Listers:
Several comments have been posted about the subject cars. As a result, I
will copy a reply to a question forwarded to me earlier today. Before I do
that, I want to point out one thing.
Because the cars are lettered for your pet road does not mean that they are
correct for that road. Walthers seems to be following recommendations made
during the research phase of this project. The cars to date are fairly
accurate replicas of a prototype. But, and here is where the marketing
enters the picture, if you make a plastic model of any prototype, you must
sell enough to cover the cost of investment and make a profit. If, you
don't, you won't be in business long.
Here is the copied text:
> Ray:
>
> Dave asked me to reply to your question because I had a small hand in the
> research segment of this project.
>
> My words paraphrase several discussions I had with the new product
> development manager two years ago. He commented that Walthers still thinks
> of itself as a manufacturer of passenger cars. It began that in the 1940's.
> This is no small project. Think of these cars in terms of Life Like
> locomotives. When they released the BL2 and GP18 years ago, we never saw the
> rest coming.
>
> I believe that is going to happen with these Budd cars. I was told Q
> modelers will not be unhappy.
>
> It seems Walthers did accept one piece of advice. That are modeling specific
> cars. The current coach is a Santa Fe replica, diner-grill is NYC, and
> sleeper is UP. So, the current crop is not Q. The coach is not too far from
> the 1952 and 1956 built flat top chair cars. The 10-6 is different from the
> Q 10-6's, but not by much.
>
> I do not know how much of a purist you are. If it looks right then it may
> be. One thing I learned doing the research is that many cars were close when
> compared to one another, but differed in small details. So, the answer to
> your question is that these models are not of CB&Q prototypes, but may be
> close enough to please you. However, what will be produced in the future may
> be Q cars. I do not know what or when. Their production plans are known only
> to them.
>
> Ed DeRouin
>
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