|
Post by ponyman on Aug 2, 2007 17:43:45 GMT 1
Bill C.
Have you heard any word from any of the manufacturers about any new american road trucks coming town the pike? Hopefully some day cabs to go with the new products that athearn will be releasing with the new trailers. I had heard a rumor that Herpa was supposed top be bringing out the Mack Granite but thats been awhile and nothing else has been said. Iknow masterbuilt makes it in resin just haven't ordered one yet. We really could use some more trucks. ;D
|
|
eexjoe
Junior Member
Posts: 181
|
Post by eexjoe on Aug 2, 2007 23:38:06 GMT 1
Keep your eyes on the resin kit producers like Masterbilt and Don Mills Models. Masterbilt has a beautiful Mack Superliner that was shown at the Amherst show this past winter. I'm not at liberty to discuss other projects in the works but there are some good ones coming.
|
|
|
Post by cfesmire on Aug 3, 2007 0:20:34 GMT 1
That Superliner is a sweet looking casting too.
|
|
|
Post by hovehicle on Aug 3, 2007 1:19:21 GMT 1
I'm with you ponyman, I would love to see another class 8 in plastic. I'm really hoping for the Freightliner Century Class, Freightliner FLD120, or a Navistar 9700 cabover from Athearn to go with the new trailers from A-Line and the container chassis. Heck, a International 8100/8200 would also be great to go with the pup trailers and 48' exterior post that are in the Athearn line.
Ton is not showing anything new, First Gear has possibilities to do a class 8 and Sword Models was rumored to get into HO scale. They like Schneider National, my kind of company! Of course, these are longshots. Athearn needs to hear from us at train shows and e-mails.
Vito L.
|
|
|
Post by ponyman on Aug 3, 2007 2:51:44 GMT 1
Vito:
I think if athearn comes up with a new modern tractor it would be nice to see them make the class 6 Kenworth or Pete that is used fro local deliveries and is used as the new beverage truck chassis and service trucks. I would love to see them come out with the new CH model for thier daycab and road truck, and the Granite for the dump truck and mixer bodies.
I think Tonkin and Boley are in a good position to produce some modern daycabs. Tonkin could be the front runner since they have the liscenses from all of the truck manufacturers and they already make daycabs in other scales including the Sterling which seems to be UPS new popular daycab. They could also make a nice class 6 local delivery chassis. The last time I talk to Rick at Tonkin he didn't know if they would make any daycabs in 1/87 though.
Boley also already makes a nice International daycab in 1:50 I think its an 8300 but after talking to Larry at Boley during ihobby he said the powers at be weren't looking at expanding thier 1/87 line which is a real shame. Larry said they were supposed to release a local box van with a liftgate that actually worked but I haven't seen it or heard anymore about it from Larry. Iguess I'll just have to keep my fingers crossed that one of the three will come to thier senses
On the topic of resin I love Masterbuilts products but I can't bring myself to spen $40 plus shipping on a cab kit or $100 plus for that great Osh-Kosh cementmixer.
|
|
|
Post by cfesmire on Aug 3, 2007 3:19:16 GMT 1
Bryan, if your interest is in resin and money is an issue, look at the Dennis Aust catalog. His Kenworth's are wonderful castings and less money than the Masterbilt pieces (although $40 for a kit as nice as the Masterbilts seems reasonable to me with p.e. pieces and crisp castings). I doubt very much if we will be seeing anything like the stated above from Athearn as much as I would like to but they certainly wouldn't be doing the Mack CH with the popularity of the Herpa/Promotex Mack (which I believe is probably their best American truck). Possibly another face-lift for the W900 and perhaps WF cabovers. Of all the manufacturers in 1/87, they are the most attentive but by the same token don't take many chances without umpteen hours (days, months, years) of research.
In the diecast realm, Ton, Italeri and Edocar have all contributed decent castings that could be made into very nice models. I would hazard a guess at First Gear doing something new next however.
Vito, Sword has ventured into 1/87 most recently with the P&H 4100XPB mining shovel.
As far as Boley goes, of all of the hundreds of models I have owned only a handful are Boley. They just simply seem to ignore scale and prototype (witness their absolutely awful utility body)
|
|
BillC
87thScale addict
Posts: 2,541
|
Post by BillC on Aug 3, 2007 14:13:01 GMT 1
I wouldn't look for anything at all from Boley (there are some problems there) and it's hard to imagine Herpa doing a new American truck. The diecasters may have figured Malibu spoiled the market with their trucks. All of the newest First Gear trucks are 1/25 or 1/34 scale.
Athearn would be the likeliest candidate for a plastic model but there are other projects in the queue. Neither Ricko nor Masterpiece are interested in big trucks and Atlas has other irons in the fire.
