Rusty illustration

[Rodimus Supreme]

It's been almost a year and a half and still not even a prototype.... A little worried about Rusty...

Oliver went two years without any news, I think Rusty is fine.

[InsideTrack]

Here's a FINAL image of Rusty. NO DELIVERY DATE YET!

[Chaz]

Well Rusty's design choice isn't entirely surprising.  I'd be lying if I told you it was my ideal choice but at the same time I came into this thinking that they were going to go with the CG render as a reference as they have done here.

That being said, this is nothing new from Bachmann.  Mattel has more control over how aesthetics look for the model, and naturally they were going to go with the design that people are most familiar with today which is the CG render.  For what it is though, Bachmann did a great job capturing Rusty in his CG render so I can't complain about the models overall design.  It's not as incredible as Skarloey and Rheneas but it's still a nice looking model.

Overall, not as impressed as I would like but not really let down either.  The Bachmann Rusty deserves credit where credit is due and it did a spot on job of making him match his CG render.  I'll still be picking this model up and sharing further thoughts on it when it's released. 

So... do some of you guys still want Bachmann to make Duncan now considering how Rusty turned out?  For me, I can safely say that a model Duncan would be a pass from me.  Now it really does narrow my hopes for just Peter Sam at this point (since there's no telling if Bachmann has measurements for Sir Handel yet).

[Anthony P2]

Defiantly going to be getting Rusty! Might have to pass on Duncan if his model based off the CGI render. Would defiantly get him if Bachmann used Douglas' proportions for their 009 version. Defiantly will be getting the rest of the NG engines though. Im quite content with the CGI renders of the rest of the NG engines so I would have no problem purchasing 009 models based off of them.im sure Bachmann will do a great job as always with their 009 RTR models. I'll be repainting and modifying the 009 models down the line (pun intended) with 3D printed kits as well as a RWS livery but I feel Duncan's model would be harder to modify. Will defiantly preorder Rusty soon!

[Cheeky_ULP]

Should've taken design inspiration from Midlander, rather than the CG render. Hate to say it but now Bachmanns gonna miss out on all the kitbasher market potential that made Skarloey sell out more than once. I can't see many people wanting to make Midlander out of a CGI Rusty. This issue already seems to be starting, as the person who made kitbashing kits for Skarloey and Rheneas will not be doing so for Rusty: https://twitter.com/2a_rail/status/1031997221292662787

While I am personally alright with the CGI Rusty, as will other people in the Thomas community, sticking to his CGI design is going to restrict his market much more than Skarloey and Rheneas. The reason Skarloey sold so well is because he was literally a Talyllyn model in Thomas colors. Rheneas was closer to his CGI model than he was Dolgoch, and had slightly less successful sale numbers as a result, from what I last researched.

Please skip Duncan, Arc did a very poor job with his CGI render that barely resembles the character at all. It's a wonder Duncans CGI design was approved. Peter Sam has the best and most accurate CGI model in relation to his prototype Edward Thomas, so if they do another engine, do Peter Sam. I'd love Sir Handel, but his CGI model does not make an overtly accurate Sir Haydn (his prototype).

You know what, I say skip the middle man and make Stepney before he gets tainted by CGI.

[Toad139]

I am pretty happy with Rusty's final model. The larger face never really bothered me in the show, so I'm fine with it. The only thing I don't like are the vents on his side because they aren't accurate to his basis or the model series. However, That isn't Bachmann's fault considering they are taken from the CG model.

As for Chaz's question, I still have mixed feelings about a Bachmann Duncan. I would probably feel the same way I do about Oliver. Oliver is very nice, but he was also very disappointing just because of how terrible his CG model is. It just really annoys me thinking about how much better he could have looked if he was based off his classic series model. I'm sure Duncan will look good if he is made, but his bad CGI design will hold Bachmann back from making him great.

[TerencetheTractor525]

Overall, Rusty looks good. I'm honestly not surprised that the model is based off the CGI Era, considering how different Rusty's basis currently looks. The only thing that somewhat disappoints me is the absence of an open cab; I'm assuming that this has to do with the motor, which is understandable.

As for a Bachmann Duncan, if the model is based off Douglas (his basis), then I will purchase him. However, if Duncan is based off his awful CGI render, then I will take a pass. I'll leave it at that.

[Kemptown Branch]

I may be one of few with this opinion, but I think it looks really good.

[Chaz]

Personally I really do not mind the overall design of Rusty, but I can see why someone who would prefer the models to be more accurate to its basis to take a pass on it.  I think it will probably sell okay, not as high as Skarloey and Rheneas but I don't think it will fall flat like Rosie or Paxton would.

