Fair point. Just thought that I should spread the word for anyone who missed the post the first time.

Here is a link for anyone who is desperate to make their own troublesome trucks with classic faces:

https://www.shapeways.com/shops/the-faces-of-trouble?s=0

Perhaps this could give Bachmann some ideas if Troublesome Truck #6 were to be announced next year.

I absolutely love the look of the new flat car with logs. The fact the new HO stock already has final images is pretty unusual, but great at the same time, as it means that they may get released sooner than usual.

I'm a little surprised that the narrow gauge carriages are not presented with concept art images too. Still dying to know if the carriages will be made in two different toolings!

Lastly, why is the switch tower in the catalog, but not the resin signal box?

Quote from: Chaz on February 18, 2019, 08:33:34 PM
As nice of an idea as that would be, I think it's almost obvious, if not inevitable, that they will go with the CGI designs for the characters in the new n scale range.

Doesn't mean that we can't replace the faces on the models with 3D printed faces or anything.

That's fair. I just think that basing the N scale models off the model series instead of the CGI era would make the models extra special, interesting, and really wow us older fans. I don't think that any of us could disagree with that .

At first, I was surprised and a little bit disappointed. However, after remembering that Rusty has not been released yet and that the coaches are still in the working stages (hopefully with two different toolings  ), it is understandable that no other narrow gauge products were announced just yet. I highly doubt that this is the end of the narrow gauge line, as so many people are interested in seeing more products (Sir Handel, Peter Sam, and Brake Vans in particular).

It certainly is a shame that the Large Scale Thomas line has come to this. I've actually heard from a few other Thomas fans that Bachmann is not going to make anymore products for the line because there are not enough people interested (specifically in the United States), although I'm not 100% sure if this is true. Perhaps one of the Bachmann reps can let us know what is going on.

Considering that the new N Scale Thomas line is targeted to older fans, imagine if Bachmann really surprised us with basing the models off the model series, specifically Thomas and Percy's faces:

         

This would make things much more interesting, since the faces of the HO models are based off promotional art and the faces of the large scale models are based off the CGI era.

If Bachmann took this approach, I may even consider collecting the line.

Does anyone know when the 2019 catalog will be up? I'm very curious to see what the new HO rolling stock looks like, as well as (possibly) the final images of the narrow gauge coaches. Still hoping the coaches are two different toolings!

These are all definitely fair points, but considering that next year is Thomas' 75th Anniversary, I do hope that Bachmann can at least make one more HO engine with a new tooling that fans have been screaming for. Stepney and Daisy are the most ideal candidates for sure. Both are classic characters that would close off the classic group of engines in a unique way. Afterwards, I would be perfectly fine with Bachmann making characters such as Sidney, making existing engines with different facial expressions, or not making anymore new HO engines altogether, since most of their attention would go to narrow gauge and the new n scale line.

But can our dear licencor agree to this? I truly hope so.

While seeing that many people are desperate to start a new predictions thread on the Bachmann 2020 Thomas range, and that next year is a very special year for Thomas (Thomas' 75th Anniversary), I thought that it would not hurt to start one now. I'm just going to start with a general list of what I would like, and expect to see.

HO Scale
Stepney, Daisy, or LBSC Thomas
Troublesome Truck #6
Flat Wagon with a new load (paint drums, oil drums, pipes, or crates)
Resin Buildings: https://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/board/index.php/topic,34707.0.html

Narrow Gauge
Peter Sam

N Scale
James
Tankers
Spiteful Brake Van

Large Scale
LBSC Thomas
Red Circus Van
Blue Circus Van

Well, here it is. The 2019 Announcements! Honestly, my thoughts on this line up have changed within the past few hours. At first glance, I was very disappointed to see no new resin buildings, no new narrow gauge items, and not even Troublesome Truck #6, considering how much time and effort many of us put into our posts on these. But while looking through the announcements again, I saw that these aren't as bad as people are making them out to be.

For starters, Bachmann is bringing back the flat car! I am very excited to see that it is being reintroduced with a log load and am curious to know if the logs will be made out of plastic or real wood. The other rolling stock looks interesting as well, especially the mining wagon as it comes with a load. I'm also assuming that the scrap wagon will look like the discontinued Hornby model. Overall, I look forward to seeing these in the catalog, as none of them appear to be gimmicky designs.

