Future suggestions/predictions thread

[Coaltronn]

why don't they have the seasons 7-15 on amazon prime though?

[Chaz]

why don't they have the seasons 7-15 on amazon prime though?

Not sure why Amazon has never added seasons 8-15, but Roku recently added a new live channel called "PBS Retro" and they are currently airing season 7/8 episode programs PBS Kids made back in 2004.  Season 9 episodes will be airing there in May. 

what about large scale toad

As much fun as that would be, I can't see them doing Toad in large scale before Henrietta considering that she's been in higher demand and her tooling could be reused for Hannah while Toad wouldn't offer any other recolor option.

[Awesometrain77]

Hannah is a good idea for HO tbh there are some coaches we could see in HO here are some of my picks

• Blue Annie and clarabel - as seen in the great race
•Slip coaches - three face variants
•Work unit coach - green blue and orange
•Faceless brown coaches- same color as A&C
•Herenttia with face
•Hannah - Henrietta repaint with new face and lamp on side
•Dexter- red brake coach repaint  with face
•An Ann - Annie repaint with face
•Yin-Long - Annie repaint with face
•Gordon's special coaches - express coaches repaint
•Green express coach with  buffet - green composite coach with buffet lettering on side

[[email protected]]

If they do a buffet coach for both the green and red coaches, I personally hope they do a new sculpt.

[thomasj219]

YouTube makes that mandate irrelevant. Especially because the classics always do better. AEG was the final nail in the coffin for defending that mandate imo.

How exactly? Mattel culled most of the episodes that were uploaded to different channels. If anything it's the polar opposite now. It's harder for people to find model series stuff.

Sorry this took so long.

Them calling those videos is exactly the point. They are uploading them on their own, they have classic Thomas options now.

Trust me the brand will be split very soon by age group. All engines go is aimed very young and leaves a large gap in the market that they will want to fill.

[DustyMarie53!]

Hannah is a good idea for HO tbh there are some coaches we could see in HO here are some of my picks

• Blue Annie and clarabel - as seen in the great race
•Slip coaches - three face variants
•Work unit coach - green blue and orange
•Faceless brown coaches- same color as A&C
•Herenttia with face
•Hannah - Henrietta repaint with new face and lamp on side
•Dexter- red brake coach repaint  with face
•An Ann - Annie repaint with face
•Yin-Long - Annie repaint with face
•Gordon's special coaches - express coaches repaint
•Green express coach with  buffet - green composite coach with buffet lettering on side

The slip coaches would be an awesome rolling stock piece to go along with Duck. And they all have 3 pretty distinct faces so they'd be a good pick for new OO rolling stock tool.

An-an and Yin-long are pretty niche, plus would require some mods so I doubt they'd be chosen. I'd like An-an though. For a weird reason. I want to own merch of every vehicle that has been produced, the only two I'm missing now are ERTL Jock and Motorized Railway An-an. Since the MR one is a bit expensive getting a Bachmann release would make my life easier, so would a capsule though. Not picky I just want one.

[mtrocke88]

Hi. I'm currently new to this Bachmann forum. And yes, I'm a big Thomas and friends fan. Anyway, I agree with everyone that Edward and Henry would be next for N scale from Thomas and friends. And I also strongly agree that the cgi mandate is unfair. Plus the cgi mandate is irrelevant and unnecessary, especially considering how the show was rebooted in the first place.

[Awesometrain77]

Henry I belive is next my predictions for the NMRA 2024 N scale announcements are the following

Henry
1 plank wagon with brendam cargo and freight crate
1 plank wagon with Sodor steam works crate
Thomas saves Santa's sleigh set

 

[TrainFan97]

With N Scale Gordon and Emily due for release by the end of the year, as well as Henrietta, progress has to have been started on Diesel/Paxton by this point, and we should see an unpainted sample by the end of the year. I still hope N Scale Henry gets announced this NMRA. If not, then for sure the 2025 catalog. More N Scale rolling stock is bound to be announced this NMRA, like some non-troublesome variants of the 7-plank wagons (which we desperately need), Red Coaches, or a 20-Ton Brake Van. If another new tooling gets announced for HO Scale this NMRA, or the 2025 catalog, the best choices would be Whiff or Nia, or for rolling stock, the Works Unit Coach, which can be made in green, orange and blue. Winston in HO Scale would also be a great choice with the figure packs in mind; Sir Topham Hatt can drive him.

