Why Doesn't Anybody Make These Anymore?

[WGL]

  Take a look at this:  http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=330335995141&indexURL=0&photoDisplayType=2#ebayphotohosting
Of the 3 Rivarossi Hiawatha F7s I've seen on eBay, one sold for $265; one went unsold at $450; & this one has been bid up to $500!  They don't have sound or even DCC.  It seems a good time to make a DCC one.

[jettrainfan]

well...It might have been limited edition but... Their are many wonderful engines that bachmann and other companies made they don't sell anymore.

[uncbob]

Have one in my display cabinet

Bought it and a Riva-- John Wilkes LV 4-6-2 at a train show about 10 years ago

[uncbob]

Took a bigger pic

[WGL]

 Thanks, uncbob.  I enjoyed your pictures.  Do you ever run it?

[uncbob]

Ran both of them 2x around my 4X10 oval to check them out.

Then they went in the display cabinet

I only run my own ME&O locos on my layout except to check out new prototype purchases

[Johnson Bar Jeff]

Nice display cases, uncbob.

Do they have glass covers to keep out the dust?

[uncbob]

Nice display cases, uncbob.

Do they have glass covers to keep out the dust?

Yep but Plexiglass
I made them

[Johnson Bar Jeff]

Nice display cases, uncbob.

Do they have glass covers to keep out the dust?

Yep but Plexiglass
I made them

Very nice! Great way to display your locomotives!

[uncbob]

The framed items that look like pictures are my wife's Counted Cross Stitch

She likes steamers

[rogertra]

Nit picky but 2102 is derailled.  :-)

[uncbob]

Nit picky but 2102 is derailled.  :-)

Hard to find decent steam engineers these days

[Rugby Junction]

I'm glad I bought my Rivarossi Hiawatha some 10 years ago even though I'm pretty sure I bought it well after they were out of production.   I think I paid ~$99 new for it!   I'm assuming that the Walther's Hiawatha passenger cars are the reason for the recent demand for the Hiawatha F7 locomotive... even though the cars are too new for the loco (but the paint scheme is pretty close).

I've never run my model and have considered selling it after seeing what people are paying for it on eBay, however, my fear is that I'll sell it and no one will manufacturer it again in HO!   I'm hoping that with as highly detailed as plastic models have become these days, and with manufacturers willing to model the railroad specific details, that someone will create a new Hiawatha that will put the Rivarossi model to shame (like a Bachmann Spectrum, maybe? )   One thing that's always bothered me about my Rivarossi model is that it's not very close to the original other than the nose, tender, and paint scheme look about right

I'd also like to see a Hiwatha Atlantic and the CNW Class E-4 Hudsons made.   Imagine how frustrated the CNW fans must be in that there were as many of the E-4's as there were F7's, yet I don't think anyone has ever made a model of the E-4 in HO scale (plastic).



Oh, and nice display cases, ucbob.   Looks much better than the stack of boxes I have 

[WGL]

Todd, I e-mailed Walthers information about the going prices of second-hand Hiawatha F7s on eBay & suggested that they produce one--especially since they are a Wisconsin company.

[Rugby Junction]

Todd, I e-mailed Walthers information about the going prices of second-hand Hiawatha F7s on eBay & suggested that they produce one--especially since they are a Wisconsin company.

My neighbor is a buyer for Walther's... needless to say, I've dropped some hints