Sunset "Jawn Henry"

Stephen thanks for heads-up on model prototype picture posting on web site.

Two questions, what do you mean by each number since there was only one 2300 and where did you see anything about delivery date?  Not long ago it seems that Scott Mann said something about delivery late this year or early next year.

I have had one (3R) on order since November, 2010.  I do wish 3rd did not refer to the tender with it as an auxiliary tender because it is THE tender just like any-other steam engine has to have a supply of water.  The tank in the engine is processed water for immediate use.  

Will email Scott for up-date.

PRRron,

Stephen is pulling our leg. He's ordering one. There is a wink at the end of his message.

I missed the wink in my haste to send Scott Mann email for delivery confirmation info.

But also went back to web site and enlarged picture.  Looks a lot like HO track instead of O gauge two rail!

Also down loaded the "July 2012 Update" which shows both a 2012 and a 2013 delivery!?

Ron

Ron:

The "Jawn Henry" - The source at Sunset stated it would be a year before delivery.  Hope they were wrong and it is early next year.  It should be before the N&W M's due to that the M's pilot model will not be completed till sometime October.

The Jawn Henry did have an auxilary water tender that was behind the water softener tender. This needs to be ordered separate (add-on) to make the model complete from Sunset.  

Stephen

Stephen, 3rd's ad states "with Auxiliary Water Tender, Also 2nd Aux Water Tender Available."  My point is that the ad's " Auxiliary Water Tender"  should just state "with tender."

A friend has an actual original "Operating Manual" for this beast.  I need to see if we can make a copy.

Oh, found another place in the "July Update" that shows a "03-13" due date.  Hope this is a good date so can purchase something else this year.

Ron

Ron: You are correct: It should say "jawn Henry" with water tender. Alco Models published a reprint of the operaters manual in their HO Jawn Henry model. The 3-13 delivery sounds about correct as once a pilot model is done and it goes into production, by rule of thumb it takes 6-8 months to completion of the model.

Stephen

Ron: I checked out the Sunset July 2012 update sheet and it has three delivery dates for the Jawn Henry,

The July datasheet states "coning in 2012" The August GGD datasheet states "coming 2013", and the reservation sheets state "3-13,"   I called Sunset and was told "a year from now".

Maybe Scott can clearify these 4 delivery dates.

Stephen

Interesting, I too have a set of manuals. I thought these were the only ones left. Also of interest the OW Link Museum in Roanoke didn't want them. I emailed Scott Mann about them offering to send him copies. There was no response.

I was wondering if they were building it with the extended coal bunker. Awesome!!! As for waiting another year, I'm OK with that....

Gilly

A friend of mine who ordered one spoke to Scott at York in April and was told that production would start in October and they would be here in October 2013.

From the King of Inconsistency...

Each trip to the factory yeilds a different production schedule. It's based on what's ready to go into production and what is still in the design phase. Our latest production Schedule shows March of 2013. To give you a better idea, the SP GS-4 was supposed to be delivered in May. Here we are in July. Coming in August. The months pass by, and they are hard at work, so I don't complain about their schedule delays. I just want them done right.

The Jawn Henry pictured is an HO Alco model that Ron Rosenburg (Ron's Books) lent to me. He pushed me to do this project, but I am glad he did. I think it will be successful, once customers see how spectacular and huge it is.

Sorry about the AUX tender description. The tender just looks like an after thought. It doesn't look like it belongs there.  I will eventually change my text on tender description. Thanks for your input. But does it really matter? Do you want to see it made? Then please reserve one.

Thanks,

Scott Mann

HO Model or not, it looks great. Scott, the rectangular box on the top of the locomotive near the front is the extended coal bunker. This was added by the N&W probably around 1955. Would it be possible to have this as a removable add-on? Good to have it, but not as the 2300 was delivered by BLH. Also there was a dynomometer car that was used extensively with the 2300. One more item to consider for a continuation piece for this project.

Gilly

sdmann:

Please do not copy the HO model as there are several mistakes. For the best informaition contact the modeling committee at the NWHS. info@nwhs.org

Stephen

having lent a hand on a couple Sunset products, the GG1 and E7 engines, I can inform you Scott and his rep Bob Heil seek out modelers with extensive backgrounds in the prototype he wants to produce, to lend expertise to that project. I know this has been the process for quite some time.

I think you can be assured he will not just copy someone else's version without checking the details. want to volunteer?

The builder has a complete set of Builders Blue Prints from the N&W Historical Society. These cost about $1800 to get. With that, photos and the HO model for 3D visualization the builder should be able to create an accurate representation of the Jawn Henry. After the first set of drawings come out of the design center, we will share them with anyone that can help us nail down the details. That is the process we do. 

Scott Mann

Thanks Scott:

I am ordering one of every number.

Stephen

The inspection is going very well. These Jawn Henry's will be loaded in a container next week for their journey to the US.

Here is a picture of what a bunch of Jawn Henry's look like.

If you don't have one reserved, it is not too late. We still have a few left to reserve in 2R and 3R.

See our web site for details and videos of this magnificent brass model.

http://www.3rdrail.com/reservation.html#TE1

Scott Mann - China

An impressive beast, indeed.

I have been listening to a program on NPR talking about labor rates in China - apparently we used to import most of our strawberries from China because the labor was so cheap.  Now we send them strawberries.

we are probably seeing the last of inexpensive brass models from the Orient.  Get them while you can?

These look spectacular!  I have a 2-rail train waiting for mine with a little red wooden N&W caboose waiting for this monster to telescope it into the preceding freight car like the real thing! LOL. I wonder if any weight was added to the model or is the 12 pound weight the model itself?I will weather the trucks at least so it won't look like its first day out of the erecting shop.  There are wonderful pictures on the N&W historical web site.

