S Scale Frisco Meteor Passenger Car Set - American Models

When Lionel does something praiseworthy (like the SD70's Es44's Y3's, Challengers, the F/C Northern's, maybe even the F/C GP7's once they come out) they get praise.  I would have given the F/C Berk a fair and balanced review if Lionel didn't short my dealer's distributor.

I even like the New Haven Legacy PA's, even though upgraded traditional Flyer isn't part of my acquisition strategy now.

When they blow it (particularly on something obvious) well...  Why should we sit here and just accept it with a smile on our face.  Every now and then the Emperor has to be told he has no cloths... 

They seem to be rather adept at blaming us, the market, for their mistakes and misfires.

Disclosure: I don't have the Frisco Northern nor did I order the cars, but that doesn't mean I don't think it's not a neat idea.  I've talked a friend of mine to bring everything over for pictures after his cars arrive.

Rusty

Rusty:  Has any official from Lionel ever written here or anywhere else being critical of the "market" for its actions?  What blame did they send your way?

Their reason for not producing passenger cars for the Meteor was explained here by me.  It was simply a logical business decision.

Ron could do it because he had the blank cars and it was not his plan to attempt to match the number of Meteor engines made.  Even then we had to work to get him to make them as he was not eager to do it.  I am glad he did and I hope he makes more sets.

Roundhouse Bill posted:

Their reason for not producing passenger cars for the Meteor was explained here by me.  It was simply a logical business decision.

It may have logical and even necessary, but it reeks of a poor business model.  Not much need for the engine in that scheme without the cars. 

They did this years ago in O with the T&P 4-8-2.  Fortunately, a K-Line dealer came through with a custom paint run of cars.  Looks like that's what's happening now in S.

Of course, in both cases, one could just pull Pullmans, but the appeal of the pretty paint schemes is in the matching. 

I guess I really should be grateful to get anything in Frisco, MoPac, or T&P, but I still see their business model as flawed if they cannot match up the sets.  And that IS their fault, not the market's.

 

Roundhouse Bill posted:

Mark Hieger and I have been working with Ron Bashista, owner of American Models, since last summer to produce heavyweight passenger car sets for the FlyerChief Frisco Meteor Northern locomotive Lionel shipped at the end of the year.  I am happy to say that Ron has these sets in production and will begin to take orders on the 27th of February.  Do not contact American Models before the 27th as he is not prepared to take orders and ship till then.

When I interviewed Ryan Kunkle, of Lionel, at York last April for the S Gaugian he said Lionel was not going to produce cars for the engine.

Mark has supplied information about the cars and their colors to American Models so that Ron could paint and letter them appropriately.  I supplied information about the colors of paint Lionel was to use on the engine and explained to him why Lionel was not going to produce matching cars for the locomotive.

American Models is only going to produce 50 sets.  There are 5 cars per set as with his other heavyweight sets. The cars are baggage, railway post office, combine car, coach, and observation car.  The price will be $340 plus shipping.

Please remember not to place an order for the set till February 27th.

What happened to not placing an order before the 27th?

Well, you said yourself in an another post that both Lionel and MTH think we're too demanding... 

Awwww....  Just because we would like good looking, good running, properly portioned models.

The biggest criticism about MTH is the Showcase Line Glacier.  However, Lionel's pulled some blunders over the past couple of years and it appears to be somehow our fault for being critical.

You should read some of the criticisms on the 3-rail O side...

Passenger cars for passenger locomotives.  What a concept...  Wonder how long the purchasers of the New Haven, Santa Fe and Mopac PA's will be left high and dry?  I suspect the purchasers of the Milwaukee, UP and NYC 4-8-4's would have appreciated some passenger cars, also.

Fortunately, AM (apparently with some arm twisting) is able to take advantage of and profit from Lionel's logical business decision.

Rusty

Bill

They have my money, that gives me standing to gripe when appropriate, and the very fact that they have my money is proof that I like very much of what they make. 

Ben

Rusty Traque posted:

Well, you said yourself in an another post that both Lionel and MTH think we're too demanding... 

