Model Railroading > GE Tier 4, GP40P-2 (WGH Show in Pomona)

Thanks to tinytrains for the coupon code post last week. The thread reminded me of the World's Greatest Hobby Show in Pomona, which I completely forgot about:

http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?3,4223225

The $4 coupon had already expired, but I found a $1 coupon and used that in conjunction with the advanced purchase discount for the Sunday only ticket. I was in San Diego for the weekend and had to quickly investigate public transit option to attend the show. Fastest option was riding the Surfliner to Los Angeles, then take the Metrolink to Pomona (North) then make the short walk. ~4 hours one way, $74 roundtrip on Amtrak, then $10 weekend day pass on the Metrolink, for a total of $84. I had some Amtrak 10% discount coupons, so $77 at best.

With 8 hours spent just on travelling, this was not an attractive option, so I used my usual travel planning tricks and found a rental car out of San Diego Airport for only $7.50 a day. $29 total including ALL fees. Driving time from SAN to LA County Fairgrounds? About 2 hours. Total cost: $2.50 for a one way ticket on the San Diego Trolley to the new Rental Car Center, ~$18 for half tank of gas (Nissan Versa Note), $10 for parking at Pomona... so about $60, but 4 hours saved in travel time, and more time spent at the show. Added bonus - after I returned the rental car, I immediately took the free shuttle to the airport for the flight home.

OK, enough of my ramblings about transportation infrastructure.

- ScaleTrains was showing off their pre-production GE Tier 4 at their booth. GECX 2024 is the one I chased in SoCal more than 2 years ago, so I hope to see that unit # soon.

- UP 2570 is the "class unit" and 2571 was on display. My sentiment is attached to UP 2572, which I caught several times last year.

- Rear radiator view of UP 2571. The pre-production units had no drive-train inside, so it should have been no surprise to the attendees that the units felt lighter than expected.

ScaleTrains rep told me they'll be releasing two versions, a rivet-counter version with all the details, and an operating version with simplified details (missing PTC antenna array, for example) for lower prices. I told him that I'll probably buy the operating version, because in my 1/87 world, politicians lost, and the railroad doesn't need politically-mandated PTC. :-)
 

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- ScaleTrains also had their SD40-2s (not pictured) and the Big Blow Gas Turbines on display, both HO and N.

- Athearn's upcoming GP40P-2 on display at their booth. 

- Rear view of the Bicentennial paint scheme GP40P-2, which I rode behind as a kid. Definite sentimental value!

A plastic GP40P-2 was on my mental list of "pipe dream" models. Non-brass Big Blow? Never imagined I'd see it! Model railroading is quite amazing today, even with the increased cost of equipment and supplies. 

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Thanks for the photos, Charles. Good stuff.

Ryan

Thanks for the report Charles. That 3197 will be very tempting. Got to operate the original once in a yard in 1979.

Jim B



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/18/17 18:52 by jimB.

How much do the Tier4s run? who makes the motors/running gear? Looks like a much better show down there.

Photos are great.....Thank You.....
Anything with MTH HO scale? More ES44ACs??

 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/18/17 07:16 by electromac.

SCUfoamer Wrote:
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> How much do the Tier4s run? who makes the
> motors/running gear? Looks like a much better show
> down there.

They're on preorder status, and price is $99 for the operator version, no sound, no DCC.  Sound, DCC, and/or rivet counter version should be more expensive. I would assume the running gear would be their own design, when the locomotives are ready to ship.

WGH ("World's Greatest Hobby on Tour") show has always been better than the more frequent "Great Train Expo," now renamed "Great Train Show" because the manufacturers themselves set up their booths. They visited Sacramento and San Mateo several years ago.

electromac Wrote:
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> Photos are great.....Thank You.....
> Anything with MTH HO scale? More ES44ACs??

Got one shot of an MTH Pumpkin GEVO. I didn't know that they were already selling their own New York MTA R-17 subway cars to compete with Walthers (no photos).
 

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Thank You!!!! Any new UP ES44AC?

I'll take the GP40P-2 over all the others. Needed for my SP business train
Cheers
Charlie
MP 52.8 on the BNSF Topeka Sub