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A while back member MikeAA posted some info about new reefers from MTH built for Pikesville models. When looking at the MTH delivery schedule I noticed a reference to "Bicycle Playing Cards" as a graphic on a proposed new car but at that time I couldn't find any images for such a car.

They are MTH S gauge rebuilt steel boxcars in two color variations.  The MTH # is 35-74019 and caries a $79.99 price tag on MTH's site. 

If these cars actually get produced in light of MTH's production shortfalls I'll probably want one of each. Any car advertising a product is appealing to me so I hope they make it to completion.

I have no other info as to if and when these cars might be available to order in the future.

As I've said before any  new MTH S gauge product keeps the "flicker of hope" burning that they will eventually release more new products to a waiting S gauge audience.

Mark

Last edited by banjoflyer
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As those are NASG 2019 convention cars, they're not "regular production."

Given the problems Badgerland has had with the Sprecher's reefer, I'm surprised anyone's taking a chance wtih MTH. 

It's also puzzling as to why MTH would be offering a club's car on their website if it's supposed to be an "exclusive" fundraiser for a club.  I would think the NASG car committee would be rather upset.

Rusty

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Last edited by Rusty Traque

Where are the Bicycle playing cards made ?  How about Cincinnati ?  Where is the NASG Convention in 2019 ?  Same place . The NASG & the Central Ohio " S" Gaugers  I would think would  be upset with MTH . But maybe you have to kiss their butt to get the cars produced by next summer . I am not a fan of MTH at all . I ordered 5.00 worth of parts that could be sent in an envelope but they charged 17 .50 for FEDX . Four days later & I still don't have the parts !!

Bob G.

Quick Casey posted:

Another asinine fantasy convention car. Oh well, I'm saving money. One day, some organization may start making cars again that actually existed.

QC,

As a matter of fact, my club, the Southeastern Michigan S Gaugers, had a convention car in 2006 that actually existed.  A Pere Marquette gondola that carried steel coils.  We contracted American Models to custom letter their existing model and offer it in three numbers, plus either hirail of scale wheels.

The model:

The actual gondola:

Admittedly, it's not a perfect replica, but as close as we could get. 

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poniaj posted:
Quick Casey posted:

Another asinine fantasy convention car. Oh well, I'm saving money. One day, some organization may start making cars again that actually existed.

QC,

As a matter of fact, my club, the Southeastern Michigan S Gaugers, had a convention car in 2006 that actually existed.  A Pere Marquette gondola that carried steel coils.  We contracted American Models to custom letter their existing model and offer it in three numbers, plus either hirail of scale wheels.

The model:

The actual gondola:

Admittedly, it's not a perfect replica, but as close as we could get. 

They also came with the coil loads.

NASG 2006 PM [1)

Last year's State Line S Fest CB&Q "reefers" (AM plug door boxcars in reality as no steel ice reefer models are currently being produced) also follow the "close enough rule," as do this year's Chicagoland's S Fest AM IC "reefers."

The NASG also offered prototype cars in 1989 (5 boxcars representing KC railroads,) a UP 50' boxcar kit in 1999, C&NW 50 plug door boxcar in 2004, EJ&E boxcars in 2012, and Soo Line wood reefer in 2014.

Rusty

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Last edited by Rusty Traque

There's nothing wrong with close enough--one of the attractions of O and S modeling is that generally people are more laid back about the minor details.

Every HO forum seems to be filled with overly obsessed rivet counters. God bless them if that's what they enjoy, but I take a more relaxed approach to things, while still striving for a reasonably accurate model of something that actually existed.

Jeff C

I guess I sometimes come off like an obsessed rivet-counter. Close enough is permissible. Otherwise, I'd have very little equipment. But really, a Bicycle playing cards boxcar, with made-up reporting marks?

I got "ripped a new one" in a Facebook O gauge forum when I innocently asked  of a couple members who had superb 3-rail layouts, why they were left-hand running. (They weren't modeling the CNW) Oh. the flood gates of anger I I released. I realized no one observes real railroads anymore, or cares what practices goes into the operation. In the '60s and '70s, when I came of age, emulating the real thing was a big part of the fun. 

I see young modelers, (God bless them) running steam freights without a caboose. I would never crush a young persons enthusiasm. But if you're an adult running a train that costs a few thousand dollars, I feel I can politely ask why you do things in certain ways. Even If the answer is it looks good coming around that curve in that direction. or, "I never gave it any thought."  Fair enough. Just wondering.

 

 

Chud posted:

Don't you just wonder who, at MTH, makes these productions decisions?  I wonder if anyone sponsoring the 2019 NASG Convention approached MTH with a special request for a convention car.  Plenty of prototype railroads went through The Queen City!

It's up to the local convention car committees to decide what car and who makes it, not the other way around.  The Bicycle cars are the decision of the COSG 2019 convention car committee.  Time will tell if it's a good one or not. 