Truth be told, it's a tough market for the big trucks. A good model requires a major investment with a long payback and a so-so model runs into competition from the Wal-Mart cheapies.
|
|
|
Post by Cor_DutchArt on Aug 3, 2007 18:34:40 GMT 1
Is this what you call a Class 8?
|
|
|
Post by cfesmire on Aug 3, 2007 19:54:40 GMT 1
Cor, In the U.S. a class 8 truck would be one having a min. GVW of over 33,000 lbs. and the truck you pictured would certainly be that.
Bill, Your assesment of why many are wary of producing any new models because of the influx of the Malibu trucks is certainly right on and my major objection to their introduction. Who wants to compete with a $5 "model". I hope everyone's happy with them because what's next will be long in coming.
|
|
BillC
87thScale addict
Posts: 2,541
|
Post by BillC on Aug 4, 2007 2:11:35 GMT 1
Yes, it's a bit sad. But there is still some hope. We're going to have some good Class 6-7 Ford trucks from River Point Station at some point. If those do well, it could spark some new interest in truck projects.
|
|
|
Post by hovehicle on Aug 4, 2007 3:08:58 GMT 1
Bill,
Surely, only one truck can be considered pretty good, and that's the International Eagle from Malibu. Everything else is generic and a background model at best. Isn't there a collector market that would buy a high quality class 8 tractor in the 25-40 dollar range? I surely would love to see a model that I could put right on the layout with no modifications.
In the model railroad world you have Tower 55, which has a very loyal audience, then you have everybody else. Why can't the same thing happen with trucks? I'm referring to Sword Models or First Gear, which are quality companies who could command the higher end market.
Vito L.
|
|
stanhas87
87thScale addict
1978 Dodge Monaco CHP
Posts: 4,906
|
Post by stanhas87 on Aug 4, 2007 3:25:11 GMT 1
Dear All:
Companies such as Matchbox, Mattel,Zee Toys,Yat Ming and Road Champs had a 'little' foothold on - all right,ok, toy - 1/87 market with their class 8 trucks. Matchbox Mack CH and Ford Aeromax are close to 1/87 as far as size when put toghter to the Herpa/Con Cor items; Zee Toys Mack Cruiseliner is still not offered by no one; Yat Ming was the first Manufacturer to offer Ford 'C' models in HO and also molded the Kenworth Cabover from B.J. and the Bear TV show; Road Champs was one of the first Manufacturers to offer the Kenworth T600; Majorette's Truck flat bed with a Rocket is a white (plus they molded a Bernard truck close to 1/87 and that was copied by Yat Ming as well); they also offerd a GMC Brigadier. Playart offered Scania trucks, but at the first glance is obvious that this is 1/100 scale. Mattel had a couple of Ford 9000 trucks plus a Chevrolet. Of course, not as detailed as Resin or Plastic models, but they do exist and some are still on the Unique Model range. I would like the Brigadier,Bison, Ford 9000 and Mack Cruiseliner plus, please, a Brockway - either traditional or Cabover.
|
|
BillC
87thScale addict
Posts: 2,541
|
Post by BillC on Aug 4, 2007 10:44:16 GMT 1
Vito,
Believe it or not, 1/87 is still a tough sell in some parts of the diecast industry and an ever tougher sell in the promotional product industry, which is a significant part of First Gear's and Tonkin's business. I see more construction models before I see any truck models coming from First Gear until this changes. As far as the Tonkin "Ton" trucks are concerned, Tonkin could be a player but they really need to add some things to their products to be competitive and increase their desirability to the collector market.
While 1/87 scale is growing in the U.S., real-world sales volumes still aren't big enough to attract the major investment a quality truck replica requires. The big truck collector market is in Europe. If it was possible to determine a new American Class 8 truck that would appeal to that market and to establish direct European and North American distribution so you had access to both markets, it could be a profitable venture. As I understand things right now, that means the following brands could make such a model: Athearn, Busch, Herpa, Masterpiece, Ricko and Wiking. To be really successful, you need to have American-style trailers to offer with your trucks, which trims the list down to Athearn and Herpa. Then you need to be willing to license a model without a promotional order, which leaves Athearn.
Masterpiece could work out an agreement with Atlas, its North American distributor, to make a new tractor to go with the Pines trailers but nothing like that is in the works at this time.
Bill C.
|
|
eexjoe
Junior Member
Posts: 181
|
Post by eexjoe on Aug 4, 2007 11:58:29 GMT 1
|
|
|
Post by Cor_DutchArt on Aug 4, 2007 12:33:08 GMT 1
This would be something for Lone Star to produce.... Maybe as a conversion kit!
|
|