Awwww....  Just because we would like good looking, good running, properly portioned models.

The biggest criticism about MTH is the Showcase Line Glacier.  However, Lionel's pulled some blunders over the past couple of years and it appears to be somehow our fault for being critical.

You should read some of the criticisms on the 3-rail O side...

Passenger cars for passenger locomotives.  What a concept...  Wonder how long the purchasers of the New Haven, Santa Fe and Mopac PA's will be left high and dry?  I suspect the purchasers of the Milwaukee, UP and NYC 4-8-4's would have appreciated some passenger cars, also.

Fortunately, AM (apparently with some arm twisting) is able to take advantage of and profit from Lionel's logical business decision.

Rusty

Interesting discussion. Microscale has the same issues, makes engine decals yet no caboose or passenger car decals for the road name and then say they do not sell. This guy seems pretty smart. Wonder how many engines Lionel could have sold by selling a train for it to pull. Once things are tooled up, the decoration cost is minimal.

On the 27th order date.....Ron gave me that date.  I did not make it up.  I guess he changed his mind and took orders????

Bill, I would hope Big L would look upon our criticism as constructive, and educational. If we're a bit picky, well, then that's the S Gauge market. I've praised them for doing things right, WHEN they do them right--which shows they CAN! That's what gives me some hope. There are some little things I don't understand that they do; like the re-issue of the Daylight cars. The original ones had silver ends, so do the re-issues; but the prototype have red ends; if they had done red ends on the re-issue, then there would be no confusion as to which one one has. Down the road this may be important for collector, and maybe not--but the new cars would be more faithful to the real ones, something we S gaugers strangely like. But now I'm getting far afield of this thread's subject title. I hope Ron finds this project to be a great boost to his business; maybe he'll do more specialized runs like this.

I just got off the phone with Ron Bashista.  He made around 40 sets to be conservative.  He didn't want unsold sets.  He may start shipping next week.

He said he had 15 people on the waiting list for the next batch.  If you want a set please give American Models a call and place your order.

My set arrived today.  Here is a video...

I tried once before and it didn't show.  Trying again.

Sorry, they are not very sharp.

Get sound, but no video.

Rusty

I get the thumbnail but no video plays. 

Sorry, it said it would play.

I just clicked on it and I have sound and movement.

Worked for me.  Can't wait to get mine.

Brendan

Brendan posted:

Worked for me.  Can't wait to get mine.

Brendan

Me three!

It sounds good. I tried two different iPads, an old 2 and a new Pro. On both I just get a still of the first frame. I tried 2 different computers, one in a dock with a monitor, one undocked using its built in screen. I tried both Firefox and IE. In all cases sound but no picture. My reluctant conclusion is three of us forum members must not have been added to the FOB list!

It worked for me first try on Windows 10 using the Google Chrome browser.

Bill

Any chance for just a few pictures of the cars 

Ben

I too received my set today. The cars are great except.......the Blue color does not match the engine and tender. The blue on the cars is more of a Navy Blue. I call the engine and tender blue more of a "Purplish Blue". Not sure what happened on Ron's end as he was furnished a tender to match the colors. Oh well. The roofs are black while the prototype cars had a gray roof. No biggie. The white stripe at the window line is well done and continues onto the end doors as on the prototype.  In any event the cars are fully illuminated when run with the FlyerChief engine at the required 18 Volts. Only the baggage car is unlighted. I will add LED lighting to mine. The six wheel trucks on all cars really gives them that "Heavyweight" look. All the car numbers and names are authentic to the Meteor cars the Frisco repainted to this blue color with one exception...The Frisco never painted  an open platform observation car for the blue Meteor cars. However there was a Frisco Observation car (I think in Pullman Green) with the name "St. Louis" so.....since the set had an open platform car.....Ta Da!

I wouldn't let the blue color discrepancy deter me from buying this set. They look great being pulled by the Frisco 4-8-4.

Note...I ordered the extra coach car. The actual set contains 5 cars...baggage, RPO, combination, coach and observation. I think the extra coach is the one named Joplin. I wasn't paying that close attention when I opened the boxes and the car names are not printed on the box flap so if you want to know if there are more than 1 extra coach car and what it's name is you will have to contact Ron at American Models.

