Future suggestions/predictions thread

[really called Thomas]

If they do do a classic breakdown train it will probably be a faceless Judy/Jerome expect no modifications . With that being said, I do think it's a good idea.

The faces on the all Troublesome Trucks and Spiteful are removeable (certainly for HO, not sure about the other scales); kill two birds with one stone and design the Breakdown Train with detachable Judy/Jerome faces.

EDIT: this has got be thinking, as the Engines faces are also removeable, how about a "Faces Pack" for each character? Have 5 different faces or so - neutral, smiley, sleepy, cross, shocked... that can be easily interchanged with the original.

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I actually have removed the faces of duplicates of the Troublesome trucks and put them on other trucks. I have gray trucks that have faces of Troublesome Trucks 3-5. The only truck I haven't gotten a duplicate of is Troublesome Truck 6. But I'll find a time to get one and use the face for another tanker. Regarding removable faces for the engines, that's a great idea. With Shapeways pretty much history, now is the time for Bachmann to make faces packs.

[DustyMarie53!]

Kato, which distributes Bachmann Thomas in Japan have already launched their own face pack line for over there. So I doubt it's something Bachmann themselves will undertake, but I'd definitely be interested in them doing so.  Plus Diesel's separate sale and the faces not technically meant to come off inherently without having to take them off themselves. It's unlikely Bachmann themselves would take up this kind of product. Fans can just add the faces they want themselves.

[Luke22]

If they do do a classic breakdown train it will probably be a faceless Judy/Jerome expect no modifications . With that being said, I do think it's a good idea.

The faces on the all Troublesome Trucks and Spiteful are removeable (certainly for HO, not sure about the other scales); kill two birds with one stone and design the Breakdown Train with detachable Judy/Jerome faces.

EDIT: this has got be thinking, as the Engines faces are also removeable, how about a "Faces Pack" for each character? Have 5 different faces or so - neutral, smiley, sleepy, cross, shocked... that can be easily interchanged with the original.

Considering Ryan's face popped off too easily when I got mine, that's actually a pretty good idea! Plus if they want to, especially for the classic characters, they could make either more classic faces and/or CGI faces especially for those characters that were released from 2002 to 2013 (except Diesel who got a CGI style face). That could be something to consider down the line if they wanted to...

[harrison05]

Kato, which distributes Bachmann Thomas in Japan have already launched their own face pack line for over there.

Wait those got launched because those images we saw on twitter were prototypes, and lets hope we can get faces for James and especially Percy.

[DustyMarie53!]

Kato, which distributes Bachmann Thomas in Japan have already launched their own face pack line for over there.

Wait those got launched because those images we saw on twitter were prototypes, and lets hope we can get faces for James and especially Percy.

Correct, the happy face launched officially via their website. I don't believe the other two faces they advertised have yet however

[DustyMarie53!]

Wanted to perform an interest check regarding a potential future character. That being Connor from the later CGI series. Now, obviously Hiro should come first. I'm not suggesting he doesn't. However, I was thinking for big engines beyond Hiro, and Connor specifically caught my eye. Beau had a wide appeal, likely by being such an iconic American steam locomotive with a face. I feel Connor, being a Hudson, could in fact reach a similar demographic. Bachmann are already producing their own Hudsons so they could use that experience to go into producing the similar design of Connor (they will not reuse the existing models; Doug has already clarified this during Thomas Tuesday. However, a similar development process could still be employed).

My question is, would people here be interested in buying a Connor? Would you be excited if he was announced, or do you think there is a better candidate from CGI for future tender engines, if any? Would you rather the line just focusses on remaining CGI small engines because there are in fact a lot of them? Would you rather they lead with Caitlin instead and use her to springboard on potentially making her basis in the normal HO line?  I'd love to hear everyone's thoughts on the matter.

[JLK2707]

I would!;)

[MrNormalDraws]

I don't mind buying Connor, but I wonder if that leads into making Caitlin as the two go together.

[harrison05]

I'd like a Connor and like others said hopefully that leads to a Caitlin i'm just dying for a Hiro first.

[Zorran202]

The only thing for Connor is that the pricing will be a challenge in a way... The Rebecca model is already expensive enough as a tender engine as she is, so the only way I can see Bachmann considering Connor is if they kind of reuse parts from the Hudson model they use, like the wheels for example, to at least keep the pricing down even just between more Beau's RRP and less Rebecca's RRP... Just like how Stanley looks like he reuses Thomas' wheels (w/ updated siderods) and/or Ryan reusing Oliver's wheel's, that'll be hopefully something they can consider.

