Walthers' yearly name trains...

[Ken S.]

Seeing as to how they have no trains for the southeast thus far, I would guess that they would go with something down there, but since I model New England, I would like to see something up here at some point. I think the most popular would be NYC's "The New England States". I would love to see one of New Haven Trains (The Federal, Merchant's Limited, or another) done. Least likely to ever happen would be one the the Maine Trains (The Gull proabably having the most chance).

What's the difference between the New England States and the Twentieth Century Limited? Okay, I know there are differences, but Walthers just got done with an NYC series, so I doubt they will do another. Why the NES? Why not the James Whitcomb Riley or the Wolverine or...?

A New Haven train would be nice (Yankee Clipper, Merchants, Federal, etc), but again, regional roads like NH, D&H, B&M, MEC et al will most likely never make the list.

Southeastern railroads are a good candidate! There's a possibility we may someday see a B&O Royal Blue or a N&W Pocahontas or the Southern Crescent or Seaboard's Orange Blossom Special, or perhaps even the KCS's Southern Belle... Probably sooner than we would see a C&EI or FEC train.

-otto-

Besides that, they more or less did the D&H's streamliner a few years ago when they released the D&H PS Coach and Budd Dome. Plus, I don't think that PAs fit into the E/F powered streamliners they've been doing.

I for one though would look at every possible roadname for the Name Trains' second tier releases. NJT/NJDOT versions of the Empire Builder coaches could have been released for starters and someone mentioned the Auto-Train.

[Dieter]

Given the shaky economy, what with layoffs and foreclosures on the rise, anything is possible, including putting the project on hiatus.

The Hiawatha was clearly playing a favorite for the hometeam, and from the looks of the monthly flyer, Walther's seems to be stuck with a lot of leftover Hiawatha cars. Hey, wasn't The Milwaukee Road a regional? It did go halfway across the country before they whittled down the trackplan....

It was surprising to see the Broadway Limited come out on the heels of a train from the same neighborhood, let alone a parallel routing. Frankly, I was expecting to see The North Coast Limited, The City of New Orleans, a Zephyr or even the Wabash Cannonball before a PRR deal. I wouldn't rule out a New Haven or D&H train, The Phoebe Snow is definately in the cards, at least I hope so! We won't see "The Canadian" anytime soon since Rapido is coming out with a nice set but I have to wonder if Walther's will come out with "The Ocean Limited".

Walther's surprised me by releasing a full-length dome in CN as was featured on "The Super Continental", but they did not issue a Skytop Obs in CN, which ran on both "The Ocean Limited" and "The Chaleur". I get the feeling that with the present sale of a CN full-length dome, we won't be seeing "The Super Continental" anytime soon.

I wouldn't be surprised if the next featured train was "The Southern Crescent". We've seen the north, east and west catered to with Wisconsin name trains being worn out. Time to pay a little attention to the SOUTH?

D/

[Ken S.]

Walther's seems to be stuck with a lot of leftover Hiawatha cars.

Same with the Empire Builder cars.

[westr]

Hey, wasn't The Milwaukee Road a regional? It did go halfway across the country before they whittled down the trackplan....

Milwaukee did run to the west coast, but the Hiawatha Walthers released was the Twin Cities Hiawatha, which only ran between Chicago and Minneapolis. To reach the west coast they should have made the Olympian Hiawatha, but, among other things, they didn't make any sleepers and made the wrong skytop. Milwaukee had two kinds of Skytops. The Twin Cities Hiawatha had the Rapids-series Skytop that Walthers makes. The more-numerous Creek-series Skytops on the Olympian Hiawatha had bedrooms and a slightly longer skytop section. Maybe someday they'll make the rest of the cars for the Olympian Hiawatha (with matching Erie-Builts with the chrome on the nose)

Walther's surprised me by releasing a full-length dome in CN as was featured on "The Super Continental", but they did not issue a Skytop Obs in CN, which ran on both "The Ocean Limited" and "The Chaleur". I get the feeling that with the present sale of a CN full-length dome, we won't be seeing "The Super Continental" anytime soon.

Walthers didn't make the Skytop in CN because it's the wrong Skytop. Walthers makes the Rapids-series Skytop. CN only got the Creek-series Skytops. I think the cars Rapido makes are all Super Continental cars.

[Otto Vondrak]

The Hiawatha was clearly playing a favorite for the hometeam, and from the looks of the monthly flyer, Walther's seems to be stuck with a lot of leftover Hiawatha cars. Hey, wasn't The Milwaukee Road a regional? It did go halfway across the country before they whittled down the trackplan....

The Pacific Extension did go all the way to Portland and Seattle... Milkwaukee was a transcon until 1979... Yes, they have "regional" flavor, but the Milwaukee's bright colors and interesting equipment make it a very marketable road name. They probably made the "Rapids" series Skytop because the Cedar Rapids operates today behind MILW 261, so lots of "modern day" modelers could buy the obs for "excursion service" without feeling guilty.

