Future suggestions/predictions thread

[Stephen62]

I'd really like to see in the future for
Ho scale engines:
Murdoch
Flying Scotsman (double tenders)
Derek
Boco
Arthur
Wilbert
16
Sidney
Nia

Narrow gauge engines:
Duke
Duncan
Smudger
Mighty Mac
Freddie

HO rolling stock:
Troublesome slate trucks (as seen in journey beyond sodor)
L&b long wagons
China clay wagons
Rocky the crane
Breakdown train set
Old branch line coaches
Orange branch line coaches
Flatbed with paint drums (reintroduced)
Well wagon (reintroduced)
Tar wagon (reintroduced)
Circus train set
Brown mail van (with 2 axels)
Brown cattle wagon (reintroduced)

Narrow gauge rolling stock:
Green open coaches
Gun powder tanker van
Flatbed

[Chaz]

On the flip side of a range ending, does anyone think Bachmann will make an On30 line of products. They can't do O Scale, as Lionel own the rights, but would that apply to On30 as well?

Forgot to respond to this earlier, sorry about that. I think the same logic applies for On30 that Bachmann would need to acquire the license to produce O gauge Thomas products in order to make On30 products.  Since Lionel still has the license to produce O gauge Thomas products and has announced new products as recent as this year, it's unlikely Bachmann will be obtaining that license anytime soon. 

Now Bachmann is making Talyllyn models in OO9, so maybe Bachmann can think outside the box and introduce Talyllyn models in On30 too? The On30 crowd would have a major field day over these, and Thomas modelers would happily purchase them and convert them to models of Skarloey and sales would go over the roof!  Wishful thinking, I'm sure, but one can dream...

[JLK2707]

Hopefully they will do Duncan, but I would just want him in either the RWS design or the TV series design before the CGI.

[Stephen62]

Hopefully they will do Duncan, but I would just want him in either the RWS design or the TV series design before the CGI.

I agree. I like all the narrow gauge engines better in the model series

[BubbleBuddyFan]

I will be to do Unpainted Thomas Rolling Stock with Hook and Loop Coupling System (Hooks Included) at some point in the future! That would be nice! Unpainted Thomas Tank Wagon with Hook and Loop Coupling System (Hooks Included) would be nice.

[Sodor-dan_da_man]

On the flip side of a range ending, does anyone think Bachmann will make an On30 line of products. They can't do O Scale, as Lionel own the rights, but would that apply to On30 as well?

Forgot to respond to this earlier, sorry about that. I think the same logic applies for On30 that Bachmann would need to acquire the license to produce O gauge Thomas products in order to make On30 products.  Since Lionel still has the license to produce O gauge Thomas products and has announced new products as recent as this year, it's unlikely Bachmann will be obtaining that license anytime soon. 

 

There is one potential way Bachmann could make 0 gauge thomas range. Gain the world wide rights or rest of world rights for a license and sell through Bachmann Europe.  Before the ho range was officially in the UK some shops bought them and stocked them from the US. For years it was our only way of getting them. And since Lionel don't seem to be wanting or making new characters it would be a void that Bachmann could fill. As I understand it Lionel has only the north American rights. But there is also further potential that 0 gauge by Bachmann could be done as at one point both made g scale thomas engines. So there's always potential but who knows what will or could happen

[Zekeism]

Is it August when we normally get announcements for Thomas stuff, I can never remember?

[Kemptown Branch]

Yeah, I think we'll get new announcements at the NMRA show this upcoming weekend.

[JLK2707]

I hope we just get the Old Coaches soon,

[TrainFan97]

Well, with the NMRA announcements out of the way, it'll be another several months before we get the 2024 catalog.

With Diesel and Paxton coming to N Scale, that would make Sidney, 'Arry and Bert also possible for N Scale. The former has yet to be announced for HO or Large Scale, while the latter two were discontinued in HO Scale. I'd love for Bachmann to finally make Sidney. If he can't be made in HO Scale because of problems with the eye mechanism, he can still be made in Large Scale and N Scale. They fixed Paxton's eye mechanism for Large Scale, so Sidney shouldn't be a problem for Large Scale, while N Scale is too small for an eye mechanism, so his face would look perfect in N Scale too. If 'Arry and Bert were to be made in N Scale, Bachmann should give them more distinctive and malicious faces, as their faces being too similar is what got their HO Scale models to flop.