Car committees not perfect.  For 1999, the NASG Flyer commemorative car committee decided on a Flyer Great Northern caboose:

There were no Flyer Great Northern locomotives available at the time and they didn't sell well.  It took years for the NASG to unload them, even to the point of giving one away with each new membership.

Rusty

Just musing on a lazy afternoon.

My exceptions to my rules; I own some inaccurate cars.

I have 3 of the Flyonel US Forest Service cars. I have a friend who is a forest ranger, and he has an AF S Gauge set he brings out at Christmas. I bought them to run on my layout, maybe one day he would be in town and drop in and see me and I would have the cars running on the high=rail portion of my layout. And the colors are subdued.

Yes, I do have all my old Flyer from when I was young, and a High_Rail "racetrack" to borrow the CB&Q term will incorporated into the trackplan. I like my roots too much to let them languish on a shelf. It will wind through the scenery and compliment a code 100 full scale operation oriented branchline which will be the main focus of the layout.

From the Ohio groups, I also purchased the Sherwin Williams, and Timkin cats. I ordered them in High-Rail just in case they really don't have prototypes. Don't recall seeing a Sherwin Williams tank car, but it looks plausible. Too lazy to do the research at the time I purchased them. Still haven't. One day perhaps.

I had no qualms about ordering last year's CB&Q plug door AM boxcars masquerading as reefers from Stateline, and will probably get the Chicago group's IC plug doors that should be reefers this year. The jury is still out on their covered gondola, as they added an IC herald on the covers that should not be there, but someone thought they'd be more interesting that way. I guess the covers could end up in the parts box. 

I must own some other fantasy cars, but the number is low, so I can't recall them right now.  

So I am nor a rabid rivet counter, though I may play one on social media from time to time when some group trots out their clown cars in lieu of a prototype paint scheme, not like their area has no railroad history.

I'm just too quick to post sometimes.

Last edited by Quick Casey
Quick Casey posted:

Another asinine fantasy convention car. Oh well, I'm saving money. One day, some organization may start making cars again that actually existed.

They look great to me!  They will sell out.  Always love the few folks on here who just love to pee in other people's punch bowls if they don't happen to like something that is offered, or if it is not "correct."  I guess the club chose this design because it knew it would have broad, nationwide appeal... as opposed to something named for a local or regional railroad.  But thats just me.   

RadioRon posted:
Quick Casey posted:

Another asinine fantasy convention car. Oh well, I'm saving money. One day, some organization may start making cars again that actually existed.

They look great to me!  They will sell out.  Always love the few folks on here who just love to pee in other people's punch bowls if they don't happen to like something that is offered, or if it is not "correct."  I guess the club chose this design because it knew it would have broad, nationwide appeal... as opposed to something named for a local or regional railroad.  But thats just me.   

Well, cover your punch bowl...

I mentioned earlier that time will tell if these cars are successful or not.  One of the hazards of doing convention cars, be they real or fantasy is what one person thinks is a great idea, others do not.  Personally, I think going further out on the fantasy limb increases the risk.  Particularly since the S population is not as robust as N, HO or 3-rail O (and NASG's even less so) that cars run by S organizations will sell very few (if any) outside of the scale.

Over the past 30 years I've seen cars that sold out and cars that were dismal failures.

I'll admit I don't know what MTH's minimum order is for clubs promotionals.  That also is a determining factor in sell outs.  Either way, the sponsoring club will have to live by their decision.  If the Bicycle cars sell out, that's a feather in COSG's cap and I have egg on my face.

But, lest you think I'm a total stick in the mud...  There have been prototype-based cars I've taken a pass on for various reasons.  A couple I now regret not getting, others I have no regrets not getting.  But that's just me, also...

Rusty

banjoflyer posted:

A while back member MikeAA posted some info about new reefers from MTH built for Pikesville models. When looking at the MTH delivery schedule I noticed a reference to "Bicycle Playing Cards" as a graphic on a proposed new car but at that time I couldn't find any images for such a car.

Today I tried again and here's what I found:

 

<snip>

If these cars actually get produced in light of MTH's production shortfalls I'll probably want one of each. Any car advertising a product is appealing to me so I hope they make it to completion.

I have no other info as to if and when these cars might be available to order in the future.

 

Mark

If I recall correctly, the chairman of the 2019 NASG Convention (to take place in Cincinnati, OH) stated in his remarks promoting the next convention during the banquet of the 2018 Bristol convention that these convention cars have been made and delivered. The Bicycle playing card theme is rooted in local commerce. Not quite my cup of tea, but one has to give the COSG club points for planning ahead.

Bob

PS: Am I the only one who posts on this board with some regularity that actually attended the 2018 Bristol NASG convention? 

Mark

My understanding is the MTH Bicycle cars are already in the hands of the host club!  The question is, will MTH try to sell the same cars before the 2019 convention, or undercut their price and ruin sales for the COSG ?   I also attended the convention in Boxboro.  Excellent job by the Bristol club, but I was not impressed with attendance while there on Friday!

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