Large Scale Thomas

[Large Scale Champion]

Fantastic Plowbender,

now that's what we like to see genuine customs and effort. It's such a shame how slow production of the large scale is, we crave more models and it would be great if they added accessories etc to the range.

We can dream...

[Large Scale Champion]

So what would we like to see the next offering from bachmann to be in large scale???

[Falcon]

So what would we like to see the next offering from bachmann to be in large scale???

In terms of ideas for new engines...

-While I'd love to see Mavis made, it sadly doesn't seem like she'll be in the Large Scale lineup anytime soon since she doesn't have that many merchandise or TV show appearances anymore.
-There's a couple of fans that are open to the idea of Bill and Ben being made. Bachmann can get two engines with one brand new tooling and they would be much more profitable than 'Arry and Bert.
-I'm not too sure about this idea, but part of me wants to see Glynn made. His size is suitable for the Large Scale range and he would be a unique choice, but as I've said before, he might need more speaking roles to qualify.
-I'd also like to see Oliver made, but his HO Scale model is already out and we might need to give him some time to enter the Large Scale range.

Are there any ideas for Large Scale rolling stock? Henrietta and Toad sound good, but I don't think I'd see either being made so soon.

[Chaz]

Rather than repeating myself, here's a link to my thoughts on what I think might come out in large scale next year:

http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/board/index.php/topic,33422.msg250477.html#msg250477

[doug c]

Amended: 20 hrs later;  okay now  ... found quite a few 'utube videos since original post,  doing the review or unboxing thing.  
Also called the vendor this a.m. to confirm p/n and doublechk the $.  
Today's clerk quoted a $, three hundred more than yesterdays' clerk quote       So that has killed any urgency to acquire.... leaving me wondering if i HAD known the street price and said I'll buy both,  would it have rang thru at three hundred each less than actual      LOL      But them being a locally owned biz I don't think I could ah have done it to them... maaybe let him process it thru and then tell him ya might want to chk this out and do refund/return,  so you can sell them to someone else,  for the 'real' retail price !     If it was a national/international store I would not be so "thoughtful" !!  IMHO



original post;
Stumbled onto a couple 'Thomas with Annie and Clarabelle' sets at a small retailer.  

I was in a hurry, could not spot the p/n number on it (obviously the one sidepanel i did not look at  nor a price tag, so asked a clerk who chkd their database who quoted me a seemingly really great  p'point.
Lookin' at my (complimentary showbooth acquired) B'mann 2016 catalog, I'm pretty sure it was p/n90068.  

Anyone out there wish to share their experiences with this set ?


Thanks for your time and any feedback

DougC  


p.s. now to chk my GR index to see if 'Kalmbach' did a review on it.

[Plow_Bender]

Considering I've wanted to touch on this subject this year, I think now is my chance to do so.  For a couple years now, the idea for Bachmann to make a Troublesome Truck #3 for the range has been in the back of my mind.  I brought this up last year as a model I'd like to see for 2017, but now I'm hoping we can at least see this simple addition added to the range for 2018.

Lets start by explaining why Bachmann should add another troublesome truck to the range.  First off, troublesome trucks have always been a popular seller and to this day continue to carry on this trend.  This is because they are rolling stock that people will buy 2 or more of in many cases.  It's safe to say that Troublesome Truck #3 would be no different and would fly off the shelves as well.  It's just a simple fact that you can never have enough troublesome trucks.

Bachmann would also be able to keep production costs for the model low by just using an already existing piece of rolling stock.  Personally I think it would be most beneficial for Bachmann to make Troublesome Truck #3 by simply doing a recolor of the Ice Cream Wagon.  It would be easy to make a brown van and put a face on it, similar to what we have here.



I think the above photo pretty much covers what many large scale Thomas modelers want to see.  The only problem is that this style of troublesome truck hasn't been seen in the CGI series, which the large scale models are pretty much based on.  However, models such as Annie and Clarabel, the Troublesome Trucks, Tar Wagon, and the Raspberry Syrup Tanker are in their model series forums, so I really don't see where there's any room to argue that claim with Troublesome Truck #3.  HOWEVER, I do have that sneaking suspicion that if Bachmann did in fact announce Troublesome Truck #3 and it was a van, I feel we'd probably end up with this.