I also find it really, really interesting how literally everyone who responded to the question on Duncan earlier mentioned that they would either pass on Duncan or suggest skipping him entirely.  Personally I agree with these statements, since while I don't have an issue with Rusty's design, I was appalled at how horrible Duncan's render is by comparison.  At least Rusty's render has some charm to it with the extra details and the accurate chassis.

I definitely agree on Peter Sam being the next choice for a narrow gauge engine.  He would easily have the right sales power Bachmann would need for the narrow gauge range.  Personally I don't mind Sir Handel's render, I think it looks miles better than most of the other renders on the show, but I think Peter Sam should be done first.  Then after Peter Sam and Sir Handel, then I would consider Duncan or possibly a different narrow gauge engine at that point, or better yet just skip Duncan entirely if he is going to be based on his render like Rusty was.

If anyone ever does a thread for engines people don't want, I would definitely put Duncan on there for sure, along with Nia and Rebecca (for obvious reasons).

[Toad139]

I also find it really, really interesting how literally everyone who responded to the question on Duncan earlier mentioned that they would either pass on Duncan or suggest skipping him entirely.  

I don't think I would skip Duncan entirely. I really do think he will be a nice model no matter what he is based on. Oliver was still really nice despite his CG model having just as many flaws, and I still picked him up. I just think that basing Duncan off the model series or his real life basis would make the model much nicer.

[Angelob6660]

I hope Rusty has that open door panel since its on the other side of the locomotive.

I agree that the grills on the top panel on Rusty are the CG render but I do I like the old look of the smooth panel. I don't mind the face length but I looks like season 6 or 7.

[TrainFan97]

I'm okay with Rusty in his CGI design, since his render is FAR better than Duncan's. If Bachmann makes Duncan solely based on his awful CGI render, I think I'll pass too. They MUST do Peter Sam next.

Bachmann Oliver was still successful, but he would've been even more successful if he was based on his model series design, but nope, Arc Productions just HAD to give Oliver a really bad and blatantly undersized CGI render, so we can't blame Bachmann. Blame Arc Productions (now Jam Filled) and Mattel. I still enjoyed Bachmann Oliver though.

For HO Scale, I'd say Bachmann needs to make Stepney before CGI ruins him. He's a simple tank engine.

[Chaz]

It's interesting how Oliver has been brought into discussion when discussing poorly done renders, but I feel like there is a difference between Oliver being done in his render vs how Duncan would do in his render.

When it comes to the narrow gauge range, the biggest market out there for that range is modifying the engines to look like their real life basis. With Skarloey, he was all ready to go as he had the right design of Talyllyn and was painted in the correct livery and had the right face used on the show.  While it seemed to be an issue for some people already, I feel like Rusty would at the very least have a good chassis and have the right details in his render to justify decent sales.  He won't reach Skarloey and Rheneas level of sales, but I think that's expected.  I personally think he will do okay overall.  Duncan on the other hand who has no details on his render and looking so poor overall to the other narrow gauge engines wouldn't do so hot, as responses on here have shown.  It's why I feel Duncan should be skipped entirely and Bachmann should bother with Peter Sam, as he not only has a more popular demand, but both Peter Sam's render and basis are fairly similar and would allow a handful of conversions and would have the same strong sales that Skarloey had.

Oliver is an entirely different field altogether. When it comes to buying the standard gauge characters, people who generally buy models from this range are buying them because they are fully aware that they look more like the characters on the show. Real life conversions of the standard gauge characters are a lot more rare, and nowhere near as apparent as the narrow gauge range. The narrow gauge range actually depends on the real life basis accuracy in order to have strong sales. The standard gauge engines do not. Oliver having such strong sales (even outselling almost half the steam team in the process) had nothing to do with his render, but more along the lines of people buying the character because they want it for the character, nothing to do with the design with the model or even matching the real life basis for Oliver.  (The CG render doesn't even come close to matching a real 14xx).  Plus, with the Hornby model being so hard to come by, it's clear that there is no other market available for Oliver, other than the Bachmann model which is why I feel why Oliver sold so well and why Duncan in comparison wouldn't.

[Toad139]

Yeah, I guess I wasn't really thinking about it in that way when it came to the Duncan/Oliver thing. You are probably right when it comes to Duncan then. It better off just to skip him, unless he is directly modeled after his basis.

[Captain Crutch]

It wouldn't surprise me if Bachmann did make Duncan's model based on Douglas as Jam Filled has expressed an interest in fixing some of the models in the series. They already promised a corrected coach model, I don't see why they wouldn't proceed to making Duncan look better. But that's just speculation, but look, the new coaches aren't based of their ugly CGI counterparts, so who knows really.
Just food for thought.

HLCR