RDUNNlll,
First, I have a confession to make to the forum. Yes, I am an Amtrak Modeler. I know, I know...I am in therapy...perhaps one day......... All kidding aside, I find I'm in agreement with you, not only about the SD40-2 as built, but Amtrak as well.
I would wager that there aren't a lot of Amtrak modelers in O Scale, despite the absence of product on the secondary markets. While I still think that the best service was in the early days of the company, truth is, all the inherited equipment from the member railroads was just a stop gap until the new cars and locomotives came on line. I could be dead wrong about this, but I don't think there are a lot of people modeling early Amtrak in numbers that make it economically viable for the importers. Ah, yes, people will point to the Atlas CZ cars, but remember, the CZ cars were just some of the many different car prototypes picked up by Amtrak, and added to O Scale by Atlas to bolster sales toward the end of their first run of CZ.
What about current Amtrak prototypes? Well, maybe, but cost (I really hate to admit this) is a huge factor. Add up the cost of 7-9 Overland SuperLiner l and ll Cars (the only correct models of the prototypes), along with 3-4 of the OMI MHCs, and 1-2 Heritage baggage cars where ever you can find the prototype (you will have to paint it), then add in 2-3 Overland P-42s or 3-4 F40PHs (pick your phase) to drag it, and you are looking at some pretty hefty denari, my friends. The cost alone keeps most people from owning them or expanding what they have. The additional Gunderson 60ft Merchandise Express Cars, used a decade ago, have never been produced by anyone.
So, could Sunset produce current prototype Amtrak of reasonable quality and accuracy that would turn the heads of the O Scale/O Gauge market and still turn a dime? I don't know, maybe, but I would think firm reservations would have to be legion for Scott to risk it. That's just my humble opinion and no more. Remember, I'm in therapy..........
On thing I will say with certainty: I think the AMD103s and P40/42s are ugly as sin! I would like nothing more than to replace them with FP45s and FP40Fs. Now those were passenger engines with charaacter! Although, if Amtrak West does go to a private vendor(s) as is occasionally hinted about, I expect that the routes will disappear faster than fresh horse meat dumped into a pond of ravenous piranhas, in which case, like the SD40-2s, Amtrak will have appeared and disappeared in my life time and I will move on to other modeling interests, like maybe a private company train. Just sayin'.........
