Model Railroading > Update on upcoming BLMA TopGons - N & HO

For those that are interested, the N scale version will arrive in 1Q '09, MSRP is $17.95 ea., if I recall correctly. HO Scale will be here in 2Q '09. Details for the HO version are below.

Pricing is finalized at $25.95 for the HO Scale model. Features will include, but are not limited to:

• Ready-To-Run

• Injection-Molded Plastic

• Fine-Scale Detail

• Separately Applied Wire Grab Irons

• Separately Applied Wire Cut Levers

• Etched-Metal Brake Wheel Platforms

• Installed Internal Bracing

• Accurately Painted/Printed

• 100-Ton Trucks w/Metal Wheels

• Kadee® #58 Scale Couplers

• Multiple Numbers & Paint Variations (ed. note - there will be 12 road numbers for each of the three car classes and each of the logo'd schemes, for a total of 36 road numbers first go around.)

NSTopHat

Christ!! $25.95 a car!!! Its going to cost a fortune for a decent size coal train. Luckily I plan on Ebaying some of my unwanted Overland brass in the near future, hopefully the sales will help fund these TopGons. Really hope there is a discounted price through distributers and other pushers.

$25.95 is cheap considering the level of tooling/detail. Did you expect a $10.99 Trainman tooled car? Most high end cars in recent years are in the $30+ range..........Joe

NSTopHat Wrote:
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(ed. note - there will be 12 road numbers for each of the
three car classes and each of the logo'd schemes,
for a total of 36 road numbers first go around.)
NSTopHat


12 of each scheme (no logo, logo, logo®)... car class is G85R for all on this run.

ESPEE5318 Wrote:
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> $25.95 is cheap considering the level of
> tooling/detail. Did you expect a $10.99 Trainman
> tooled car? Most high end cars in recent years are
> in the $30+ range..........Joe


$30 plus range?.......thats why I don't have or need many $30 plus cars. Only the "Auto-Max" and Atlas articulated autoracks and some Athearn 3-unit spine type cars I have. It would cost a fortune to create a decent sized train, like a unit coal train at those prices! Besides, the more detailed the car, the more delicate, it seems. I have cars that range in age from a few days old to 35 years old. All modern types as I do modern HO. I upgrade my older freight cars with metal/brass stirrups and metal wheels as needed. Hey, but more power to those who can afford these "high end" cars.


SantaFeRuss

Ditto. And considering the level of detail described, and from what I know BLMA is capable of, these should be excellent cars, and worth every penny.

PE

ESPEE5318 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> $25.95 is cheap considering the level of
> tooling/detail. Did you expect a $10.99 Trainman
> tooled car? Most high end cars in recent years are
> in the $30+ range..........Joe

For that price I'll stick to my E&C/LBF coalporters .....

Keep in mind that this is a ONE-OFF car. Be thankful that this car is being produced at all. With a MSRP of $26, that will yield a street price of $20 ea. Very reasonable for a car of this quality.

The Bowser RTR's are MSRP of $22 ea. and they don't compare to this car, oh yeah and those cars have been around for ~10 years, and started at $9.95 for a kit, now they are $13.95. With 3 numbers.

NSTopHat

Apples and Oranges. 2 different coal cars for 2 different modelers. I think the price is very reasonable and suspect that Craig will release a beautiful car. His prior work shows it. What did you expect for a nice car that will be released in 2009? At @$19-20.00 street price probably, not a bad deal. If your a NS modeler or model a modern line that gets NS coal trains, then the choice is obvious. Top Gon's represent Modern NS Coal trains and if you want to represent that concept, then E&C coalporters can not deliver that story.

Bruce


coaldrag Wrote:
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> For that price I'll stick to my E&C/LBF
> coalporters .....

If I were modelling the mid-1990s onward, I'd get the entire 36-car set and not blush at the price. $20-25 for a finely detailed model like this one is purported to be seems entirely reasonable to me. Consider that three sound-equipped locos to pull the train probably costs about the same as the train to be pulled.

Fortunately for my bank account, my "era" is a little earlier....but I'll be getting those UPFE reefers from Intermountain, and the new sulphuric acid cars from Athearn, and more intermodal flats from Walthers....and on and on....

leroystew
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Christ!! $25.95 a car!!! Its going to cost a fortune for a decent size coal train.

If that does not meet your needs then I suggest you get to scratchbuilding that train that you want!!!! That is the ONLY other way to get these cars.

Oh wait, that would be actual modeling and soooooo many on this forum are opposed to actually doing that!!

DB

coaldrag Wrote:
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> For that price I'll stick to my E&C/LBF
> coalporters .....


The Hubert's TopGon was going to be that old Coalporter body with a TopGon tub at some $29 per car...

There are images on BLMAs websote of all three schemes, along with a shot of the HO cars 3D file...

http://www.blmamodels.com/images/store/TopGon_HO_nologo.jpg

http://www.blmamodels.com/images/store/TopGon_HO_wlogo.jpg

http://www.blmamodels.com/images/store/TopGon_HO_wlogor.jpg


http://www.blmamodels.com/images/misc/teaser.jpg


I'll note that each scheme will have two different rebody dates (verified through photos), a verfied light weight/load limit (the logo cars will have two different light weights/load limits as there wasn't enough common lt wt/ld lmt to do one)