Now I'm not saying I'm agents this style of troublesome truck because it's a CGI one or because its connected to Journey Beyond Sodor, but I prefer the model series one over this.  My main reason is simply because of the color and design.  I prefer the brown color (similar to the Great Western Van) and also the positioning of the face.  The face on the CGI version just looks to be positioned too high for my liking.  I'd personally like to see the model series style van with the same style of face in large scale, but with the range mainly focusing on CGI, it's probably wishful thinking.  Then again, the Explosives, Great Western, and Sodor Fruit & Vegetable Co. vans weren't in CGI either, yet we still have those.  I think I've proven my point on that topic.

Now another option Bachmann could have for a Troublesome Truck #3 is recoloring a tanker.  I'm thinking something similar to this.



Unfortunately I feel this is very unlikely because these tankers only appeared in 1 episode of the series, and haven't been seen since.  Considering they're 1 off characters (that's what I'm calling them, so deal with it...) chances of them being made in large scale are about as likely as Gordon and Henry.  Even so, these tankers have made a comeback in CGI, so this potentially gives them a chance of being made.



Although I wasn't a big fan of the film these tankers are related to, I'm honestly all for seeing them introduced into large scale.  All Bachmann would have to do is recolor one of their existing tankers, but that's the funny part about this.  These tankers are actually the oil tankers with a face, but Bachmann actually made the oil tanker (without a face) in large scale up until it was discontinued back in 2014.  Basically if Bachmann were to make this for Troublesome Truck #3, this means the return of the oil tanker as well, but with a face.  It's definitely an easy model if Bachmann wants to take a stab at it.

So to finish up, here are my thoughts.  I feel that Troublesome Truck #3 is a good chance for Bachmann to introduce something into the range that is sure to be a great addition for 2018.  I was honestly expecting Troublesome Truck #3 for 2017, but apparently Bachmann found it easier to slap a face on the Brakevan rather than a box van.  The worst part about that was the fact there was more demand for the Spiteful Breakvan in the HO range, and literally none for it in large scale.  That aside though, I think that if Bachmann were to take either a box van or tanker and make Troublesome Truck #3 for large scale, it would definitely be a step in the right direction.

-Rusty

[Falcon]

I must say those are some very excellent ideas, Rusty. We're still yet to see a Troublesome Van in the lineup and a Troublesome Tanker would be a unique choice. I'd definitely get the van if Bachmann was able to make it. 

Journey Beyond Sodor also gave us Troublesome Slate Wagons, though I doubt we'd see them anytime soon.

[Plow_Bender]

Journey Beyond Sodor also gave us Troublesome Slate Wagons, though I doubt we'd see them anytime soon.

Actually troublesome slate wagons existed long before Journey Beyond Sodor, but in narrow gauge.



I'm not sure if you were referring to them as standard gauge slate wagons or just new characters in general, but just thought I'd mention that.  To be fair though, I'd rather see a tanker or van over troublesome slate wagons in large scale.  Now this is just my opinion, but I feel that slate wagons should stay where they belong, and that's in narrow gauge.  Just from my point of view, they look too out of place even if they are scaled up with the rest of the rolling stock.  Maybe a few others can shed some light on this topic as well.



-Rusty

[AJW98Productions]

Personally I do think the slate wagons look...odd in standard gauge, they do seem to almost stick out like a sore thumb, but maybe that's just because I'm used to seeing them as Narrow Gauge exclusive wagons. In any case, I do kind of like the idea of seeing them with Standard Gauge Engines, even if it does still look odd to me. I think Large Scale could do with a troublesome van or tanker first though, I feel like those would be better sellers.

~Alex.

[Falcon]

The standard gauge wagons was what I meant. Probably could've been more specific. 

I'd rather see a Troublesome Van or Tanker as well. Those two options would seem to fit in much more and Troublesome Slate Wagons would feel more natural for the narrow gauge lineup.

