tooling's from the UK Bachmann, range so everything has more detail looks better coupiling wise. Then the Bachmann Thomas & Friends range will suit the Hornby Thomas & Friends range better to do with the Gauge and scale difference.

^^ Above 2 Replies - @Reply #71 By Titanic5972: If I am to take the face off, then I will buy x4 Troublesome Truck #5's and take the face's off three of them and keep one with the face on, for my fleet of Troublesome Trucks!

^ Above 1 Reply - @Reply #72 By Sparks: I prefer colourful Wagon's. I would rather have something more colourful than brown, like the Sodor Salt Wagon is.

[mully]

Well it is the flying kipper it makes sense lobsters are part of the fish family so yes i believe that they are. As i said yesterday when i said about the design of this wagon. Tt5 is brilliant i can't wait for these to hit the shops. Rosie and little rehenaes are defo buys. Cattle wagon will have to see the final product photo. As for the catalogue question he brought it at the train show.