Robert,

One of those in the picture is mine too! I've got a Weaver brass N&W Caboose and 40+ coal cars just waiting... I will be interested to see if the speed matches up w/ the Lionel JLC Y6b and/or 1218 "A". It would be neat to have this running in a TMCC MU consist.

It's June already. Shouldn't be much longer now..... 

Oh my those look great....

Chris

Hmmm, Nice but can you say Behemoth? Would not work on my little RR to be. However, it is nice to dream...

I have a Sunset Y6b which I want to put on the front end, but this engine only weighs 7.5 pounds and I am afraid the cars on the rear end will be pushed off the track by the "Giant Behemoth"(from a 1958 monster movie) meaning the Jawn Henry.  The prototype had a tractive effort somewhere at or above 180,000 pounds in the 0-10 mile speed range.  With a weight of 12 pounds, the model should have a tractive force of 3 pounds (1/4 the loco weight) since all of its weight is on the drivers (no traction tires-thank God!). Unfortunately my N&W caboose is a plastic one kitbashed from 2 Rivarossi's.  I should add weight to this is one or buy a brass one made back in the old days when heavy gauge brass was used.

OMG!   OMG!  OMG!

OK, Thursday is July 4th!!!! The wait is killin me!! Any word about the 2300 being ready to ship from 3rd Rail?

Gilly

Last I heard, it is supposed to arrive at Sunset on the 4th.  I guess we will hear nothing else until it gets there.  How long does it take to get to a customer after the merchandise arrives at Sunset?

Since Gilly N&W is my neighbor and fellow group member........I cant wait to see it, too!

Peter

The Jawn Henrys will be shipped to the customers on July 10-message from Sunset 3rd Rail.

Due to a Union Strike at the Oakland Port on Tuesday, our container could not be picked up today, and will be delivered tomorrow. If it arrives before 4PM, we can ship some models out, but we prefer to do the UPS tags on Friday and ship them Monday in case there are any errors. This gives our customers the weekend to get their UPS email notice and see if their shipping information is current and correct. So the official shipping date is now Monday July 15th.

Thanks for your patience. 

BTW: Customs Held our container, as they do randomly to search for who knows what. And the importer is blessed with the cost of this inspection. Our fee was $1100 over the normal $3200 for shipping our container. The joys of importing. Random is fine, but this is the 3rd time of 6 containers in 12 months. Maybe these fees should be spread among all container importers. Sigh.....

Scott Mann

Thanks Scott! They will get here eventually! LOL

US Customs performs a random search for security or fraud, and you get the bill? Priceless!

Actually, there is a price. If you figure $3200 per container, six containers is $19200. Out of six, three got searched for an additional $3300. Spread out over the six containers, that means Scott needs to be factoring in an additional $550 in shipping cost per container. While we can all appreciate and admire what he does, this is his business and livelihood.

In the end, the government is helping themselves to more of the tax payer's hard earned money. I'd bet Scott doesn't just have an extra $3300 laying around in his sock drawer. This will ultimately either hurt 3rd Rail's bottom line, or cost us more for items we purchase from 3rd Rail. Neither scenario is good for any of us. It should come as no surprise that our hobby runs on very narrow margins. It is this kind of unexpected expense that can kill a business.

IMHO this is absolutely an example of where Scott would be completely and totally justified if he were to add a shipping surcharge to our orders. And yes, I would man-up and pay it!

Gilly

Well as Scott explained the $3200/container is just part of the cost per container of manufacturing across the Pacific.  As such it is a NORMAL cost of doing business and I would expect has been factored into all 3rdrail sale pricing.  I would also presume that the "random" inspection cost is part of their business planning.  But will say that their inspections seem great then normal statical modeling.

Now if the ONLY thing that was in the container was "our" 120 Jawn Henry's the inspection cost($1100.00/container) per unit is $9.17, if 1200 items then $0.90 and if 12000 items $0.09 per item. 

So it is not that much per item.  But, as said this does not "seem" to be all that random.

Ron

All of this is sad when you consider that on the news yesterday, it was mentioned that the gov't can't afford to pay for court fees when they catch drug smugglers on the Mexican border, so they confiscate the drugs but let the drug smugglers go free!  When asked about this buy the news people, the gov't had no comment.  A person like Scott has to fork out fees for inspections, yet drug smugglers go free without a fine or anything! This is rediculous!

Bullets are still fairly inexpensive....this would be my solution for the drug smugglers!

Alan

Don't worry Gilly you are paying those inspection fees. Nothing is free.

Although the security inspection is a surprise expense. We anticipate many such surprises. Anything that costs more money to produce, must be paid for. The factory cannot lose money. They don't have anywhere to borrow to make up the difference. 

The Jawn Henry's are in our warehouse and will begin shipping on Monday. We thank all of you that helped us with Data and information to make this an accurate piece. Especially Ron Rosenburg, for spurring me on to make this beast. 

Onward: The NYC T-3 Electric and the SP Lark and First Run of Coaches will be complete on July 25th. I am going out to inspect these and finish the designs of the FP7s and AC9 SP Yellowstone.  

Cheers,

I got to see this in person yesterday and I think y'all N&W fans who partook will be very pleased.  It's awesome.  Big Boys are small in comparison. I think this is the single largest O Scale thing I have ever seen.

On a tangent, if there are folks out there that would be interested in other turbines, C&O and UP come to mind, that haven't been done in O scale (i.e., Lionel and MTH) let Scott know.

Frankly, I never thought more than 10-20 people would sign up for this monster, but he got more than 100 reservations and that made it happen.

Did you see it run? Mine is due on Monday (it left California early this morning) and I can't wait to see it!