HO Scale SEPTA Train Models

Has anyone seen the HO scale models of the Market-Frankford Line M4 cars and Silverliner IV's that the Transit Museum Store at 1234 Market St. sell? What is your opinion on them? They could have added more detail, especially to the Silverliner IV's. Both cars lack undercarriage detail, and the Silverliner IV's lack pantographs. Well, what do you expect for $26.00 each. I bought 2 of each. I may go to a store that specializes in model railroads to see if I can buy pantographs to put on my Silverliner IV's. I'm hoping that they will soon have models of the Silverliner II's and III's, Broad Street Subway cars and the old MFL M3 "Almond Joy" cars.

From what I've seen the SLIV models are horrible. IHP already makes the SLIII and it looks very nice compared to the SLIV. But, that's whatSEPTA gets for going with OK instead of IHP.

For as long as the three existing classes of Silverliners (II's, III's and IV's) have been around, I'm surprised that the larger, more well known manufacturer of model trains, such as Walthers, Bachman, Athearn, etc. never produced them. I know Bachman produced several HO scale Amtrak train sets, including a set with the original Metroliner MU's, and Walthers did make HO (and possibly O) scale models of the Bombardier push-pull commuter cars in various N.E. Corridor transit system liveries (including SEPTA, NJTransit and Metro-North), which I do own a few of each livery. Why couldn't, or didn't they make the Silverliners??? I don't think they would be that hard to produce, and they would be much better than those ones sold at SEPTA's Transit Museum Store, even though they would be mostly plastic instead of all metal.

Does the transit store sell the Market-Frankford Line M4 cars by mail? I looked on the website, and did not see any indication of this, but I just wanted to confirm it (as the likelihood of me being in the Philly area when the SEPTA Transit Store is open during the next year is extremely low).

I don't think they do mail order, and anyway, I have never seen the M4 cars in stock at the Transit Store. Ebay has some listings but they end up selling for at least twice the sticker price.

Lucius Kwok wrote:I don't think they do mail order, and anyway, I have never seen the M4 cars in stock at the Transit Store. Ebay has some listings but they end up selling for at least twice the sticker price.

Well that kinda stinks. On the Transit Store there is an e-mail address to send orders to, so I kinda thought there were mail orders too (or phone orders).
Oddly, the HO Silverliner is listed (Corgi, powered, size.. N/A !), although it looks a lot like Bachmann Quality circa 1978 (i.e. none) - alas, no on-line orders.
The M4 is not listed, on-line orders or not.

You could call or email them. I don't know for sure if they have them or not. I saw pictures of them and the M-4 models on ebay and was not impressed enough to want to buy them.

they both are horrible.

theres also the SEPTA subway surface Kawasaki LRV's for sale... hopefully they are as good as they look

SubwayTim wrote:For as long as the three existing classes of Silverliners (II's, III's and IV's) have been around, I'm surprised that the larger, more well known manufacturer of model trains, such as Walthers, Bachman, Athearn, etc. never produced them. I know Bachman produced several HO scale Amtrak train sets, including a set with the original Metroliner MU's, and Walthers did make HO (and possibly O) scale models of the Bombardier push-pull commuter cars in various N.E. Corridor transit system liveries (including SEPTA, NJTransit and Metro-North), which I do own a few of each livery. Why couldn't, or didn't they make the Silverliners??? I don't think they would be that hard to produce, and they would be much better than those ones sold at SEPTA's Transit Museum Store, even though they would be mostly plastic instead of all metal.

Tim, the reason you don't (and never will) see these types of models from the 'well-known' manufacturers is because they are interested in serving a large market. Commuter modeling is not a large part of the market; it's very small. These models cost a lot to make and if as a manufacturer you cannot sell it everywhere, you cannot waste your investment. Atlas found that out the hard way when the made the AEM7 a few years back.

A company like mine, IHP, can afford to channel its limited resources into making Silverliner MU models (and accurate ones, too!) because we're going specifically after those people that want it. The downside is that because the potential market is smaller, we don't make as many (less than a hundred at a time as opposed to thousands from Athearn, etc.), the prices per-unit must be higher, so you have to be a real dedicated and serious modeler to want to buy them. It's like brass, in a way. Limited, specific production for a dedicated few.

This is why your favorite manufacturers won't ever do Silverliners. But, now that you know that IHP is the only manufacturer in the world dedicated to producing this kind of stuff (and we intend to do ALL of the Silverliner/Arrow MU classes eventually), maybe we can be one of your favorite manufacturers now, eh?

Mike Bartel
IHP
http://ihphobby.tripod.com

I have the SEPTA AEM-7 model and it's a very nice and well crafted piece.