HO Budd Metroliner MUs from Walthers/Proto 1000!

I would just say to make replacement underbodies, but that would be beating a dead horse! Certainaly nothing wrong with asking though! One day... one day....

I wonder if they will include those Bell Roof Antennas. I Think I have a few of those. I'd almost like to see if they couldn't be convinced to sell some of those pantographs as "spares"

I see their making some of the cars with Tsunami Sound & DCC . I know what DCC is. What exactly is Tsunami sound? Is it like special sounds effects on the car like horn, bell, station announcements, etc?

Mike@IHP wrote:
...I have a feeling these companies are starting to look for things to do!

Mike Bartel

Couldn't agree more. This re-inventing the wheel stuff was getting (frustratingly) old. I know that in the context of this discussion, that statement may seem a bit hyporcritical but considering the Bachmann version has been absent for decades and only appeared in Amtrak paint, it was about time that this model deserved a re-visit. I personally appreciate that both window arrangements are being represented with this run.

As I said before, this wasn't particularly the surprise announcement I was hoping for, but it's a step in the right direction. If I'm in a better position to contribute to the cause, I most certainly will (perhaps if re-tooled Amfleet I's hovered closer to the $50-range, I could plunk some money into two of Metroliners).

I suppose Walthers is not selling dummies because the mechanisms may not be powerful enough to propel more than one car by itself (You want prototypical; there you have it ). When MU'd they should run quite well.

BTW, so much for that "mainstream" argument of "Why do electric engines need sound? All the real things do is Whoosh". Well you can't get more "woosh" than and electric MU passenger car

Thanks again Walthes! Good luck with the production and sale!

peanut1 wrote:I see their making some of the cars with Tsunami Sound & DCC . I know what DCC is. What exactly is Tsunami sound? Is it like special sounds effects on the car like horn, bell, station announcements, etc?

It's just the name of a brand of Soundtraxx sound decoders. Generally held in high regard. Athearn currently uses Soundtraxx Tsunami sound in it's Athearn Genesis units with DCC/Sound

I'm tempted to put some money aside to put myself down for at least the coaches. Provided of course that an Arrow/Silverliner isn't announced first.

mlrr wrote:

peanut1 wrote:I see their making some of the cars with Tsunami Sound & DCC . I know what DCC is. What exactly is Tsunami sound? Is it like special sounds effects on the car like horn, bell, station announcements, etc?

It's just the name of a brand of Soundtraxx sound decoders. Generally held in high regard. Athearn currently uses Soundtraxx Tsunami sound in it's Athearn Genesis units with DCC/Sound

oh, ok. Nothing special then.

It seems to me that, with this announcement, it's a foregone conclusion that retooled, Proto-line, plated, ~$65 Amfleet Is and IIs are coming. The market for Metroliners is limited and I doubt Walthers would go to the trouble of tooling them up if they didn't intend to reuse parts of the molds for other project with much broader appeal.

Now we just need to get them to offer the Stemman pans separately!

Good to see Walthers produce this train as I'd been hoping for years that a manufacturer would produce a Metroliner. Back in those days when I was a kid, the prototype Metroliners were the closest thing we had to bullet trains and inspite of their mechancal problems, they attracted a lot of attention.

I am disappointed that Walthers is not offering the units in Penn Central, as a number of prototype "Metros" remained in the PC scheme through the early 1980s. For prototype modelers, the PC version would be correct running coupled with Amtrak schemed units. I would purchase a pair if offered in PC to supplement my current units. As pointed out on another forum, Walthers may wait and release a PC version, or may have decided that "PC won't sell". But only Walthers can answer that.

The HO 1970s Bachmann Metros are crude by today's standards. I have 11. Nine with the single truck/motor unit and two have the single motor/driveshaft set up with metal pantographs. All are poor runners but I'm "slowly" hopping them up. I've scrapped 3 of the units and have been using the shells as ALCLAD Test beds (I'm one of the volunteer testers for the new Alclad-2 railroad metalizers that will be released this year).



As always, I keep an open mind. I first felt that Walthers should consider offering the units in the SS scheme/red stripes/white cab with the Pennsy Keystone herald and PC Worm herald decals to let customers decide which version they want. I thought that would have been so simple............but I was reminded by a modeler on another forum that today, modelers might have a "fit" if they purchase units that require "additional work" such as decal installations. For many of us back in the day, that was the norm.

