Quote from: Mulfred100 on February 27, 2024, 12:10:53 PM

Quote from: TrainFan97 on February 27, 2024, 11:14:14 AMBachmann said the catalog would drop mid-February, but they were wrong... It may have been delayed to March, and I have no idea why... Their silence is deafening...

Any number of reasons as I've said in previous posts. We'll get it when we get it. Clearly Bachmann need time to work on it for whatever the reasons are. As I said before they could be trying to get as many products that have newly painted samples ready into the catalogue as they can, it could be a problem with the printing and they don't want to put up the digital until the physical is ready. Constantly saying the Catalogue isn't helping. I know everyone is eager to see it but please be patient, it's not the end of the world and we already know Bachmann have stated this year will be catch up. Until the catalogue is published I'm firmly sticking to my position of we aren't getting anything new... yet.

I agree with this sentiment, but I wish they'd be more honest about what's going on. Just say this instead of leaving us in the dark. Bachmann said it was coming Mid-February, then Doug later says it is delayed to anywhere from 10 days to 2 weeks after that Thomas Tuesday stream. The end of that two-week period is today (unless he meant business days I guess.) This is all fine but with no other update in sight and walthers outright saying no info from vendor on the catalog order page I'm wondering what is going on.

I'd be less impatient if they'd just give a clear answer. A "hey. We're trying to get a bunch of samples in, and this is taking longer than we thought. The catalog will be out when that's done. We can't give an estimate" would suffice. No more leaving people in the dark, it's not just Thomas Fans asking about the catalog either after all. It's not the end of the world but it's reeking of unprofessionalism, which feels too harsh to say but I don't really have a better word choice.

Quote from: TrainFan97 on February 16, 2024, 04:03:23 PM

Quote from: DustyMarie53! on February 09, 2024, 11:54:19 AMBachmann has already said days ago it would drop mid February. Most likely on the 14th alongside the physical that's releasing that day. Unless Doug wants to be based and do a surprise reveal on the 12th, it's unlikely to be discussed at all on Thomas tuesday other than a date confirmation

Uhhhh...

Doug said on Thomas Tuesday that the catalog would drop anywhere from around 10 days to 2 weeks from that day. No clue what's taking so long but it's clear the comments they made on the NMRA video were outdated. Obviously had no way of knowing that but that's how it be.

I believe Doug has made this comment of a catchup year for either 2022 or 2023 before. (I do not recall which, perhaps both.) so really what this tells me is that it'll follow the same pattern the announcements have for the past 2 years now. Smaller more complimentary to already announced stuff to be in the Spring catalog, and the big announcements saved for NMRA. Since the NMRA announcements are typically slated for the following years. My predictions don't change much actually. Although now think we'll only get a 08 (hopefully Sidney) this year instead of both one and Nia. Nia next year for sure though. I still think it's possible we get both Henry and Edward announced this year for N but I'm not as confident in that now, I'll keep believing until August because I am insane. As for my G scale prediction I'm still confident they'll announce a new engine this year but more likely save that for the NMRA catalog, if they prove me wrong and do it in the spring catalog even better. We shall see. We need a substantial g scale announcement though since the museum coaches are coming out shortly and the comeback of the Thomas set is not substantial enough of a new product for the pipeline.

Wouldn't count on the Gordon set just yet. They only announced the Emily a year after both announcements so feel like it'll be saved for 2025

Quote from: Mulfred100 on February 09, 2024, 12:13:33 PMWell on that subject of Doug and Thomas Tuesday, as of right now there's not been an announcement for a Thomas Tuesday on the 13th. It could very well be on 20th or 27th. Especially if they are holding off to go through the new announcements. At this point people are just jumping to the conclusions without waiting for offical announcements from Bachmann and Trainworld. All that was shown in the "teaser" was Rebecca's NWR and the word soon. In fact Rebecca might be the very thing thats holding the catalogue up if they are wanting her sample model shown in the catalogue as shes now at that stage of production. We'll find out at some point between now and the 28th.   
Just have some patience.

