Cost of New Tinplate Tooling

I think your estimated sales numbers are too high. The new 400E's all have great color schemes yet most are not sold out and there are only 10 of each being made.

Scott Smith

From what I understand not all 400Es will not be from every dealer. 

400E’s have been around for awhile done in most every color scheme imaginable. I have not seen very many GG1’s.  I’m just not sure 200 units would cover cost of design and manufacturing of tooling for the GG1.  Cars are already there.  Just have to come up with a new paint scheme.

I think that you guys are missing my point.  The 400E has nothing to do with my question.  At least 150 Brute Sets were made and sold out---all new tooling for those products.   Now,how about 150 600E's or GG1's with existing passenger cars?  Would they sell? 

I personally saw one standard gauge GG1 with matching passenger cars running at a show here in suburban Pittsburgh.

Norm

As I recall learning/hearing. . . and this was some time back. . . I believe completely new locomotive tooling and associated "stuff" costs around $250,000.

With all the computerized CNC more available,  it seems making stamping dies would be cheaper by now.

i will never understand the obsession with big locomotives.  a Std Gauge GG1?... at 1:26.6 you're looking at a locomotive 36" long.  about the only Christmas tree that would look good running around would be in Rockefeller Center.  looking at steam, i'd like to see a ten wheeler... a 4-6-0.  it would be the least expensive way to get to a 6-wheel drive configuration while likely being smaller than a 400e.  ten wheelers were also for the most part dual purpose locomotive which would look equally good pulling a short freight, a passenger train or a mixed consist.

a good next step would be to take the same boiler and design an 8-wheel (w/ smaller wheels for freight) drive creating a 2-8-0 Consolidation or a 2-8-2 Mikado type.  blinding the center drive wheels on both the 6 or 8-wh drives would still allow for tight radii, but would also look good on newer 72" diameter standard gauge curves.

women have had the right idea for years ... good things come in small packages.
cheers...gary

  Was it made? I think the GG-1 stands a chance at exceeding any previous sales figures just because it's a GG-1; an engine with many "rabid" collectors of "every version made"; including many collections that span any scale. It's like saying a tin Super Cheif would bomb. Too many fans imo.

A compressed, less than scale length GG1 like the one John Daniels once produced would not be bad looking. A friend of mine had a green one with stripes and it was nicely done.

As someone who has re gauged G. To run on STD ga. And made my own STD ga berk.

I don't see this 250 thou for tooling.  the motors and side plates just need to be modified. For any wheel arrangements.

With computer..done in minutes. As I have said in other posts.. They are to expensive.. Except for upper income..

They are missing out on the lower .Income sales..

They also need to get back to selling to discount stores.. That's where my first Lionel train came from..

Tinplate Art posted:

A compressed, less than scale length GG1 ... would not be bad looking...

you're right, bad looking would be an understatement.

Really? - have you ever actually seen a JAD GG1?

overlandflyer posted:

Tinplate Art posted:

A compressed, less than scale length GG1 ... would not be bad looking...

you're right, bad looking would be an understatement.

Here's the Standard Gauge GG1 and heavyweight cars made by John Daniel. They loco and cars are far from scale, but does scale really matter when it comes to Standard Gauge? For many of us, full-scale Standard Gauge trains would be way too big to fit on our layouts. I'd love to own a Daniel GG1, but the weak link on them is the powertrain, making them poor runners unless a major and costly overhaul is done. I own a set of the cars, and they are extremely well-done--sort of an enlarged version of the O-gauge Baby Madison cars. 

John

I always liked the looks of the JAD GG1, but did not know they were poor runners.  

Norm posted:

Now, how about 150 600E's

I wish someone would bring back the 600e. There aren't too many non-Lionel tinplate trains that I really want, but that one is at the top of my list. I doubt I'll ever find one though.

overlandflyer posted:

you're right, bad looking would be an understatement.

Just like the Lionel (and others) "semi=scale" GG1?

My version of the 600e is in the works.  But using 400e boiler and frame. And build a loco motor.

Putting the middle wheel  in is the  hang up. With the gears..

My own motor/wheel block not a problem...

But I want to use the build a loco motor

I will be building a small run of standard gauge GG1's but not for another year. For those familiar with the a gold Standard GG1 made by Bob Hendrichs, mine will be along the same size. About 30" long, drive wheels are 1.8" diameter and are already Cnc machined and chemically blackened. Body will be cast aluminum based on a 3D print I have already completed.  Expect to make 6 of them and then see what the demand is. Will have heavy can motors and Boston gears, and aluminum machined frames with electronic reverse.  

Stay tuned

jim Waterman

riki posted:

My version of the 600e is in the works.  But using 400e boiler and frame. And build a loco motor.

Putting the middle wheel  in is the  hang up. With the gears..

My own motor/wheel block not a problem...

But I want to use the build a loco motor

I Amy be able to provide a part to you that extends the bild a loco motor for the third axle. I use them to build the Harmon Challenger a 4-6-6-4 steamer that is over 52" long with tender

Jim Waterman