Doug said there were currently no big plans for the 80th Anniversary at this time, since they're still catching up on lots of previously announced products that haven't been released yet. Fortunately, many of them will be released by the end of the year if all goes well. Beau is supposed to arrive in stock by the end of June. Unpainted samples of Stanley and Sir Handel are on the way, and bound to be revealed this summer. We've already seen HO Scale Rebecca, as well as N Scale Emily and Henrietta fully painted; awaiting delivery dates. Sir Topham Hatt's Car is in the unpainted stage, and we'll soon see all four 12-Ton Vans painted.

[Awesometrain77]

Whiff is someone cool that we should see soon . The only other characters that appear in both model and CGI engine wise that Bachmann has yet to do is havery whiff and diesel 10 . Whiff could be hard to put his glasses on his face .Harvey is super tall and I doubt he could happen . Diesel 10 would be a best seller but the claw is hard however diesel 10 could fit NMRA standards if they put his claw infont of the cab windows and make it removable .
So Diesel 10 and whiff could happen if Bachmann figures out a way which I am sure they will considering they have gotten brake rigging on rebbecca .

I do think this years NMRA is gonna be quiet. My picks for this years NMRA for HO is the following

Arry
Bert 
Well wagon with Bert the miniature engine load
Troublesome truck #7

[Coaltronn]

I would love to have the well wagon sold again.

[JLK2707]

I would just love to see the TAR tanker wagon reintroduced.

[thomasj219]

Wow. New website. It's nice. Sad to see the old design go though.

[Awesometrain77]

Due to the huge backlog of products I doubt we will many huge projects anytime soon .
However there are some retooling or repaints we could see .

Glow in the dark Henry - from Henry in the dark
Smudger - he only appears in the model series however he is a simple repaint with a new face and could be a great limited release item

As for some rolling stock from Bachmann UK that they could bring into the range.
Bradford
BR 22 ton hopper

Sidney and flying Scotsman are some others
Flying Scotsman - could reuse Gordon's chasis but would need a new shell and tender mold . Water tender could be sold separately.
Sidney - could reuse Paxton and diesels shell but would need a new eye mech 

[TrainFan97]

Bachmann just recently released Beau, as well as the Large Scale Toby's Museum Coaches, so that's a few products out. Other products with painted samples like Rebecca, 12-Ton Vans, N Scale Gordon and Emily (along with her coaches) as well as Henrietta, are expected to be available by the end of the year if all goes well. Products that still don't have unpainted samples shown include Stanley, Open Carriage, Bulgy, Sir Handel, Duncan, Narrow Gauge High-Side Wagons, Gondolas, Gunpowder Wagons, N Scale Diesel/Paxton and Express Coaches. That's unfortunately still quite a bit that hasn't even been shown unpainted. They said they would be getting the unpainted samples of Sir Handel and Stanley soon, considering they both had designs ready, but it hasn't been soon enough, especially for Sir Handel, which has already been 2 1/2 years without a single sample shown. Must be a new record. Sir Handel has to be the longest it's ever taken to get an unpainted sample. The N Scale Express Coaches are still not up for pre-order.

With that list of products that still haven't even been shown unpainted, I really have no idea what to expect this NMRA, or even the 2025 catalog. With so much fallen behind on, there's still currently no big plans for the 80th Anniversary. If anything, we could get more repaints. Sidney needs to finally happen in HO Scale, since he would reuse Diesel's tooling, but would need a new eye mechanism. N Scale desperately needs non-troublesome variants of the 7-Plank Wagons, like red, blue, or green with a coal load. If we absolutely CAN'T get N Scale Henry or Edward at this time, due to so many other new molds not being ready yet, Bachmann may just have to settle on N Scale LBSC Thomas and Origin James, so they'd have something for the 80th Anniversary, even if it has to be repaints like those. As much as I want N Scale Edward and Henry, it may be a while before either of them get announced. For HO Scale, if Rebecca proves to be a popular seller, Bachmann may consider Hiro.