Dear Bachmann: Brake Van!

[shining time]

bachmann should make oliver and toad too go along with s.c. ruffy

[jettrainfan]

Well, Scruffy was made even though Oliver blew him to pieces and he comitted suicide a few seasons later.  Am I right?

Hmmmm.... maybe, In that episode, it did have Scruffy's face. Suicide??? Well it looked like they did not know and Percy pushed them to hard because they needed a good push. So suicide is to me a 98%no. I used to watch this episode a lot and was lots of fun to watch. Also if you watch the episode, when they are in the mines(cars on the loose) You could tell that Percy will not fit. Probably not even Bill or Ben!!! So story line: Percy is working at a quarryish area, a foreman asks Percy to push some cars into a mine. Percy backs up to the barrier wall and races for the cars. Then Percy bumps them and they go  through the mine way to fast! the cars go faster and faster until they Hit a barrier holding the place up. Then dirt starts to fall. Then a person yells "the mine's collapsing!" Percy runs backwards and watches the tracks crumble. Then his driver thinks the barrier wall will save them but he was wrong. They did not know Percy was under the mess and then they started to clear the mess and found Percy! I could not find the episode.

[shining time]

it's the episode (if i'm right) put upon percy.

[jettrainfan]

it's the episode (if i'm right) put upon percy.

That's the one! I found it!!!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZ7w4L0Vn20&feature=related

[ZeldaTheSwordsman]

Sparks, I don't mean to be rude but your images aren't showing.

[jettrainfan]

Sparks, I don't mean to be rude but your images aren't showing.

I noticed that too 2 days ago but thought keep quiet about it....

[Cheeky_ULP]

Was tidying up my Photobucket, sorry.

[shining time]

i thought i was right on the episode thanks jettrainfan

[Cheeky_ULP]

Reposting here so it doesn't get lost in the Wishlist Topic

Donald and Douglas the Twin Engines

Here we see the pair of twins sitting together idly at Brendam Docks yards.

So lets cut down to it, why should Bachmann make Donald and Douglas next? First let me cut off the question of "What about those engine retoolings you said?" The engine retooling suggestions were never said to be of any date. However I would not be surprised if they were done for 10 Years of Bachmann, 65 Years of Thomas or whatever reason. Now then, back to Donald and Douglas...

These are a popular pair of engines among nostalgic fans and newer fans alike, and been around since Season 2. But why do them next instead of say Duck, or a more recent character like Rosie? Well, we did just have Emily, Spencer and Salty recently, so maybe we should go back the the pre HiT/Gullane era. As for Duck though, well, you'll read why Donald and Douglas will be more favorable engines.

In recent years, Donald and Douglas have been heard of less, but recently returned in episodes like "Saved You," and "Gordon and the Engineer." But they've also been in many of the episodes re-released on DVD from VHS tapes, and their Season 6 and 7 episodes "Twin Trouble" and "Bad Day at Castle Loch."



So, lets look now at what makes these two engines profitable.

1). Bachmann would save money in developing two engines, for the price of a bit more than one: Donald and Douglas are twin engines, with MINOR differences. Basically all that Bachmann would do is make Donald, take the model and make a second pair, change the face to Douglas' face, change the paint work to sport Douglas' nameplate and "10" on his tender, and you have two engines! Quicker profit!

2). They're recognized by the youth and are pretty popular engines among Thomas fans in general. Hornby hasn't beaten Bachmann to making Donald and Douglas either, so Bachmann has the entire market for the UK (and Australian?) market who buys from Ebay and other websites that ship oversea.

3). Donald and Douglas are based on the 812 Class, which has been shown to be recognized among real modelers. People who would want a RTR Caledonian 812 Class could cheaply buy Donald and or Douglas, do some detailing up and modifications, and have their engine in no time!

4). To anyone wondering why I didn't say Bill and Ben...
Bill and Ben are smaller engines, so developing a working chassis for them with their small size, and getting them to pull a heavy load would be a bit more frustrating than making an easy 0-6-0 Chassis for Donald and Douglas.

5. Speaking of Chassis, Donald and Douglas' chassis could in fact be REUSED for another engine, Duck the Great Western Engine. In the TV Series, the three engines seem to appear to use the same Chassis, right down to drive wheel size, space, and all. I wouldn't be surprised at all if right after Donald and Douglas were made, Duck was announced and used the same chassis. That's an even better money saver! Just reuse the chassis and make the body for Duck.

Conclusion:
With the economy in a money crunch right now, Donald and Douglas would be a fairly good pair of engines to make. It's almost a shortcut for the company to make and sell more engines at a cheaper price! These twin engines provide large opportunities for the market ahead of them, take the advantage! They even provide development advantages for the two of them, and plans for Duck. Why avoid that? 

[The Chaz Storm]

Instead of posting my response in both threads, I'll stick with posting in this one only.

Anyways, regarding Donald and Douglas being made.  I now can see them coming out before Duck and Diesel for the reasons Sparks had just said.  It would be great to see them especially because Hornby hasn't (Most likely never) will make Donald and Douglas models for their range.  Let's hope that Bachmann can turn this around and add the twins to the range.  Duck could be added with them if they are announced, but if not my hopes will be high for the year after that.  Along with Diesel too, because hey if they would be making Duck why not add Diesel with him?    But onto the subject of Donald and Douglas, I strongly support this happening, but this leaves me thinking if they are going to be made, are the name plates gonna be in the middle of the boiler like in S3-Beyond or how they were originally placed in Season 2:

As you can see, I'm all up for originals and I hope they would turn out the way they did in Season 2.  If not though, then all the same I will be happy with Donald and Douglas models added to the range. 

[SmokeyNSteamer]

Maybe they could sell Donald and Douglas together?  Just a thought.

[Cheeky_ULP]

Maybe they could sell Donald and Douglas together?  Just a thought.

It'd be too much of a hassle if you only need one engine.

[jettrainfan]

also, it would be cheaper if you could only afford one at a time.

[SmokeyNSteamer]

You all have a point---

If the twins were sold together, and one twin broke down, you'd have to buy a duplicate of the other (non-broken) twin as well.

Maybe Bachmann can sell the twins BOTH together and separately...wait, that'd be too expensive...would it?

[The Chaz Storm]

You all have a point---

If the twins were sold together, and one twin broke down, you'd have to buy a duplicate of the other (non-broken) twin as well.

Maybe Bachmann can sell the twins BOTH together and separately...wait, that'd be too expensive...would it?

Too much packaging to have them together and separate!  They will be sold separately.  I think for electric HO/OO trains they won't include two engines together, especially Donald and Douglas.  Heck, Hornby didn't even do that will Bill and Ben and Arry and Bert.  And those two sets of twins are usually packed together in take along and wooden ranges (Lionel too for Arry and Bert).  Never have I seen a Donald and Douglas packaging together.