Mike,This might be a "crazy" question,If Walters is doing Metroliners,any chance they might do a SPV-2000?
The Demo car had a Metroliner nose at 1 end,the ConnDOT cars ,along with the MNCR cars had flat ends.

Ken S. wrote:I'm tempted to put some money aside to put myself down for at least the coaches. Provided of course that an Arrow/Silverliner isn't announced first.

It won't be a Silverliner/Arrow, and it won't be before the Metroliners are released next winter, but you'll want to save your pennies anyway, Ken!

Mike Bartel

Backshophoss wrote:Mike,This might be a "crazy" question,If Walters is doing Metroliners,any chance they might do a SPV-2000?
The Demo car had a Metroliner nose at 1 end,the ConnDOT cars ,along with the MNCR cars had flat ends.

Well, the SPV was different from the other MetroShell units aside from the body cross section. The ends were completely new, as was the auxiliary roof and other details. The carbody would require new tooling to make it an accurate SPV-2000. Plus, it would behoove a manufacturer to consider the Amtrak and MNCR versions, as they were different. The new drive would give them a running start, so long as its top speed is not too high. The model Amtrak market is good, as is the MNCR market.

Unfortunately, all that being said, the SPVs were a failed, short-lived design that no one really remembers these days. I didn't get much interest in them in resin. I'd buy a few, but I doubt Walthers would consider them.

Mike Bartel

mlrr wrote:

Mike@IHP wrote:
...I have a feeling these companies are starting to look for things to do!

Mike Bartel

Couldn't agree more. This re-inventing the wheel stuff was getting (frustratingly) old. I know that in the context of this discussion, that statement may seem a bit hyporcritical but considering the Bachmann version has been absent for decades and only appeared in Amtrak paint, it was about time that this model deserved a re-visit. I personally appreciate that both window arrangements are being represented with this run.

As I said before, this wasn't particularly the surprise announcement I was hoping for, but it's a step in the right direction. If I'm in a better position to contribute to the cause, I most certainly will (perhaps if re-tooled Amfleet I's hovered closer to the $50-range, I could plunk some money into two of Metroliners).

I suppose Walthers is not selling dummies because the mechanisms may not be powerful enough to propel more than one car by itself (You want prototypical; there you have it ). When MU'd they should run quite well.

BTW, so much for that "mainstream" argument of "Why do electric engines need sound? All the real things do is Whoosh". Well you can't get more "woosh" than and electric MU passenger car

Thanks again Walthes! Good luck with the production and sale!

I probably won't get the sound units, but the Metroliners had their own distinctive blower sound. I'd love to hear that again, as well as their distinctive two-chime horns. If somehow they have recordings of that, I would get a DCC system and some sound-fitted models just for that!

There are still prototypes that we definitely will not see in plastic, but I'm a longtime fan of these cars, and I agree that it's nice to see the Metroliners have enough interest for this.

Mike Bartel

Mike@IHP wrote:

Ken S. wrote:I'm tempted to put some money aside to put myself down for at least the coaches. Provided of course that an Arrow/Silverliner isn't announced first.

It won't be a Silverliner/Arrow, and it won't be before the Metroliners are released next winter, but you'll want to save your pennies anyway, Ken!

Mike Bartel

I'm not sure what else I'd want to save up for other then an Arrow or Silverliner Proto release.

ajp31 wrote:It seems to me that, with this announcement, it's a foregone conclusion that retooled, Proto-line, plated, ~$65 Amfleet Is and IIs are coming. The market for Metroliners is limited and I doubt Walthers would go to the trouble of tooling them up if they didn't intend to reuse parts of the molds for other project with much broader appeal.

Now we just need to get them to offer the Stemman pans separately!

I don't think the Metroliners are harbingers of Amfleets. Amfleets will be inevitable in HO.

That said, Metroliners have a similar shape to the Amfleet, but not much else. The Metroliner isn't an amfleet with a cab on it. The doors are placed differently, there are different vents, etc.

I'm not sure how much Metroliner tooling is compatible with Amfleets.

Ken S. wrote:

Mike@IHP wrote:

Ken S. wrote:I'm tempted to put some money aside to put myself down for at least the coaches. Provided of course that an Arrow/Silverliner isn't announced first.

It won't be a Silverliner/Arrow, and it won't be before the Metroliners are released next winter, but you'll want to save your pennies anyway, Ken!

Mike Bartel

I'm not sure what else I'd want to save up for other then an Arrow or Silverliner Proto release.

Give the other makers a chance, they're really talking about making an investment. I even supplied some info for one project.

Mike Bartel