Large Scale Central

News from AMS

Modeling Rolling stock
#1

Howdy
Im taking the liberty of forwarding this from the 1:20 list, for those of you that aren’t on it. Some neat stuff coming from AMS.

Hi all,

Just getting settled back home after the trip to Durango. The
Convention was a blast (of course).

Chatted a little with the folks from Accucraft - aka AMS (stuff in ()'s are my thoughts).

  1. The plastic open vestibule passenger cars are a definite go. Won’t show up for a year or so (most likely to allow them to sell out of their brass closed vestibule cars).

  2. No real chance of new NG tank cars (frameless or narrow-frame) or drop bottom gons - tooling would be a too expensive (it appears that it takes a hundred or so brass cars to pay off the castings, but a thousand or so for plastic cars - most likely due to smaller margins?).

  3. Not much chance of a plastic long caboose (my guess is this is related to the above plus some rumors of quality control issues with the plastic short cabooses).

  4. There is some discussion within AMS of a new NG car - but no indication was given whatsoever of what it might be (I’m guessing - seriously, this is just a guess - that it might be the NG steel-frame flat car - but I have no information from AMS other than they are thinking about adding 1 more NG freight car to their line).

Hope this helps,

Greg Coit
Arcata, CA

#2

…there may be a long caboose coming from B’mann, with the issuance of the K27…the pilot model has been built.

#3

Fred, is that the DRGW one or the nice one with the big baggage door that I’ve seen here and there?

#4

…there is a word out that it will be the D&RGW long van…the pilot has been built…although there is that side door jobby sitting in the wings…
The long van is to come out with the K27, so the speculation is.

#5

As to the “missing” AMS car … they have a flat, a box, a gon, a tank, a stock car, and a refrigerator… I think a hopper of some kind is the only basic type left. If we were really lucky, they’d do the 3 bay EBT hopper, which with the Bachmann 2 bay job would give you both types in the “right” scale.

Will be interesting to see all of the combinations that will be possible. Hope the new B’mann couplers match up.

Matthew (OV)

#6

Looks like we may have the answer to this one… AMS has announced two skeleton log cars and a set of disconnects.

http://antiques-internet.com/colorado/rgsrrhobbies/dynapage/PP08.htm

Matthew (OV)

#7

If you’re desperate for a caboose , make one . Hartford do a pretty good kit , you can see it being assembled in my thread about being bugged (in the Prototypes section ). If I can do it , anyone can .
You would have to do a Hartford one to match the quality of AMS , whose models are absolutely the biz . And Bachmann are not far behind with their newer stuff .
We are very lucky , you know . The standard of modelling in the proprietary field is advancing in leaps and bounds . If I may use the overworked phrase "when I were a lad " , when I were a lad , you could only dream of the quality that is now within the reach of most of us . Mind you , some of us still aren’t satisfied .
Mike

#8

I’m using a bunch of B’mann centre cupola vans as my EOT…they don’t look too bad with the AMS rolling stock, just a wee bit narrow. But then this summer out on the NG Circle; I saw NG equipment that was narrow, wide, and long and short.
The great thing is that I’m NOT modelling the D&RGW, the EBT, or any other railroad. I’m modelling the IPP&W.

Try it…grab a B’mann centre cupola van…the two truck one. Force yourself to put it at the end of a string of AMS, or B’mann 1:20.3 rolling stock…look at the train from the side…no…don’t pick up that rule…just look…not from the position of a high flying “Booby”…just from your perch on a stool, with a bheer in your mit…

NOW....ask yourself if you need a high priced brass van, or a $125 Hartford kit; or would you rather pay about $30, on that cheap van and spend the rest on a good quart of Scotch Whisky........I's Rabbi Burns' day on Thursday....Live a little.    Don't be so serious......
#9

Ya know, Fred, that 4 axel B’mann crummy looks just as good behind both my first edition Shay ( that still runs without any problems) as it does behind my Aristo Mallet. Looks even better when I have a glass of Maker’s Mark in my hand… :smiley:

madwolf

#10

I’m happy with mine…