Anyway here's some pics of the six cars. I'll get a video up tomorrow.

Still, they look good.  You guys that bought the sets have something very unique and dare I say "rare?"

Those so inclined could always repaint the roofs, although I think the black roof makes the cars look longer.

Rusty

These are beautiful. Thanks for sharing these photos.

Mark:  Great pictures!!  Why don't you show the engine next to a car so people can see the color situation?  Thanks

banjoflyer posted:

Hey all, here's a video of the Frisco train at slow speed so you can see all the numbers and names on the cars. If you pause the video at the point where the tender and baggage car are showing together you may be able to discern the color difference in the blue paint. To tell the truth when viewed from above like most layouts are seen it's not real apparent that the colors are different. Mostly you see the black roofs.

With the video being shot at track level you can see some light leakage between the roof and body of the heavyweights. That's kind of common on these AM heavyweights as my Katy cars do the same thing. I don't know if it can be remedied but it's not noticeable when viewed from above.

I hope the video plays OK as when I view it at home it pauses occasionally but that may just be my crappy internet provider and a clogged up network.

 

Mark

 

Very nice videos. Thanks.

banjoflyer posted:

With the video being shot at track level you can see some light leakage between the roof and body of the heavyweights. That's kind of common on these AM heavyweights as my Katy cars do the same thing. I don't know if it can be remedied but it's not noticeable when viewed from above.

 

 

I usually line the roof down to just above the windows with Aluminum tape  That could cover the gap.

Brendan

Thanks.  My goal was to have a brighter car and cut down on the amount of power needed for the LED strip so it would last longer with the capacitor.

Brendan

Mark thanks for videos.  Mine will be here tomorrow.  Not really thrilled with the color but will enjoy the cars anyway. They do look good.  Hats off to Ron for making the set.  By the way where did you get the sign installer in video?  I like that

Thanks Mark. Will be searching e-bay.        Steve

Bill and Mark,

You both mention the color discrepancy between the locomotive and the cars.  I watched the videos of both and the color looks closer on Bills video, can you tell me if one or the other is closer to what you see as you look at your sets?

Ray

Ray, I am sure the cars are painted exactly alike.  Any difference would be only with the different cameras we used. We live 900 miles apart so we can't compare side by side.  I do have two other sets I got for members of my club and all 15 cars are exactly alike. The set does work for me OK even with a little color difference.  

If you look at the pictures mark posted of the actual cars that color is close to the ones American Models painted.

I like my set also,even though the color is no dead-on it is still a Frisco passenger train. I am pleased to have ordered one

Looks like everyone is receiving their sets. I just checked my credit card online. I wasn't charged for the set yet. So I'm thinking even though I ordered before it was said they were all sold out I fell through the cracks again as I did with the Flyonel Berkshires.

I have mixed feelings. No matching cars to go with my Northern. Wrong color match on the other hand, so I don't have that to carp about. Let's see what happens.  

Bill & Mark,

I can see that color transmission over the internet is not very true to life. It is probably a combination of lighting and camera settings. Mark, the color swatches that you posted look like the colors that came thru to my computer from Bills video, I would call that very acceptable. You are a couple of very fortunate people, enjoy your sets and runem like you gotem!

Ray

Quick Casey posted:

Looks like everyone is receiving their sets. I just checked my credit card online. I wasn't charged for the set yet. So I'm thinking even though I ordered before it was said they were all sold out I fell through the cracks again as I did with the Flyonel Berkshires.

I have mixed feelings. No matching cars to go with my Northern. Wrong color match on the other hand, so I don't have that to carp about. Let's see what happens.  

Quick Casey, mine just shipped today! There's hope...

Was you card charged today? I have no charge on the card I gave them. That's why I'm suspicious.

Quick Casey posted:

Was you card charged today? I have no charge on the card I gave them. That's why I'm suspicious.

Yes today

Thanks. That makes me feel better.

American Models was without power and phones due to the wind. Could be the reason for some delay.