-otto-

[Amtrak207]

I can see a Southern Crescent in a forthcoming run, or the Panama Limited.


-Tom

[Dieter]

Otto, you're right. Milwaukee had unique equipment that's sure to attract collectors on that factor alone. Most of the other lines, the cars were mostly the same, except for lounge cars and some of the diners. In the late 60's, somebody made a three unit articulated diner set, I think it may have been a "Daylight" set. That would be interesting to see.

How many trains can they do before running out of gas? L&N's "Hummingbird"? What was the big name train on the GM&O? We don't see many people modelling that line anymore, or perhaps we're not looking in the right places. KCS, MKT, Western Pacific, SCL -- They will probably do an SP "Daylight" train next.

D/

[westr]

the Milwaukee's bright colors and interesting equipment make it a very marketable road name.

Walthers also gave it a boost by following it with the UP trains. After 1955, some Milwaukee cars, mostly coaches and baggage cars, ran in the UP City trains.

In the late 60's, somebody made a three unit articulated diner set, I think it may have been a "Daylight" set. That would be interesting to see.

Southern Pacific had triple-unit diners for the Coast Daylight, Shasta Daylight, Lark and Cascade. Each train used a different design. The first were the ones for the Coast Daylight, dating back to the late 30s.

They will probably do an SP "Daylight" train next.

I don't know about that. Broadway Limited/Precision Craft and MTH have both already done the Coast Daylight, and Athearn is supposedly working on something too to go with their Genesis coach. I think the market might be over-Daylighted right now. Also, the Daylights, once diesel-powered, usually used Alco PAs, and as I've mentioned before, Walthers seems to be focusing on trains that use Es or Fs. I wouldn't mind seeing a Shasta Daylight, Lark or Cascade, (or the SP cars for the City of San Francisco) but I don't think they are likely. If Walthers did an SP train, I would think either the Sunset Limited or the Golden State. The Golden State did have those specially-painted Es, and would also appeal to the Rock Island modelers.

[Otto Vondrak]

How many trains can they do before running out of gas? L&N's "Hummingbird"? What was the big name train on the GM&O? We don't see many people modelling that line anymore, or perhaps we're not looking in the right places. KCS, MKT, Western Pacific, SCL -- They will probably do an SP "Daylight" train next.

L&N is a possibility (in the deep blue phase), but it hovers on the edge of being too regional to sell (much like KCS and MKT). WP's Zephyr (which also shared cars/routing with Rio Grande and CB&Q) with the new silver plating, SAL's colorflu Orange Blossom Special, or fan favorite SP Daylight are more likely candidates.

-otto-

[Amtrak207]

I agree here, maybe for fun, how about a Penn Central train??

Complete with:
Metal plated finish for stainless cars
Peeling paint from other roads
Tyco wheel mounted couplers and stability
Cloudy windows
HO scale cockroaches

Dieter, are you listening????

On a more serious note, I keep thinking the Southern Crescent or an IC train (Panama Ltd., or the SP Sunset Limited i feel are the best three candidates.)

An accurate North Coast Limited would be outstanding as well!

-Tom

[AMTK1007]

Mr. Dieter, One thing you forgot, Walthers announced and introduced the Twin Cities Hiawatha during Walthers 75th Anniversary.. A logical choice for that event.

The Hiawatha was clearly playing a favorite for the hometeam, and from the looks of the monthly flyer, Walther's seems to be stuck with a lot of leftover Hiawatha cars. Hey, wasn't The Milwaukee Road a regional? It did go halfway across the country before they whittled down the trackplan....
D/

[ajp31]

Brilliant move on Walthers part, btw, holding back on one sleeper everyone wanted but didn't absolutely need to have, then finally releasing it with the new plated version of the train, making everyone re-buy the entire train since that one plated sleeper woudn't match their existing unplated train.

Actually, it looks like they're offering the new "Regal" sleepers without the plated finish for those folks who bought the original train:
http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/932-9009

So kudos to Walthers for not being quite as ornery as we might expect!

[NJTRailfan]

So when do you think we will hear the next trainset pick? I hope to see the Phoebe Snow in both Lackawanna and/or EL colors. But if they really want to dazzle us they can do the first steam loco set and do the CNJ Blue Comet.

[Sir Ray]

1970s LIRR Greenport Scoot

Clearly the obvious choice - an eastern railroad and the set would be affordable too!

[Dieter]

I'd like to see the Phoebe Snow too, but I don't think that will be likely before we see;

The North Coast Limited

The City Of New Orleans

The Southern Crescent

Burlington Zephyr

Seeing the bias from the manufacturer towards their home region, my money is on The North Coast Limited next.

D/