Question for Bach-man

[Country Joe]

Why does Bachmann make so few road names and only one cab number per road? I think they could sell many more engines and cars by painting and lettering them for different roads. They also seem to offer the same roads and numbers for years. I have been waiting for a New York Central 2-8-0 for years.

I'm not complaining, just wondering. Bachmann makes NYC models. I have the ten wheeler, the GP7 is on order, and I will be ordering the RS3 and doodlebug. It just seems they could sell more by offering more roads.

Thanks.

[in_eden]

Please don't forget that the NYC ran one heck of a heavy 4-8-2. They called theirs "Mohawks" though. You'd need an NYC tender, add some box-pox drivers... then make several versions. With and without deflectors, later era boiler fronts... Make a couple of road numbers each... I think you'd sell a lot.

It's like the B&O. Why not a heavy 4-8-2 for the B&O? They pretty much ended the steam era on the road as the mainstay along with the EM-1 (which is coming in HO this year... lucky...) T3s and T4s could be easily derived from the current 4-8-2 model.

4-6-0 in B&O would be pretty logical as well...

B&O also had some pretty famous 2-10-2's.

Why make skipgear continue to build his own?

[skipgear]

The problem is, the boilers for all those mentioned are radically different than the current offerings from Bachmann. It would require tooling a new boiler for one road. The problem is, where do they draw the line on "close enough"?

I have been searching since the 4-6-0 was released for a "close enough" B&O 4-6-0 so that I can number mine. NERails posted one a couple weeks ago that is finally what I consider close enough to use that number.

The B&O 2-10-2 is a radically different boiler, it would take more than paint and a tender to come close to the USRA 2-10-2.

The B&O / BRP Mountains, that is one that could be pulled off with the correct tender and a new pilot. That would be a close enough for me. If the EM-1 comes to N...then the right tender will be available, or at least a close enough.

The NYC Mohawks were larger loco's than the USRA Heavy with larger drivers. Slapping a Mohawk boiler on a Bachmann's Heavy mountain just wouldn't look right.

[in_eden]

I was envisioning new boiler castings (big six). Make it a premeir loco, specific to the B&O market.
I suppose the Mohawk would require too much new of everything... pretty much a new model.
Your other idea of an EM-1 would help with the B&O wishes...
Eh... someone will make some of this stuff someday... probably...