Just out of curiosity, is there a set amount that Rebecca has to sell in order to greenlight Hiro's model (like 100 units/models of Rebecca for example?)?

[Mulfred100]

Wanted to perform an interest check regarding a potential future character. That being Connor from the later CGI series. Now, obviously Hiro should come first. I'm not suggesting he doesn't. However, I was thinking for big engines beyond Hiro, and Connor specifically caught my eye. Beau had a wide appeal, likely by being such an iconic American steam locomotive with a face. I feel Connor, being a Hudson, could in fact reach a similar demographic. Bachmann are already producing their own Hudsons so they could use that experience to go into producing the similar design of Connor (they will not reuse the existing models; Doug has already clarified this during Thomas Tuesday. However, a similar development process could still be employed).

My question is, would people here be interested in buying a Connor? Would you be excited if he was announced, or do you think there is a better candidate from CGI for future tender engines, if any? Would you rather the line just focusses on remaining CGI small engines because there are in fact a lot of them? I'd love to hear everyone's thoughts on the matter.

He'll be too expensive and there's alot you aren't taking in to account for Connor. Firstly I can't see Mattel greenlighting Connor without Caitlin so I feel like even though both engines have their own arc in the series, However I think Mattel will still want them to be released together not one without the other. I mean thats kind of the point of them both to being with. Then there's their coaches too which would require new tooling because you can't really release Connor or/and Caitlin without their coaches too pull so that's more money for Bachmann to have to spend on tooling. I mean yes once you have a coach you can just repaint it and sell multiple units for their rake of coaches but it's still a cost. At least with Hiro and Rebecca it's just the cost for the engine. They haven't got any specific rolling stock they need and they aren't tired too heavily marketing wise with any other engines (who isn't already available) as I say I think Connor is too heavily tied to Caitlin to make alone then when you do add Caitlin into the mix the price doubles because now you need to make two big tender engines not just the lone one. Plus the added difficulty of Connor being a Hudson while Caitlin is a P-7 so it's not like Donald and Douglas where it's essentially the same tooling.

[DustyMarie53!]

He'll be too expensive and there's alot you aren't taking in to account for Connor. Firstly I can't see Mattel greenlighting Connor without Caitlin so I feel like even though both engines have their own arc in the series, However I think Mattel will still want them to be released together not one without the other. I mean thats kind of the point of them both to being with. Then there's their coaches too which would require new tooling because you can't really release Connor or/and Caitlin without their coaches too pull so that's more money for Bachmann to have to spend on tooling. I mean yes once you have a coach you can just repaint it and sell multiple units for their rake of coaches but it's still a cost. At least with Hiro and Rebecca it's just the cost for the engine. They haven't got any specific rolling stock they need and they aren't tired too heavily marketing wise with any other engines (who isn't already available) as I say I think Connor is too heavily tied to Caitlin to make alone then when you do add Caitlin into the mix the price doubles because now you need to make two big tender engines not just the lone one. Plus the added difficulty of Connor being a Hudson while Caitlin is a P-7 so it's not like Donald and Douglas where it's essentially the same tooling.

Except Mattel themselves have had multiple wave releases of either just Caitlin, or just Connor. They aren't locked at the hip. Same as say, them not having to announce a Porter alongside a Salty reintroduction. Mattel have also only ever made their coaches once, so once again, not a requirement on their end. So, there's no real reason to assume Bachmann would be locked into either. It's also not like Bachmann is strangers of selling stuff like Toad in N scale without Oliver or having the express coaches not in the HO line for years. I do agree he would be expensive however that's exactly why I'm arguing in favor of him. Being the engine type he is has the most likelihood to mitigate that high production cost based on Beau, that I don't think any other tender engine (aside from Hiro) could reach. But same point could be made maybe that's why big engines simply aren't worth pursuing anymore, which I raised in the original comment.

[DustyMarie53!]

Just out of curiosity, is there a set amount that Rebecca has to sell in order to greenlight Hiro's model (like 100 units/models of Rebecca for example?)?

Unknown, just Doug Blaine suggesting that future tender engines are up to Rebecca. I will say preliminary trainworld data is good. She's in the top 15 of wishlisted preorders on Trainworld right now. Even if this isn't inherently equal to sales if everyone who has her wishlisted buys her that'll make her a huge success. It's also worth noting how DCC Thomas and N scale Gordon are also high on the wishlist end, and we know they were within the top 3 of Thomas preorders for a while. So again, a good sign.

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Is there a link to ordering the Kato happy face for Thomas? I can't seem to find it.