I received an email from MTH. The GP-9 is in stock but only in 3 rail. The door is open for Sunset to do the 2-rail version.
Ed
Guys, keep in mind That smaller locos do not mean significantly lower prices. The cost of tooling big modern diesel is not much more than tooling an SW1. the labor to assemble is pretty close too. There is a little less material cost but that is the smallest part of the project. Scott gave a nice review of this situation when talking about brass steamers back a few years. I am trying to remember paraphrase the information he provided.
EBT Jim posted:hibar posted:One caveat to my previous post Atlas has the GP7 Phase2 listed as one of 6 diesels 3Q 18 delivery, now we all know at best only one of these models "may" come in by the end of the year, for whatever reason the GP7 is listed first, obviously if this model gets produced in the foreseeable future it would impact potential reservations for a Sunset run. just saying!
There was an indication that it's going to be GP7's this year, and the SW and MP15 switchers next year.
Hope so.
Jim,
Could you confirm when you received the update about the Atlas-O MP15DC arrival date? When I called their customer service number, 2 weeks ago, the person I spoke to, was still confident on the ship date of 3rd quarter 2018, listed on their website. I reminded her that we were in the 3rd quarter of 2018 & she still seemed to believe that they would be shipped or available later, around September.
These are just my opinion,
Naveen
naveenrajan posted:EBT Jim posted:There was an indication that it's going to be GP7's this year, and the SW and MP15 switchers next year.
Hope so.
Jim,
Could you confirm when you received the update about the Atlas-O MP15DC arrival date? When I called their customer service number, 2 weeks ago, the person I spoke to, was still confident on the ship date of 3rd quarter 2018, listed on their website. I reminded her that we were in the 3rd quarter of 2018 & she still seemed to believe that they would be shipped or available later, around September.
These are just my opinion,
Naveen
Naveen …. I sure don't know when they will actually ship. I'm eagerly awaiting their SW switchers.
This past March, a forum member here posted an apparent Atlas office memo …..
I hope what the woman told you is actually correct.
Jim
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Judging from the posts here, it looks like there's a lot of pent-up demand for Sunset GP-9s.
I hadn't thought about getting a GP-7 until recently. Did Atlas do any passenger-version GP-7s, or were they all freight versions?
I would go for one or two SP GP-9s. I believe the Sunset drive is far superior. Your mileage may differ.
Jay
Jay C posted:I would go for one or two SP GP-9s. I believe the Sunset drive is far superior. Your mileage may differ.
Jay
For me, the availability of the drop-in P:48 wheelsets ALONG WITH the superior running characteristics of Sunset models seals the deal for me. This fact alone makes me want to shift my modeling era slightly to include more diesels. Sunset diesels.
The GP7 is a tad late for me but I am sure I'd do at least one in PRR.
And of course I'd love some Sunset FAs or early (Phase 1) F units. Would they reserve sufficiently? No way to know that.
How funny to find this topic when I was literally thinking of dropping Scott a line about this!
its all very well saying 'Atlas' already make them....but try finding one, especially over here in the U.K. and when Atlas do produce them, they are often in more obscure road names.
I'd love to see Sunset do some GP7s and 9s, given their products continue to improve every time.
It would also be an ideal loco to get younger blood into the hobby. There's nothing more frustrating than deciding to go for 'O' and then have trouble finding locos.
Loving the site and the conversations and banter.
Happy modelling, everyone, from across the pond!
Steve Adby posted:How funny to find this topic when I was literally thinking of dropping Scott a line about this!
its all very well saying 'Atlas' already make them....but try finding one, especially over here in the U.K. and when Atlas do produce them, they are often in more obscure road names.
I'd love to see Sunset do some GP7s and 9s, given their products continue to improve every time.
It would also be an ideal loco to get younger blood into the hobby. There's nothing more frustrating than deciding to go for 'O' and then have trouble finding locos.
Loving the site and the conversations and banter.
Happy modelling, everyone, from across the pond!
And THAT is precisely why I’d like to see Scott do a run of ALCo RS3’s...in addition to the GP7’s & 9’s being discussed in this thread. Sunset just seems to do things right...and I don’t even own any of their engines...YET!
Yes, there have been a lot of RS3’s offered by multiple manufacturers/importers over the years, but there has yet to be one that is true scale size (and shape!) with the high level of detail that I just KNOW Scott would offer in his version! A very common prototype locomotive that to this day has never been done accurately by any of the mainstream 3-rail manufacturers/importers!