The next (partial) new tooling for N Scale has to be Henry, so I'm still hoping he can be in the 2024 catalog. As said many times before, Henry would recycle Gordon's chassis, but without the trailing wheels. Now that we're getting the Express Coaches, for N Scale rolling stock, I'd like to see Red Coaches, Red Open Wagon, Coal Wagon w/ Load, and maybe a generic Brake Van. Other new toolings for N Scale I'd also love to see include Duck and Oliver. The latter because we're getting Toad soon, so I'm also hoping we'll get Oliver at some point. If a new tooling isn't viable in early 2024, maybe we'll get Sidney alongside 'Arry and Bert. Could Sidney become the first character in N Scale that doesn't already exist in HO Scale?

For HO Scale, Bachmann would rather see how well Rebecca sells before tackling Hiro, and with Stanley announced, that's another popular request out of the way. The most possible new toolings could be Whiff or Nia, or recolors like Green Salty or Fernando. Because Fernando's tooling exists, maybe the Brazilian diesel could get his first piece of merchandise. The Works Unit Coach would be a great idea for a new rolling stock tooling.

With Narrow Gauge having a long backlog, with Duncan just being announced, along with the Gunpowder Wagons, I can't imagine the 2024 catalog would get anything for that, but I still hope Mattel would let Bachmann make Smudger using Rheneas' tooling. That way, model series engines can get back into the picture.

[JLK2707]

2024 bachmann Thomas range suggestions:

HO Scale:

Engines:

Whiff
Nia
Fernando
Sidney
Ulli
Scruff
Flying Scotsman

Rolling Stock:

TAR tanker wagon
Old coaches
Season 1 troublesome truck
Hannah
Toffee tanker wagon
Chocolate syrup tanker wagon
Breakdown train with works unit coach
Standard tanker wagon
Circus flatbed

Road vehicles:

Trevor
Ace
Caroline

Narrow Gauge:

Luke
Millie
Narrow gauge breakdown crane
Troublesome slate cars

N scale:

Edward
Henry
Duck
Oliver
'Arry
Bert
Sidney
Fernando
'Ulli
TAR tanker wagon
Tidmouth Milk tanker wagon
Brake van
Cream tanker wagon
Raspberry syrup tanker wagon
Toffee tanker wagon
Chocolate syrup tanker wagon
Mavis
Hannah

Large scale:

Edward
Mavis
Sidney
Fernando
'Arry and Bert
Henrietta
Hannah

[N Scale Sudrian]

I don't know what to expect from Bachmann given how fruitful these mid-year announcements were. I suppose the 2024 Catalog announcements could be more stripped back much like 2023's, with the more hard-hitting announcements saved for 2024's NMRA show...? But regardless, here's my thoughts on what the next new loco tools for the 'Thomas' lines could be.

I think Nia being the next HO locomotive is more or less guaranteed. Stanley seemed like the only new tool that could come before her, and now that he's out, I can't think of another new character that has a chance of making it in before her. I know everybody wants to see Hiro, but I think his sheer size makes him a long ways away from happening right now...

Since there are currently two Narrow Gauge locos awaiting development, I don't think we'll see a new one announced at least until Sir Handel and Duncan have either had major progress or are close to release. That said, I think Victor and Luke are the obvious next steps. Or rather, the only next steps, given the only other Narrow Gauge loco in the 'CGI' series is Millie. All three would be nice to see in the line, but I think once all three have been made, they are going to need to break into the 'Model Era' lineup in order to have more characters... But that is a problem for much further down the road.

For Large Scale, with the exceptions of potential exclusive characters, I think the best choices for new characters would be Edward, Rosie, and Stanley. Edward is obvious, but Rosie and Stanley are both Thomas-sized locomotives and would likely be received more enthusiastically than another Class 08. (It would likely be for the best if only the Red Rosie is made in LS, though. Putting out both variants would likely be a bad move.) That is, of course, if we can ever see a new character...

Lastly, my niche, N Scale... Henry and Edward are inevitable, and Henry seems more likely to come first given his commonalities with Gordon. I could see him being announced in the 2024 Catalog, but also could see him saved for the 2023 NMRA slate. Not sure.

[TrainFan97]

After Stanley, the next new tooling for HO Scale would have to be Nia. Progress has been made on Rebecca, and will likely soon be shown in the unpainted stage. The next Trainworld stream will likely show HO Scale Rebecca unpainted, and/or N Scale Emily fully painted.

