I appreciate the effort that went into conducting the survey, and the results make perfect sense for widest appeal. I'm hoping Ron Bashista gets a notion to use the SD60s he made as a basis for an SD40-2. If he does announce such a model, it will be available within 3 months, unlike the company that announced the mechanical reefer and then accidentally let customers know at the time of promised delivery that they never bothered to do anything. It required new tooling! That costs money.
If you want to invest in new tooling, you want to be sure to get the money back. Now a billboard reefer made sense to Crown Models, SHS/MTH, and S Scale America, so with thousands on the market, it made perfect sense to that company to make one, too. However, this one would be better: just one set of high-rail wheels to avoid confusing customers; fewer details to get broken off; "low-resolution" (a great term, Rusty) ladders that are less likely to get caught on sweaters; and a higher price to convince collectors that this toy is an investment.
Maybe Thomas the Tank engine might actually catch someone's attention in North Carolina. Build it with scale wheels that set a new standard in alignment. (Standards are wonderful. Everyone should have his own.) Add in Legacy II with new features such as crew talk in different accents, including British. (Requires new Cab-3 and Legacy base.) The kids will love it, if they can wait until April for their Christmas presents.
