Hello Jonathan hope things are going well for you.
In answer to your question:
“Any interest in a re-run of the E7s with some upgraded tooling to get more variety in the pilots and offer some new road names and or new paint schemes PRR - Keystones & stripe only…
Penn Central
NYC Cigar Band
ACL
B&O and C&O late scheme
C&NW
Illinois Central
L&N
Mopac
Wabash
The tooling is 5 years old now if you can believe it. A rerun would allow for some great improvements.”
From my perspective, I do think the E7’s could be produced again, but, and I spoke with Scott on this subject when the E8/9’s were announced, I think there is a disconnect in that when the passenger engines are announced without a reasonable passenger car consist in sight (be it 3rd rail, MTH, Lionel or Atlas) it makes it hard for the operator to pull the trigger for an order in the hopes that “someday” a reasonable passenger car set becomes available.
From Scotts point of view he indicated that it would be difficult to match a passenger car consist up with every engine, and I get that, but, I do think people are not reserving passenger based engines because of this condition, not because of the engine or road name selected.
I think Walthers or BWL is and has been doing a named train series and many of the past selections have sold out. Of course, as you get past the big 5 SF, PRR, NYC, UP CBQ, you will start to run into limited demand.
Myself, I would like three of the named trains based on the road names you have selected.
Illinois Central – City of New Orleans or Panama Limited.
C&NW – “400”
Wabash – Blue Bird
I’m not even sure you have to deliver the whole set at the same time, but rather indicate “in good faith” the after the engines are delivered a set of proper passengers cars will be announced in the future – I think that reason alone would spur people to secure an engine(s) reservation.
If a particular engine does not garner enough reservations then of course building the cars becomes a moot point. For sure it is a delicate balancing act trying to guess what the market will bear and not have projects drag on over many years as was the Atlas California Zephyr set.
Hope that helps.
Charlie