[Chaz]

If we get slate wagons with faces, it would make a lot more sense to see them in narrow gauge than in any of the other ranges. Even then, I don't think they should be anytime soon since the narrow gauge line needs a lot more diversity with rolling stock.

Personally, I think troublesome truck #3 should have been announced this year with Diesel instead of the spiteful brake van in large scale.  Even if it would have been another van repaint, at least that would be a lot better of a seller than literally slapping a face on the large scale brake van and calling it a day.  Especially since troublesome trucks have always proven to be popular in both HO and large scale in the past.

[Falcon]

Even then, I don't think they should be anytime soon since the narrow gauge line needs a lot more diversity with rolling stock.

Good point. We're still yet to see narrow gauge coaches announced too.

So far, it seems that Troublesome Truck #3 is one of the most wanted additions in the Large Scale rolling stock selection and it's fairly easy to understand why. I'm sure it would do much better than the Spiteful Brakevan in terms of sales.

[Large Scale Champion]

I'm still curious how they will produce the Spitful Breakvan as technically it is NE No13 like the one they've already done in Large Scale.

However with only just over a month until we know what is to come (eventually) from 2018
we are hoping for:

Duck or Edward
Red Coaches
and to be honest either a van with a face as TT3 or a Cattle Van.

we would love more figures... and a total dream would be the Breakdown Train (Awesome)

[Plow_Bender]

Considering I've already made a post on the red coaches in another thread, I'm just going to do a simple cut and paste job here.

So lets talk about large scale red coaches.  These are another addition I would like to see for the large scale range, and I know many people want to see them as well.  The red coaches were in high demand years ago for the HO range, and have proven to be popular sellers by selling out a number of times.

To start off, the red coaches have made numerous appearances with numerous characters, and in many cases you'll see them with engines such as Percy, James, Edward, Rosie, Henry, Duck, etc.  We've also seen in recent seasons (even in the earlier seasons such as season 2) that in some cases the engines are pulling 3-4 coach trains with the red coaches.  This plays out a little later on, but I'll get to that in a moment.  Something that also should be mentioned about the red coaches is that they are/were used on many different parts of Sodor such as the Ffarquhar Branch, Brendam Branch, Harwick Branch, The Little Western, The Main Line, etc.

So is there a demand for the red coaches?  I wouldn't be making this post if there wasn't.  For a couple years now there's been many discussions come up for the red coaches in large scale, and for good reason too.  Years back the red coaches were in high demand for HO, and after being around a few years they're still flying off the shelves.  With the demand now, there's no doubt they would move in large scale.  Some people have even gone as far to make their own as seen below.



Chances are some people would even consider buying multiple red coaches instead of just buying a red coach and a red break coach.  It's also safe to say that considering chances of getting some express coaches in large scale are out of the question, it would be nice to have the red coaches as a replacement to go along with James.

Now it's a question of how Bachmann would do in terms of production of said models.  They honestly have an advantage with the red coaches considering the tooling is already somewhat there.  Starting with the existing Annie and Clarabel/Emily's coaches tooling, alterations can be made to make the red coaches.  The break coach would require the most work, but just the regular red coach only requires the new roof tooling which in turn is used for the break coach anyway.  The only downside I can find with the red coaches is that the tooling for them (even though it exists) needing altered might be asking a little much.  This isn't as simple as just taking an existing van or wagon and recoloring it.  Keep in mind what the large scale announcements have been lately.

So to wrap things up, what are my thoughts on getting the red coaches in large scale?  I'm honestly all for these additions, as I'm sure many others are as well.  Overall they seem simple enough, appealing enough, and would definitely sell better than something like a vegetable van or a raspberry syrup tanker.  It would also be nice to have them to go along with James and/or Percy in the range, and other characters like Edward, Duck, Rosie, Ryan, Oliver, etc when/if they're ever announced.  Now if you'll excuse me, its lunchtime!



-Rusty

[Large Scale Champion]

To think it's just over a week until we get news... will the Large Scale Thomas fans be happy?

Our preferences

Duck or Edward
Red Coaches
Troublesome Van

more figures... Workmen, Mrs Kindly, Jeremiah Jobling