New HO MP15DC & MP15AC

Greetings. We just got back from the Amherst Show in Springfield, MA (brrr ­ it was 1-degree Fahrenheit on Saturday morning when we left the hotel). We showed, for the first time, our next two Genesis locomotives, the MP15AC and the SD45-2.

Here is some basic and preliminary information to clarify our plans for these exciting new locomotives. Since this is preliminary information, we might change some of the details prior to delivery. We¹ll keep you posted of these changes along the way.

MP-15AC:

All New Tooling
* Hood - Standard version: Features see-thru hood-side radiator intakes with etched grilles applied; hood-top radiator detail with etched and formed grilles applied; separate air filter box (two styles); standard twin sealed-beam headlight and number board housing; ratchet hand-brake.
* Hood - SP version: Same as above but with distinctive SP-style headlight package with separately applied single and twin Gyralights; brakewheel hand-brake.
* Walkway - Standard version: Separately applied sub-base doors; equipped with standard jack-pads and standard front stepwells.
* Walkway - SP version: As above with SP 4-hole jack-pads and modified front stepwells.
* Hood-top Air Filter Boxes: Square and angled versions applied as appropriate.
* Exhaust Silencer Box: Applied over stacks as appropriate.
* Full Cab Interior: Multi-piece.
* Fuel Tanks: Plastic with separate details; two sizes applied as appropriate.
* M.U./Signal Hoses: Separately applied.
* Handrails and Coupler Cut-Levers: Color-keyed and molded in engineering plastic.

Other Features-
* Cab: Existing thin-wall SW1500 cab, Standard and SP versions, modified for single-pane window glass, and separately applied SP single and twin Gyralights.
* Motor: New precision Can-type with dynamically balanced flywheels.
* Trucks: Proven Genesis Blomberg "B" type as applied to F-series.
* Headlights: Bulbs installed in all openings.

E.T.A.: Late 2005

Possible road names (we might not make all of these):
CP Rail
Canadian Pacific ­ beaver scheme
CSX ­ gray
CSX ­ blue and gray
CSX ­ blue and gray with yellow ends
CSX ­ blue, gray and yellow
CSX ­ dark blue and dark yellow
Eastman Kodak
Electro-Motive Division - plant switcher
Georgetown Railroad Golden Triangle (Weyerhaeuser)
Kennecott Copper (unless it has the extended height cab)
Long Island
Louisville & Nashville
Family Lines
Milwaukee Road
Missouri-Kansas-Texas (different handrails)
Nacionales de Mexico
New York & Atlantic
Rockwell International
Seaboard Coast Line
Family Lines Seaboard System
Soo Line patched MILW
Soo Line red and white scheme (more research needed
Soo Line candy apple red schem
Southern Pacific
Southern Pacific ­ speed letterin
Terminal Railway
Alabama State Docks
Union Pacific ex-SP patched
Union Pacific
Union Pacific Y scheme

[...]

These two locomotive projects are in progress, so changes can occur at any time. As stated above, we'll keep you posted.

That's it for today.

The Folks at Athearn Trains