Does anyone have an update on when the new SLSF SD45 will be available from Athearn? I just sold my last (of three) undec Kato SD45's via eBay. I'm "SD45less" now! The Athearn's won't run as well as the Kato's, but I won't have to paint them! Ken
According to Athearn.com late April. They have posted photos on the other locos in the series, but not of the frisco unit.
Brian Gansereit at Kreig Haus Hobby and Coin in Washington Mo. told me that he was expecting several in tomorrow (24th). One has already been sold, and I've had him reserve the 911. He did, however, say "We'll see......" in reference to his past ordering experiences with Athearn. I'll stop in there tomorrow and find out.
Sorry, they haven't came in yet, at least not to Washington. Athearn's website says that they're due early April. I know, I can't wait for 'em either. My good judgement and common sense tells me to soldier on with what I have anyway, but I've always had trouble listening to the angel on my shoulder.
The only reason I didn't buy yours was the anticipated arrival of these. I check Toy Train Heavens website at least once a day to see if they have been moved from "advance" reservation status to "available" status
Ethan and All: I just checked the Athearn website and it now shows early April delivery and all three road #'s as being produced. If it goes like the SD40-2 did one or two will sell out immediately and there will be a scramble for the others. It would be wise to find a dealer that will assure you they will be getting enough. Notice that I said assure you and that means someone that you can trust will get them.
Every time this subject comes up about the infamous Kato SD45 I harken back to the early 1980's when the first run was introduced the NMRA National was in Kansas City and I walked up to the Kato booth where they were prouldly showing off their new model (probably a Santa Fe one) and I remember asking the gentleman who was Japanese and a US rep why they didn't do a Frisco one. I politely explained that the Frisco was one of the larger purchasers of SD45's and therefore thought it logical that they would produce that roadname. He politely responded that Yes he was aware that what I said was indeed true and that Frisco had strongly been considered and they would keep that in mind on future production runs. After all these years and I believe several production runs still no Frisco. The latest run does include Santa Fe (again) and even Wisconsin Central. I'm not sure, but at the time I believe the undecorated ones that Ken refers to were very rare birds and hard to find as Kato only made a few of them. I'm not sure if they ever offered undecorated ones after the first run. Just another walk down Memory Lane!
I wonder if this might be because of the exposure to the public of the SL-SF? The same could be said of the KCS, MP, TP, IC, and a few others. In other words, I guess that I am trying to say that over the years many of what I would consider heartland (center of the country) railroads have been neglected when it comes to production, but; East and West Coast seem to get the brunt of the painted runs. I have even been asked (out here) - "What's the Frisco?" - but no one's asked, "What's the SF, SP, WP, GN, RG, NYC, Burlington, or Pennsylvania. Of course, how Wisconsin Central got in the frey - have no idea - Must have a relative in the company. Make any sense, or am I just rambling?
Bob is correct - the undecorated HO Kato SD45's were hard to find. I was lucky to get one here in StL from my LHS and two more from a fellow in Ohio who decided to stay with only 1st generation diesels. I wound up with about a dozen or more undec Kato diesels - a couple of NW2's, a couple of RS2's, the three SD45's, and a whole bunch of GP35's in each of the three GP35 series Kato released. Got them at a fairly good price so I just kept picking them up as I saw them. About two-three years ago I decided to cut back on my Frisco o/w stuff since I am more partial to the 1st gen units in b/y colors, and I have too many locomotives. That meant it was unlikely I would ever paint up the pile of Kato undecs, so over the past year, I have been selling them off. Initially I tried eBay, with no success at all. I posted a couple of them here in our Swap Meet section, with equal lack of interest. Then about nine months ago I started to put them on HOYardsale and, bang!, they started to fly out of here. As of about a month ago, all the NW2's, all the GP35's, and one of the RS2's were gone. (I'm going to keep one of the RS2's). But, there was no interest at all on HOYardsale for the SD45's, only silence, which surprised me. I then listed the SD45's on eBay and, bang!, they went very quickly on the first listings for each. Go figure! I now need to address the pile of undec Stewart F-units I have - F3 A&B's, F7 A&B's, and F9's, mostly Kato driven, but also some dummies, and also several extra body shells, all correct phases for the Frisco. I really like these units, but I have way too many of them, more than I will ever use. (Caroline says I am a compulsive, impulse buyer - I only admit to being a sucker for F-units!). Ken
Has any one even seen a photo of the real model yet? I wonder if they finaly got the color right. Also I hope they got the roof beacons on all 3, the nose coonskin on 911, and the gyro light on 943. Looks like they have done some of this to the Milwaukee and BN unit.
Wisconsin Central is probably respresented because it wound up with so many SD45's when the larger Class 1's were getting rid of their's. The WC was operating SD45's at least until the late 90's. On the other hand, a certain manufacturer/distributor, as well as a major railroad magazine publishing company are located in Milwaukee, and they naturally give a lot of attention to the railroads that served their area. Kudos to Athearn for producing a model of virtually every road diesel that Frisco operated.
Send me a private message with what you would be interested in. I'm going to keep the two F9A's and the one Phase II "chicken wire" low fan F3A, but we could talk about any of the remaining F3A's, F3B's, F7A's or F7B's. I don't need them all. I also have a spare set of F7A & F7B body shells. All of these are undecorated Stewarts, new in box (except the extra body shells - they are in a bag). Ken
Ethan: I would be quite surprised if the color is incorrect as I have worked with them and was promised that it would be. The SD40-2 was correct (or close enough not to question them) and it did have a roof beacon and gyra-light so one could assume that the SD45 will also. Hopefully they will get the windshield correct.
I just looked at the Athearn website and it does look like the S45's are in stock there. As soon as someone actually gets theirs, please post some opinions and pictures.
Interesting timing ..... I am currently going through my stacks of old issues of "Railroad Model Craftsman" prior to disposing of them. My collection starts with the January, 1979 issue and runs through 1989. I'm looking through each issue prior to bundling them up into full year stacks for the St Louis Book Fair. Tonight I got to the September, 1980 issue. There it was ..... "Protofile 12: SLSF EMD SD45", an article way back then on the Frisco SD45's and how to model them. I had forgotten about that article. I'm sure the new Athearn SD45 will be a better model than the old, original Athearn SD45 available back then was, with its wide body shell. I had one of these old ones back then, and for the time, it looked pretty neat! Ken