Rule292 posted:The GP7 is a tad late for me but I am sure I'd do at least one in PRR.
And of course I'd love some Sunset FAs or early (Phase 1) F units. Would they reserve sufficiently? No way to know that.
If you are talking PRR, The earliest F3's the PRR owned were phase II, road numbers 9500 to 9505, ordered as 3 sets of ABBA's. The only PRR F's with High Fans.
Simon
Jay C posted:I would go for one or two SP GP-9s. I believe the Sunset drive is far superior. Your mileage may differ.
Jay
Would anyone be interested in the SP's T&NO freight service variant, the ones delivered without SP's characteristic warning lights?
Bear in mind before Sunset can actually post a model for reservations [ the only real way to get a realistic number on potential reservations ] with pricing they have to do considerable planning and cost estimating. just saying !
HIBAR, why is that? It can be just as simple as saying “we wanna go this loco, reserve em and we will see if it’s a go” planning and cost estimates should all be roughly the same for diesel production runs adjusted for tariffs and inflation
I agree with Matt. Two pages of this, and am I correct in assuming that Scott has less than 20 firm commitments? Make it 200, and get his attention!
Re: the earlier comment about how Lionel and MTH approach production in the same way - I note that Lionel, after overwhelming demand, is doing the N&W K2 streamlined Mountain. I too like that Mountain, but I had assumed Scott's fine model had sated the demand. What do I know?
Clearly there is no overwhelming demand for either GP 40s to replace the lightly reserved SD 40-2s which are still listed for reservations or a GP 7/9 series or Alco RS 3 series, the only truly firm reservations come with a CC or Ck something that Scott does not require. I believe the 2 rail market is more inclined to buy Scotts models for the drive and prototype detailing, he is however dependent on 3 railers to buy in to these projects to make them happen and they are accustomed to the more competitive pricing of the MTH, Lionel, Atlas diesels, not to mention the enormous selection they have had available for years. JMO
“No overwhelming demand” for GP-7s/GP-9s? I must have missed something. It seemed to me that a fair number of people on this thread sounded enthusiastic. I didn’t see a sparsely-autographed reservation list for them (Although few people seem excited about SDL-39s, CF-7s, and G-8s). Did someone talk to Sunset about GP-7s/GP-9s after this thread started?
I could be very enthusiastic about a GP7 in ACL or SAL in 2 rail. Also a GP20 in Santa Fe.
rdunniii posted:prrjim posted:
...
Yes the reservation system seems to work pretty well. An announcement is made and we all jump in, or we don't and scott decides to do the product based on that. I think I have heard the target is about 1000 units to get the current price level. If we settle for a lot fewer units, the prices goes up considerably.
It's 500 models at the current price point. The K-M is $1200 for 150 units. ANY diesel can be done @$1200 for 150 right now. GP7/9s, SD40-2s, FP45s, SDP40Fs, whatever. Doesn't matter what it is made out of.
It appears the K-M model is plastic.
EBT Jim posted:hibar posted:One caveat to my previous post Atlas has the GP7 Phase2 listed as one of 6 diesels 3Q 18 delivery, now we all know at best only one of these models "may" come in by the end of the year, for whatever reason the GP7 is listed first, obviously if this model gets produced in the foreseeable future it would impact potential reservations for a Sunset run. just saying!
There was an indication that it's going to be GP7's this year, and the SW and MP15 switchers next year.
Hope so.
IDK since a recent thread and on Atlas O's website states that Atlas O lost their Factory in China for Locos and Rolling stock.
prrhorseshoecurve posted:EBT Jim posted:hibar posted:One caveat to my previous post Atlas has the GP7 Phase2 listed as one of 6 diesels 3Q 18 delivery, now we all know at best only one of these models "may" come in by the end of the year, for whatever reason the GP7 is listed first, obviously if this model gets produced in the foreseeable future it would impact potential reservations for a Sunset run. just saying!
There was an indication that it's going to be GP7's this year, and the SW and MP15 switchers next year.
Hope so.
IDK since a recent thread and on Atlas O's website states that Atlas O lost their Factory in China for Locos and Rolling stock.
This is not good news for Atlas buyers considering how far behind they were in motive power deliveries already, obviously rolling stock delivery will suffer also and any potentially new product development will be even further in the future. JMO
