OFFICIAL 2018 ANNOUNCEMENTS

[Chaz]

That is great news! Thank you letting us know Chaz! Is it also possible if you could email Doug Blaine, asking him if the red and blue narrow gauge carriages will be two different toolings? I would email Mr. Blaine myself, but I do not know his email address.  

Sure thing, I don't want to bug him after asking him a few questions earlier so I'll ask later.

[TerencetheTractor525]

Thank you very much, and that's certainly understandable. I look forward to seeing what he says later .

[TrainFan97]

Paxton's final model certainly made my day. Now, I'm REALLY looking forward to buying him. He's bound to sell better than 'Arry and Bert.

Sidney will look just as amazing when Bachmann eventually gets to him. He has hazard stripes below his face, and he'll use those same painted siderods.

I never said I didn't want Sidney. It's just that Daisy is a much higher priority than him. That's all.

EDIT (to avoid double-posting):
Diesel is the first character in the Thomas range who ISN'T Thomas to get a variation. Since Grumpy Diesel's image is already posted, could it be possible that both Daisy AND Sidney could get announced in 2019? In 2014, no engines were announced, but in 2015, Oliver was announced along with Celebration Thomas, which was a recolor nobody cared about. Once Paxton, Grumpy Diesel, and Rusty get released, we'll have no other engine to anticipate until the 2019 announcements. If all rolling stock gets released as well, we'll have literally nothing to anticipate until the 2019 announcements.

If it's possible for both Daisy and Sidney to get announced in 2019, not only would it make up for the lack of engines announced this year, but it will instantly restore people's faith in Bachmann. Even just Daisy alone would restore faith, since she is the most requested engine. Like I said, no engines were announced in 2014, but in 2015, they announced a new tooling, and a recolor.

We still have yet to get the Explosives Van in HO Scale. I think another idea for a new ventilated van is a Fish Van, which would be great for Henry's train: The Flying Kipper.

For Troublesome Truck #6, I'd like to see a tanker, ventilated van, or a utility wagon (mail car). I think a Troublesome Tanker has the most demand.

I have a feeling that Paxton and Grumpy Diesel will both be released at the same time.

[Chaz]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9TANTtTbcYA

Here's a video from the 2018 Toy Fair, it looks like Paxton and Rusty didn't be make it to the display.  Interestingly enough, what I think is on display with the large scale products is the large scale spiteful brake van.  It even has a product card next to it like any other newly released product that would be on display, but there is just one small problem...

You can't see his face in the video.

Like Paxton, I hope we get a clear image of the large scale Spiteful Brake Van soon.  It will also give fans an idea of what the HO scale version would look like too.

[Plow_Bender]

Interestingly enough, what I think is on display with the large scale products is the large scale spiteful brake van.  It even has a product card next to it like any other newly released product that would be on display, but there is just one small problem...

You can't see his face in the video.

I'm the same myself in hopes that we see something on Rusty soon.  Considering he was announced a little over a year ago now, we should be getting at least an update on his progress if not a prototype image.  Hopefully this isn't another case like Rheneas where we get notified that he's shipping by another retailer before Bachmann themselves.  Then again, even that would be good news.

-Rusty

[Rodimus Supreme]

One thing I notice with Gordon's Express Coaches are that the Item Numbers are different. The item number on the newly announced ones are 76034 (Brake) and 76035 (Composite), whereas the original Express Coaches are 76049 (Composite) and 76048 (Brake). I'm pretty sure that reissues usually have the same item number they had when they first were released. I hope this means new toolings for the coaches.

[Chaz]

I wouldn't count on it.  New toolings for HO rolling stock are pretty rare nowadays, let alone new express coaches in particular would be too expensive.  Plus when you look at the catalog, it clearly shows the same express coaches in the same tooling as before, not even noting anything along the lines of "illustration shown" below the images, indicating that these are what the final products are going to look like.  

[Toad139]

I hope this means new toolings for the coaches.

I don't think that's true, but if it was, it probably wouldn't be a good thing. The old coaches look very nice, and I they were to make new toolings, they would probably be based on the CGI models which aren't very good looking. They are out of scale and have many design errors.

[Rickenbacker 325]

TIME TO GET HYPED!!!!



Paxton's face is fixed and you can see Diesel's new face!

[Chaz]

I wonder if this confirms that Grumpy Diesel will be replacing the older Diesel model, which admittedly would be the only way that Grumpy Diesel would have decent sales.

Paxton looks great on display, will be buying him for sure.

[TrainshockeylifE]

Rhinebcker, any sight of the express coaches or rusty?

[Angelob6660]

I can't seem to find the troublesome truck 5. I believe its the white salt wagon.

I want to get grumpy diesel. But I also thought about getting diesel with his happy face. I don't know which one to get. One will cost more than than the other being the only difference is the expression.

I'm I the person who is having trouble deciding what/which diesels to buy. When you don't have that character at all.

[Angelob6660]

I been thinking about passenger cars lately. Since I got Henry and Edward I was looking for coaches. Noticing that Bachmann should make the old coaches. I liked the old coaches, I think they were the original express cars before they were serviced into local traffic.

It will be nice to go with the red branch line cars. Somebody said on the forum it's basically the same car as Annie and Clarabel. So it should be an easy repaint.

Anyone else likes this idea?

[Rickenbacker 325]

I could have sworn I gave the source of the picture in my original post but I guess not. The picture was posted on TrainWorld's facebook page. No other picture that I saw covered the Thomas area other than all the Large Scale engines minus Winston.

The York train show is this weekend so get ready for the Spring 2018 TCA video! Hopefully they will show Paxton up close like they did with Rosie last year.

On a side note, it really makes me wonder why they wouldn't have updated pictures of the express coaches if they do happen to be the same tooling. I also find it strange that they would still be on display with the bachmann layout at all the train shows since they were discontinued.

[Chaz]

On a side note, it really makes me wonder why they wouldn't have updated pictures of the express coaches if they do happen to be the same tooling. I also find it strange that they would still be on display with the bachmann layout at all the train shows since they were discontinued.

Well, since they are the same tooling, there really isn't much of a reason to take new pictures of them when the stock photos are already available. Now if these were new toolings or they had a paint revision, then I imagine they would update the photos to show everyone what they look like.

I also find it strange that they would still be on display with the bachmann layout at all the train shows since they were discontinued.

At the time when the Bachmann Sodor layout(s) were made, the express coaches were not discontinued.  I imagine that they probably wanted to keep them around for their show layouts while they were discontinued for consistency sake.