Moving on to Red Rosie, as many people have already stated, announcing her with the updated paint scheme was inevitable. Nothing more to say there.

N Scale Thomas is something that I have mixed feelings about. Honestly, I'm very surprised that Bachmann decided to start the line now considering the cost of new toolings. I really hope that the cost of the new toolings that will have to go to this line does not cause problems when introducing items with new toolings for the other lines, especially narrow gauge.

As for large scale, I have a feeling that it has reached the end of the line. For next year, I could see Bachmann announcing some circus vans and an LBSC Thomas to celebrate the 75th Anniversary, but nothing more than that.

Lastly, with there being no new toolings for this years line up outside of the new n scale line, I am now really hoping that this means that the red and blue narrow gauge coaches will be made in two different toolings.

A new narrow gauge loco and (hopefully) a return of the resin buildings.

As we are now just one week away from the announcements, I thought that I should post my final predictions:

HO Scale
-Reintroduced Salty, Sidney, or Red Rosie (would love to see Stepney or Daisy, but they seem extremely unlikely at this point)
-Troublesome Truck #6 (Tanker or Van)
-Reintroduced Flat Car (two variants: paint drums & oil drums)

Narrow Gauge
-Peter Sam

Resin Buildings (Wishful Thinking)
-Any of these: http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/board/index.php/topic,34707.0.html

Large Scale
-Red Coach
-Red Brake Coach

or

-Troublesome Truck #3 (Van)
-Circus Van- Red
-Circus Van- Blue

Quote from: Metal on January 19, 2019, 11:57:02 PM
However, I'm aware that I'm the minority here, but I do think Ryan would the best character to meet a happy compromise.
Think about it he's a CGI character yes but at the same time he feels like one that would fit in the classic series, a widely appealing character to both younger and older fans alike, and he would bring color contrast to the range. Plus there's a catch seeing how Daisy and Ryan make up a duo. It would increase a demand for Daisy which would already be considered superfluous. When we got Duck, there was a demand for Oliver.

Overall if we get a new engine with new tooling for HO/OO, Ryan is my best anticipation, if he happens to be announced I actually wouldn't mind picking him up.

That's my two cents.

I'd like to hear your thoughts.

While I do agree that Ryan is probably the best CGI option as far as a new HO loco is concerned, I still believe that if Bachmann is going to announce a new loco with a new tooling in HO, the next one should be Daisy or Stepney, especially after seeing the Fall 2018 TCA video. Ryan would indeed be a good seller, but Daisy and Stepney would be great sellers. It's basically the difference between the sales of Duck or Oliver (classic characters) and Paxton (strong CGI character). Perhaps if Bachmann were to announce Daisy or Stepney first, their strong sales would increase the chances of them announcing Ryan afterwards? Thoughts?

However, I still concur with Chaz on that a new loco in HO for this year is unlikely.

Quote from: Rodimus Supreme on January 21, 2019, 12:02:53 PM
I just remembered something. Bachmann COULD do a brown/black mail van is they wanted to, because there was briefly a brown/black mail van with a Troublesome Truck face seen in the show before. I could've sworn there was one in Toad Stands By, But I can only find a pic at this link from a different episode: http://ttte.wikia.com/wiki/Troublesome_Trucks

Oliver Owns Up  . It would be interesting to see Bachmann pull off a troublesome mail car, but I think that the next one should be a tanker or ventilated van.

I was going to post this in the "Bachmann Thomas & Friends in 2019" thread, but after seeing that this is exclusive to the resin building range, I thought that it would be more appropriate to post this here. Anyways, Bachmann UK has announced their 2019 range: https://www.hattons.co.uk/NewsDetail.aspx?id=442

It's nice to see that there are many new narrow gauge buildings announced that are "slate themed". I like the look of the new slate built engine shed:



Am hoping that Bachmann will announce a narrow gauge engine shed for the Thomas line that is shorter in length, but consists of two stalls, as discussed earlier in this thread.

The same can be said for the newly announced narrow gauge slate worker's cottage:



It has a nice rectangular shape to it, but I still completely agree with Plow Bender on that the one from the episode "Bulldog" has a very special look to it. I can't explain what it is though:

 

I also wonder if this means that there is greater chance that the Bachmann Thomas resin building range will have some new additions this year too. Unfortunately, just like everything else recently discussed, I don't have my hopes up high, but would love to be pleasantly surprised too.