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Having seen several references to interest in these cars but not finding any recent discussions regarding production, I wrote to the only maker that came up on Google as having been interested, Island Modelworks, and received the response quoted, in part, below.  I suggest that anyone having an interest email these folks at info@islandmodelworks.com to indicate their support.  I apologize in advance if this issue has been addressed in the past, my only excuse being that I'm new to the Forum.

 

"We had attempted in the past to produce this model, however, we
couldn't generate enough interest from people willing to place a deposit
on a non existent model. We only needed enough for about 25 - 30 models.
if you are serious about ordering ten of them, we will put out another
request to try and generate interest in more of these cars. Yes, they
would be designed to fit onto the MTH chassis for ease of powering them
and we may offer a complete kit if interest warrants it. We would modify
our HO scale version to fit o scale and add more detail."
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SIRT / BMT cars –

 

We commend IMW for all their efforts; however the shells in either scale are not quite up to OEM quality as they are a bit rough.

It was pointed out to me that some details are missing and warping occurred on the H.O.SIRT shells.

O scale SIRT demand is there but finding MTH BMT Standards is costly and limited in a long time frame. It would be impossible to find 30 sets to support 30 people to do this at once.

It’s not like the cars are available everywhere of every day for years to come to purchase.

 

Aside from that most people want and can afford a ready to run set. As it stands now, painting decaling, dissemble and assembly have to be required on top of it all.

Plus, chances of re-selling the MTH BMT shells back on ebay are also slim to none.

Another drawback at least with the existing LIRR items is they are 2 rail items. They also would need decals and paint to decorate.

 

New tooling is costly but if IMW can do it, MTH should be able to do it.

Plus SIRT sets would sell out in advance. MTH could also sell the same units to the subway market as BMT’s. Several color schemes are also possible boosting sales even further.

This all was covered years back now with my visit and discussion with

MTH VP Mr. Hipp. Turns out he wasn't the correct person to get it implemented.

They have the complete package with every drawing /  detail including MP3 sound ideas as well.

 

With the R&D of the R-1’s and Standards behind them, these sets would be easy to do.

Everyone interested needs to ask MTH why they are still dragging their feet on this project.

 

Bottom line is we need the complete package.

 

S.

Last edited by SIRT

Thanks to ebay, I got a set of BMT Standards for the sole purpose of converting them into MUEs, then got some Lo-Vs to cannibalize for trucks, motors, sideframes, couplers and control groups (electronics).  I thought that the Lo-V carbodies might also lend themselves to kitbashing but their usefulness seems limited.  Having now become somewhat familiar with that equipment, like you, I'm amazed that MTH hasn't made the move.  It would take nothing other than the tooling for the carbody shell, some headlights and a paint job.  The ability to just make more BMT AB frames, truck parts, and electronics, plus Lo-V (Commonwealth) sideframes; couplers (long and short, mechanical and electromagnetic) already exists.

 

Having read some of your comments regarding the "State of the Industry", I can understand MTH's hesitance, however, any SIRT man worth his salt would refinance the house and sell the dog to get a set.  We are "Hi-Railers" for the reasons you so aptly stated, we want to open the box and run trains.  On the other hand, there isn't one of the SIRT MUE paint schemes that we couldn't do - even with rattle cans.  There are no Pennsy-like "cat whiskers", Wagons-Lits monograms or gold trim, just solid colors in big blocks - Clifton's entry into "high fashion" consisted only of painting the car-ends grey.  Using some of your tips on weathering, we could even disguise our mistakes...

 

Is there an effective means of petitioning MTH?  My few past attempts (via email and snail-mail) went unanswered and unheeded.

HI  all  Having worked for the sirt and do scale modeling I have made two  mue's  Now i have  the  ability to start my third sirt MUE in  Plastic. When near finished i will post pictures.  Its a fun project. AS info i followed the o scaler  who lives out west with  his way of using  card stock and when i feel the sides are  good enough i would  rubber mold them and would  have the ability to make as many as i wanted. will posy some pictures when i  can

Zach & MCD4x4,

 

I would if I could but it's a long way from Grass Range, Montana, to Farmingdale, Long G-Island, and the Milwaukee Road ripped up the branch to Grass Range back in 1971, the year I first lived on Staten Island and rode the brand new "SIRTOA".

 

Sadly, I have no connection to the highly lucrative SIRT model industry other than being a consumer and only a potential consumer at that - heck, I can't even find an MTH SIRT S-2 for my very own.

 

Please email our benefactor, Island Modelworks, at info@islandmodelworks.com, agitate, and keep the ball rolling; according to the email (above), we should be able to "pre-order" during this next week.

 

Thank you for your support of this project, production of SIRT MUEs is long overdue and Lionel/MTH are clearly not going to lead the way.

Sorry guys for the slow progress on this model. With the new house, I 've just haven't had the time to work on the models. The model will become a reality, it may just be pushed back slightly until October or so. We will not put up any pre-order links until we are closer to production, hopefully the project won't lose interest by then.

GREAT NEWS!

 

Hello Sam,
We have finished the design work for the Staten Island ME-1's. We have
also put up a link for the model on our NYC page:

http://islandmodelworks.com/ONYC.html

We are aiming for a September release of the shells and full kits
sometime in the future. The model is a definite at this point, even
without deposits.

Thank you for your continued interest in this model.

Joe
Island Modelworks LLC
 

Imagine if you could get MTH to order a few extra motor/trucks/chassis combos during the next rapid-transit production run, to sell off to small operators like IMW.

 

I was hoping their HO NJT Multilevels could become an 'O' reality. A last-minute complication was needing the orders for X number of cab cars as well as the same number of straight coaches. I wonder if the cab cars could just be run back-to-back in pairs, now that I think about it.

 

---PCJ

Hi Joe, I have a few questions.

 

1. What is the plan to accommodate the headlamps?

2. Will the ends have cut out holes for the 4 led’s?

3. Will they contain the lower cow catcher?

4. Will they have the rock protection window screen panels?

5. Will they have the safety chains and gates?

 

Thanks

 

 

screens

sirt lamp

SIRT LEDS

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  • screens
  • sirt lamp
  • SIRT LEDS

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