New HO Bay Window Caboose

Is this a sign that its time to learn how to scratch build and paint?

 

I wonder if we will see the return of the "kit."

 

Wholesale Trains called me to inform me that the Athearn bay window caboose price was going up about $3.00. They were confirming my reservation. They said that the caboose is now projected to be here about Sept. We'll see.

Terry Jankowski

 

Wholesale Trains is now showing 1/20/2014 for these cabooses to finally arrive. Again, as in my previous post of this subject, we'll see.

Terry

 

Terry and All:

I just checked the Athearn website and there seems to be some confusion as to what is actually going to occur with these cabooses. The 3 road numbers listed in my initial announcement show an arrival date of this September and the MSRP listed (if it is correct) is $26.98 which is a reduction of $3.00 vs. an increase of $3.00. Now they are also showing 3 more road numbers to be offered with an arrival date of late January 2014. They are as follows:

ATH74778 Road #1734
ATH74777 Road #1732
ATH74776 Road #1727

The original 3 road numbers show arrival date at Wholesale Trains of 08/20/13 which is really close. If one goes back to a post I made earlier in this thread about Horizon Hobbies showing this run to be Out of Stock they may have indeed sold out the original run.

If this is indeed the case, the only scenario that would make sense is that the first run completely sold out and a second one was justified by Athearn. If that is the case it will mean that 6 of the 10 road numbers that the Frisco had will be produced.

 

Terry and All:

I just checked the Athearn website and there seems to be some confusion as to what is actually going to occur with these cabooses. The 3 road numbers listed in my initial announcement show an arrival date of this September and the MSRP listed (if it is correct) is $26.98 which is a reduction of $3.00 vs. an increase of $3.00. Now they are also showing 3 more road numbers to be offered with an arrival date of late January 2014. They are as follows:

ATH74778 Road #1734
ATH74777 Road #1732
ATH74776 Road #1727

The original 3 road numbers show arrival date at Wholesale Trains of 08/20/13 which is really close. If one goes back to a post I made earlier in this thread about Horizon Hobbies showing this run to be Out of Stock they may have indeed sold out the original run. They currently are showing all 6 road numbers with the last 3 being shown as New.

If this is indeed the case, the only scenario that would make sense is that if the first run completely sold out a second one was justified by Athearn. If that is the case it will mean that 6 of the 10 road numbers that the Frisco had will be produced.

A BIG WOW may seem to be in order!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Bob, you are correct about the 1/20/2014 release being three new numbers. However, the price did go up on the original three numbers as I had reserved one for $16.19, and Wholesale Hobbies called me a couple of months ago to tell me that the price had gone up and did I want to keep the reservation active. I said, yes, and now the price is $18.94 which is the same as the new release.

Terry

 

As information, Horizon called today and now has Frisco Bay Window Cabooses. My two, have been shiped.
William Jackson
I also got two KCS Bay Window Waycar's also, but thats another road.

 

Wholesaletrains shows the first three numbers in stock on their website. My U30B shipped out today, but my caboose did not. Hopefully those of us that ordered these will be receiving these soon.

Ethan

 

Mine is on the way with a higher shipping cost than the U30b. Go figure. I won't buy anything from WST unless it is an expensive item as their shipping cost is unreasonable. I did get the uboat for a total cost of $200 which was great, but the caboose is far too expensive due to the shipping fee. Oh, well, live and learn.

Terry

 

To All:

I just received my Athearn Wide Vision caboose #1735 and below are some comments:

PROS:

(1) Overall the model seems to represent one of the cabooses in general although some of the window placements and plugs may not be prototypically correct.
(2) Lettering is very crisp and complete down to some of the smallest details.
(3) The color is consistent with recent Atlas and Athearn offerings.
(4) Separate corner grab irons and end grabs are separately applied and very realistic looking.

CONS:

(1) Model is an upgrade from an older Blue Box and therefore retains some of the old technology including non see-thru solid roof walks, metal snap-on coupler pocket covers, metal ladders that pass through roof walks and protrude downward on the ends.
(2) Very limited amount of underbody detail.
(3) Orange plastic smoke jack that is lighter than painted body and very toy-like in appearance.
(4) Truck side-frames that could use a greater depth of detailing.


Overall a nice model that just needs a little bit of tweaking. The painting and lettering actually overshadows some of the models flaws in my opinion.

In conclusion a question. Did the prototype have bars over the windows on the ends?

 

I guess maybe we all are not as good at nit-picking as we used to be (LOL) as after I made my post yesterday I went to Mike Condren's website and noted a glaring mistake on the model that to my knowledge has yet to be pointed out. I noted that the roof walk was solid and not see-thru and the ladders on the ends were the old metal ones that protruded through the roof. In reality the prototype had neither!

 

Tom,

It may not be a spot on, but it still looks very nice.

Brad Slone