No, Thomas Tuesday has already been confirmed for next week on the trainworld twitter account. As was by Christian in my dms when I asked if it would be this week or not.

Bachmann has already said days ago it would drop mid February. Most likely on the 14th alongside the physical that's releasing that day. Unless Doug wants to be based and do a surprise reveal on the 12th, it's unlikely to be discussed at all on Thomas tuesday other than a date confirmation

Of note that Doug Blaine said they specifically can't reuse the Hudsons for Connor due to face/eye mech issues on Thomas tueaday. Beau was a case of special permissions. While it's not impossible that could be granted again, we shouldn't assume it will be. So even if the model series rule gets lifted, I don't think that makes them likely to reuse bachmann UK toolings for those characters. Especially since they seem stricter on using reference pictures now, those UK toolings would have more detail than most model series characters.


I'm also a big fan of Sonny and would love to see him. However, KR models is making his basis already. They're even considering giving said model a fictious blue livery (which I will buy if they do.)

So how well would Sonny really do considering that market for modelling said engine has already been filled? Seems hard to justify the tooling costs, but I would love to be proven wrong.

Turns out Walthers has the catalog up for purchase with an estimated date of the 14th. Since the catalog usually gets uploaded here before the physical is released, we should have it in the next 10 days at worst. Thomas Tuesday has yet to be announced for this month, I see two possibilities. They're still doing it this week but can't officially announce it unless the catalog goes live, or it's been pushed back waiting for the catalog to drop. Not sure which is more likely and I could be entirely off base but that should be useful. Hopefully it's uploaded soon so I can stop trying to predict when it'll drop lol.

I mean the catalog has been uploaded as late as 6 pm est before I wouldn't rule it out today just yet. It's also been uploaded on Saturday and Sunday's before it's not always a Friday thing. It'll happen whenever it's done I guess is the best way of putting it

I don't use the forum much anymore but I do have a few thoughts I wanted to share.

I think this year we will get both Nia and an 08, Idk which one. I do not think we will get the iron twins just yet, their demand has just shot up again recently. So unlikely to happen immediately. Hopefully one would have a grumpy face, since the different weathering they have in CGI is not something Bachmann is likely to do. Idk if they would be in the same catalog but I am expecting both. Mirrors the Beau and Rebecca release, and since both are coming this year, this makes sense. For the same reason I'm expecting Charlie in 2025. Like Stanley serves as a smaller new tool between the complex bigger tools. Then probably Whiff the following year.

For rolling stock, tar tanker reintroduction, easy, makes sense, give it the cgi deco. A troublesome truck #7 using the new vans would be cool, but maybe give it a year between them before doing more vans. We'll see. I'd also like to see recolors of the Bradford type of brakevan. There's a bunch of liveries to justify a new mold + the character. Those are the only specific rolling stock predictions I have right now.

Road vehicles, Butch and Trevor this year hopefully. I could see both frankly. I want both anyway.

N scale: Henry, and some non-faceless 7 planks make the most sense. I have a bit of a pipedream we also get Edward this year to keep the theme of 2 engine per year going. Will that happen? Probably not but I can dream.

Narrow gauge: probably nothing major. Just the grey and brown recolors of the existing van types if anything.


Large Scale: Probably some of the newly announced vans making a jump. But I want to say my bold prediction. I think they are going to announce a new engine this year, and then a recolor next year. But they both release next year to tie into the anniversary. Just like Paxton and Diesel's dual announcement. Because of my prediction I doubt they would do Edward yet. (Plus, he's a bit riskier so they probably want another smaller engine to test the market.) While Rosie is the easier guess, two liveries and all. I'm going to propose something else. Mavis announced this year, and then green Thomas next year. A nice simple engine, plus an anniversary recolor. A smart pair in my opinion. The only reasons I think they might be against this is because they just did a black and green engine last time. So again, Rosie is safer, I think Mavis and green Thomas would be better in my opinion.

These are just my last-minute thoughts, feel free to disagree or share your thoughts as well. Hopefully the catalog gets uploaded digitally this weekend.