With all six of the original Narrow Gauge engines (that appeared in CGI) announced, it's only a matter of time before Mattel HAS to start letting Bachmann make model series characters like Duke in order to expand the range further, with only Victor, Luke and Millie left from the CGI series. They could easily recycle Rheneas' tooling to make Smudger.

Henry is inevitable for N Scale, and is the most likely to be announced in the 2024 catalog, given his commonalities with Gordon. Would be nice to have Edward as well, so as to complete the original Steam Team in N Scale. It may not take too long for Bachmann to get Diesel and Paxton out there, since they'd most likely just scale down the HO Scale tooling to work in N Scale. Diesel's tooling also has potential recolors like Sidney, 'Arry and Bert. It would be nice if Sidney could become the first character in N Scale that doesn't already exist in HO Scale. Other engines that would recycle Gordon's chassis in N Scale would include Spencer and Flying Scotsman. If Edward can't happen just yet, it would be nice if Henry and Spencer could get announced together, considering they'd both share the same chassis, but with Henry not having trailing wheels, and Spencer's trailing wheels being a bit different from Gordon's. Unlike Gordon and Henry, Spencer's body shape is streamlined, and might be an easier shape for Bachmann to make. Spencer would also bring the Special Coaches to N Scale, with hopefully a brake variant, unlike in HO Scale. For now, Henry is still the #1 priority for N Scale.

[Chaz]

I think Nia being the next HO locomotive is more or less guaranteed. Stanley seemed like the only new tool that could come before her, and now that he's out, I can't think of another new character that has a chance of making it in before her. I know everybody wants to see Hiro, but I think his sheer size makes him a long ways away from happening right now...

I am going to have to respectfully disagree with you on Hiro being a long way off for Bachmann, considering that Rebecca is in production now, who in hindsight might be a good sign that another tender engine is not off the table from being introduced.  I feel like the biggest reasons for Rebecca being introduced before Hiro (besides the obvious Mattel push), come down to her being a main character in the CGI seasons, (during its final years) and Rebecca is less detailed than Hiro thus being the cheaper of the two to produce.  That being said, I'd argue Hiro would actually be the perfect follow-up announcement after Rebecca since Rebecca is the first tender engine Bachmann had introduced in the range in a really, really long time and Hiro had a much higher demand and has a much bigger following, especially in Japan. However, I personally think if Rebecca turns out decent and sells well enough, then I see it as a really good opportunity for Bachmann to introduce Hiro as he would sell incredibly well and would have a very wide appeal for both younger and older audiences alike, despite the inevitable higher price the model would have.  So if there's one thing I can appreciate about Bachmann introducing Rebecca into the range is that it could mean that we as fans can expect more than just an engine repaint or new toolings going to only tank engines and diesels.  Similarly to how Bulgy was just introduced, it also means that Thomas fans can also expect more non-rail characters to join the range depending on how Bulgy's sales go, like Trevor or maybe Butch.

That being said, I don't disagree with you on Nia being an inevitable addition in the range too, but Hiro's had a much stronger demand before both Nia and Rebecca were even a thing, and a lot of people were disappointed that Rebecca was picked before Hiro for that reason alone.  So while Nia seems like the most obvious pick for the next HO engine, I personally think the better choice and overall higher seller would be Hiro.

[N Scale Sudrian]

I understand the demand for Hiro, but I also think it would be in Bachmann's best interest to not announce him until after Rebecca is either released or almost released. That said... I believe we're perhaps two or three years out from that? Which is plenty of time during which Bachmann can announce yet another new locomotive or two for the lineup, assuming they're willing to commit to anything during that time while also working on Rebecca and Stanley and whatever else the HO 'Thomas' design team may be cooking up... Announcing products that won't command a $300+ price tag (like they have with Stanley already) will be a comfort to consumers, surely.

(Granted even these smaller engines are commanding outragous prices, what with Stanley and the MIA Salty reissue commanding a higher price than Daisy, and Nia liable to be more expensive than Ryan given she's a medium-sized loco with an intricate set of valve gear that needs to be made from scratch... but even that pales in comparison to a prospective Hiro...)

I'm getting side tracked. The point is, if Bachmann waits until after Rebecca is either released or about to release, the consumer base essentially can get it both ways. That is, if Bachmann is willing to announce Nia while Rebecca/Stanley are in development, then announce Hiro after Rebecca's development is fully settled. Perhaps not an ironclad attack plan, but Bachmann has been overfilling their plate with 'Thomas' projects so frequently in the past few years that I could see them doing it anyway, ha ha.